Recomendation for first Muzzleloader

[sdhunter]

im just starting in the black powder shooting as well but i think the sights on my gpr would cover up a buick regal at 300 yards lol. I am only comfortable out to 100 with open sights and a patched round ball but i am also going to be hunting, paper is probably easy to kill at 150. I think if you added one of those fancy tang flip up peep sights with the fine front sight you could shoot longer ranges but never done it so i dont know for sure.

When i bought my lyman gpr about a month ago i found the best price on www.thirdgenerationshootingsupply.com they were 389.99 for the left handed 50 cals and 4.95 shipping on all items. good luck :thumbsup:

 

[bwhoffman]

im just starting in the black powder shooting as well but i think the sights on my gpr would cover up a buick regal at 300 yards lol. I am only comfortable out to 100 with open sights and a patched round ball but i am also going to be hunting, paper is probably easy to kill at 150. I think if you added one of those fancy tang flip up peep sights with the fine front sight you could shoot longer ranges but never done it so i dont know for sure.

When i bought my lyman gpr about a month ago i found the best price on www.thirdgenerationshootingsupply.com they were 389.99 for the left handed 50 cals and 4.95 shipping on all items. good luck :thumbsup:

Right on the money for the sites!

price on the GPR is the best I have heard tell of!

midsouth used to be the price leader.

 

[Otter]

Welcome aboard, Earl. I'll just cut to the chase and try to address as many issues as my feeble mind can remember . . .

What rifle - I will concur with the many recommending the Lyman GPR. I have both a .50 and a .54, preferring, myself, the .54. Both will shoot well with the same powder charges for me. All you can do is shoot, shoot, shoot to find out what your rifle likes to eat. Every barrel is different as are the shooters. What works for me, may not work for you. If you are at all handy, with real basic metal working and wood working skills, you could go with the "kit" GPR. Mostly just need to "finish" the rifle, no major machine work required and will cost about $80-$100 less than a finished rifle.

Shooting distances at rendezvous - varies depending on who sets the course. My experience has been most shooting distances are 25 to 75 yards with the occassional 100 yard target. Distances beyond 100 yards are pretty rare and are set up by evil people.

Powder - I use 3f Goex BP in every ML I shoot with the exception of my ML SxS 12 ga shotgun (1f in that). If you could hook up with brett sr, he might be able to help out with that stuff. If real BP is unavailable to you there are subs at most gun/sporting goods stores. Just don't get the pelletized stuff, use loose powder and stay with round balls.

If you haven't found Track of the Wolf yet (www.trackofthewolf.com) go there, if for no other reason than to look at all they have available. There are all kinds of accoutrements and gadgets you can get, some are necessary, some nice to have and some just take up room. If you can find a rendezvous relatively close to you, attend and take your youngun with you, they (and you) will enjoy the experience. Might even want to do that before buying a rifle . . . Most rendezvous have a number of traders and you never know what you might find there!

Keep coming to this site, there is a wealth of experience and knowledge available, and most are more than willing to help "newbies." How else can we keep this sport alive if we don't help out???

Good luck!!!

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Earl,

Welcome to the forum!

A quick question: is your son/daughter going to shoot this rifle too? And what is their current age?

This may sound crazy, but if the son or daughter is a righty, you may want to think about getting what I'm shooting: a right-handed Lyman Trade Rifle in .50 cal. Reason being, the lighter weight and shorter barrel would be easier for them to handle, and since I've been shooting my Trade Rifle in several competitions from the left shoulder, I haven't been "bitten" by any cap fragments in my right wrist, even with the lock on that side when I shoulder the rifle as a lefty.

This way you two could shoot the same rifle, and you could always sell a right-handed rifle quicker, should the boy/girl decide to give-up on the sport. A 48-twist will work good enough for a woods walk, as I've been winning competitions at several clubs with mine. It really boils down to not flinching, and just letting the explosion happen in your arms, so as to maintain superior follow-through.

Now IF the offspring doesn't want to shoot, or is a lefty like you, well then you're back to a lefty rifle that you both will enjoy IMHO.

Just one man's opinion......

Dave

 

[William O.]

Earl,

Welcome to the forum!

A quick question: is your son/daughter going to shoot this rifle too? And what is their current age?

This may sound crazy, but if the son or daughter is a righty, you may want to think about getting what I'm shooting: a right-handed Lyman Trade Rifle in .50 cal. Reason being, the lighter weight and shorter barrel would be easier for them to handle, and since I've been shooting my Trade Rifle in several competitions from the left shoulder, I haven't been "bitten" by any cap fragments in my right wrist, even with the lock on that side when I shoulder the rifle as a lefty.

This way you two could shoot the same rifle, and you could always sell a right-handed rifle quicker, should the boy/girl decide to give-up on the sport. A 48-twist will work good enough for a woods walk, as I've been winning competitions at several clubs with mine. It really boils down to not flinching, and just letting the explosion happen in your arms, so as to maintain superior follow-through.

Now IF the offspring doesn't want to shoot, or is a lefty like you, well then you're back to a lefty rifle that you both will enjoy IMHO.

Just one man's opinion......

Dave

I will agree with this advice, I am a lefty and have both left and right hand rifles including the Trade Rifle which only comes in RH. I've have used it to place first at my club's monthly matches so it's accurate. You can find used examples of the trade rifles for around $250 or buy them new for $300.

 

[goody]

Look under the classified-ad and actions on this site,people are selling guns all the time.Somebody just mite give a newbie a good deal.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

:thumbsup: Thanks for backin' me up :haha: and congrats on the First Place, good on you! :hatsoff:

Dave

 

[EarlScott]

Thank you all for the wonderful information and keep it coming as know absolutely nothing and want to absorb as much as I can.

First, as to my son he is not ready to shoot due to issues beyond my control that occured before I gained custody so I was going to start him with knife or archery.

Secondly I was a fair shot and not a great shot in the military and I am most comfortable out to 100 to 150 so those shots are in my comfort zone at least with modern weapons.


Again thank you for information as I am learning a great deal and value all knowledge I can absorb.

 

[EarlScott]

Also not to muddle the mix further but what is better to start with a rifle or pistol?

Also in regards to mechanical apptitude/general handiness I flatly leave a lot to be desired. So I am fearful of a kit as it would blow up in my hand.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Earl,

You're welcome :thumbsup: .

Remember we'll be here when you need us.

As a Dad, you'll know when the time is right to teach him how to shoot. Some of us started "learnin'" our kids at an early age so they had fun with Dad (my Eagle Scout started at 4 years old with a single-shot .22)and then came home from college and won the rifle Match yesterday :grin: and kicked my butt doin' it too :haha:

Many happy years of enjoying your son's company!

Dave

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Welcome to the forums,

I can see the advantage of a factory offering, I am also a left handed shooter and the Lyman is the best left handed production rifle on the market, I used to shoot one.

There is another option with the building thing though as the weight, caliber, and style are only limited to your imagination. An inexpensive set of parts can be had and the end results can be spectacular.

You are fortunate in the area in which you live as there are several fine builders in that area as well as an anual Gunmakers Fair right there in Philomath each May. Many of these gents are a bit older and enjoy taking on apprentices.

The best part about the Gunmakers Fair is that the oppurtunity to handle originals and learn techniques is all around, and the builders come from as far away as Montana, Washington, California, Idaho and all are more than willing to share.

If you would like more information just let me know and I'll see if I can get you in touch with a couple of the local builders.

 

[EarlScott]

Wow, I didn't know Philomath had a wealth of builders, as I didn't know there was a builders fair. Any help provided would be great.

 

[William O.]

Also not to muddle the mix further but what is better to start with a rifle or pistol?

Also in regards to mechanical apptitude/general handiness I flatly leave a lot to be desired. So I am fearful of a kit as it would blow up in my hand.

In this case I would stick with a percussion (caplock) rifle. Later on you can think about a flintlock or building a kit. You might also think about purchasing a left hand kit and having someone more experienced build it for you. There are several places to look for an accpetable used rifles not the least of which is here in the classified section. Then there is Auction Arms & Gunbroker. I suggest you avoid gun shows when looking for a muzzle loader though, they usually want way too much for a poorly treated example, at least IME. I'm going to also make one more suggestion as far as your gear and acessories go, and that is to avoid anything plastic, such as powder measures, flasks, etc. Get something that is going to last but it's not neccessary to get the deluxe model either. Most starter kits are a waste of money too, and beware of the imported "buffalo" powder horns that cost $10 and look cheesy.

There are a lot of options and ways to go with your new sport, I hope we can help make it a fun journey.

 

[Snakebite]

Hey Earl,

Welcome to the world of muzzleloading. :thumbsup:

If you were me, I'd go with the Lyman GPR in .54. I don't think the difference in lead or powder is going to make that much difference. You'll work up different loads for shooting at different distances.

You might check out some of the online places and consider getting the GPR kit. You can save some money that way and I don't think it takes a lot to put together.

Most important, have fun!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've known many guys who started out m/l with a single-shot percussion pistol. That's not a bad way to go.

(Revolvers aren't really muzzleloaders).

A flint pistol would be a good start except that most production pistol locks aren't the best sparkers and may bring more frustration than a rifle would.

 

[EarlScott]

I've known many guys who started out m/l with a single-shot percussion pistol. That's not a bad way to go.

(Revolvers aren't really muzzleloaders).

I was thinking potentially a .50 caliber percussion Kentucky pistol but it is close to the same as a rifle. As people who teach new shooters what implement would you rather have them have?

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

As a NEW shooter, you'll be able to hit more and be more accurate at a longer distance with a rifle. Some clubs don't offer pistol shooting on a regular basis, so I'd check with a few local clubs in your area to best determine your course of action.

Safety-wise, a long gun is harder to sweep folks with, and a little easier to keep pointed down-range.

Dave
NRA Certified Instructor

 

[bwhoffman]

Our group does pistol and has catagories for it.....men, women, youth.
all single shot, absolutly ne revolvers!

I feel a person can better learn the basics of proceedure with a rifle as it gives a bit more to work with as far as handleing ect. the is a place for the ramrod, you can hold it up between your legs while standing ect and as mentioned already, targeting will be much more conducive for the mind early on and less apt to fustrate and put it away because one cant hit squat from the get go!

 

[Zonie]

For a new shooter, I would always recommend a rifle over a pistol as a first gun.

A pistol is a rather difficult thing to shoot accurately.
Because the sights very close together a slight mis-alignment is more difficult to detect.

The slightest movement of the hand or arm as the trigger is being pulled will move the point of aim before the gun fires. Often the amount of movement is quite disconcerting.

The slightest "push" against the perceived recoil will raise the point of impact. The slightest relaxation will drop the point of impact. The way the trigger finger pulls the trigger can change where the round will hit.
Even the arm or shoulder muscles flexing in the smallest manner as the trigger is pulled will change where the round hits.

I have shot in competitive (modern) pistol matches, doing quite well, and I will be the first to say that accurate shooting with a pistol is an art that sometimes takes years to perfect.

Add to this that most of the commercially available muzzleloading pistols are not built as rugged as the typical commercial rifle and you will understand why I would not recommend one as the first muzzleloading gun for a new shooter.

Rifles on the other hand are usually built quite strongly. They have more places to hold them while reloading which makes reloading easier.

Because the distance between the sights is greater a small error in alignment is easier to see and correct before the gun is fired.

The increased weight of a rifle makes the recoil less noticeable which allows the shooter to concentrate on sight alignment and trigger control.

The bottom line for the new shooter is a rifle is much easier to learn with and the increased accuracy gives more incentive to continue to learn to shoot well.

 

[tg]

"Revolvers aren't really muzzleloaders).'

Sure they are, they just have two muzzles one at the front of the barrel and one at the front of the cylinder..... that sounds as good or better than the old steel barrel BS