Pedersoli/Lyman Great Plains Kit

[LSB]

I have enlarged pans with a Dremel, being a former power duck decoy carver I know my way around a Dremel.

Little diamond bits would be my choice for the job, the elcheapo ones cut like crazy but don't last long, I think I paid $5 for this set, there are several that are the perfect size to slot underlugs.

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My choice for the pan would be this one, it might take two of them to finish the job. I wouldn't dig a hole I would deepen the pan from stem to stern, of course I would take the lock out of the stock to do it.. This worn out bit is the one I use to touch up inletting, it barely cuts anything. Most people who let a Dremel get away from them and do damage have the wrong bit in it, or are trying to hog off wood.

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As for Dremels, I was once a tool snob, top of the line only, I had a variable speed Dremel and an expensive foot controlled Fordom. My first Dremel was American made and lasted 30 years with heavy use. When it gave up the ghost I bought a new one and noticed it was Chinese made, it lasted a couple of weeks.

I called the company and they said to send it back, "how much to fix it" I said, between "0" and $50 she said, "we have to see if it has a manufacturing defect or you broke it". A crap shoot, with $75 already invested I didn't want to chance dropping another $50 into it so off to Harbor Freight I went. I threw the Dremel in the trash.

$8 on sale, not as powerful Dremel but it works just fine, This one is on it's second year, if it burns up I think I can afford another $8 or $9 for a replacement.

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Thanks for the input.

 

[frankie]

I have enlarged pans with a Dremel, being a former power duck decoy carver I know my way around a Dremel.

Little diamond bits would be my choice for the job, the elcheapo ones cut like crazy but don't last long, I think I paid $5 for this set, there are several that are the perfect size to slot underlugs.

View attachment 133093

My choice for the pan would be this one, it might take two of them to finish the job. I wouldn't dig a hole I would deepen the pan from stem to stern, of course I would take the lock out of the stock to do it.. This worn out bit is the one I use to touch up inletting, it barely cuts anything. Most people who let a Dremel get away from them and do damage have the wrong bit in it, or are trying to hog off wood.

View attachment 133095

As for Dremels, I was once a tool snob, top of the line only, I had a variable speed Dremel and an expensive foot controlled Fordom. My first Dremel was American made and lasted 30 years with heavy use. When it gave up the ghost I bought a new one and noticed it was Chinese made, it lasted a couple of weeks.

I called the company and they said to send it back, "how much to fix it" I said, between "0" and $50 she said, "we have to see if it has a manufacturing defect or you broke it". A crap shoot, with $75 already invested I didn't want to chance dropping another $50 into it so off to Harbor Freight I went. I threw the Dremel in the trash.

$8 on sale, not as powerful Dremel but it works just fine, This one is on it's second year, if it burns up I think I can afford another $8 or $9 for a replacement.

View attachment 133097

I agree with you Eric on the Dremels

 

[frankie]

Smart approach.

Larry Pletcher did timing tests on the location of the touchole that pretty much showed that it is not important. Aesthetically, the sunset position may be desireable but, like keeping your fly zipped when around other people, keep your frizzen shut when around other shooters!

agree

 

[Bad Karma]

The touch hole is obviously too low. As others have said you can work around it, but why should you have to on a brand new gun you paid a lot of money for?

Because it’s a kit? when I first glanced at the picture of the ramrod and muzzle, I thought, “my god! They’re shipping half finished guns now!” Oops…

 

[longcruise]

Is it possible that the barrel and tang are too deep into the stock.

 

[frankie]

I thought the same as "longcruise".

 

[frankie]

I noticed the barrel sets lower in the back than the tang. They are not aligned.

 

[BadDaditood]

Check the diameter of the flash hole, if it’s a lot smaller than 1/16” you might have inconsistent ignition. I had a couple of frustrating range sessions before learning that one. ( now I carry a cordless drill, number drills and Very-Near calipers)

 

[sturmkatze]

Good to hear. I might just be anticipating a problem that might not exist but being new to flinters and nervous that it might not go bang or might have consistent hang fires, I thought seeking input from experience flintlock shooters seemed prudent.

Shoot it first. Don't use much priming and... After you close the frizzen, rotate gin a bit to right and tap the side plate to move priming away from touch hole. And, don't forget to wipe the frizzen with your thumb and top and bottom of flint. Helps a lot

 

[LSB]

Shoot it first. Don't use much priming and... After you close the frizzen, rotate gin a bit to right and tap the side plate to move priming away from touch hole. And, don't forget to wipe the frizzen with your thumb and top and bottom of flint. Helps a lot

Thanks. I will try that.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Does it work now? If so, don't mess with it

Seems to be slow to ignite. The vent liner had a 1/16" hole except it narrowed down much smaller on the end that is in the barrel. I went ahead and carefully drilled it out so as to make it 1/16" all the way through. Have not had a chance to test it yet.

 

[DuncNZ]

Check the diameter of the flash hole, if it’s a lot smaller than 1/16” you might have inconsistent ignition. I had a couple of frustrating range sessions before learning that one. ( now I carry a cordless drill, number drills and Very-Near calipers)

All my flintlocks have 3/64" flash holes with a slight cone on the outside , one finger twist with a ¼" drill bit , and have no problems with hang fires . Before I discovered Jim Chambers flash holes I used a .250/28 nipple cut off flush with the barrel and coned from the outside . it worked for me .

 

[SDSmlf]

All my flintlocks have 3/64" flash holes

To me that seems very small, but if it works for you, great. I find my best success with a 5/64” diameter. Guess whatever works for one and their gun(s) is the best.

 

[Jaegermeister]

I agree with frankie that the barrel sits too low and doesn’t even line up with the breech. Shim the rear of the barrel up so that the barrel flats match and you’re good to go.

 

[frankie]

I just purchased one of the new 50 caliber Lyman Great Plains flintlock rifle kit made by Pedersoli. Overall I am fairly please with it. However, there appears to be a couple issues with it. For one, the ramrod is way too short. As shown in the photo below the ramrod does not reach to the end of the barrel and when dropped in the barrel it disappears into it. No problem, I will make a new one. The other issues deal with the touch hole and the pan in the lock holding the priming powder. The touch hole appears to be positioned way too low as shown in the photos below. I have shot percussions for decades but this is my first flintlock so I am not experienced with them but everything I have read says the hole should be situated near the top of the pan containing the priming powder and not near the bottom as this one is. I am assuming it will fire but should I expect a slow ignition? The other issue related to this is the size of the pan. This appears to me to be a small and narrow pan. Do you feel it would be beneficial to enlarge the size of the pan? As long as I am asking for advice, what would your recommendations be in regards to flint size (5/8 or 3/4)? Thanks for your thoughts.
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I still think your barrel sits to low in the back (breech). I would glue in a shim underneath in the back under the breech.

 

[longcruise]

All my flintlocks have 3/64" flash holes with a slight cone on the outside , one finger twist with a ¼" drill bit , and have no problems with hang fires . Before I discovered Jim Chambers flash holes I used a .250/28 nipple cut off flush with the barrel and coned from the outside . it worked for me .

Thats an interesting solution.

 

[Coinneach]

I plan on at least trying it out before making modifications to the pan. It seems to be a good sparker so maybe everything will work out. The ramrod is a piece of junk. The brass tips are pretty crude and the wood is something I am not familiar with-a dark wood with almost no grain.

Sad to think that Pedersoli have lowered themselves to such pitiful quality control.
I was considering buying one of their Howdah DB FL Pistols but won't wont bother now.

 

[LSB]

To ebsails, frankie, longcruiser, and jaegermeister I would like to say you were RIGHT. I temporarily shimmed up the tang and the touch hole now sits pretty much in the sunset position as shown in the attached photograph. I need to do a little more work to make it permanent and make the tang and the barrel better aligned but that was the solution I was looking for-probably never would have thought of it myself. By the way, I know I buggered up the slot in the vent liner but it was really tight, and I will touch it up with a stone to make it all pretty and smooth. Thanks guys.

 

[Jaegermeister]

Yay! That looks much better. Make sure you shim the barrel flush with the breech.

 

[SDSmlf]

To ebsails, frankie, longcruiser, and jaegermeister I would like to say you were RIGHT. I temporarily shimmed up the tang and the touch hole now sits pretty much in the sunset position as shown in the attached photograph. I need to do a little more work to make it permanent and make the tang and the barrel better aligned but that was the solution I was looking for-probably never would have thought of it myself. By the way, I know I buggered up the slot in the vent liner but it was really tight, and I will touch it up with a stone to make it all pretty and smooth. Thanks guys.
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Might be time for some Acraglas bedding. Nobody will know except you and your closest friends. Or rebuild breech end of stock with strips of wood and re-inlet. With just some wood shims there will be gaps behind the breech plug and under the barrel.