Converting Lyman Great Plains

[dcward1944]

If I were to buy .50 Cal. Lymans Great Plains or a Great Plains Hunter then get a Green Mountain .45 Cal barrel how much modification do I have to make(if any) in order for it to fit. Once done can I switch back forth without much problem? I just do a lot of target shooting no hunting.
Thanks

 

[cowpoke1955]

You may get one and have it custom fitted, but it would be costly. Every match I've shot in required the use of round balls. The GPR is very accurate as is. Both of my .54's will group well at 100 yards. You can contact Lyman, for they sell a .45 cal. version in Europe. Just a thought.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I think Green Mountain does not make a "drop-in" for the GPR. They make one for the T/C Hawken which can be fitted to the Lyman Trade Rifle with out too much bother. You can get a 15/16x36" barrel blank, install a breechplug from Track of The Wolf, fit your own underlug, sights and ram rod rib and thimbles, cut to any length you like and, doing it yourself, save a few bucks compared to the "drop-in" price. Now if you have a gunsmith do all the work it may be cheaper to go with a drop-in but as mentioned, they don't make one for the GPR. You could call Track of The Wolf and ask what their gunsmith would charge to do the work.
Or, you could just get the standard .50 caliber GPR and order a fast twist "hunter" barrel from Lyman. You'd not have a .45 but there is nothing wrong with .50 caliber for round ball shooting.

 

[410-er]

I have contacted Lyman about getting a 45 here stateside and they don't offer it.

 

[pab1]

Track of the Wolf will modify a GM barrel to fit a GPR for $75.00. It is listed under their "Gunsmithing" options. I have geen thinking about getting one for my GPR too. If you get one, let us know how it turns out.

 

[dcward1944]

I'll keep you guys posted, I think it's just a matter of time till all of it happens. Heck, I'm still learning all the terms, gun parts and abrivations etc. Wonder why Lyman doesn't offer a 45 here, must not have been a big seller like their 50 and 54.

dinger

 

[J.D.]

The 50 is as accurate as the 45, so don't waste your money if you expect more accuracy from the 45. If you intend to shoot serious competition, a custom gun will probably be in order.

 

[Old40Rod]

The .45 will be heavier tho.

 

[Jim-Iowa]

I'll keep you guys posted, I think it's just a matter of time till all of it happens. Heck, I'm still learning all the terms, gun parts and abrivations etc. Wonder why Lyman doesn't offer a 45 here, must not have been a big seller like their 50 and 54.

dinger

An idea why Lyman does not sell a .45? I recently quit my second job selling firearms in Walmarts Sporting Goods Department for 6 yrs. We never carried anything but .50 cal. because market studies showed that .50 cal accounted for 70% of all muzzleloaders sold.
Of course my being different, I am building a .45 Southern Mountain. :grin:

 

[Zonie]

Jim: I would say you answered your own question.
If 70% of all muzzleloaders sold are .50 caliber I'm betting that about 25% are .54's. That leaves about 5% for the .32, .36, .40 and .45 caliber guns.

The .45 used to be a very popular caliber back in the '70s and '80s but lets face it. It doesn't have quite the same knock down power and macho sound as being able to say,"I shoot a .50 caliber gun! :grin: "

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Quite right Zonie, but hunting regs also figure into it. Some states set .50 caliber as minimum for some game. Here in Colorado everyone wants their rifle to be legal for elk even though they may never actually hunt elk with it.
It would be interesting to see Speer and Hornady's round ball production numbers for the various ball sizes. I nominate Zonie to conduct the study. All in favor, say AYE!

 

[John Taylor]

AYE-cast my own. I started with a 45 then slowly went up to 72. Still have a 50 but most of my shooting is with a 62.

 

[brubincam]

---------EYE-------UGHO--------AYE-------- :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

Now, hold on there! That sounds like that four letter word to me and I have an allergy to it. You folks wouldn't want ole zonie to do something "rash" now would you?

I can't imagine anyones friends actually suggesting that some one do some WORK around here. :shake:
zonie :haha:

 

[dcward1944]

Now there is a fly in the ointment. There is a guy in Richmond MA that handles nothing but Pedersoli's rifles,parts etc. He carries barrels for the Frontier model I have in a 45 cal. made by Pedersoli or who ever supplies them their barrels. They are $350.00. That seems high but it's about half the price I was going to spend the other way. But the other way I get to have a different rifle. My wife going to kill me for getting into all of this.

dinger

 

[Zonie]

Seems to me you can get a custom barrel from one of the many American barrel makers for a whole lot less than Pedersoli's price.

Pedersoli has a reputation for extremely high prices for all of their replacement parts.

zonie

 

[dcward1944]

Thanks Zonie, I'll be doing some checking first that's for sure.
dinger

 

[Otter]

I'm kinda late to the party, but here goes -

If you just want to punch paper, why go .45 cal? Go to .40 cal - less powder and less recoil and they shoot great. TOW lists a GM IBS 15/16" x 32" x .40 cal for the GPR (although right now they are "sold out"). No price listed but is probably in the $200 range. I got one for my Cabela's Hawken and it was truly a "drop in" with very minor alteration. The GPR has 2 underlugs, which is the major difference between the GPR and a TC or Cabela's. If you are at all handy (or willing) you can order the IBS for the TC and relocate the supplied underlug and add another to fit the GPR.

All that being said - I have ML's in .36, .40, .45, .50, .54 and am currently building a .58. Far and away, I shoot the .54 more than the others. I hunt with it, too, but shoot a lot more paper than animals.

 

[brubincam]

SORRY---don't think I spelled it properly--UGHO--was supposed to be the other word for---OOOPS--- :rotf: