Plains Rifles

[Irish13]

I found a plains rifle that resembles a Sante Fe Hawken, St. Louis Hawken, Lyman Great Plains rifle. What ever you want to call it, it is .54 cal, 32" barrel, half stock, two wedge pins, no patch box, but it says it was made in Spain. Now I know this is probably beating a dead horse again but does anyone know anything about these rifles? Good, bad whatever would like to hear from you.

Thank ye kindly,
Irish

 

[Pork Chop]

Sounds like a CVA Big Bore Mountain Rifle. Good by all accounts I have seen. I sure would like to get one. I have two of the Mountain Rifles in .50 cal - the same gun essentially - just the small bores have a German silver patch box.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

if the price is right, GET IT!! i have a 54 mountain rifle now and am building a 58cal mountain rifle. Awesome shooters :thumbsup:

 

[Irish13]

my mistake gentlemen, it is a .50 caliber. I went back and looked at it again. The man had told me it was.54 but after I went and looked it is a .50 cal

What say you now!! same advice go ahead and get it?

 

[Grey Hawk]

Two of the tricks I have learned from the forum regarding those special finds is:

1. Take the ramrod and put it about halfway down the bore and release, it should make a metallic sound or close to it with a distinct tone. If it doesn't it may be VERY dirty making a thud. Try it on your own piece to give yourself a gauge. This may not be a bad thing just get ready for a major cleaning job.

2. While the ramrod is still down the bore, hold it tight to one side and slide the brass ball seat of the ramrod along the barrel wall, feel and listen for a consistant drag, along the wall. If it gives a little or sounds different, the barrel may have a bulge from a heavy load or and unseated ball being shot.

Neither of these checks should preclude you from the purchase, but can help you parley the deal and since you will no doubt CLEAN IT before the first shot, and depending on what you find during #2, you may want to purchase a new barrel.

Just my 2 Cents

Grey Hawk

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Get one of the drop-in bore lights, they're a very useful tool and really the only way one can examine the bore of a muzzleloader. The vast majority of second hand muzzleloaders I have examined have had pitted bores. My standard rule with muzzleloaders Is don't buy unless I get it cheap enough to afford replacing the barrel because I probably will have to do so.
I recently violated that rule and bought a T/C New Englander sight unseen because the seller assured me that it had been "checked out" by a gunsmith who pronounced it a "good rifle". That barrel looked like a cast iron sewer pipe and is now with Bobby Hoyt to be re-bored.

 

[boar]

If you can get a nickle .38 case you can drop it down in barrel gently and shine a light off it to see bore. Not as good as a bore light, but better then nothing. If it is a Mt Rifle it should have the pewter nose cap. Good rifles, have two in .45 Dilly

 

[greyghost]

Hey Joe,
Where can I get one of those drop in bore lights?

 

[cowpoke1955]

I use a AAA mini Mag style light. Turn it on and slide it down the bore. Fits all my rifles, except the .45. The bore is just too tight. In a .50 and .54, works gteat :thumbsup: . Got mine at Target for about $6.

 

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Good Morning Paddlefoot and All,

Many years back, I turned some stainless rod to various substandard bore diameters and polished one end to a mirror finish. Overall length is about 3/4".

One of these rods can be dropped down a bore, then a flash light shined down the bore. The light reflection will give one a good look at the bore.

I made my "reflectors" out of stainless steel simply because it does not rust over a period of time, and I had it.

There is no reason that a good mild steel cannot be used for the same purpose, other than it might rust and require periodiac repolishing.

Best regards and good shooting,

John L. Hinnant

If you are not an NRA or NMLRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.

Liberal/Socialist Politicians LIE!!! USA Freedoms DIE!!!!

 

[J.D.]

2. While the ramrod is still down the bore, hold it tight to one side and slide the brass ball seat of the ramrod along the barrel wall, feel and listen for a consistant drag, along the wall. If it gives a little or sounds different, the barrel may have a bulge from a heavy load or and unseated ball being shot.

Neither of these checks should preclude you from the purchase, but can help you parley the deal and since you will no doubt CLEAN IT before the first shot, and depending on what you find during #2, you may want to purchase a new barrel.
Grey Hawk

IMHO, and from experience,the best way to determine the condition of the bore is to slide a snug, but not too tight of a patch down the bore.

A rung bore will result in a sudden drop of the jag/rod for about an inch and a half, or more.

In addition, a snug patch will allow you to feel a rough bore that sometimes can't be seen with a bore light.

IMHO, the bore light followed by a snug patch should turn up any damage or neglect to the bore.

That said, a slightly rough bore shouldn't pose a severe problem. Lapping can remove most, if not all of the roughness, if done properly. I have shot a few guns with slightly rough bores that shot well. IMHO, a thick patch and good lube can perform well in a, slightly, rough bore, though pointing out the roughness to the owner and suggesting that the barrel might need to be replaced can bring down the price...if he really wants to sell it.

 

[mykeal]

Bore lights - available at many places, one example: Traditions web site, click on Accessories at the top, then Cleaning in the menu on lower right, then do a search for the term 'bore light'. $10.
Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, Midway, and I believe Dixie Gun Works also.

 

[Pork Chop]

Good rifles, have two in .45 Dilly

Heck, we ought to swap a barrel as I have two .50s!

On the bore light, someone mentioned the fishing lure glow sticks. They are cheap and disposable, plus they fit smaller bores.

 

[smo]

I just bought one of those fishing float lights from Dicks Sporting Goods. I gave about $3.75 for it.It was made by a company called Thill (sp)? It stated it would last up to 20 hours of use,it has a on/off switch and will fit inside of a .32 cal barrel

 

[BadHorse]

I found a plains rifle that resembles a Sante Fe Hawken, St. Louis Hawken, Lyman Great Plains rifle. What ever you want to call it, it is .54 cal, 32" barrel, half stock, two wedge pins, no patch box, but it says it was made in Spain. Now I know this is probably beating a dead horse again but does anyone know anything about these rifles? Good, bad whatever would like to hear from you.

Thank ye kindly,
Irish

funny my lyman great plains says italy, oh well anyway, they are great rifles and i love mine.