Hi Guys. I surfed in a few days ago and have been lurking old posts since then while waiting on the BBT to bring my new GPR Flintlock. It just showed up and I thought I might post a few thoughts on the unboxing. First a little background on me, I am getting to be an old(er) gent a few short years from retirement. I enjoy most all the shooting sports (modern, Cowboy, BP), but don’t hunt anymore although I might after I retire. I have shot a little BP now and then over the past 45 years but not enough to know what I was doing. I have however collected up a pretty good mess of BP guns and stuff, all factory but I like them. I have rifles from .32 to .58 & 12 Gauge smooth, and pistols from .36 to .54 all percussion. My only flintlock to date had been a .50 T/C Pennsylvania Hunter I bought myself last year. I just recently got it out to work with it and enjoyed it so much I decided I needed another Flintlock. I looked around and liked the looks of the Lyman Great Plains and since I had the .50 T/C I choose to order a .54.
So to the unboxing, I rarely (almost never) buy anything new so this was pretty exciting. Well packed, broken down rifle. No nicks or dings I can tell except the one I put in the barrel right off because the “flint” (sawn agate) was too close to the barrel. Oh well, that is what cold blue is for. Stock is a nice dark color, I kind of like. It stinks though, sure needs some airing out. Barrel went in stick and the wedges pushed in most of the way by hand, I have not driven them home yet. Ramrod looks like a nice clear piece of wood but is rough as a cob, some steel wool of fine sandpaper is called for. It was tough to push into the gun and VERY hard to remove. Better than falling out I suppose and should smooth up and be fine. I will be using a range rod 99% of the time anyway. The cock is not centered on the frizzen, and is slightly inboard. Not a problem, just noted. The touch hole appears to be correct, pretty close to centered on the pan and “sunset” height. I am pleased as my T/C’s hole is a triffle low (but still works). The rifle came with two rear sights, I have not decided which I like better. I tend to prefer a peep but will shoot this as-is until I can’t anymore. I may change to a higher visibility front sight, or at least paint the back of this one. I do think I will widen the rear sight, it is a little narrow by my eye. The rearmost couple of inches of the barrel and the breech plug are a different “sheen” than the rest of the barrel, I don’t know what is up with that. Different hardening or polishing in this area cause color issues maybe?
All in I am pleased, but of course I have not shot it yet. I had been looking at used T/C flinters on gonebroker, but decided for the prices I was seeing (on guns the factory is not making parts for anymore) I would rather buy a new Lyman. The GP was what I wanted, twist, caliber, features, etc. It should do for now for something to make smoke.
So to the unboxing, I rarely (almost never) buy anything new so this was pretty exciting. Well packed, broken down rifle. No nicks or dings I can tell except the one I put in the barrel right off because the “flint” (sawn agate) was too close to the barrel. Oh well, that is what cold blue is for. Stock is a nice dark color, I kind of like. It stinks though, sure needs some airing out. Barrel went in stick and the wedges pushed in most of the way by hand, I have not driven them home yet. Ramrod looks like a nice clear piece of wood but is rough as a cob, some steel wool of fine sandpaper is called for. It was tough to push into the gun and VERY hard to remove. Better than falling out I suppose and should smooth up and be fine. I will be using a range rod 99% of the time anyway. The cock is not centered on the frizzen, and is slightly inboard. Not a problem, just noted. The touch hole appears to be correct, pretty close to centered on the pan and “sunset” height. I am pleased as my T/C’s hole is a triffle low (but still works). The rifle came with two rear sights, I have not decided which I like better. I tend to prefer a peep but will shoot this as-is until I can’t anymore. I may change to a higher visibility front sight, or at least paint the back of this one. I do think I will widen the rear sight, it is a little narrow by my eye. The rearmost couple of inches of the barrel and the breech plug are a different “sheen” than the rest of the barrel, I don’t know what is up with that. Different hardening or polishing in this area cause color issues maybe?
All in I am pleased, but of course I have not shot it yet. I had been looking at used T/C flinters on gonebroker, but decided for the prices I was seeing (on guns the factory is not making parts for anymore) I would rather buy a new Lyman. The GP was what I wanted, twist, caliber, features, etc. It should do for now for something to make smoke.
