New GPR

[SgtMaj65]

Finally decided to purchase a new Great Plains Rifle in .50-cal. and 1-in-60" twist about a day before I found out about the Lyman recall. However, I was able to find a new in box GPR that was 400 rifles outside the recall serial numbers and was made in January 2017. After more than a month of searching, it's arrived.
Anyone have any comments or pointers on breaking one in, other than just shooting the heck out of it? Any quirks to the rifle? I'm starting it off with PRBs and 50 grains of Olde Eynsford ffg., .015 linen patches and TOW mink oil patch lube. Groves seemed a bit sharp when I was cleaning it up from the barrel preservative and kept tearing my cleaning patches at the breech plug. My T/C .50 Renegade shot great right out of the box and I've never had a second's problem working up really good target loads. But then again, I only shot conicals through it for 20 years before finally realizing how fun PRBs are, so it had a totally different break-in. The GPR is a really good-looking rifle and I can't wait to get out this weekend and burn some powder.

 

[nwtradegun]

how did you get a case hardened lock, all I see are the engraved ones. I hate them

 

[Zonie]

Sharp edges on the rifling in a new barrel are to be expected. It isn't cost effective for a company that is making hundreds of barrels at a time to add an operation that would dull them.

As for your TC, the rifling grooves on them is only about .005 deep. That's a little less than the thickness of two pieces of printer paper stacked together.
The TC's also use a rifling button that is shoved thru the barrel to swage the grooves. This usually tends to form rifling without sharp edges.

Your Lyman has rifling grooves that are .010 deep. Twice as deep as the TC rifling and they are cut, not swaged. That can leave sharp edges where the grooves meet the bore.

I always dull up the sharp edges on the rifling in new barrels by using my cleaning rod along with some small pieces of coarse steel wool wrapped around the jag.
Running the steel wool covered jag up and down the barrel 4 or 5 times, then replacing the steel wool and repeating this will dull up the rifling edges without damaging the rifling.
It might take 40 or 50 strokes to finish but that is cheaper than shooting 200+ rounds thru the barrel to do the same job.

While your looking at your new barrel, check out the sharpness of the rifling grooves where they meet the crown on the muzzle.
These edges are also usually very sharp and they can damage a cloth patch when your starting the patched ball in the barrel.

If the edges are sharp, buy a piece of 120 grit, black, wet/dry silicone carbide sandpaper at the local hardware store.

Rip of some of it making some 1" X 1" pieces.

Use your thumb to press a piece down into the mouth of the bore and then rotate your hand (and thumb) back and forth 10 or 15 times.
Replace the sandpaper and repeat.

This operation will smooth out and blend the rifling into the crown so it will never cut another patch.

If you don't like the polished shiny white look, it can be touched up with some Cold Bluing bought at a gun store. (I like Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue).

Have fun with your new gun.

 

[SgtMaj65]

Every now and then (about once a decade) I get lucky. :wink:

 

[SgtMaj65]

:thumbsup: :hatsoff: And, I have Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue on hand for the touch-up.

 

[SgtMaj65]

Also, boiled linseed oil on the stock or Tru-Oil? I've used boiled linseed oil many times on older wood-handled screw drivers and I like how they turned out. Used it in shop class way back in 1966 too and liked it. But, I've slept since then :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Zonie]

If you've got a lot of time, I think linseed is fine for stocks.

A lot of people disagree with me because it will water spot if it gets wet but here in Arizona it doesn't rain often.
Also, putting a coat of paste wax on it seems to protect it pretty nicely.

Tru-Oil is what I've used for years on my guns.
It dry's fairly quickly and forms a nice moderately hard surface.

It can be made to look dull, satin or highly polished depending on what you want.
Usually it is rubbed into the wood using a small cloth patch and a LOT of rubbing. This produces a satin look if enough coats are applied.

 

[SgtMaj65]

I'm looking more for a satin finish. Not too big on highly polished. I like boiled linseed oil too. About how many coats using Tru-Oil? I've never used it. I've put on as many as 7 coats of linseed oil on wood-handled screwdrivers and they looked pretty good.

 

[Leatherbark]

Your GPR will have a bore preservative that might require a harsh solvent and a brush to get it out. If I remember correctly its some kind of red baked on preservative. At least they used to.

Bob

 

[SgtMaj65]

They still put it in the barrel. I soaked it overnight with Hoppes #9 and it came out, no problem. Got a little Slip2000 black powder lube in there now. It's an excellent bore cleaner and lubricant. Should be ready to make some smoke this weekend.

 

[Black Jack]

I believe the flintlocks have the stamped "engraving", while the percussion locks are plain. I prefer the plain locks very much. I've never seen one with a case hardened finish.....beautiful!

 

[SgtMaj65]

:hatsoff:

 

[jpm1963]

I wonder if you got some "new - old stock". Mine from 2003 looks exactly like that case hardening.

I bought it directly from Lyman as a kit at this time.

Jim

 

[SgtMaj65]

"New old stock" in the sense that the rifle was made in January 2017, according to the tag that came in the box. It was made 400 serial numbers before the March 1, 2017, to December 22, 2017, recall.
Got it NIB from an FFL in Texas off of Gunbroker. I've seen several made in 2015 with the same case hardened lock. I'm sure there are a few still floating around the country here and there. Anyway, already put a coat of Tru-Oil on the stock, going to take it out Sunday and test her out, then put on more coats next week. If it shoots anywhere near as nice as it looks, I'll be a happy BP lover.

 

[SgtMaj65]

Got to take my new GPR out to the range today and the weather cooperated and the wind wasn't too bad. Dang, I thought it would take me at least 3 months of shooting every week to get this thing sighted in and get used to it, and it took me one session. First target out of the box I had a tailwind of about 12-15 mph and it took me a bit to get used to the sight. The first target's first three PRBs were a little erratic, but the last one was in the red at 25 yds. Used Olde Eynsford for the first time, and 55 grains ffg, .015 linen patch with mink oil lube, .490 ball. I swabbed between shots with my concoction of 1 part Murphy's, 1 part castor oil and 6 parts 70% rubbing alcohol, followed by a dry patch for consistency.
My second target was about as good as I can shoot with 68-year-old eyes and open sights. I was more than a little pleased by how nice this rifle shoots right out of the box. It sure took me a lot longer to get a target to look like this with my .50 Renegade. Wind died down to about 10 mph or less on the second target. Looking forward to shooting this at 50 yds. next time out. Cleaned up real nice too. Just gotta work more Tru-Oil onto the stock.
I took Zonie's advice and used 120 grit on the crown of the muzzle and it obviously helped keep my patches from getting damaged using a short starter.
Hope the second target wasn't just dumb luck. I really like the Olde Eynsford, I can tell a difference between it and the regular ffg Goex I've been using for 40 years.
And, yes ”” I shot 4 PRBs on the first target and 6 on the second because it was really busy and distracting at the range today being sprayed with .223 AR brass, and ... I can't count :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[dsayer]

Not bad! And great looking rifle.

 

[SgtMaj65]

:hatsoff:

 

[Boomerang]

They are just too much fun!
Good shootin'
:thumbsup:

 

[Enfield1]

That is some really good shooting. With a little time and practice, you will be getting groups like that at 100 yards. I am not exaggerating. That rifle is an out of the box tac driver. I do not remember it being mentioned in the threads, but your rifle should have come with the "adjustable" sight installed and a primitive, more period correct sight in the box. Get that one on there and start working up to some 90 grain 2fg loads and you will have a 75 - 100 yard deer harvester. Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:

 

[SgtMaj65]

Yep, has both sights. Used the adjustable first time out and didn't have to adjust it at all. Looking forward to moving targets out a ways now. My only problem, and it was minor, was the front sight seems a bit wide. But, I didn't have trouble getting it to shoot straight. This is my first 1-in-60" twist rifle ... everything else has been 1-in-48" twist. My 3-band Pattern 1853 Enfield has only had conicals through it. I need to run some PRBs through it too this summer. For now, the GPR gets all the love. I'm impressed with this rifle! :thumbsup: