Recently Purchased A Lyman GPR 1979 - A Few Questions

[Eyesgood]

I recently picked up a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. I know it was made in 1979 from the stamp. I do believe that was the first year of production, but not positive. My gun has two matching serial numbers. One is on the barrel and the other is on the lock. I have seen many GPR photos but not showing two serial-numbered parts. So, I am guessing after-market locks would not have the serial number and thus, guns without the second serial number on the lock means the lock has been replaced. I have two questions. Is that assumption correct? And second, is it possible to determine if the gun was originally a kit gun or a completed gun? I haven't received any replies to emails to Lyman as yet. I really want to know as much as I can gather about this gun
Thanks,
Eyesgood

 

[Tasbay]

Mine is original but I don`t believe it has a serial number on the lock.

 

[The Miner '49er]

Eyesgood - I know that some kit guns, from other manufacturers such as Traditions, have K in the serial number. I don't know if Investarm did the same. Surely someone here can check their rifle, if the made it from a kit, and will let you know the answer.

 

[Eyesgood]

Eyesgood - I know that some kit guns, from other manufacturers such as Traditions, have K in the serial number. I don't know if Investarm did the same. Surely someone here can check their rifle, if the made it from a kit, and will let you know the answer.

Thanks. It's good to know what the "K" might mean. The serial number on mine is 100xxx with no alpha prefix. I am going to keep perusing forums and sites like this one and GunBroker to see how much anecdotal information I can glean. This is my first muzzleloader, and even though I am in my 50's, I am super excited to add this to my firearms collection and to start a new hobby.

 

[The Miner '49er]

I'm getting closer to 80, but I have been shooting ml guns "seriously" for just a few years. Hope you like your GPR as much as I. Heavy, but accurate.

 

[ETipp]

Almost certain my GPR is a kit rifle. I got the box that it supposedly came in when new. It is checked as Kit. Someone did a very good job building this one and as I understand it, it was only fired a couple of times. It looks new.

The serial number does not have a “K” in it. But I was able to find the year of manufacture was 1990. These are very nice, no frills ML’s and that’s the way I prefer all my ML’s to be. But I have two with brass, something I do not like on anything other than fine KY style ML’s.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I think Thompson Center were the only ones to use a K at the beginning of the serial number to designate a kit gun. I have a couple of them. One I put together 40+ years ago with a 4 digit serial number and another that was already built that I purchased a few years ago.

 

[longcruise]

@Eyesgood I have a GPR that I built from a kit in the early '80's. There is nothing that identifies it as a kit (other than possibly my build skills. ). I have never noticed a SN on the lock but I'll check for it and get back here on the topic.

 

[TreeMan]

If your lock has a coil spring instead of a flat spring then it’s most likely the one that came with the rifle. All aftermarket locks use flat springs.

 

[springfield art]

Mine is original but I don`t believe it has a serial number on the lock.

Same here.

 

[longcruise]

@Eyesgood Here's the lock. No SN.

Not sure of the year of manufacture of this kit but I acquired it somewhere in the '79 to '82 period. Maybe an GPR expert can decipher the year.

 

[hawkeye2]

AH=1994

 

[Eyesgood]

As you can see here, my gun has two matching serial numbers which I highlighted in yellow. I still have not seen another gun with double numbers. I would love to know what that means as well as whether the gun was sold intact or as a kit.
Thanks.

 

[longcruise]

AH=1994

I looked up Italian proof marks. Says AH is 1981.

 

[hawkeye2]

I looked up Italian proof marks. Says AH is 1981.

My mistake, read to the right and should have read to the left.