I'll jump into the fray here and add that my Lyman Trade Rifle has already taught several hundred Boy Scouts the fun of black powder shooting. It's a .50 cal percussion, and it's darn accurate to boot! Yes it does have the 1-in 48" twist! So what! I win competitions with the thing at several clubs that hold black powder shoots.
Working with Boy Scouts means that sooner or later the gun will get kicked/dropped/scratched, or all three! For about $320.00 you have a brand new one, less money for used. You'll cry a little less when that first scratch goes into the stock if you don't spend $600.00-$1,000.00 on a better rifle.
At summer camp, I let one of the older Scouts launch a T/C 370 grain Maxi-Ball with 90 grains of 3Fg Goex at an evil watermelon :shocked2: a la R. Lee Ermey of "Lock & Load" fame. That '48 twist comes in rather handy for that
Younger Scouts get a 50 grain charge, which is right out of the official Scout merit badge book. I use a .018 pre-lubed pillow-ticking patch and a Hornady .490 ball for everything but the evil watermelon :wink: , and smaller framed kids and their Moms appreciate the smaller, lighter-weight Trade Rifle, as the shorter barrel is much easier for them to load under supervision :wink:
The foregoing wasn't meant to be bragging, just an example of how accurate the rifle actually is. One of the clubs that I belong to has two other members besides me that shoot the Lyman Trade Rifle...invariably two or all three of the top finishers at a typical league match are using the Lyman, so it can't just be me :wink: . Take a second look at the "tweener" and bring a 12 year old boy along for the trip to size it up ON HIM and you'll see what I've been writing about!
May you make the best decision FOR YOU, and THANKS for working with the Scouts in advance :thumbsup: .
Dave
Boy Scout Troop Chartered Organization Representative & Eagle Scout Dad
NRA Distinguished Expert in Muzzleloading Rifle
