A few questions after yesterdays trip to the range

[Eric D.]

Unfortunately my GPR is one that has the bad habit of not tripping the sear with the front trigger alone. When finances allow I'll get a replacement trigger but til then I'm stuck with what I got.

As far as groups go I'm not looking at getting tight groups at this point as much as getting my group above the horizontal line, at the moment I am completely below it with more filed off my front sight than I believe should be necessary. I would like my groups to be around 2 inches above the line at 50 yards. If I were to file my sight down any more to achieve thing I believe I would have to file the front sight down to the barrel. As it is I have issues with heat from the barrel obscuring my sight.

Thanks for all the advice, Eric

 

[Adui]

As far as groups go I'm not looking at getting tight groups at this point as much as getting my group above the horizontal line,

I could be wrong here, but my experience (doing it your way for many years before learning) says get your group as tight as possible first; THEN file the sight down. This way you are fine tuning the POI for the load you will actually be using in the rifle.

In my case I've a tradition rifle with a very non PC adjustable rear sight so no filing necessary. BUT I found when I quit worrying as much about POI and started fine tuning my load I went from 2-4 inch groups at 50 to one elongated ragged hole a half inch wide and about an inch long give or take.

I'd dial that thing in for a really good load and then adjust the sights.

 

[Cowboy]

the GPR's trigger's somewhat tricky to lower the hammer slowly, would be nice to load caps at half cock and not fiddle with trying to lower the hammer.

I also have a GPR. The way I place my cap is to fully cock the muzzleloader. Then place my cap on the nipple.

I then put a little pressure on the thumb of the hammer by pulling it back while at the same time pulling the front trigger and then slowly lowering the hammer all the way down on top of the cap.

After I am in my shooting position and ready to fire, I just cock the hammer back in the full position, set the front trigger by pulling the rear one, aim, and then fire.

I have never seen a need for me to set my hammer in the half cock position and then leave it there.

I don't hunt either though! Am strictly a range shooter.

Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff:

 

[robinsroost]

Eric, I have two percussion rifles and a percussion SBS shotgun and I have to bring all of them to full cock to get a cap on the nipple(s). I have cut 3/4" squares of rubber from an old inner tube. I tie the rubber squares to the trigger guard, cap the guns. then place the square on the capped nipple, then lower the hammer on the square. When I bring the hammer to full cock, the square falls to the side, to be used again.......robin :wink:

 

[Col. Batguano]

That's pretty much the same as leaving a SAA loaded with 6 cartridges, and the hammer down. I never heard of the olden timers walking around with the hammer on the 1st click (SAA's have 4 clicks when brought to full cock). Legend has it that for safety purposes, they usually only loaded 5 in a cylinder. Well, when you have 6 potential shots available, you have a different option than when you only have 1 in a ML'er! In flinters, you HAVE to have the cock on half or full cock if you don't want the flint scraping the frizzen and generating a spark. One safety alternative there is a leather frizzen stall, or basically a sleeve that prevents the flint from scraping metal if it were to drop. Maybe you could come up with something somewhat similar to keep the cock from contacting the cap / nipple in a percussion gun. I personally don't bother with it, and am just careful about handling it, and my muzzle control when ever it is that I handle a gun.

 

[will5a1]

Eric - GPR's use to come with two rear sights, an adjustable one and a fixed "primitive", did yours and did you save them? If the factory fixed rear is higher, or I should say taller, you could try it and replace the one you have from TOW, rather than lowering the front anymore.

I have a GPR in .54, have fired many rounds through it over the years, but I can't get it to shoot well unless I use an overpowder wad. You mentioned the corrosion in the muzzle area, you might try a wad and see if it helps.

Your GPR should fire with the front trigger unset, the pull may be heavy, put something is wrong. Lyman has, in the past, had a decent customer service reputation, it might be worth a call to them and see if they will warranty the trigger issue.

Keep at it, you'll get it mailed down and shooting cloverleafs.

 

[Eric D.]

No, I don't believe I kept the factory sights, I'll have to dig around and look. The kit I bought was an early eighties kit with I got still in the box,so I'm not sure if lyman would offer warranty on it but it won't to ask. I just got back from seattle for a doctors visit and was able to pick up some .495 balls so I can try them to see if that improves my groups. Thanks for all the help, Eric