Lyman GPR AGAIN

[F.G. Ford]

Hey guys ( Gals )
Recently I've read a lot of not so good writings about this rifle.
I just finished a kit, in 54 percussion.
After trimming the stock, browning the barrel, and lapping the barrel....it was ready to go.
Four shots sighting in at thirteen yards, for elevation and center.
Then to fifty yards...............5 shots into a fifty cent piece, they don't make them any better.
I fired twenty shots, with one flyer ( my bad, clumsy on the trigger ) every shot touching a fifty cent piece.
That was .535 ball, 70 grs. 2f, .015 linen patch with olive oil & bees wax mix. temperature was just at freezing.
What a day! Iron sights only!
I have $2000 rifles that don't shoot any better.
Fred

 

[Wes/Tex]

There you have it! A little personal work and a touch or two of elbow grease and there's surprising performance in those commercial guns. Good job, good work and good hunting! :applause: :thumbsup:

 

[Bugflipper]

Folks like to doubt any ml being under an inch but it's pretty regular if the components are right. As for another good shooting GPRS story. I picked a used one up from a fellow on another board. He had a slip of paper in the box with data and group size. It was cold and I was too lazy, figured I'd try his powder wt of 90 with Mr. Schoultz's recommendations for loading. It's a 54 flintlock with Lyman peep. No idea what patch ball combo he was using, had .8" written down. I shot a .55" 3 shot out of it for the first time shooting. Promptly took it in and cleaned it and put up until warmer weather prevails. Figured all I could do was go down hill from there at 14 degrees. :grin:

 

[ncmtmike]

Most of it's hype or ego,never had a minute's trouble from the cap or the flinter,GPR's are good rifles. :wink:

 

[Lonegun1894]

All three of mine are keepers too. I was getting a bit worried with all the bad reports lately, but it's good to hear that mine are still normal for Lyman.

 

[Mr. S]

Old Ford,

That is great to hear! My wife just surprised me with a GPR .54 flint early birthday present. I had wanted a GPR for quite a few years and recently got concerned with the negative reviews. I am hoping to get to the range with it in a few weeks.

All the best!

Rick

 

[F.G. Ford]

To RickkS,
If I may suggest when you get your new rifle.
Scrub the bore with a good polishing compound.
I use "valve grinding compound" that you can get at most automobile supply stores ( I get mine at NAPPA Auto parts)Scrub ( polish) the bore with a tight patch well covered with the polishing compound.
Full even strokes from breech to muzzle, about one hundred strokes. Then clean the compound from the barrel with any solvent, WD40 works ok.
That is to smooth out the bore, and remove all chatter marks, and slight burrs.
You can only do this once. If you do it every day, you will ruin the bore.
That is my secret to a good shooting gun, and also it will save many wasted shots in breaking in a rifle. Others may disagree, but it works for me.

Lyman rifles are remarkable shooting guns.
When installing the barrel, remember DO NOT FORCE the barrel into position. You may crack the stock.
All the best!
Fred

 

[Mr. S]

Old Ford,

Thanks for the information. I do have the GPR now and when I was cleaning it, I used J-B Bore Paste in the barrel. Now, I am thinking I can still use your suggestion. I did gently seat the barrel into the stock and all went well there.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[VEARL]

I've had two Lyman GPR. Both were good guns. The one I now have (50 cal. percussion) is a great shooter with 80 gr of 2F BP. A .018 lubed patch and a .490 RB.
At 75 yds it will keep 3 shots in a 1 1/2inch group.
It is a toss up every year between the Lyman or the T.C. 58 Cal Renegade to take to the deer woods. Put the coin up and take both with me.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I have 2 lefty flints. One GPR .50 cal and the other is a Deerstalker. In addition I have a couple of Lyman cap rifles in .50 and .54 cal.

All exceed my expectations for accuracy, and all were easy to work up accurate loads for.

 

[Billnpatti]

I have only owned the older Lyman GPR rifles and they were both dandies. I understand that the quality control is not all that good today so you may have just lucked out or perhaps the problem lies not with the materials but how well they are assembled. I don't know. If that is the case, you simply circumvented it by assembling the gun yourself. In any event, I am not qualified to make any insightful comments on the problems, if such do exist, with the current GPR supply since I have never owned one. Mine were all early models and they were excellent rifles. I am delighted that your rifle turned out to be a good one. It just shows that you may have turned a sows ear into a silk purse. Congratulations!

 

[Billnpatti]

May I add one very important caveat to what Old Ford is telling you. First let me say that he gave you excellent advice but I want to add that you MUST, ABSOLUTELY MUST use a bore protector when you are doing the polishing. You do not want to damage the crown on your barrel. Polishing without a muzzle protector will almost guarantee that you will put uneven wear on your muzzle and ruin the crown. Also, whenever doing this polishing, I recommend that you use an inexpensive wooden rod that you can throw away after you complete the polishing. The polishing compound will impregnate the surface of the rod that you use and you do not want, at sometime in the future, to use a rod that has an abrasive impregnated in its surface. Do not use a dowel since they are prone to splitting. Use a straight grain rod that is made for use as a ramrod. The wooden ones are not all that expensive so the best thing to do is just toss it when you are through polishing. Just my opinion.....it's free and worth every penny.

 

[Mr. S]

Thank you for that information! I might pick up the supplies this coming week.

Rick

 

[rmackey]

My Lefty GPR is a great shooter, quality was good but I did use steel wool to get rid of its habit of tearing patches, accuracy was not a real problem though.

 

[rmackey]

Dittos on the bore protector, good point to bring up, I keep forgetting that part. I'm glad the person that helped me out with my problem years ago told me to use one when he told me what to do.

 

[Sinner]

I had a .54 GPR percussion kit that shot great! It also shot really well with the Lee R.E.A.L. conicals. :thumbsup:

 

[OK2Smoke]

Fred, Like yourself I recently finished a GPR kit in .50 Cal and love it. I'm fairly new to BP but found this experience very satisfying. Like yours I carved down the 'fence post' provided in the kit into a stock and browned the hardware. All in all the Lyman was a great experience.

--John R.

 

[awebbersr]

Nice looking rifle, one you should be very proud of. :hatsoff:

 

[58CAL]

I'm sorry to disagree with old ford BUT valve grinding compound is diamond dust in a binding agent and will stay in the pores of the barrel no matter how much you clean it. I have seen a teaspoon of it DESTROY a car engine in less than a half hour!!!! I saw another engine that was sabotaged with the stuff and it was replaced with a short block and head with the sheet metal( pan, valve cover and timing cover) being hot tanked and re used. Not good enough this engine was also destroyed from the residue in the pores of the sheet metal. This was confirmed by Pennzoil. JB paste is designed for this app valve grinding compound is not. That barrel is a machined product, why wipe out the good machining for a few burrs that will wear off in a short period of time? I'm not trying to start a fight just telling you my experiences.

 

[nymtber]

I'm sorry to disagree with old ford BUT valve grinding compound is diamond dust in a binding agent and will stay in the pores of the barrel no matter how much you clean it. I have seen a teaspoon of it DESTROY a car engine in less than a half hour!!!! I saw another engine that was sabotaged with the stuff and it was replaced with a short block and head with the sheet metal( pan, valve cover and timing cover) being hot tanked and re used. Not good enough this engine was also destroyed from the residue in the pores of the sheet metal. This was confirmed by Pennzoil. JB paste is designed for this app valve grinding compound is not. That barrel is a machined product, why wipe out the good machining for a few burrs that will wear off in a short period of time? I'm not trying to start a fight just telling you my experiences.

Valve grinding compound is going to be silicon carbide or some other less expensive material, NOT diamond.

But I agree, why not just get JB bore paste, its MADE for firearms!