Sighting a Lyman GPR

[PowderMonkey]

I need to sight in my muzzleloader and never done one before. The instructions say to lower the front sight (screw adjustable sight) to the bottom then file the front sight to sight in and then use the screw for fine adjustment.

So do you chose the distance you want your muzzleloader permanently sighted in and do this? What type of file do you need? If anyone has done this can you please help me out with some info as i don't want to damage the sight or make a mistake.

What distance would be normal for a 50 cal muzzleloader?

 

[longcruise]

Not the way I would do it, but your sight description is new to me. Is the rear sight adjustable?

Can you post a pic of the front sight?

 

[PowderMonkey]

Yes, the back sight is adjustable. It has a screw thar controls elevation, typical of modern sights with a buckhorn profile.

It is supposed to be for fine adjustment and it seems to be as i could not get much elevation out of it.

Not home right now but will try to post a pic latter.

 

[BrownBear]

Dunno about those sights, but I sight in my GPR's (both 50 and 54 cal) dead on at 75 yards. Puts them an inch high at 50 and around 4" low at 100. That's with PRB and 80 grains of 3f in the 50 and 90 grains of the same in the 54.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Thanks, i was thinking of 75 yards also. My loads are about the same as yours.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Not the way I would do it, but your sight description is new to me. Is the rear sight adjustable?

Can you post a pic of the front sight?

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/imgPart/rs-pm-1_1.jpg

 

[azmntman]

Whats that cost? I got a GPR with a peep and no rear, would like a rear too (at least to keep in the ol tool box)

 

[Kapow]

Not one to tell my elders how to suck eggs but, only an inch high at 50yards? Why not go 2 inches high at 50 yards for a longer point blank range? Two inches is not much off the mark and will make range guessing less critical at longer shots out to 100 yards. Just my thoughts...

 

[PowderMonkey]

Looks like $26.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/882/1/RS-PM-1

 

[BrownBear]

...only an inch high at 50yards?

I do that because of all the small game and general fun shooting with my larger cal MLs. With that sight setting, when I drop down to 30 grains or so of 3f, POI at 25 is usually dead on and only a little low at 50.

I'm a whooooole lot more concerned about what's happening closer than 75 yards than I am beyond 75, whether with full snort loads or light stuff. I probably shoot 30 or 40 snowshoe hare for every deer I shoot with 58 cals, and the count goes up as I go down the scale to 54's and 50's.

 

[Baby Huey]

You have posed a question with no real solution. It all depends upon what you intend to do with your rifle. Are you punching holes in paper at the range(like I am)or are you going hunting? If the latter, determine the average distance at which you expect to shoot at a deer, hog, etc. and find a load and sight picture. I would guess that 100 yards for CA hunting would be reasonable
(I reside in Thachapi, CA but grew up in Marin County).
I have a 50 cal GPR. My recommendation is to tighten the rear sight screw all the way down then shoot at 50 yards with 70 grains FF. File down the front sight until the ball hits at POA. Go to 100 yards, unscrew the rear sight 4 full turns and adjust until the ball hits at POA. If you make an error or fear you will, buy a replacement front sight before you start adjusting. Any fine flat metal file will do the job. Be patient and take it SLOWLY!
From there you can shoot with a reduced load at 50 yards or with the front sight tip just peeking up at the bottom of the rear sight's slot. Experiment! That is what makes black powder shooting a challenge. Best wishes and have fun! That's what it's all about.

 

[PowderMonkey]

No hunting, it's for fun/target shooting. I guess i wii do that (what the manual says). May get an extra front in case i botch it up, thx for the info.

 

[Melnic]

I don't see how you would want to modify the front sights before you work up a load.
If It were my gun (and I have a Lyman GPR in Percussion), I'd start all the way down and see where it plants. If you are shooting high with it all the way down, then I'd change it.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Try not to touch the front sight, if you are using the adjustable rear sight, adjust it right to the basement. Then work with your load ( more powder/less powder) Load until you get a one hole pattern at 25 yards.
That way, you will not mess it up.
Fred

 

[PowderMonkey]

Yes, i guess it does not make sense to work on the sight until i find the right load. Will bottom out the sight and go to 25 yds and work on the load. Thanks guys for your input, it's been helpful.

 

[longcruise]

I misunderstood your first post. I thought you meant your front sight was screw adjustable. Now its clear you have the standard issue for sights.

The standard front sight is too tall and too thick! The rear sight is sloppy with crude and rough adjustments.

the front sight can be made useable by filing it thinner. I have three of those rear sights in the shooting box with no end use in sight!

TOW has an adjustable rear sight at $10.95 that will work well with your front once it is thinned. Could be still too tall but easy to file down.

am on the (not so) smart phone now. But can post a link later.

 

[longcruise]

Here is a picture of it. This can be used as is with a square notch, filed to a deep V and used as an express sight with a beed or you can file a large half round opening and solder or epoxy a small washer onto it for a forward set peep sight.

 

[PowderMonkey]

No, that is not the front sight that comes with the Lyman GPR.

 

[PowderMonkey]

I misunderstood your first post. I thought you meant your front sight was screw adjustable. Now its clear you have the standard issue for sights.

The standard front sight is too tall and too thick! The rear sight is sloppy with crude and rough adjustments.

the front sight can be made useable by filing it thinner. I have three of those rear sights in the shooting box with no end use in sight!

TOW has an adjustable rear sight at $10.95 that will work well with your front once it is thinned. Could be still too tall but easy to file down.

am on the (not so) smart phone now. But can post a link later.

Marmotslayer, the standard sight is screw adjustable and that is what i have on it right now. It also comes with a traditional fixed sight you can put on it. I will see if i can find a picture but it's similar to modern iron sights other then it's for micro adjustments and not to fully adjust your sight.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Here is the sight i have, the adjustable on the rear.