Lyman flint locks- are they any good

[GARD72977]

thinking about selling a couple of guns and getting a lyman flintlock. Just wondering if I would be better off with a precussion.

[Southron]

While I have never owned a Lyman flint lock, I currently do own several flint lock arms and have done so for four decades.

Flint locks require a different technique. For example, you have to keep your flint sharp and replace on a regular basis. It also helps to wipe the powder fouling off of the face of your frizzen after every shot.

When fired, "well tuned" flint lock is just as fast as a percussion arm. The difference is that You have to get used to a flash of powder and smoke going off just a few inches in front of your right eye. The up side: FLINTERS ARE FUN TO SHOOT!

[waksupi]

Flintlocks are more reliable.

[wgr]

yes they are fine rifles.

[drhall762]

I bought a LGPR flintlock in .54 and while there is a learning curve, I am pleased as can be with its quality and function.

[GARD72977]

Thanks guys. I do understand that there is a learning curve to a Flintlock. I have a couple of order. I just wanted to go ahead and get one. Just wondering if the are reliable.

[OverMax]

I would have to say in practicality. If this new rifle is intended for target shooting for most of its life span. A flintlock will serve well for the purpose. If its for hunting deer size animals and larger where you've invested valuable time and money in your wanting to be successful. I would than choose a Percussion just because of its noted overall reliability. Keep in mind the percussion lock was considered less troublesome verses the flintlock in those earlier times in American history. Otherwise if it weren't. It would of went the way that Nash Rambler did. However you proceed in your quest. All's good.

O/M

[GARD72977]

Funny you should mention the Nash Rambler! I had a nice 59 Nash Metropolitian. These were often confused for a rambler

[waksupi]

I'll still say the flinter is better. If the weather is wet, I want a flintlock, rather than a percussion.

[DIRT Farmer]

There is a learning curve to using a flint lock. I have read several points here, if you are seeing the flash in the pan, you are not looking at the target and will not hit. I have had the oppertunity to shoot skeet doubles and have yet to see the flash on the left side let alone on the right. the proper management of a flint gun takes time and study, and will fire when required time after time under any weather conditions. A cap gun has a much shorter learning curve, the reason that the military went to the cap. Before the cap lock some of the troops were just armed with a spear as they had/did not learn the management of the flint lock.
If one reads history, they will find that the cartridge not the percussion cap was the final straw for the flint lock in common usage. There were still people who had to have a gun that would fire using flint locks to the very end of the muzzle lading era.
I have posted this before but at a March 4-H shooting sports instructor workshop where it was a mixture of fine snow and drizzle, by the afternoon all of the cap guns were in the rack and the students were shooting the flint guns because they went off the first try, where as we were clearing more than 50% of the loads from the cap guns with C02 dischargers. Given the choice in inclement weather and I have both, I will choose the flint. I have hunted and shot comapation for almost 50 years with both and shoot a few thousand rounds a year, mainly flint.

[KCSO]

Back to the subject the LYMAN flintlock. They shoot but I have never been a fan of coil springs on a flinter. The rock tends to chatter across the frizzen. In addition I like a better fitted lock and I have been replacing the Lyman locks a lot with the L and R lock with bothe flat springs and a waterproof pan. With fitting and tuning they will go bang every time and are easier to keep track of in wet weather. No problem starting with the standard Lyman you can always trade up to the better lock.

[GARD72977]

Back to the subject the LYMAN flintlock. They shoot but I have never been a fan of coil springs on a flinter. The rock tends to chatter across the frizzen. In addition I like a better fitted lock and I have been replacing the Lyman locks a lot with the L and R lock with bothe flat springs and a waterproof pan. With fitting and tuning they will go bang every time and are easier to keep track of in wet weather. No problem starting with the standard Lyman you can always trade up to the better lock.

That is the kind of information Im looking for. I don't want to have to tinker with one.

[Fly]

I like mine.Had it for a few years, shot close to 500 PRB,s threw it & would buy another.

Fly

[Boogieman]

Lyman flinters have a chamber in the breech plug that the flash from the pan enters . This was invented in the late flint lock era It produces higher bullet speeds & cleaner burning. I believe it was called Knox breech .they work fine but must be kept clean requires a special breech plug scraper. My 54Lyman is a cap lock has been used for targets & hunting for25+ years. It has never failed me. I have 4 flinters the only slow one is a Brown Bess. If you like the Lyman it will serve you well just keep her clean

[Dean D.]

I have a Lyman GPR flinter in .54 cal. that I bought for hunting season while I was waiting on my kit from ToW. I'm not unhappy with the purchase but it has been relegated to my back-up gun since I built my kit. The rifle shoots well but is darned barrel heavy compared to my swamped barreled Lancaster. I also do not care for the coil mainspring in the lock and would replace the lock with an L&R Rpl lock if I was to use it more often.

All said, for the money it is a descent rifle but...you'll be looking to upgrade in the future if you keep shooting BP. [smilie=s:

[GARD72977]

I was looking at a kit on another forum. I don't want to upgrade a gun like this. I think im going to pass on this flintlock. It seems like the percussion guns are better in the production guns

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Another flinter plus... as you are out wandering about you can pause at creek beds and plowed farm land looking for those elusive knodes of flint. A few I have sucessfully knapped into a usable steel scratcher.
I have never found a musket cap laying about anywhere nor a tin of #11's.
Flinters are flat fun. Take mine crow hunting off and on when up north there. Far more exciting to pop a crow with a flinter.
Mike in Peru

[KCSO]

A Nock breech is some different than a Lyman. The nock has the powder chamber just under bore diameter and is large enough that foouling will not impede the powder from setting under the toouchhole. The import guns have such a small chamber area that sometimes the powder won't settle under the touchhole. Hence you see guys at the shoot slapping their breech to get the powder down. In addition the true Nock breech will have a cone shaped rear section and will be nicely polished. When i do a nock style on these guns I open up the cone section to alow proper passage of powder to the breech and then I polish the breech to a mirror finish. I also cut a brass fouling scraper to match the breech. After cleaning if you oil porperly you will be able to shine a light down the muzzle and see the reflection and the fouling willl wipe right out.

Now don't get me wrong the Lyman Great plains rifle is a good place to start and can be improved into a super match rifle but they are in no way comparable to a hand built gun and they have their shortcomings. Having been privlidged to shoot original high quality English and French locks and shootng a properly tuned lock on my own guns I can see the differences and am probably a little more picky than the average shooter.

[Odinbreaker]

IHAVE TWO lYMANS IN THE SAME MODEL ONE PERCUSSION ONE FLINT. I USE THEM BOTH ON THING THE PERCUSSION TAKES t 7 AND THE FLINT NEED BLACK POWDER.

[Geraldo]

Where to start?

I've never shot a Lyman flinter so I can't comment on them.

I got a Lyman GPR percussion in trade late last fall, and I was somewhat concerned by all you hear/read about the breech design, etc, etc. Well, I've put hundreds of rounds through it at targets and hunted with it on a weekly basis. I haven't had a single misfire and the chamber design is no problem at all. I use a .270 or .30 brush when cleaning it. The accuracy really surprised me. It shoots as well as my Douglas barreled .45 custom, which is to say it shoots ragged holes.

I wouldn't say that flinters are more reliable than percussion.

[drhall762]

KCSO,
Interesting point on the Nock Breech. I have been looking around and find bits and pieces on the subject. Is the two chambers in someway sized to the bore? In otherwards, is there some ratio of volume that should be observed for maximum efficiency? Can you recommend any reference material on this subject?

Thanks,