Accuracy

[JDBraddy]

Sell that rifle

Get you a vintage Lyman Great Plains Rifle.

Develop a simple repeatable loading routine, and shooting form.


Collect shooting trophies.

Ok, I agreed to buy a used Lyman Great Plains rifle from another member in the classifieds here. While waiting, I shot in my first match, ran into some problems, but learned a lot. Tried both .490 and .495 balls. Started with 50gr @ 50yd, went to 70gr @ 100yd. Bought ingredients and matress ticking, mixed up both a batch of Murphys moose milk, and 50/50 dawn/water. I tried cleaning between stages, and didn't get it swabbed dry so first shot of next stage didn't go off, powder was wet, fortunately other shooters where able to help. Had to pull the ball during the match stage, clean again and dry, then load and shoot. Saw some using pre-lubed and dried, some shooting dampened patches, need to do more experimenting and testing, but so far am leaning towards pre-lubing strips and letting them dry, haven't decided whether to use Hoppes, Murphys moose milk, or Dawn/water lube yet.

 

[Boomerang]

Your learning! Keep at it. The Lyman GPR will do you well!

 

[Bad Karma]

Ok, I agreed to buy a used Lyman Great Plains rifle from another member in the classifieds here. While waiting, I shot in my first match, ran into some problems, but learned a lot. Tried both .490 and .495 balls. Started with 50gr @ 50yd, went to 70gr @ 100yd. Bought ingredients and matress ticking, mixed up both a batch of Murphys moose milk, and 50/50 dawn/water. I tried cleaning between stages, and didn't get it swabbed dry so first shot of next stage didn't go off, powder was wet, fortunately other shooters where able to help. Had to pull the ball during the match stage, clean again and dry, then load and shoot. Saw some using pre-lubed and dried, some shooting dampened patches, need to do more experimenting and testing, but so far am leaning towards pre-lubing strips and letting them dry, haven't decided whether to use Hoppes, Murphys moose milk, or Dawn/water lube yet.

Reading the many and various responses to your initial post I can’t help but think that experience is mostly the best teacher… with respect to any of the choices you face now, I would suggest you try as many as you can afford to try. Unless of course you hit upon a cleaning technique, load, lube, patch, and ball that works right off the bat… it could happen… the fellows at the club seem solid and eager to help. Use that too…

 

[Sam squanch]

Get a reloading scale. Weigh your bullets or round balls to find the ones that are lighter than the others. That means there is a casting or swaging void in the bullet( like an air bubble) and it will not shoot true.

 

[Bad Karma]

Get a reloading scale. Weigh your bullets or round balls to find the ones that are lighter than the others. That means there is a casting or swaging void in the bullet( like an air bubble) and it will not shoot true.

Very true. Shooting rifles I usually weigh powder charges as well. I want them within a grain over or under assuming charge weights over 50 grains. Might as well, I use plastic charge tubes whether shooting on my range or hunting and I’m using an electronic scale so it doesn’t add much time to the process. Consistent charges, bullets and techniques are important.

 

[William O.]

Ok, I agreed to buy a used Lyman Great Plains rifle from another member in the classifieds here. While waiting, I shot in my first match, ran into some problems, but learned a lot. Tried both .490 and .495 balls. Started with 50gr @ 50yd, went to 70gr @ 100yd. Bought ingredients and matress ticking, mixed up both a batch of Murphys moose milk, and 50/50 dawn/water. I tried cleaning between stages, and didn't get it swabbed dry so first shot of next stage didn't go off, powder was wet, fortunately other shooters where able to help. Had to pull the ball during the match stage, clean again and dry, then load and shoot. Saw some using pre-lubed and dried, some shooting dampened patches, need to do more experimenting and testing, but so far am leaning towards pre-lubing strips and letting them dry, haven't decided whether to use Hoppes, Murphys moose milk, or Dawn/water lube yet.

Swab your barrel between shots with a very lightly dampened piece of cotton flannel. For a dry lube, try Ballistol and water, at 1/5, 1/6 and 1/7 ratios to see what works best in your rifle.

 

[JDBraddy]

Swab your barrel between shots with a very lightly dampened piece of cotton flannel. For a dry lube, try Ballistol and water, at 1/5, 1/6 and 1/7 ratios to see what works best in your rifle.

Forgive my ignorance, but is the numerator in the ratio Balllistol or water?

 

[Frontier's]

Forgive my ignorance, but is the numerator in the ratio Balllistol or water?

As an example, Should be 6:1

6 parts water to 1 part ballistol.

 

[William O.]

As an example, Should be 6:1

6 parts water to 1 part ballistol.

Quite right, sorry to be so cryptic.

 

[JDBraddy]

Quite right, sorry to be so cryptic.

DON'T apologize, I'm new to this, came here looking for information which you graciously shared. just wanted to clarify. BTW, have been experimenting with doing the same using the murphy's moose milk I mixed up, Hoppey's black powder bore cleaner/ lube, Birchwood Casey muzzle-magic all in a spray bottle, so farr all seem to work equally well, so will give that a try. Finally got in the Swiss 3fg, and groups shrank by almost half from the Pyrodex I had been using.

 

[Salty]

Welcome to the forum from Winchester. VA!

Would highly recommend this book: Black Powder Rifle Accuracy System by Dutch Schoultz

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155742696421?

This is a excellent tutorial on improving accuracy by eliminating variables.

 

[Bad Karma]

DON'T apologize, I'm new to this, came here looking for information which you graciously shared. just wanted to clarify. BTW, have been experimenting with doing the same using the murphy's moose milk I mixed up, Hoppey's black powder bore cleaner/ lube, Birchwood Casey muzzle-magic all in a spray bottle, so farr all seem to work equally well, so will give that a try. Finally got in the Swiss 3fg, and groups shrank by almost half from the Pyrodex I had been using.

I’m getting too old to go out and get my own moose milk… and ours aren’t as tame as some are.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Front sight is modern, and your barrel is too short and most likely the wrong twist for round ball.

My one bit of advise is never use pastorium based oils or grease in or on it.
Hard loading is a direct result of petro based oil in the works.
Ive used T/C 1000+ for decades now and can shoot 75-80 rounds a day and the last one goes in with 2 fingers just like the first one.

Dry ball: never had one in decades, but always carry a pancake compressor for those that do.
You can charge it at home, at the balls fly out real fast.