Seeking Pictures and Advice for Refinishing a Lyman GPR

[MIOutdoorsman]

Like many others on this forum and elsewhere, I purchased my first ("gateway-drug") flintlock from Lyman--their Great Plains Rifle. Eventually I plan on commissioning a true craftsman to build me a fine rifle, but at the moment, this is what gets me to the range and into the woods. It's reasonably accurate and reliable, pairs nicely with my newly finished Pendersoli Kentucky pistol kit, and best of all, I already own it.

Nevertheless, she's definitely not a pretty girl. The walnut stock is stained very dark. If there's grain in there, it's nearly impossible to see. I know that these are not truly PC either, but the dark stain is what is most offensive in my opinion. It's just nothing to look at, period.

After late-season hunting season is over I am considering refinishing the stock to see if I can improve the low quality commercial finish. I have done one kit gun (the Pendersoli pistol mentioned above), but that was starting with unfinished wood. I used yellow alanine dye followed by Tru-Oil on that American Walnut piece of wood and it turned out pretty nice (tried to create a lighter English Walnut look) . I don't know if that approach would work here or not, after the original finish has been removed.

The ask:
I would love to see pictures of refinished Lyman rifles (GPR or GPH or whatever) that started out with their dark factory finish, but that have been improved by refinishing or otherwise improving the finish. I'm curious to see in photos whether or not a big difference can be achieved before I embark on this project. Also, if you did this, what was your approach?

I would also love to hear from our craftsmen here who have advice on the best way to remove the original factory finish.

And then... speaking directly to this re-finish, what dye or stain process would you recommend for refinishing? My goal would be to highlight whatever grain is there, and achieve a finish that's not nearly so dark. I don't know if all of the original stain can be removed, but I suspect that some of it will remain in the grain, so I'm a little unsure as to what my new finish process would be.

Hopefully there are at least a few of you who have refinished a Lyman?

 

[kje54]

Like many others on this forum and elsewhere, I purchased my first ("gateway-drug") flintlock from Lyman--their Great Plains Rifle. Eventually I plan on commissioning a true craftsman to build me a fine rifle, but at the moment, this is what gets me to the range and into the woods. It's reasonably accurate and reliable, pairs nicely with my newly finished Pendersoli Kentucky pistol kit, and best of all, I already own it.

Nevertheless, she's definitely not a pretty girl. The walnut stock is stained very dark. If there's grain in there, it's nearly impossible to see. I know that these are not truly PC either, but the dark stain is what is most offensive in my opinion. It's just nothing to look at, period.

After late-season hunting season is over I am considering refinishing the stock to see if I can improve the low quality commercial finish. I have done one kit gun (the Pendersoli pistol mentioned above), but that was starting with unfinished wood. I used yellow alanine dye followed by Tru-Oil on that American Walnut piece of wood and it turned out pretty nice (tried to create a lighter English Walnut look) . I don't know if that approach would work here or not, after the original finish has been removed.

The ask:
I would love to see pictures of refinished Lyman rifles (GPR or GPH or whatever) that started out with their dark factory finish, but that have been improved by refinishing or otherwise improving the finish. I'm curious to see in photos whether or not a big difference can be achieved before I embark on this project. Also, if you did this, what was your approach?

I would also love to hear from our craftsmen here who have advice on the best way to remove the original factory finish.

And then... speaking directly to this re-finish, what dye or stain process would you recommend for refinishing? My goal would be to highlight whatever grain is there, and achieve a finish that's not nearly so dark. I don't know if all of the original stain can be removed, but I suspect that some of it will remain in the grain, so I'm a little unsure as to what my new finish process would be.

Hopefully there are at least a few of you who have refinished a Lyman?

I'm currently in the process of "defarbing" my Investarms (as much as possible that is). This is what I found under that dark stain.

I just started sanding with 80 grit. As for finishing I'm considering just finishing it with tung oil.

 

[Dale Lilly]

I have one I made from a kit. It is very plain but I kept it light. kje54 Your wood is really nice. Do your best to enhance it. Please show us pictures when you finish or even during progress. Polecat

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Kje54--wow! That grain looks really nice! Was it essentially black when you started?

(Note to self... if I refinish my Lyman, I'll take before, during, and after pics to share.)

 

[kje54]

I have one I made from a kit. It is very plain but I kept it light. kje54 Your wood is really nice. Do your best to enhance it. Please show us pictures when you finish or even during progress. Polecat

Have a thread on it. My Investarms Hawken Rifle

 

[kje54]

Kje54--wow! That grain looks really nice! Was it essentially black when you started?

(Note to self... if I refinish my Lyman, I'll take before, during, and after pics to share.)

It was really dark, you could just make out the grain on the stock. Still have a lot of work to do fitting the proper steel furnishings which appeared to be sand cast requiring hours of filing and sanding. Have most fitted but waiting on a couple of parts.
My Investarms Hawken Rifle

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Thanks Kje.. You are embarking on a bigger project than I'm contemplating. It looks like your original stock wasn't nearly as dark as my Lyman. Still, it's impressive what you are uncovering with just some sandpaper and elbow grease. Thank you for sharing!

 

[kje54]

Thanks Kje.. You are embarking on a bigger project than I'm contemplating. It looks like your original stock wasn't nearly as dark as my Lyman. Still, it's impressive what you are uncovering with just some sandpaper and elbow grease. Thank you for sharing!

I tried a little nail polish remover on the stock, just a small area to see it it was finished in poly. It wasn't so I just started sanding, granted my Dremel with a sanding tube helped a wee bit.........

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Thanks KJE--
Hoping there's at least a couple guys on the forum here who have done or are in the process of doing something like that with a Lyman so I can gain an appreciation of what's possible before I start sanding away. I'd hate to sand and sand and sand, only to find unimpressive wood underneath.

 

[kje54]

Thanks KJE--
Hoping there's at least a couple guys on the forum here who have done or are in the process of doing something like that with a Lyman so I can gain an appreciation of what's possible before I start sanding away. I'd hate to sand and sand and sand, only to find unimpressive wood underneath.

I understand but even if you find less than impressive grain you could always re-stain it any way you want, all you lose is a little time or you could end up with something like mine. Mine appears to be black walnut and Investarms is also sold under the Lyman name though until you start sanding there's no way to know for sure what wood (regular or black walnut) they used for your stock.
Now if it's a brand new signature series it's a Pendersoli.

 

[longcruise]

Like many others on this forum and elsewhere, I purchased my first ("gateway-drug") flintlock from Lyman--their Great Plains Rifle. Eventually I plan on commissioning a true craftsman to build me a fine rifle, but at the moment, this is what gets me to the range and into the woods. It's reasonably accurate and reliable, pairs nicely with my newly finished Pendersoli Kentucky pistol kit, and best of all, I already own it.

Nevertheless, she's definitely not a pretty girl. The walnut stock is stained very dark. If there's grain in there, it's nearly impossible to see. I know that these are not truly PC either, but the dark stain is what is most offensive in my opinion. It's just nothing to look at, period.

After late-season hunting season is over I am considering refinishing the stock to see if I can improve the low quality commercial finish. I have done one kit gun (the Pendersoli pistol mentioned above), but that was starting with unfinished wood. I used yellow alanine dye followed by Tru-Oil on that American Walnut piece of wood and it turned out pretty nice (tried to create a lighter English Walnut look) . I don't know if that approach would work here or not, after the original finish has been removed.

The ask:
I would love to see pictures of refinished Lyman rifles (GPR or GPH or whatever) that started out with their dark factory finish, but that have been improved by refinishing or otherwise improving the finish. I'm curious to see in photos whether or not a big difference can be achieved before I embark on this project. Also, if you did this, what was your approach?

I would also love to hear from our craftsmen here who have advice on the best way to remove the original factory finish.

And then... speaking directly to this re-finish, what dye or stain process would you recommend for refinishing? My goal would be to highlight whatever grain is there, and achieve a finish that's not nearly so dark. I don't know if all of the original stain can be removed, but I suspect that some of it will remain in the grain, so I'm a little unsure as to what my new finish process would be.

Hopefully there are at least a few of you who have refinished a Lyman?

Just work it down until you have eliminated the original finish. Hopefully it didn't penetrate too deep.

I don't stain walnut at all! It just seems to muddy it up and hide the figure. I've just finished with Tru Oil.

Walnut is end porous and filling the pores with layers of oil finish is usually not entirely successful. However, if you sand in a first coat of oil with 220 or 320 it will fill the pores. Use plenty and then sand away the excess before you start finish coats.

 

[longcruise]

Looks like this 6 years later.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Pretty sure Lyman advertises

Looks like this 6 years later.

View attachment 54710

Thanks for the picture! That's a nice shade--much lighter than my factory finish. I'd be happy with that if I could achieve it.

 

[Gonetocamp]

A lot of the dark oil stain on the GPR will be removed by rubbing the stock with denatured alcohol on a cloth.

 

[Zonie]

I posted these pictures elsewhere on the forum but, here is what the walnut on my Lyman GPR looks like after the factory varnish was removed and replaced with a stock finish oil. Yes, it is natural curly walnut.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Sanding is a poor way to remove finish. I used to do it that way but I've learnd a lot since then. Use Citristrip or something like it.

When refinishing it would be a good time to do some woodworking.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/gpr-kit-build-modificaions.38735/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/gpr-kit-build-modifications.37827/

 

[sawyer04]

There you guys go making things to pretty to wallow in the brush with.

 

[saaman]

I built mine from a kit and did some changes to the comb of the stock and rounded the nose cap. My purpose was to have an all-brown gun for hunting. It worked because a bird landed on the barrel when I stuck it out the window of the deer stand.

 

[Bob McBride]

I built mine from a kit and did some changes to the comb of the stock and rounded the nose cap. My purpose was to have an all-brown gun for hunting. It worked because a bird landed on the barrel when I stuck it out the window of the deer stand.View attachment 54749

That’s the finest example I’ve seen of a GPR. I love the metal and stock finish both. Nifty.

 

[flntlokr]

I would remove the factory finish with 'Circa 1856' stripper, then sand it all down and refinish with linseed or one of the plastic oil finishes. I would also remove the bluing from the barrel, etc and brown all of that, I also get rid of the adjustable rear sight, and replace it with a more traditional Hawken buckhorn. Have fun with it.