GPR Reod

[mastrsgt]

OK, 41Aeronca has got me started on this. His GPR is REALLY nice. I have a factory finished GPR the I want to reodo. I have the following areas, so far, do to work on.

1 What is the easiest way to get the factory installed sights out of the dovetail. It has adjustable sights and I want to replace them with the bucktail sight and maybe a different front sight.

2 The barrel needs to be smoothed. It has a lot of machine makrs in it that I want to take out along with the factory markings. I dont have a problem with this part once I get the sights removed. Any suggestions on a finish, blue, brown, in the white?

3 It seems like none of the screwdivers I have seem to fit the screws on this rifle. Do I need to get some other tool set before I continue?

4 What is the best way to remove the pin that holds the nose cap in place? I want to remove the blueing from it.

5 The stock is not a problem. I have used Birchwood Casey oil and I'm happy with the way it looks.

I guess I should have started with a kit gun, but I want to improve the appearance of my GPR.

Thanks for the help and if this isn't the right forum, please switch it for me.

Don R

 

[Goldhunter]

OK, 41Aeronca has got me started on this. His GPR is REALLY nice. I have a factory finished GPR the I want to reodo. I have the following areas, so far, do to work on.

1 What is the easiest way to get the factory installed sights out of the dovetail. It has adjustable sights and I want to replace them with the bucktail sight and maybe a different front sight.

2 The barrel needs to be smoothed. It has a lot of machine makrs in it that I want to take out along with the factory markings. I dont have a problem with this part once I get the sights removed. Any suggestions on a finish, blue, brown, in the white?

3 It seems like none of the screwdivers I have seem to fit the screws on this rifle. Do I need to get some other tool set before I continue?

4 What is the best way to remove the pin that holds the nose cap in place? I want to remove the blueing from it.

5 The stock is not a problem. I have used Birchwood Casey oil and I'm happy with the way it looks.

I guess I should have started with a kit gun, but I want to improve the appearance of my GPR.

Thanks for the help and if this isn't the right forum, please switch it for me.

Don R

1. If I remember right, the sites drift in from the left to the right (but I could be wrong). Simply get something to use as a pin (brass is best) and tap with a hammer until the sites pop out.
2. Purely personal. Mine is brown. I did that because I already had a blue barrel on another rifle. However, 41Aeronca's rifle does look sexy with the white finish. :winking: Got me thinking about refinishing mine, and mine was a kit! :shake: probabely won't, but a guy can dream.
3. Gunsmith screw drivers usually work best, for any gun. Brownells has a good selection. Or, you can use your current drivers, just file or grind them to fit. A tight fitting screwdriver doesn't mar up a screw much.
4. I drifted my pin in and out with a finishing nail about the same size or a touch smaller. Nothing special.

And as always, others milage will often very. :grin: This is my experience. Good luck.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Hi Don,
I'm not an expert gunsmith or anything like that, and this is the first muzzleloader (or any other type of firearm) I've put together. But I'll pass along things I've found out about the Lyman.

What is the easiest way to get the factory installed sights out of the dovetail.

I cannot imagine that the sights on the factory guns are installed any differently than in the kits. I just used a punch set I picked up at Harbor Freight to tap the sights in and out. You want to tap out from left to right and in right to left. However if the sights were straked down, that might pose some difficulty. Maybe someone with more experience in this can give better advice. :bow:

The barrel needs to be smoothed. It has a lot of machine makrs in it that I want to take out along with the factory markings.

I'm currently dealing with the same problem with the tool marks. I've been using 220 and 320 grit sand paper to try to get these out. A real pain. If someone has a better way I'd sure like to know also. Yah, I'm not too keen with all the factory markings that take up half the barrel. I think it will be too much trouble to take them out though...

Any suggestions on a finish, blue, brown, in the white?

I originally was going to brown all the metal. However, after seeing how the stock finish came out, plus with all the advise from this group, I decided to try a grey finish. I'm using Birchwood Casey super blue, then 0000 steel wool to rub it back, bringing out the white underneath. It is coming out real nice, giving the gun a well used look, but not ancient.

It seems like none of the screwdivers I have seem to fit the screws on this rifle. Do I need to get some other tool set before I continue?

I'd invest in some gunsmith screwdrivers. My set has enough driver bits that I can find one that will fit any screw on the rifle.

What is the best way to remove the pin that holds the nose cap in place? I want to remove the blueing from it.

I used a finishing nail the same diameter as the pin. Tapped the pin out with a small hammer. Worked just fine.

The stock is not a problem. I have used Birchwood Casey oil and I'm happy with the way it looks.

One thing I noticed about the stock on the GPR was that the cheek piece seemed too massive. I did a lot of online research, looking at pictures of hawkens and plains rifles, some original, some contemporary, before I decided on how to cut back and shape the cheek piece. I think that it is one of the most attractive pieces on the rifle now.

Thank you for your kind comment about my rifle. This thing was kinda a mid-life crisis therapy for me after I turned 50. :haha:
I decided first off that I was not in any hurry to complete it. I wanted to do the best I was capable of in putting it together, so I just took my time. So far I beleive that I have succeeded. But I'll tell you, I have been somewhat overwellmed by the reponses when I posted the pics of it in "White". :redface: It is looking ten times better now, and I still have the barrel to complete...
Good luck with yours Don. Post some pics as you go along. I'd love to see your progress.

Scott

 

[Vaino]

To smooth up the bbl, use a 6" mill bastard file and draw file the bbl. When the draw filing is finished, sand lightly w/ 220 grit paper. This is what I do when the bbl is to be browned and possibly a finer finish might be desired for "in the white". Just purchased a set of 9 assorted cheap, wood handled screwdrivers from the "bargain barrel" in our local hardware store for $2.99, they're properly hardened and will be ground to fit odd ball screw slots. Must have approx. 60 screwdrivers and the cheap ones are constantly ground for various screw slots.....Fred

 

[CrackStock]

The barrel needs to be smoothed. It has a lot of machine makrs in it that I want to take out along with the factory markings.

I'm currently dealing with the same problem with the tool marks. I've been using 220 and 320 grit sand paper to try to get these out. A real pain. If someone has a better way I'd sure like to know also. Yah, I'm not too keen with all the factory markings that take up half the barrel. I think it will be too much trouble to take them out though...

[url] http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=548&s=[/url]

If the marks are on the octagonal flats, this is the right tool.

CS

 

[renovato]

Tap the sights out with a brass punch from the left to the right. When you install, they should go in from the right.

For finish, if you choose to brown the metal, you might give Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution a try. It's pretty foolproof, easy to use and very durable.

 

[fw707]

I punched the nosecap pin out with a 1/16" punch. It came out real easy, but I had to tap on the nosecap from the inside of the barrel channel to get it started coming off the stock. I tapped it back into place with a hammer handle when I was done working on it.
Hope that helps a little. :winking:

 

[mastrsgt]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll be working on it this weekend and will let you know how things are going.

Don R