Lyman Great Plains Rifle coming home

[vrh]

Should be getting this Lyman Great Plains Rifle in this week. It is a 50 Cal. with slow twist.
Wondering who all has one of these rifles. Also what is your best load and how accurate are they?
I plan on starting out with a .490 round ball with .015 lubed patch.232260

[charlie b]

Use Lyman's recommended loads to start. They recommend .495 round balls. The GP has a .520 groove depth.

PS my Lyman GP Hunter has shallow grooves so I use .490RB and .015 patches. But, with the fast twist it likes a light load.

[BPJONES]

I have one in 54 caliber. Mine has a tang mounted peep. I acquired it this summer but things were such that I never got any shooting in. I have it and a couple of others to try. But the GPR seems to be a nice rifle. Mine is an older one.

[bob208]

I have one it was my first round ball rifle. I have shot in many matches with it won a lot of them. my load is 55 gr. 3f goex .495 ball with .018 patch. got my first 50 pin with that rifle and load.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello vrh,

I believe the rifling is 1:60, they shoot round balls pretty well.
You can get the faster twist drop in barrel for conical, 1:32 twist.
Be sure to check out the recall on them, bad bolster blocks.

AntiqueSledMan.

[rfd]

the GPR is a good investarms built gun with a good cap lock. be aware that it has a patent breech, so both fouling control and cleaning need to take that into account. it's .50 bore riding patched jag won't get into that constricted .336" ante-chamber - clean that with a patch draped over a .30 caliber bronze or nylon brush.

[sharps4590]

Fine rifles for the money and about as accurate an example of a real Hawken as you can get from a mass produced rifle. Totally unlike some that are called Hawkens and bear no more resemblance to a Hawken than a 52 Ford pick-up.

I had one years and years ago in 54 cal., maybe 30 years ago, and was unaware of a recall on them. That certainly bears checking out!! Mine was one deer killing and match winning rifle. I'd still start with a .490 ball and about an .020 patch. If they don't work, which is very unlikely, then you can try the .495 ball. I wouldn't fool with changing to a fast twist barrel either. The 50 cal. RB will kill any deer in the world if you do your part.

[sghart3578]

I have one in .54 cal and I love it. It is more accurate than me and very easy to load for.

Mine shoots a .530" ball and .015" patch, lubed with either Hoppe's #9 Plus or mink oil. Loads vary from 30 gr of FFFg for 25 yard plinking to 80 gr of FFFG for 100 yard hunting loads.

I am not the world's greatest shot but I can keep 5 well inside a paper plate at 100 yards consistently with the 80 gr load.

If your rifle is new then don't be surprised if the accuracy doesn't settle down until the barrel is broken in. I fired about 60-70 rounds until mine got there.

Then the recall happened and I got a new barrel from Lyman. I had to break in the new one all over but it has been very, very good.

Please don't ignore the recall. Lyman will do a good job of taking care of everything. They even send you a nice little accessory pack as a thank you.

Best of luck,


Steve in N CA

[Dan Cash]

My .54 flint Great Plains rifle broke me of the muzzle loading habit. 1:48 twist was too much for round ball and not enough for a conical bullet. Lock had a 1/16th inch gap between the pan and the side of the barrel and the frizzen/pan cover did not mate with the pan. Priming powder migrated every where. I reworked the lock and the inletting to correct the last two deficiencies but could not re-rifle the barrel. I did not think I was buying a kit when I laid out the close to $500 for the gun some years ago. Gun now resides in the back of a seldom used closet.

[Fly]

I have one & love it. You can buy a Lyman hunter barrel that drops right in with a 1 in 28 twist & shoot conical bullets with it. Then you have two rifles in one.

enjoy Fly

[charlie b]

The hunter barrel is 1:32 twist. But, it is still good enough for 450gn PP bullets :)

[bob208]

I have seen some miss information. the great plains rifle never had a 1-48 twist. the trade rifle did. the .50 cal. round ball is more then enough for deer if you can shoot if you can't then the bigger heavier bullet will not do you any good. I have owned my gpr for over 25 years have never had a brush I the bore or the breach section. just stick the breach section in a can of hot soapy water pump the cleaning jag up and down the barrel. then use clear water. then dry and oil with wd-40 come back in a few days and oil the barrel. store gun in horizontal position not vertical. that way oil does not collect and jell in the breach. which causes hang fires.

one thing not suggested was to get a hot shot nipple. that is the only thing I did for mine.

[charlie b]

I started out with just water flush. Then one day I decided to work on the patent breech. That patch came out with gunk all over it. Since then I make sure a patch goes into the patent breech, especially when oiling the rifle and then getting it ready to fire.

[RedLeaf67]

Very Accurate rifle, I bought mine in 1989 & still enjoy shooting it. Does well w/ 65 G of fffg Goex, .490 ball w/ .015 - .017 patch, Bear oil lube. A breech cleaning brush & fff G powder will ensure better results, as the Investarms has a powder channel (recess) in breech area of Barrel. Anyone seeking Bear oil need look no further than asking any Taxidermist for some Fat & render on stove. I have a small bottle that has lasted over 25 years. Incidently, I have had outstanding results making homemade shot cups & wads using # 7 1/2 bird shot as a small game alternative. Tight contained pattern up to 20 -25 yards.... Starlings, squirrels, rabbit, pests etc... 1 over powder card, stack of 4 corragated cardboard wad, shot & 1 over shot card. 45 G of fff G & equal amount of shot. I make the shot cup by cutting a 1 1/2" x 3" of light cardboard ( file folder or the waxed wrapper from box frozen Vegetable) wrap around tube from dry cleaners or 7/16th dowel as cartridge former, scotch tape closed & glue bottom of cardboard or cotton, cut top of tube to make petals.

[oconeedan]

I know this is a bit late...I like to shoot 70gr Goex FFFg , with a .490 round ball and patches cut from blue jeans. It'll shoot golf ball size groups at 50 yds. I shoot the same with my flintlock GPR. I have killed deer with both. Dan