New to Muzzleloaders, taing advice and tips

[ncswift]

I know nothing about these firearms. im looking at a cva bobcat for a first, but id like to purchase a wood stock ( longer, Lancaster or Hawken style)to make it look like an older rifle. i know its a 15/16 barrel and .50 cal.. any suggestions or tips? What about kit build like the kentucky rifle offered by Cabelas?

 

[Robert58]

For a Hawken type Rifle. Buy the Lyman Great Plains Rifle from Midsouth Shooters Supply. A whole lot more Rifle than the Cabelas Kentucky for about $440.00. You can't get much better than a GPR for a first Rifle. Get the one with 1 in 60" twist in 54 cal. and you will have a Rifle that you can leave to your Grand Children if you take care of it and keep it clean.

Robert

 

[ncswift]

may i ask why .54 and why not the popular .50 ?

 

[Robert58]

The 54 balances a little better, not as muzzle heavy. With the 54 you can hunt anything in North America. The 50 is not much more than a Whitetail Deer Rifle. 50 cal. .490 Dia. RB, 177 grains, 54 cal. .530 Dia. RB, 230 grains.

You buy a GPR for a first Rifle in 54 cal. the only other Rifle you will ever need or want will be a full Custom Rifle.

I shoot a 50 cal. but if I ever get the chance to go Elk or Black Bear Hunting I will be wishing I had a 54 cal.

Robert

 

[ncswift]

i see. are ammunition availabilities the same? what is your opinion on built rifles, home built i mean? i really am interested in the Plains Lyman, but also a Kentucky or something along the those lines. I only hunt with 7.62x39 and its usually whitetail (aint much else in NC, where i am)

 

[Little Wattsy]

For a Hawken type Rifle. Buy the Lyman Great Plains Rifle from Midsouth Shooters Supply. A whole lot more Rifle than the Cabelas Kentucky for about $440.00. You can't get much better than a GPR for a first Rifle. Get the one with 1 in 60" twist in 54 cal. and you will have a Rifle that you can leave to your Grand Children if you take care of it and keep it clean.

Robert

ABSOLUTELY Perfect Advice!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Little Wattsy]

i see. are ammunition availabilities the same? what is your opinion on built rifles, home built i mean? i really am interested in the Plains Lyman, but also a Kentucky or something along the those lines. I only hunt with 7.62x39 and its usually whitetail (aint much else in NC, where i am)

Ammo IS a little "more available" for the .50 BUT, having made the "mistake" myself I would say skip the .50 and get the .54...You'll end up there anyway. AND you can pour your own ball SOOO Easily that you mont want to or need to buy much.

 

[merdean]

If you are only going to hunt whitetails, then .50 will be fine. But you may also, when you are proficient, want a .32 or .36 for squirrels. Last time I was in NC there were a lot of them around. I shoot a .54 here in AZ for deer and elk. It will take anything I want to eat but when it is loaded for elk, it is hard on squirrels! For a first gun I would recomend a GPR in .54. It will do everything you will ever want. Welcome to the world of Black... :thumbsup:
Merdean

 

[ohio ramrod]

If you aren't going to hunt Elk,Grizzly,or Moose the 50 caliber will do nicely. As to home built kits that depends on how well the individual who builds them does the work. Some people just slap them together, some do work on the same level as custom builders, most somewhere in the middle.There are several companies that sell kits of various grades.Be honest as to your abilities and then look at the kits available and make up your own mind.

 

[fyrfyter43]

There are several companies that sell kits of various grades.Be honest as to your abilities and then look at the kits available and make up your own mind.

You have to realize that there is a BIG difference between a kit from, say, Lyman, and a parts set from somebody like Track of the Wolf or Jim Chambers.

I'll also throw in another nod for the Lyman Great Plains Rifle. I'm very happy with mine in .54.

 

[rafterob]

Good advice given already. I will just comment on the Bobcat. It is a short barreled rifle made primarily for deerhunting at closer quarters. if you plan on doing more target shooting for fun, then I would skip it, you will quickly want to upgrade. If I read your post correctly you mention upgrading the stock? With that short barrel you would not really gain anything in "traditional" styling.

 

[ncswift]

I looked at Track of the wolf, and i like what i saw but i think for starters im going for the Lyman GP 54 cal. at midsouth, it markets for like 350. what are the differences in these kits? what tools does a man need to do a decent job? And what is the difficult part of their assembly? I am an experienced welder and at wood finishing. However welding seems irrelevant to this project.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I looked at Track of the wolf, and i like what i saw but i think for starters im going for the Lyman GP 54 cal. at midsouth, it markets for like 350. what are the differences in these kits? what tools does a man need to do a decent job? And what is the difficult part of their assembly? I am an experienced welder and at wood finishing. However welding seems irrelevant to this project.

No welding required... :wink: A set of small chisels and prehaps a set of small metal files. Then there is the finishing liquids like the browning or blueing or... and the stain and finish for the wood.. Overall a fairly easy and satisfying kit and an outstanding gun and caliber too!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[ThreeToedWolf]

The 54 GPR is a great rifle as everyone has said.

Just for the record,though, I have had a fullstock 50 cal I made in 1991, and i've taken elk in Nevada and Idaho at ranges up to 80 yards with no problem

FWIW


Bob

 

[longcruise]

And what is the difficult part of their assembly? I am an experienced welder and at wood finishing.

Take care in fitting the breech area and be sure you get a good relationship to the lock. Theoretically, the butt plate should just screw right on.... NOT! All three that I have built required a lot of fitting at the butt plate to get it looking right. Those little tiny screws that hold the escutions at the key holes can be tricky. If you just screw them on in they get very tight and easily twist and break off. Prep by enlarging the holes a bit...... but not too big.

The double set triggers on these guns can be a problem. The trigger set is ok, and all of mine (3) have worked very well when using the set trigger but the front trigger alone is usually very heavy. This is a function of the pre-inlet trigger and trigger guard. One that I built would not function with the front trigger only at all. After I moved the trigger set backward a bit it worked but with about a 15 pound pull. :shocked2: If I moved it far enough back to give a 3 pound pull it would get out of whack with the trigger guard.

For me, the task of polishing the steel parts is tedius but in the end a nice polish is worth the effort.

Not trying to discourage you and hope it doesn't sound that way! They are not difficult to build and the process is enjoyable.

As far as finish goes, the walnut seems to look very nice with no stain whatsoever. Just an oil finish brings it out nicely. Need to fill the grain though.

 

[Robert58]

I just checked DNR Sports and they now have the GPR finished Rifle and the kit for less than Midsouth. $238 for the kit and $431 for the completed rifle.
http://dnrsports.com/acatalog/D___R_Catalog_Lyman_Muzzleloaders_649.html

Robert

 

[Robert58]

Correction. $338 for the Kit.

Robert

 

[Kentuckywindage]

why a .54 over a .50? Simple. When you're shooting a patched round ball, the .54 will smoke the .50cal on game. I look at it this way. when i buy a traditional factory build rifle, i get the biggest caliber available. :thumbsup:

 

[Little Wattsy]

Correction. $338 for the Kit.

Robert

You tease! :haha: I was looking to buy one just cuz at the lower price...

 

[fyrfyter43]

I looked at Track of the wolf, and i like what i saw but i think for starters im going for the Lyman GP 54 cal. at midsouth, it markets for like 350. what are the differences in these kits? what tools does a man need to do a decent job? And what is the difficult part of their assembly? I am an experienced welder and at wood finishing. However welding seems irrelevant to this project.

A factory kit like a GPR would require some minor work fitting parts like others said, sanding and finishing the wood and finishing the metal parts. Overall, a good project for someone starting out.

A parts set from someone like TOTW is just that - a set of parts that can be built into a gun. Hardware is typically rough castings that need to be filed and polished. The stock is usually a good starting point, but quite a bit of wood needs to be removed to end up with a slender rifle. Dovetails may or may not be cut in the barrels for sights and tenons. The breechplug may or may not be fitted.