Lyman Deerstalker

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Good morning:

I posted awhile back on the percussion section about looking for a nice, light rifle to tote around as now that I am older, it is a beast lugging my .54 caliber Hawken around. It is not very well suited for stump sitting either (for me, anyways). Anyway, I thought about looking for a nice T/C Seneca, but being left handed, I wanted another left-hand gun. I looked at the GPR as well, but not much lighter than my Hawken. I found a nice, near new Lyman Deerstalker flintlock. It handles slick, and I like the shorter barrel for those days just sitting at the base of a tree. Looks like an older one, before they put the fiber optic sights on and such.

Has anyone dressed theirs up a bit? I'm thinking of browning the barrel and furniture, and maybe re-doing the stock in a more traditional finish. Also, can you remove all the "idiot warnings" and such from the barrel without screwing it up?

Thanks.

 

[jfaldo]

Also, can you remove all the "idiot warnings" and such from the barrel without screwing it up?

Someone else was asking this question the other day and I meant to reply and got sidetracked. Anyhow I have used a product made by Duracoat called Durafil to do exactly what you want to do and it works well. Now I did apply Duracoat over it in my application so I'm not 100% sure how it would work with other finishes. It's about $17 a bottle and may be worth a try since your refinishing the barrel anyways.

 

[sb 54 cal.]

This is mine however the barrel is not original. Also the trigger guard was a old one I found and the nose cap is pewter. Pappy

 

[AZbpBurner]

The Deerstalker is what it is, no sense spending a lot of time and effort to make it look like something else. To me the biggest issue is the rubber buttpad, but replacing it with a steel buttplate makes the LOP too short, and requires time for me better spent shooting it.

You can't get much more Traditional than oil or varnish finish, so not sure where you're going with that.

Nobody at the range mistakes my Deerstalker for an "authentic Hawken". They are too busy waiting for the pan flash and boom with smoke, to even be aware of all the stupid owner warning stamps on the barrel.

The lefthanded Deerstalker is no longer listed in the Lyman catalog, so leaving it as-is may be beneficial when you tire of it and trade up to something you like better.

Once you work up an accurate load for it, you'll come to appreciate it even more. Mine is among my most accurate rifles out to 100 yards.

Years ago I drove a Pinto. All the fancy paint, shiney rims, glitzy hood ornaments and chrome trim wouldn't have made it anything else. I drove it for what it was.

 

[locotest]

You drove a Pinto?? You had guts! :shocked2:

 

[Walks with fire]

I have a Deerstalker as well and I don't like the rubber butt pad because it makes it 14 1/2" LOP and I need 13 1/2" for easy shouldering with winter jackets on. It's a great shooting ball rifle though. I would remove that darn butt plate if I could find one to fit in replacement.

Did the old style Deerstalker have a 14 1/2" LOP? Getting parts for a Lyman rifle seems to be a problem. All my rifles are just deer hunting tools but I like them to fit well and work well. Don't care how nice they look or worry about what's inscribed on them. They are just hammers to me; deer hammers.

I owned TC's for years before getting the Lyman and I like the Lyman better. This area of PA was owned by TC and I seldom see a Lyman gun in the woods, used racks or at the range. Lymans are good solid guns that shoot well and don't cost a whole lot of money.

 

[HuntAway]

I have two of them, one for each of my boy's. The only "upgrade" I did was put Lyman peep sights on them.

HA

 

[Ken Morrison]

I've had a left hand flintlock Deerstalker .50 caliber for nine years. I'm very happy with it, it shoots well and I've used it to take a doe. To hunt in the post Christmas flintlock season in Pennsylvania you have to use a flintlock so it was the best option for me.

I'm sorry hear it is not being carried in Lyman's catalog.

 

[jamieorr]

The Deerstalker, in flint, left or right-handed, still appears on the Lyman website, and was an option for me when I mail-ordered a Trade Rifle from an Oregon supplier last month.

Jamie

 

[AZbpBurner]

The Deerstalker, in flint, left or right-handed, still appears on the Lyman website, and was an option for me when I mail-ordered a Trade Rifle from an Oregon supplier last month.

Jamie

My apologies - the .50 cal. flint deerstalker is still listed by Lyman - it's the only lefthanded Deerstalker they show: http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/muzzle-loaders/deerstalker-rifle.php

Unfortunately they no longer list the .54 cal version LH flint - from my experience, a much more accurate rifle than my about any of my other .50 cal's.

There may be some remaining stock of .54 LH flints for sale by retailers, but, according to the Lyman catalog, when they're gone, that's all she wrote - unless Lyman decides to make more.

 

[Crewdawg445]

The Deerstalker is what it is, no sense spending a lot of time and effort to make it look like something else.

+1 to this, I have a .54 caliber deerstalker and it's just that... My deerstalker, love the rifle, very accurate as mentioned and The animals I've harvested with it certainly didn't mind what it was. Simple and very functional, your money and efforts would be better spent towards a custom build. However it's your rifle, do what makes you happy! just my .2 cents. :thumbsup:

Oh... forgot to mention, I did replace the polymer ram rod for a traditional hickory rod. Stained it dark walnut and IMO, the rifle certainly "popped" more with the wooden rod. Some like the poly rod, over wood due to safety concerns. Me, hickory rods have been used longer than any of us have been around... If used properly with a correct patch and ball, there never should be any issues. Just thought I'd throw that out there!

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Finally got a chance to get out and shoot this little gun. What I like most of all about this rifle is how it points. Very similar to my Browning 92. The modern style stock fits me perfect. The only detractor is the God awful rubber pad. Maybe in the future I'll add a line of brass tacks.

Shoots very well with PRB. I may add a peep sight though, we'll see.

Now the long wait to October.....

 

[AZbpBurner]

Finally got a chance to get out and shoot this little gun. What I like most of all about this rifle is how it points. Very similar to my Browning 92. The modern style stock fits me perfect. The only detractor is the God awful rubber pad. Maybe in the future I'll add a line of brass tacks.

Shoots very well with PRB. I may add a peep sight though, we'll see.

Now the long wait to October.....

The rubber buttpad (and the peep sights) would be my only upgrades. If anyone has a line on a sized-to-fit steel or even brass buttplate, there would undoubtedly be a stampede of Deerstalker owners out to grab them.

Sure I could file to fit, but my time at this moment is better spent shooting. When I retire I'll be able to file, fit, refinish spend time working on a buncha' rifles.

Now, about those tacks - be sure to seat them tightly flush to the wood. A guy shooting at my range had a rifle he just finished & it had some nicely done tacks. He let me shoot it, and since I was lefthanded and the rifle was righthanded, whenever I'd fire a round, a tack edge would catch some hair and yank it outta my cheek. He was watching from a distance & finally came over to see why I was wiping my eyes after each round. Pulling out beard hair smarts!