Brand new shooter and GPR owner...

[Old40Rod]

There is absolutly no reason for this and many people have found that charges in the neighborhood of 50 grains not only works well but is often the most accurate load in their .50 caliber guns.

50 grains of Goex FFF is the favorite diet of my GPR with PRB.

 

[Otter]

I have both a .50 and a .54 GPR. In the .50, I use 50 gr 3f for target work at 25 to 50 yds and 75 gr 3f for hunting. Home cast RBs and .015 cotton spit patch. Surprisingly, the .54 likes the same loads . . . Great "off the shelf, production" rifles. BTW, don't get too concerned about moving or filing your sights until you've shot at least 100 rounds through it and it may take up to 200 RBs until the bore settles in. Then you can REALLY start to develop the load(s) your rifle likes best.

 

[Emet Huntsman]

My .54 GPR (percussion) loves 70 grs. FF PRB. Above that without an overpowder wad she tends to stray way too much.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Update!!!

After much cursing, filing and hammering, I was able to convince my wedges to fit snugly, but not excruciatingly tight. The front wedge slot is a little out of alignment, but I managed to bend the wedge slightly down and to the right, I don’t know if it will hold forever, but it does the job right now. I spoke with Lyman and they agreed to send me a replacement pair of escutcheons and a new wedge if this solution does not work. Also they said if I have any problems to send the rifle in and they will make sure everything is set up right.

Very nice folks!

I've got my barrel swabbed with BreakFree right now to start cleaning out the shipping crud. I've got to ask, what is everybody’s standard practice when it comes to cleaning and prepping a newly shipped barrel?

I am going to try to shoot sometime in the next couple of days if the weather holds.

Thanks for all the great advice,

Patrick

Just a thought here....I hamered in a wedge pin for some time on my T/C Renegade and FINALLY realized that my accuracy was suffering...Moral of the story is: The wedge pin CAN be TO tight. Just keep it in the back of your mind for latter IF needs be.

 

[nodakhorseman]

Probably a silly question, but I've never used an over powder wad when shooting a patch and ball. Do many people do this? I do with my ML shotgun, but that is a different story.

--Joel

 

[Semisane]

I shoot both ways, but favor a wad when I'm using heavy loads, or hunting and plan to leave the load in the barrel for extended periods, or doing serious target work. Plinking with light loads - patch and ball only.

 

[nodakhorseman]

Thanks Semisane!

In your opinion, what would be your cut off between light and heavy loads.

I ordered a Lyman GPR and it will be showing up on Friday. For the remainder of the fall, I'll be using it to fill a couple of mulie and whitetail tags. I've always used 80 - 90 grains of powder in my previous ML rifles. I'm guessing you'd recommend a wad with these loads?

 

[nodakhorseman]

I'd like to learn more about using an over powder wad with patch and ball. I just called Track of the Wolf to ask a few more questions. I'm not saying that the guy I spoke to is an expert, but he hadn't really heard of too many people using wads with patch and ball. They sell wads for .50 caliber ML guns, but they seemed mostly intended for shooting shot from a smoothbore rifle.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I shoot both ways, but favor a wad when I'm using heavy loads, or hunting and plan to leave the load in the barrel for extended periods, or doing serious target work. Plinking with light loads - patch and ball only.

Ditto!

 

[nodakhorseman]

Final question...

Do you lube the OP card or run it down dry?

 

[nodakhorseman]

Ok I lied! :grin:

One more question...

Are you using a thick cushion wad (.5") or a .125" over powder card? I'll order me a bag, but would like to know which first. Thanks!

 

[Emet Huntsman]

I bought mine from Cabela's -- the 20-ga. shotgun felt wads 1/8 inch thick. I load them dry between the powder and the PRB.
When I was going over 70 grs. they kept the patch from being damaged. But under 70 grs. they really tightened up my groups, so I use them whatever load I am shooting.
(edit) -- just read back to your first post. You are getting a .50. I have a .54,so the felt wads for your gun would not be the 20-ga size. Everything else stands.
The Parson

"The time to live and the place to die. That's all any man gets. No more, no less."
- Parson (Hank Worden) in The Alamo

 

[nodakhorseman]

Thanks! Just ordered the right ones from Track of the Wolf.

Take care. --Joel

 

[Semisane]

In your opinion, what would be your cut off between light and heavy loads.

My plinking load is 50 grains GOEX FFFg with an easy loading .530 ball/.015 patch. My hunting load is 95 grains powder, a felt wonder wad, .535 ball, .018 patch.

I lube my patches with a home made mixture of 25% bees wax, 25% Crisco, 50% olive oil. Put the ingredients in a glass container and microwave it until everything is liquid. Stir it a little and pour into a container of your choice to cool and harden. I use old bullet boxes for shooting at the bench and a musket tin for walking in the woods.