Lyman Great Plains percussion

[Kentucky45]

I stopped at a pawn shop today and bought a 50cal percussion Lyman Great Plains Rifle. My first Great Plains. I've owned Lyman Hawkins and my latest the Deerstalker. This GP is in 95% condition. I'd call it 100% but the ramrod is dirty. Heavy rifle at 11.6 pounds. I like the style but I'm not sure how much I'm going to like that point on the heal of the buttplate. I just got rid of a nice Mowrey 54cal because of the pointed buttplate. Painful! Any Great Plains shooters out there to tell me about the gun? K45

 

[Oldnamvet]

I have 2 of them, one a percussion and the other flint. The only time the butt plate bothers me is when I am shooting over sandbags from a bench rest. Even then it is not that bad. I just have to remember not to snug it into my body so much -- more like firing off the bicep.
Love the looks and style of a Mowrey rifle.

 

[necchi]

that's just it, you'll find a bunch of GPR guy's on this forum, anyone come up with a "what should I get?" topic there are 5-1 for the GPR hands down. They are a great gun, the slow twist is nice to have,,
,,but those things don't fit me fer hoot!
I'm 5'7" and 210#, broad-n-thick in the shoulders with meat on the bone. An even if I hold out on the shoulder near the armpit, I just plain can't get comfortable on one of those stock's. :idunno:
The GPR is not in the stars for me,, :shake:

If it's a bargin, buy it try it out, you can always clean it up and sell or trade for an upgrade, I've done that plenty of times. Goin rate on the forum here is 200-275 for a good shooter.

 

[BrownBear]

The biggest thing I've found with most hooked butts, including the GPR, is not to shoot them like you would a flat-butt rifle. Raise your arm till it's more or less parallel to the ground rather than lower. Now feel your shoulder joint, then slide your hand a little further past it out on your arm. There should be a little pocket there, and that's where the butt goes, rather than on the joint or inside the joint. I've shot some pretty "starchy" rifles with hooked butts, and long as I get the butt out there where it belongs, the points aren't even a little problem.

Other than that, enjoy. As you have already learned with your others, there are little tuning tricks and insights with the GPR. Lots of folks here are standing by to pass them along.

I gotta say though that at 11.6 pounds, that's the heaviest GPR I've ever heard of!!!! Wow.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

You got the 11.6 lbs from the Lyman web site.

That's the shipping weight.

 

[BrownBear]

That probably explains it. I just weighed my 50 cal and it's a little over 9. I'm not going to dig out the 54 right now, but it weighs even less.

 

[Kentucky45]

You got the 11.6 lbs from the Lyman web site.

That's the shipping weight.

Yeah I did. I thought it was the gun weight. Didn't think about shipping weight. The 54cal Mowery was a beautiful gun but it hurt. I never could get it fit right to my body no matter where I put the buttplate. I had a black bruise about 3" in diameter on my shoulder. That takes the fun out of shooting pretty fast. So I sold it. The stock dropped allot more than this GPR. I feel like that drop was a BIG part of the problem. I'm going to the barn in a few minutes to try this GPR out. I'l let you know. K45

 

[BadHorse]

I'm not sure how much I'm going to like that point on the heal of the buttplate. I just got rid of a nice Mowrey 54cal because of the pointed buttplate. Painful! Any Great Plains shooters out there to tell me about the gun? K45

first off, that "point" as you put it, goes in your arm pit. the GPR is supposed to be shot "off shoulder". once your used to it, its a great gun to shoot! i have a couple of rifles (1 GPR) like that and they are a blast! (pardon the pun) i have had my GPR for almost 3 years now and i still love shooting it!

 

[Kentucky45]

first off, that "point" as you put it, goes in your arm pit. the GPR is supposed to be shot "off shoulder".

Yep I'm well aware that "point" or "heal" goes in the arm pit. Everyone's body is different and the Mowry didn't fit mine.

I shot the GPR yesterday. At 50 yds it was about 2" low and center with 80gr P-FFF Hogdon, and patch and ball. I added 10gr up to 90 and then did a couple vertical rear sight adjustments and it shoots dead center. It feels good on the body with little kick. It also feels like I have something special in my hands while shooting it. I've shot bp's since the early 70's and I've found over time and after owning allot of muzzle loaders that not all bp rifles feel good. I've also found out that price isn't always the deciding factor that makes it a good gun. Some less expensive guns are fine shooters. My bp rifle has to feel good to me, and shoot good for me, or it's gone. I'm in a dilemma now. I don't know whether to hunt tomorrow morning with my new Deerstalker or the GPR. K45

 

[BrownBear]

I'm in a dilemma now. I don't know whether to hunt tomorrow morning with my new Deerstalker or the GPR.

Now that's what I like to hear! :hatsoff:

Glad you found happiness with the GPR. You're right about the importance of fit, and lots of us forget that folks come in a range of shapes. I'm a GPR fan because of the way it fits me. One of my hunting pards HATES it because of the way it fits him. I have issues with the TC Hawken stock, but it fits him like a glove. Long and short of it, I'm going to restock my TC Hawkens with Pecatonica replacements, and he's going to sell his GPR. Then we'll both be happy! :rotf:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Take them both. It will get you in shape, and you can always use a backup. :grin:

 

[FPDoc]

The GPR is a great shooting rifle and a good value for the money. That crescent buttplate is not shouldered like a modern rifle, the crescent goes just above the bicep and not in "the pocket" of the shoulder. It should be very comfortable when shouldered in the appropriate fashion.

 

[Handy]

The GPR is a great rifle. With ever increasing prices in commodities I bet we can expect larger than normal price increases for all Black Powder products including guns.

 

[Jamie from Alberta]

I really like my GPR in .54, fits good shoots straight and carries nice..and I built mine from a kit
I also shoot a TC Hawken .54, it shoots nice and carries well too.
I like them both equally as they both have their own attributes which make them what they are....two different guns made by two different manufacture's.