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Lyman Trade Rifle / GPR

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user 43911

45 Cal.
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I'm curios why it appears the GPR has more fans than the Trade rifle, is it just the rifling twist rate and the extra 4" of barrel ? Brass or steel.

I like the handy length and weight/balance of the Trade rifle more so if shooting freestyle, the extra barrel length does not buy anything, for me if the GPR was 1/48 I may like it as much but I don't think so , Trade rifle has become the do all gun. I sold my Pedersoli Rocky mountain Hawkens in part because it became a safe queen, it was good as a bench gun but free standing was a very forward CG beast (just my opinion).
 
I don't know...I have 3 rifles with set triggers and I prefer the simplicity of the single trigger on my Trade Rifle. I shouldered a GPR once and found it to be muzzle heavy so went with the Trade Rifle instead.
 
I find the stock too low on my GPR so i use a lace on leather cheek piece on mine for a better fit. Does the trade rifle have a taller stock profile? Greg
 
I find the stock too low on my GPR so i use a lace on leather cheek piece on mine for a better fit. Does the trade rifle have a taller stock profile? Greg
I find that to be the case. My GPR seems to be a pretty good fit, while on my caplock .54 Trade Rifle it's a little difficult for me to get my (chubby) face down far enough on the stock to pick up the sights quickly. Guess that's one reason why the TR has never fired a shot.
 
I found it interesting that both rifles have the same depth rifling (8 thou) but a different twist rate, TR 1/48 and GPR 1/60. People appear to gravitate to the GPR as the round ball gun but the TR has a correct for the time/type (Hawken) twist and both do not have the depth.
I bring this up because I was having a heated discussion yesterday with a guy about this subject, he has a GPR and noted the reason he purchased the gun was " because it's a round ball gun with the correct rifling for them and the TR is a bullet gun".
 
I actually went even handier with the 24” Deerstalker. It made sense to me to pick something both handy sized for walking all weekend, and didn’t weigh too much (7.5 lbs). I haven’t really worked on a load yet, but it should be good to 100 yds with a PRB.

My understanding is that slower twists generally need more powder, no?
 
In my opinion, the Trade Rifle, which I have in a Flintlock, is more suited for Hunting. The single Trigger and longer trigger guard, which makes it easier for a gloved shooting finger to fit in without tripping the trigger.. and adding the shorter barrel length adds up to a darn nice carrying Pa, Deer stomper !!
 
The GPR is more of a (supported) target gun for me. The .54 is at least lighter for off hand and for that reason I like the flinter better as .54 than the .50 barrel. Wonder if a .56 smooth barrel couldn't be nice on it, just ream out the rifling. Purchasing a .54 GPH barrel for target shooting offhand with thin skirted minies.
 
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