1st time shooting my Lyman GP Rifle

[stick]

Went to the range with my lyman gpr 50 cal. Rifle. First time shooting it. Not good and not bad. Only shot at the 50 yd line. It was windy. Did find out that this rifle takes 70 gr. Of 2f blackpowder. .20 pillow ticking patch. Fiber wad between powder and patched ball. Shot with a 6 o'clock hold on target. Pic is of my last 3 shots fired with the above. Before i had shot with 60 gr. Of 2f black powder and a .15 patch. Didn't even hit the target with that load.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Make sure the tang screws are tight.

[Beeks]

Did you buy it complete or build it from a kit?

Thinking of "building" one this winter.

[LAGS]

I bought a Kit over a year ago, but haven't had time to start on it with all my other projects.
But I got the fast twist barrel for it also for hunting.
As soon as I get my shop finished in the new house, this kit will be top of my list.

[725]

It's all promising. Just have to experiment with components. Although the .490 RB is most common, a .495 might just work, also. I've had some that shot the .490 well enough but really shined with the .495's. Patch type & thickness, lube, loading / seating pressures, etc all seem to do one thing or the other.

[bob208]

mine likes .018 patch .495 ball and 55 gr. 3f. have won many matches with that load.

[hc18flyer]

I built a kit 25 years ago, rust browned metal, oil finish. I carefully filed off some of the 'junk' left the 'Great Plains .50'. Of my 4 muzzy's, it is still my favorite. 70 grains of 3f and a tight patch truly shines'! Tom

[LAGS]

Out of my .50'S I found the accuracy increased slightly with the .495 RB over the .490.
Loading was a little harder, but well worth it if you are not in any big hurry.
I like building the rifles from a Kit.
That way I put my Personal touches on them to make them unique over the Factory assembled rifles of the same model.
Not saying my rifles are Better.
Just saying, they look the way I want them to, and not like everyone else's.
I picked up a Traditions St Louis Kit also, that takes a back seat to the GPR in the building order.

[oconeedan]

I have a cap lock and a flintlock. I shoot .490rb with patches cut from old denim jeans, lubed with neats foot oil. 70gr FFFg. The cap lock will shoot golf ball groups at 50 yds all day long with a rest.
I back off to 50gr FFFg for targets for less than 50 yds. . When hunting, 70gr FFFg. I've killed deer with both of them.
And now you need a GPR pistol!

[Maven]

Out of my .50'S I found the accuracy increased slightly with the .495 RB over the .490.
Loading was a little harder, but well worth it if you are not in any big hurry. ...LAGS

I also found that to be true.

stick, If you're using the adjustable rear sight consider swapping it for the primitive sight, which Lyman includes with your GPR. WhY? Because the adjustable sight doesn't stay adjusted. If you do this, you'll also have to reduce the height of the front sight with a file.

[bob208]

funny about that sight. I put them on all my match rifles. never had one change zero. I guess I get the rare ones and everyone else get the junk ones.

[pietro]

this rifle takes 70 gr. Of 2f blackpowder

My T/C likes FFFg better than FFg…….

.

[gonetocamp]

I got a junk one. Eventually removed the adjustment spring, placed a thin shim under the left rear, screwed it down tight and applied Loctite (sp) to hold it in place. So, it is now a fixed rear sight. Also, opened up the rear sight notch for my eyesight.

I do like how it shoots.

[OverMax]

Free hand target shooting to 50 yards?
I think the grouping pictured isn't all that bad. About average for most shooters.
The only way to better the grouping as far as I know is to shoot a bullet. But the Lyman GP as read has a twist of 1-60. (a twist not all that compatible with bullets.)
Maybe a tighter fitting ball with a lesser thickness patching for best accuracy is required? (.010 ths) Maybe a slightly heavier charge than 70 gr~~~ Maybe both would help .495 vs .490. Luck to you finding that GP's sweet spot.

[arcticap]

I heard it said that new barrels take a good number of shots to break in.
If it were easy to shoot bullseyes all day long then shooting wouldn't be half as much fun.
Unless you're shooting in a live target match, then shooting all bullseyes would be a blast!

Why waste all of your bullseyes just practicing?

[Gray Fox]

I shot my best shots consecutively with my .54 GPR about 25 years ago at BP match. I split the ball on an ax blade and broke the two clay birds hanging on each side. The following shot cut the edge of a playing card. I was using a .530 ball over 80 grains of Pyrodex RS and the standard T/C patch which I recall as being about .015. This is the load I have always shot in this rifle as it is what it seems to like. This was an example of a larger diameter ball being a slight benefit. Of course, I wasn't wearing trifocals then either. GF

[danomano]

I am still in line to get my .54 barrel back, well new one that is, from the recall on these GPR's. hopefully only another couple months of waiting....