finally ordered my first bp rifle

[sdhunter]

well after argueing with myself for several weeks over a hawken 48 twist or 60 twist lyman i finally chose the lyman gpr in .54 left hand and ordered it today. now the real waiting begins!!!lol. So after posting a few questions here and getting some amazing help from guys like zonie,capper, brownbear, and jethro, i know i am more than ready. so far i got some brake cleaner to clean all the factory gunk out, .530 rb's,.015 and .018 ticking, olive oil, bore butter, goex 2f, cci caps unfortunately,range rod and a hell of alot of ambition. AM I MISSING ANYTHING??? :thumbsup:

 

[Bill Hall]

Powder measure and something to easily pour powder from. You can use some centerfire brass for a powder measure, there is a list here somewhere that gives the grains-per-cartridge type. For pouring powder into the measure, you can drill a hole in the cap of your powder can and glue or tape a tube for pouring (poor man's flask). Just make sure you have another tight fitting cap to close up the can.

Bill

 

[sdhunter]

i have a capper and powder measure with swivel top, and a ketchup bottle with cone cap from a 80-90 gear oil bottle for a powder flask lol.

 

[Jim Fitzgibbon]

Welcome aboard the great hobby of muzzle loaders.
I have several rifles, many WW11 & so on.But
I keep coming back to my muzzle loaders.

There is just something I can't
exsplain that I love about them

Fly :wink:

 

[bilder]

It is an addiction and a slippery slope.

I am just getting started myself and am kicking myself for not getting into this years ago.

Better late than never!

 

[pab1]

You'll be happy with the Lyman. I'm not sure if you've heard bad things about them, but I've shot thousands of CCI primers and never had a problem.

 

[William O.]

I suggest that you replace the Lyman supplied nipple with a better one when you get the chance. The stainless steel Spitfire nipple or the bronze metal that AMPCO/Treso makes work very well. Shoot safe, straight and often.

PS- Good to see another lefty join the group!

 

[rusty]

That GPR .54 is a real good rifle,I am sure you will be more than happy with it.Good luck..D

 

[Pete Gaimari]

You did good. I'm planing on getting the same LH gun in flint for my shoots. It's as close to a real Hawken without going to an expensive kit.

I'm going to get rid of all the Lyman writing on the barrel and brown it, primitive sights, and reshape the stock to give it a more Hawken look. Too bad they don't make a LH kit.

Tell us how it goes with the gun.

I'm not a fan of Bore Butter, but some guys like it.

I think butter belongs on toast. :grin:

 

[Chris Hayes]

I also shoot a GPR. My gun LOVES .535 cast ball with .12 patch with mink tallow. The gun shoots better than i can!

 

[sdhunter]

i sure hope the gun outshoots me after a good scrubbing with steel wool and a 100 or so round balls

 

[sdhunter]

i have been thinking about casting but all i can find for lead around here is wheel weights. i did melt a bunch of wheel weights into ingots and will probably try them later in the game.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'm going to start casting too. I won't use anything but pure lead. Just like they did back in the day. Wheel weights are too hard. You'd be better off buying swadged balls.

Pure lead can be bought online. Even buying it that way it's still cheaper than buying balls.

 

[fire-n-brimstone]

I have never had a issue using wheel weights. That being said to each his own. If you can get WW easily you might look on some casting forums and try to trade them for pure lead.

Andy

 

[sdhunter]

i found sheet lead to buy but it is like 6.76 a lb and a hundred .530 balls weighs 3.2 lbs which come to $21.63. so yea i think i will just buy them for about 18 dollars a box.

 

[fire-n-brimstone]

http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Casting-Alloys-s/5.htm Try here Sdhunter.


Andy

 

[Tony Logan]

congrats on the GPR, I shoot left also. It is not as big of a deal to shoot a RH percussion LH. My flinters are LH. My percussions are RH. I will say I have handled a few LH GPR rifles and if I had started with a LH GPR that might be my only rifle. I really like the way they shoulder and I like the sights. Any way good luck. Go slow. It will all come together. That is an excellent choice.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

The problem with shooting a RH GPR left handed is the cheek piece is on the wrong side.

 

[sdhunter]

I was worried about the cheek piece as well with all the "hawken" rifles. So i was stuck with either a right hand renegade or a left hand gpr. i just didnt like the shorter barrel on the renegade and i figured if i ever hunt ELEPHANT i will just get the drop in 1:32 twist conical barrel for the gpr lol. :rotf:

 

[rafterob]

I'm going to get rid of all the Lyman writing on the barrel

Keep in mind that you will void any factory warranty if you remove the stampings.