Shot my Great Plains for the first time!

[rwsjr]

I just shot my Lyman GPR kit (1-60" twist - .54 CAL) for the first time and it was a blast!. It took a while to get it to fire. I think the tube connecting the cap and chamber was a little clogged. I tried cleaning it out, I wasted several caps and I finally removed the nipple and put a small amount of powder in there. That did the trick! After than it didn't misfire once, not once!

I was amazed how accurate it was. I used 777 and Pyrodex Select (that was all I could find). I played around with the powder type, load size, ball (.530 & .535) and patch. I found it real hard to load the .535 balls, so I stayed mostly with the .530 balls. I assume as the gun wears in that I'll move to .535 ball, but we shall see. I also found the Pyrodex a tad more accurate that 777, but both worked well. The gun also seemsed more accruate at lower charges (60-70) vs 90-95. I though maybe the larger ball and higher charge might solve that issue, but forgot to check.

Unfortunately, I didn't like the sights on the gun at ALL!! I used the adjustable rear site that came in the kit beacuse the fixed one was too loose to use. Has anyone used a different sight on the Lyman GPR riffle? I see that the Lyman offers a couple options. The one with fibe optics looks interesting. I'd like some opinions.

I'd also like to know if anyone uses "loaders"? I plan to use the riffle deer hunting and I can't see my self fumbling around with the powder can, measures, patches etc, while hunting. I see on line that they have some "loaders" that hold the patch ball and powder in a tube. Do these work well?

I had a great time!!

Thanks for all your help building the gun!!

 

[paulvallandigham]

I just can't see going into the woods with plastic, when I am shooting a traditional gun. I oppose plastic sight of all kinds for that reason, and I refuse to use those plastic " speed loaders" for the same reason. You can make containers to hold Pre-measured powder charges for the gun. That cuts down the need to carry an expensive powder horn into the field. And a Ball block that hold pre-lubed patch and ball is all you need to speed loading.

Actually, the words " Speed " and "Loading" should NEVER appear in the same sentence with Muzzleloaders. There is NOTHING speedy about loading a Muzzleloader! Not when you compare it to speed loading a pistol, revolver, or Semi-auto rifle, or shotgun. The fastest I have ever reloaded a MLer, and that was without using a Patch for the ball, was about 15 seconds. I can reload a pistol in 1.5 seconds or less, and a revolver in under 2 seconds.

A MLer is for all PRACTICAL purposes, a ONE shot rifle. Use it accordingly, and put a lot more stress on aiming the gun accurately at a vital area on your game, and forget about getting a second shot at it. It rarely happens. If You don't trust your shooting skills, or just have to spray bullets around the woods when you get excited at seeing a deer, then DON'T Hunt with a Muzzle Loader. You will be miserable, and you will be a danger to other folks in the woods. :thumbsup:

 

[renovato]

If you prefer the other sight, you can tighten the dovetail easy enough. Just take a brass drift and tap down lightly around the dovetail. It'll slightly bend the metal downward to where it'll grip the sight better. The brass won't mar your finish. If that still doesn't work, take a pointed punch and tap it several times in the bottom of the dovetail slot. This will raise metal inside the slot, allowing for a tighter grip. I use either, or a combination of both, to tighten dovetails on everything up to high recoiling modern hunting guns. Works great and only takes a couple minutes.

 

[Trench]

My father uses speedloaders and they work quite well for him. I, like many here, just reload from my horn and bag. There's no fumbling because I'm taking my time. It gives the deer time to bleed out and lie down somewhere if he doesn't drop right away.

I'm sure someone has an experience where the speedloader saved the day, but I'm sure they are far and few inbetween. Nothing wrong with carrying a premeasured charge, though. Less to take out in the field if that's what you like. Just don't think that you're going to reload like you're slapping another 30-06 cartridge in to your Ruger No. 1 carbine. :wink:

 

[FishDFly]

That's good that you built your own gun, it will mean more to you as that's yours.

Sights, if you don't like what you have, buy what you want.

The PC police will not follow you to your deer hunting place to see what sights you are using. If fiber optic sights allow you to see your sights better and allow you to harvest a deer with more confidence, buy what you want.

It's your money and fiber sights have been recommended here many times for those who have trouble seeing their sights, especailly in low light conditions.

If you are interested in using a "loader" to reduce fumbling around as your described, do as you wish. I check behind me as I go to my blind and I have yet to see the PC police following me to check my bag.

I do not use loaders, but I have not resentment towards those who chose to do so. I really do not see a significant difference between a loader and using a loading block.

Go, enjoy and do not worry what others think.

RDE

 

[Trench]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I think your most accurate load of 70gr of pyro is fine deer medicine for that .530 ball about to 100 yds. We always like range reports, so take pictures of your targets and how your shots group with different components. I love that stuff!!

 

[BrownBear]

I started out using speedloaders, mostly because I was so fumbly inexperienced and my bag really wasn't set up. Good place to start, but also it gives you a frame of reference for setting up a bag and practicing if you want to follow that route. There you go, another excuse to shoot!

Each of us will set up a bag different, but with adjustments, experiments and practice I've got my "system" down to the point I can reload just as fast from my bag as with speedloaders. Of course "fast" is a relative term with muzzleloaders. Never needed to be fast for followup shots on deer, but I have missed my share of snowshoe hare heads and had to reload fast while the hare was still sitting there wondering what all the commotion was about.

I use a loading block, which is attached to my bag strap with a quirt long enough to reach the muzzle with my gun butt on the ground. Same for the powder measure. When I'm in a hurry the quirts let me just drop them rather than fumbling to get them back into the bag. When I' m walking the block and the measure just stay in the bag. When I need them I jerk on their quirts and pull them free of the bag.

For loading I dump from my horn into the measure and dump that down the bore and drop the measure. Then put the loading block over the muzzle and start a ball. Drop the block and finish ramming the ball home. Prime and fire. With flinters I prime from the same horn, and with cappers I made a little leather capper that fits in a pocket on my bag strap.

If I missed the second time too, there's lots of time to reload once again and return the measure and block into the bag, cuzz the hare is long gone after the second shot. :rotf:

 

[hanshi]

I didn't start with speedloaders because I didn't ever hear of one and don't think they existed back then. Years later I bought three to use with my caplock. I didn't use them as recommended or for speed-I don't like speed. I just put a powder charge in them and a cap in the cap holder. Still fumbled with ball and patch. The only advantage was that I didn't have to fumble with those tiny caps. I eventually started making my own powder charge holders and use them exclusively in the woods. I shoot flint now and that simplifies things.

 

[rwsjr]

My issue with the Lyman sight is two fold. One, slit in rear sight is very narrow and since I browned the gun, there is no color contrast between the front an rear sights. Painting the back edge of the front sight white helped. I could also file the slot a tad wider. I was wondering if any used any of the other sites Lyman makes for the gun (http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/sights/muzzle-loader-sights.php)
.
As for the Loader question....I totally agree with the one shot issue. I just didn't want to walk around the wood lugging powder, a measure, flask, etc., just in case I missed and needed a reload. It looks easier to carry around a couple tubes with pre-measured powder. I saw one where they claim you can put the patch, powder and ball and you just open the top and pure in the powder then use the ram rod to send in the ball and patch. It looks to good to be true.

 

[Scott_C]

You can make powder chargers from a number of items depending upon how historically accurate you wish to be...

I have seen them made from river cane, bamboo, PVC water piping (I think they used 1/2" water pipe with one cap glued solid and the other loose), even 35mm film cans... One fellow had a 1x4 by about 5" or 6" with 6 holes drilled and capped to hold the powder.

I use river cane with cork stoppers and carry my patched round balls in a bullet block.

It's just lighter and easier to carry a few in my pocket than digging in my bag - esp. when it's a minus-20°F and has a nice Nebraska wind coming in at 20-30mph.

 

[MikeChapin]

I use speed loaders for hunting for convenience. The ones I use are about the same caliber as the rifle I am using. I push a patched round ball in one end and pour in powder on the other and use a cork or cap for that end. I find it more convenient to put five of those in a pocket along with a short starter and priming horn or capper.

To use I just take off the cap and pour the powder in and use the short starter to push the ball through the loader and into the barrel.

I find it easier to use this method rather than futzing with a bag and horn when I'm hunting.

 

[jbtusa]

Change the factory nipple to a new hot shot type. I used the primitive fixed sight on mine and I like it much better than the factory rear sight. Lastly, don't forget to squirt WD 40 or some other water displacing oil under the barrel lug (ramrod rail). That hairline gap will hold water and cause rust. Your rifle will shoot even better with real black powder. You will grow to love that rifle!

 

[PreglerD]

Congrats to your new GPR! For a better sight there is a Lyman rear and front sight available which is adjustable and gives a better contrast, especially when the light is getting lower. you can mount these sight in the dovetails.

Speedloaders can be bought in any ML shop I think, ut why not using a bullet board with ready PRB and for the powder make your own papercartridges. This combo is as fast as plastic loaders.

Regards

Kirrmeister