Lyman great plains

[jefftx]

Need help. Looks at buying this rifle. I am still new at this BP stuff. Seller says it's a .50 cal, but says there are no markings on the barrel. It looks like a Lyman GPR fro other pictures I have seen. Could it be a kit rifle? He has powder to throw in and a revolver also, but I am really interested in the rifle. Any info would be appreciated.

Pic links below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/34893832483/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35534531892/in/datetaken-public/

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Did he send you only those few pictures? It does look like a GPR that was probably done as a kit. What is his asking price for all of it? I would ask for more pictures and a thorough description of the condition of the items and any problems they might have. A Lyman GPR is a great rifle, I love mine.

 

[dledinger]

Looks like a Lyman, but at the end of the day everything today is copies of copies

Asking price has a lot to do with how far you push the seller, as far as I am concerned. If it's top end of what kit Lyman is worth to you, push back hard. If he wants $100 for the whole shooting match, that's another story and the flexibility is on your end.

As far as the revolver...is it the brass frame one I see in the photos? If so, I'd not add much $$ for it. Depending on what he's including for powder, it may likely be more valuable than the revolver.

 

[Black Jack]

When buying a used muzzleloader, the condition inside the bore is of the greatest importance. Get yourself a bore light and inspect the bore for signs of rust or pitting. This is not an uncommon find. You can get a bore light at your sporting goods store's fishing dept. They sell miniature lights used to illuminate fishing bobbers.

 

[jefftx]

i do have a bore light and will be meeting with the guy early next. I will check it out real well, but didn't realize that some barrels have no markings.

 

[Black Jack]

There are those who "defarb" their firearms, removing all the factory writing on the gun in the belief that it makes their gun more "authentic". Perhaps this is one such rifle.

 

[hanshi]

The frame of the revolver pictured is steel, not brass. I don't think I was looking at the wrong gun, either. :hmm:

 

[bubba.50]

The frame of the revolver pictured is steel, not brass. I don't think I was looking at the wrong gun, either. :hmm:

if it's the pistol in those pix it looks like a steel frame to me also with the case-colors faded to mostly gray.

 

[dledinger]

Yeah, I second guessed after posting, but didn't want to advertise that I was wrong, LOL!

I wanted to add, I try to stay ready to buy muzzleloaders spontaneously at gun shows (though sometimes they think they're worth a million bucks).

I don't have a bore light so I just carry jags and patches in my pocket. If a barrel takes a dry patch on a snug-fitting jag, and it feels smooth end to end, that's always a good sign. If it snags, you just smile and hand it back and tell them you want your jag back.

 

[rdstrain49]

Although the pictures are pretty bad, the rear sight sure looks to me like and old Thompson Center sight.

 

[jefftx]

Purchased the .50 rifle yesterday. No markings anywhere. Bore was bright and shiny. I popped a cap to test trigger and nipple. It worked fine. Seller also threw in five molds, three Lyman, one Lee and one Ohaus. Seller also threw in lots of powder including four cans of Goex cowboy. Mostly Goex 2f and 3f with a few 4f. I'm happy.

 

[BrownBear]

Congrats! Sounds like a fine rifle. The value of those "throw ins" could be right up there with what you paid for the rifle. You can sink a whole lot of money into molds and powder.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Love to see better pictures of the rifle!

 

[jefftx]

I hope I am linking this pics properly.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35022575714/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35693160452/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35474635650/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35821696586/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35022574544/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35730564041/in/datetaken-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefftx/35821683806/in/datetaken-public/

On the last one, you can see a tab under the barrel. Not sure what that is. Like I mentioned earlier, there are no markings anywhere, but it sure looks like a Lyman GPR from what I've seen in pictures.

 

[Gene L]

The tab you mentioned in the last picture appears to be a spring to hold the ramrod in.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

That is definitely a Lyman GPR, though one made as a kit. It looks excellent and whoever built it did a good job. They probably filed off all the maker's marks on the barrel and I don't blame them, they are very... conspicuous as they come from the factory.

The tab below the barrel is a spring retainer to help keep the ramrod in.

PS: Look like the clean out screw is missing. I would call Lyman and ask for one before you shoot the rifle, they might even send it free of charge.

 

[jefftx]

Ty Smokey, I didn't see that. I'll call Lyman tomorrow.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

It certainly looks like a GPR, but the hole in the end of the barrel makes me think something else is going on. The muzzle shows too much bore to be a 50, the way I'm seeing it. A GPR also comes in 54. On my 54 there is still a lot of steel at the muzzle. The pic reminds me of my 58 Cabelas Hawken with a 15/16ths barrel. As there are no markings on it, it seems an odd duck to me. Lack of markings doesn't necessarily mean it's a kit gun, my kit build has plenty of markings. Also, to my eye the wood looks better than the GPRs I've seen. Looking forward to learning more about it.

 

[jefftx]

Interesting. Now I'm more confused. One of the Lyman molds that the seller threw in is just marked .54 caliber. Another Lyman bullet mold has the numbers 509133 with 945 underneath. Another Lyman mold is marked 62 cal. The lee mold is .490 roundball, but looks unused.
The seller said the gun owner that passed away was into reenactment and maybe that was why there are no markings.
How can I find out 100% what caliber I have?
Ty you all in advance.

 

[Gene L]

The wood looks like my 25 year old GPR, and it's stained dark, like on mine. The hole does look bigger than a .50. The newer ones, I have heard, use "hardwood" stocks; the older ones used European walnut.

On factory GPRs, the metal was blue. This one appears to be brown, lending itself to be a kit gun that's well built.