How good are the Lyman perc GPR .54 rifles?

[ebiggs1]

There are always exceptions! But in general...............

 

[catman]

They shoot well also..

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Really Zonie, I don't think so...boy you missed the target this time! That deer was a 200 pounder on the hoof, trouble was that there big old ball hit that deer so hard it just blew it to smithereens...and thats why deer should be hunted with 40 cal and smaller weapons...after all one does have to eat! :bull: ... :thumbsup:

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Actually I'm thinking of making a .54 cal GPR my next acquisition, in flintlock for PA deer hunt'n! Will be patient though as I want one with really nice wood on it! :v

 

[54ball]

One of the most gruesome things I have seen hunting was due to my GPR.
It was a 180lb hog doing a somersault. The .530 ball mangled one shoulder and broke both front legs. She did a flip and then laid right there. It was gruesome.

One of the best things you can do is chunk the factory adjustable sight. The the non adjustable is much better.

 

[misher]

Aren't they the same thing as a Cabelas Hawken?

 

[nmdd]

Both made by same company, Investarms, the Cabela's Hawken is a TC Hawken clone....

http://www.investarm.it/eng-avancarica.html

:thumbsup:

 

[pa woods roamer]

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Puts a nice Hole in `em

 

[hardtimes]

Nice shot.

As for the GPR, I really like mine. I have a 54 cap and 50 flint. Both fit me very well. I am also partial to the TC line being that is what I grew up with.

 

I built mine in 1982. Here's a link to photos I posted. I named it Lucifer, because its pretty as an angel and shoots like the devil.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/945127/

 

[Snakebite]

Claypipe,

Nice looking gun. I like your custom touches.

If I were going to buy a production gun, the GPR would be the one. IMO, without a doubt it's the best looking one and best quality of any production gun.

 

[Billnpatti]

All of the Lyman GPRs are great rifles. I have owned a couple of them and I really like them. I'd still have both of them if I had not run across a custom rifle that I wanted more. I have also owned a couple of T/C Hawkens, one caplock and one flintlock. both were great guns but the Lyman is a bit above them both in looks and in accuracy. The quality of both is excellent but given a choice between a Lyman and a T/C, the Lyman would win out. My comments on Lyman VS T/C are just for comparison purposes and are just my opinion based on having owned both guns.

 

[morehops]

How good? Good enough that I after I bought a GPR I went out and got a GPH and a Deerstalker. All are a good deal in a factory gun and will do what they were meant to: put large chunks of lead into small target areas. They aren't perfect, though. As others have said the facory sights aren't great, find ones that work best for you. The triggers are average but improve with use. Personally, I also think that the percussion lock springs could be a tad beefier. buy one, enjoy it and shoot it often.

 

[Spruce]

How good are the .54 GPR's?

(Sorry for the pic again) but the .54 GPR is just that good! 2nd to NONE in production guns!

Your GPR looks gorgeous. How did you finish the stock ?

The Lyman GPR's are quite popular at the black powder event's I attend.

A couple of matches have been won with them, sometimes against a few custom rifles.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Thank you. i no longer recall what I used on it. i wanted it to stay pretty close to original wood so I put a very light stain on it and then a few coats of tung oil it.
Its as accurate a gun as i can imagine for hunting purposes to 100 yards.

 

[longcruise]

How good are the .54 GPR's?

I own two and have built four. Have taken deer and elk with them in .54 caliber.

I only mention game taken so as to be able to refute my own statement in terms of it's applicability to your question. IMO, it has nothing to do with the overall quality of the GPR.

That said, the kits are often poorly manufactured with overcuts to the inletting. Mostly fixable but quite annoying. Whent they cant be "fixed", Lyman is very good about taking care of the problems.

Even with over twenty years of use as my main rifle for hunting and target, my first GPR is going strong. I did have a cracked wrist show up one year and had to repair it (no TC style warranty). That did not bother me too much, especially considering that a TC I've had for years needed two stock replacements. :haha:

A new GPR almost always needs to be "shot in" over many hundreds of shots or lapped to get good performance right off. I think the break-in problem is what generates the majority of complaints about the GPR. Especially among shooters who may only shoot 50 or so shots per year. Thats a six year break-in period! :shocked2:

All in all, I would say they are very good guns. In fact, they are pretty much the best choice out there (IMO) as a starter rifle given quality and cost considerations.

 

[Black Jack]

Nice looking CVA Mountain Rifle. The early ones with the USA made barrels were the best rifles they ever made; much more authentic looking than the TCs and better round ball shooters. The flint versions had the often troublesome CVA locks on them but the caplocks were fine. Too bad they did not maintain the quality. Today, you cannot go wrong with the Lyman GPR. A great rifle for either hunting or weekend target shooting.

 

[saber24]

I've had mine for about 8 years. It was pretty old (but, never fired) when I got it. Of the 6 rifles I currently have: It seems to be the one I shoot the most.

 

[VEARL]

I've had a Lyman 50 Cal. GPR for years now. Is a real good shooter. Quarter size group at 75 yds. ( which is my max distance for hunting)
Just recently bought a new barrel in 54 Cal. Now I can switch barrels and use the same stock for both.
Waiting on a warmer day to sight it in.
Buy one and you will like it.
Vearl

 

[longcruise]

The early ones with the USA made barrels were the best rifles they ever made

And, if Deer Creek Rifle Works still has a supply on hand, they bought up those barrels and other parts and made them up into kits. I built one and found it to be a very good rifle.

Some pics

and, a fifty yard three shot group after filing the sights in.