It Ain't Easy Being a Muderator!

[Smoke Rookie]

I hear ya boss! My front blade, as I've mentioned before, feels like I'm pointing at the target with my thumb. I've kept meaning to get a new sight(s) for my GPR, but I either keep forgetting, or go into my frugal cheap mode, and say no. I have become better at shooting with that 2x4 of a front blade though, since I refuse to stop shooting just because of my sights. Right now I'm at 2.75 inch groups at 50-55 yards while shooting from a kneeling position. I'm 45 miles from a range, and too lazy to bring a table with me to shoot in the woods. I know that group isn't so hot, but as you can see by my username, I'm still a little new to the game. Thanks to everyone, again, on this forum for helping me get into this sport. I didn't come from a hunting/shooting family, so I'm having a blast learning from you all! Oh yeah, and I'm seriously long winded! :sorry:

 

[Zonie]

Thanks for the Lyman Link StaticXDOOD: Unfortunatly I needed to use it, but what a great website the MLF is! When I needed something, it was right there thanks to folks like you.

Well, the GPR went to the range today. As you may recall, it is a .50 caliber so I took some .495 balls and some red/white WalMart Pillowticking patches to see what it would do.

I had filed my front sight down about 1/16 and lowered the rear sight so the elevation screw was doing something.

Because I was sighting it in, (and like to build up my ego), I did my shooting at 25 yards, hand held off of a bench (like this months Postal shoot).
Loading 70 grains of FFFg Elephant (yes, I am still burning it up) I was impressed with the accuracy.
First three shots all touching 2 inches right and 3 inches low. Cranked up rear sight a few turns. Next group 2 inches right, elevation right on.
Tap, tap tap on the rear sight to the left about .045.
Next group about 1/2 inch right but elevation still good.

I then spent the next 1 1/2 hours eating the center 10 ring out of targets, much to the amazement of some of the other shooters at the range. Truth be known, my largest group was about 1 7/8 for 10 shots, (best, about 3/4 inch for 5 shots). Not too shabby for a store bought gun, Ah says.
No telling what it can do if I try some different powder loads!

Out of about 50 shots, I had 4 hammer falls without the cap firing. I attributed it to the fact that the RWS 1075 caps were not seating on the nipple. They were riding about .030-.040 high. The CCI caps fit great.

The set trigger spring was doing it's best to distroy my trigger finger because it's pull was set so strong.

After cleaning the gun at home, I removed the trigger and found the little set screw behind the rear trigger.
This screw adjusts the power of the trigger mainspring. Turning it in, the pull was a lot better so I reassembled the gun and tried it. The hammer fell to the half cock position and stopped.
Upon disassembling the lock, I found the previous owner (or the factory) lost, (or forgot to install) the fly. In any case, it was not there. That would explain the misfires I mentioned above.
A new fly, a primitive rear sight and some extra nipples are now on order.

I don't know if your guns trigger is built like mine, but mine has a built in safety in it.
This safety prevents the set trigger from hitting the lock sear arm if the front trigger is not pulled. In other words, if you set the rear trigger and accedently hit the gun against something and the set trigger sear releases the rear trigger, it can't travel up and hit the locks sear arm and discharge the gun. Pretty cleaver I say! I bet you didn't even know it was there!!


All in all, I can see why you owners of the GPR are so happy.

It's one hel of a nice looking, nice shooting gun anyone would be proud to own.
Before you ask, NO it is not for sale!! :front:

 

[Rebel]

Well, if you think you like it now, wait until you get some real powder to shoot in it. ::Use the pachyderm poop for fertilzer for the lawn and try some Goex.

 

You are quite welcome sir!

Regarding the trigger... my set trigger tension screw is as far in as it will go, and it is still very strong and difficult to pull. I'm used to it now, but every time I hand that gun to someone else to shoot, I have to tell them "Keep pulling... keep pulling... come on, pull it... *click* there ya go!" ::

Not sure if my trigger has the safety you refer to or not... so here are the trigger pics I posted a while back when asking about the travel issue. Perhaps you can point it out, or let me know if my trigger has it or not? It would be interesting to know if yours is different than mine.

I was going to say you should have ordered a vent liner or two as well with your order, but that's right... yers is one o' them thar shiny cup-poppin' doo-hickeys. :winking:

Something happened to my original ramrod and I called Lyman to get a replacement (pre-internet). When they told me they were only like $7 each at the time, I had them send me two! Great folks to work with.

Glad to see you like the rifle, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it in the future. Hey, if you get another burning in your belly and just gotta have a GPR flinter in .54, let me know and I'll trade ya fer one o' them purty flint longrifles you ain't shootin' any more now that you're such a GPR fan! :redthumb:

John

 

[Zonie]

Yours has the safety.
I've slept sense then and I don't feel like pulling my trigger again so I am going by memory. (At my age, that's dangerous).

Note what looks like a sheet metal hoop above the pivot pin for the rear trigger?
That is a part of the forward trigger, and if the forward trigger is not pulled, the hoop stays down where your picture shows it. In this position, it will block the set triggers blade from traveling upward far enough to hit the locks sear.

When You pull the front trigger, this hoop moves up allowing the set triggers blade to travel up and hit the lock sear arm.
Then again, I might be wrong.

By risking the part, so if it breaks you might have to buy another one, there is a way to reduce the amount of pull required by the rear trigger.
It envolves thinning the mainspring.
You may note that the mainspring is about 3/32 (.093) thick. If it is ground down by as little as 1/64 (.015) it will reduce the springs power by almost 30%. (Deflection works as a function of the cube of the thickness so a little change makes a lot of difference).
That makes it 30% easier to set the rear trigger.

A word of caution though. All grinding marks must be in the long direction of the spring. Absolutly NO grinding across the narrow direction. Also, use the finest grinding wheel you can find and remove the material a very little at a time.
Excessive heat not only can effect the springs temper, but can cause "grind burns" on the surface. These will develop into cracks.
If there is a chanch you introduced a grind burn, use some wet dry paper and sand off as much of the damaged surface as you can.
Also, grinding on the exposed surface of the spring when it is still in the lock is much better than grinding on the hidden surface (after you remove the spring).
The exposed surface is under compressive stress so it is less apt to break than the underside of the spring which is under tension.

:results:

 

[Zonie]

Well, if you think you like it now, wait until you get some real powder to shoot in it. ::Use the pachyderm poop for fertilzer for the lawn and try some Goex.

Ah jus kinder took ye up on yer suggestion Rebel. Ah didn't shoot that Hefalump stuff.
Ah went to tha range today an used some o that Pyrodex stuff! :: ::
No misfires, no hangfires, no failed caps.

Ah cheeted a lil an shot offen a bensh usin ma elbos fer suporten tha gun, an ah war shootin at 25 yards.

Had one groop that had 6 shots centared 1/2 inch offen dead center an tha hole groop cuud be covared by a quarter. Korse, than ah had tha 7th shot go 1 1/2 inchas wide cous O oparator airror.

Ah gots ta admit, at Lyman GPR ar one shootin rifel. ::

O! Ah thin Ah hooked anothar one!
Guy war wachen me fer 'bout 4 shots an come over sayin he war thinnen 'bout gettin inter black powder.
Ah went thru tha loadin, tellin him what ah war a dooin an why. Whan it war all looded, ah asked iffen he wanted ta touch her off at tha target.
Now, this guy war about 6'3 an wayed close ta 300 pounds but he got tha sam look a lill kid does whan ye offer him a kandy bar.
Ah shooed him how ta use tha set trigger and cap it.
He tuuk aim an squeezed her off, missen ma gruup ba about 7 inches but he turned aroun with tha biggest S... eatin grin ah ever saw an says "You sold me!!! I gotta get one of these!"

 

[Rebel]

Well, i think even that Pyrodex would be an improvement over Elephant. :: Sounds like ya got it shootin' pretty good there. And made a new convert too. Good job. Did ya advise him on how to find this here Forum for when he has some questions?

 

[Zonie]

I mentioned it to him, but I think it went in one ear and out the other. These web addresses can be confusing, and I didn't have a pencil or my Muzzleloading Forum Business card to give him.

Muzzleloading Forum Business Card?
Yup. A long time ago, I asked Claude if he could design some for all of the members, so they could open up a post with a link to them and print them out on their printer.
He came up with one but didn't like the style of it.
I copied it and made several copies which I usually carry in my wallet for just such times. So far, I handed out about 30 of them.
I don't know if anyone I gave a card to ever used it, but I think handing them out is a good idea. You never know who you might help.

 

[Rebel]

I think the business card idea is a good one. Could maybe nmke us a few more converts with them. Maybe MM, with all his drawing and computer talents could come up with a good one?