A rifle from spare parts.

[LAGS]

Today was an interesting and fun day.
It started way back in 2014 when I bought a Lyman Great Plains rifle Kit in .50 cal.
When I ordered the kit , I also bought a .50 caliber Hunter model barrel to go with the kit.
I intended on having a barrel for shooting the round balls , and a spare fast twist barrel for shooting slugs for hunting.
Well, I never shot the Hunter Fast Twist barrel.
So I happen to see a used GPR rifle for sale that was in excellent shape.
So I bought it.
So all I needed was a Lyman GPR percussion lock to make the rifle complete.
The only lock I found was an upgraded L&R lock at TOW for the GPR
But last night I just happen to see that I had several TC locks just sitting in my spare parts.
So today.
I modified one of the TC locks to fit the GPR.
All the modifications were done on the lock plate and not the stock.
I had to reshape the TC lock plate a little bit and build up the sear lever so it was larger diameter so it worked with the Lyman trigger that came with the stock.
This turned out to be a nice looking rifle , and since I did not re inlet the stock to get the TC lock to fit, I can always change the lock to a Lyman GPR lock if I ever find one at a decent price.

[lead chucker]

Great job. Its nice to have the tools you need to do the job at hand. Im slowly learning how to make parts that work for there unintended purpose in something else. Usually doesn't work out for me but i try. I have a little stick welder coming so that will be a learning curve but add to the tools i have to make things.

[LAGS]

I do not have a whole bunch of Special Tools.
I no longer have my mill and lathe.
As far as electric machines I just have a drill press, a bench grinder, and a 12" bench disc sander.
The electric hand tools are,
Three Rotary Grinders,( Dremel) that I hardly ever use , and a Battery operated hand drill.
I did make a Poor man's lathe out of a drill motor mounted on a piece of channel iron that I can sit on the bench or clamp in the vise.
All other tools are just hand tools like chisels files and sanding blocks.
Figuring out how one part can work in another brand is fun.
I do the work by making scale drawings of the parts to compare to the other parts.
I also make templates of the parts so I can compare the parts to where they are going or need to be modified to make it fit.

[beemer]

My hats off to you. I have built about eight rifles and have one barrel in a stock blank and most of the parts to do another. All were built from scratch including starting with a blank, using what I have, making or salvaging parts and buying what I can afford. None would be what you would consider as period correct, I don't care. Thing is to enjoy the process and end up with a solid rifle.

I have always wondered how many rifles were put together by the old timers with what was on hand. I think the answer might be surprising. Then as now some of us just ain't gonna throw away any usable parts. In MHO most of the rifles that survived were as special than as they are now.

Dave

[LAGS]

I agree with you as far as antique rifles were made or repaired with misc parts.
After all.
If you bought a Hawken in Missouri.
Then went to Colorado.
Where would you find parts to do repairs.
I too am not stuck on building rifles to exactly match the vintage rifles.
I do not have a problem affording the matching parts I want or need.
But it is just finding what you want or need when I need it.
But I tell others.
I am more of a Firearms Recycler, then a Gunsmith.

[Shawlerbrook]

Many high end custom guns are made from parts from many different sources. The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts.

[LAGS]

I just found out something interesting about the Lyman GPR.
They stopped making them in February of 2023.
Including the latest Signature series models.
No wonder I couldn't find any extra parts.
Up till last year , I guess you just bought parts from Lyman.
I am wondering what Invest Arms parts will fit the GPR.
I know the Investarms parts fit other Lyman models

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello LAGS,

I know Investarms built the Lyman GPR, so I would bet parts are interchangeable.

AntiqueSledMan.

[LAGS]

You are correct , that Lyman had Investarms build their rifles.
I think it was Pedersolli that built the latest GPR "Signature Series "
But from what I have seen that is on sale that Lyman is selling are the Trade Rifle and the Deer Stalker.
Those locks look a little different than the GPR locks.
In fact, they look like several of the Investarms Hawken Rifles and and other models made by Investarms for like Cabellas.
Those locks look closer to the TC Hawken and Renegade locks.
I haven't held them besides each other to see for sure.
But a lot of Ebay posts sell the Cabella's lock listed for TC Hawken also.
I should contact Investarms.
It may be worth asking them if they still sell the left over GPR parts and ask them what parts are interchangeable and if their locks fit the TC Hawkens also.

[armoredman]

And here we go.

1.


2.
'

3.


4.


5.

[LAGS]

Thank you Mr Armoredman for posting these pictures.
Picture #1&2 are a comparison of the Lyman and TC locks.
The center lock is the Lyman.
The lock on top is the modified T C lock.
The bottom lock is the Un Modified TC lock.
Picture #3 compares the modified TC lock to the standard TC lock.
You can see that basically all I did was file in a depression where the barrel breech plug sits , and ground out a little corner of the metal under the breech plug to clear the side of the stock inletting.
I also had to file off about 1/64" on the bottom of the lock side plate so I didn't have to re inlet the stock any amount.
Picture #4 shows you how good the modified lock fits into the Un Modified stock.
There is just a tiny space at the rear of the lock to the stock inletting.
But as you can see , it is very un noticable.
Picture #5 shows how the completed rifle looks.
I still may refinish that stock.
It looks great but since it is used , it does have very minor scratches from being used.
There was one more thing that I had to do to the TC lock to get it to work really good with the Lyman trigger.
If you look close , you can see that I soldered a piece of brass to the flat spot on the TC sear to make it a little larger to take up extra space between the trigger and sear.
I have done that same modification on many locks to take away lots of play in the front trigger lever so the trigger isn't as sloppy.

[armoredman]

Nifty!

[waarp8nt]

I've made the conversion using Lyman flintlocks in a T/C stock. The Gun Works Sells Lyman / Interarms locks, unfortunately they recently increased their prices.

Lock - Complete - Percussion -Right - The Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium
https://thegunworks.com/shop/custom-...cussion-right/