Has anyone had experience with the Lyman Great Plains Rifle? I once used a Thompson Center Renegade in .54 cal percussion, and I would like to switch to a flintlock. The Lyman Great Plains series looks like a very good, authentic Hawken style muzzleloading rifle in the traditional Hawken style.
Have I ever shot a flint before? Well, no, but practice makes perfect and I like to shoot, so I don't think it will be a big deal. I am strongly considering purchasing a new .54 cal Lyman Great Plains in flintlock for the upcoming muzzleloading season.
Not exactly what you're looking for, but I've got a .50 cal Great Plains percussion that I bought last year. I got it all sighted in and it's a great rifle. Hunted last season with it but only had one opportunity that I can't blame the gun for. Fit and finish on it is great, and of the different rifles I've had a chance to handle it had one of the more positive feeling locks. I did meet a guy that had the .50 cal in the flintlock version of it. He's big into blackpowder and has probably at least a dozen either sidelock percussions or flintlocks, including some much more expensive than the Lyman, and still regards it as a very accurate rifle. Check Midsouth for a decent price if you decide to go for it.
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I have one. It shoots really good and straight. I built it from a kit- if you are going this route, plan on spending months working on it, and it won't svae you any money over a finished rifle.
The only problem with mine is that its good for about 2 shots, then the ignition becomes very iffy if I don't keep the lock and flash hole very clean. I also opened up the flashhole a little on my rifle which seems to have helped somewhat. Not sure if this is typical with other flintlocks, as I don't personally know anyone, nor have I seen anyone else shooting a flintlock.
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I think routinely cleaning out the flash hole is routine from what I've read about shooting flintlocks. Good to know that about the Great Plains flint rifle. I am considering buying the kit in order to save a few bucks, but if it is as you say then I'll pass and buy the completed rifle.
An article I read in an online magazine reviewing the flint version of the Great Plains stated that either the frizzen or the hammer was too far forward (i.e., inward toward the flash pan) and prevented a standard flint from striking the frizzen properly. When you fasten a long flint in the hammer's jaws, then a good spark and flash was obtained. What is your experience? Have you had to use longer than normal flints?
The Lyman is a dandy flinter. It probably has a 1:66 or 1:70 twist which would be an excellent roundball shooter.
Briman - As far as the flash hole bocking up - Do you use oil or any other petroleum based products in the bore or on the frizzen. This will combine with the burnt BP to create a tar like film. Real messy. Use a natrural lube after a good hot water cleaning in the bore and coat only the outside of the barrel with a quality gun oil. Keep any oil off your frizzen, fling and pan.
The old timers never had this type of fouling cause they didn't use oil. Their lubes were natural, usually mad of animal fat, most often bear fat.
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The Lyman is a dandy flinter. It probably has a 1:66 or 1:70 twist which would be an excellent roundball shooter.
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Bronko22000, did you have problems with the hammer directing the spark into the flashpan from the frizzen? Maybe Lyman has corrected the problem.
The Lyman web site lists the flint rifle as also being available in a tighter twist for sabot type bullets, 1 in 32 inches I believe. While I enjoyed shooting my old .54 cal percussion rifle with round balls, and took an old doe one season (quickest kill I ever saw---range was 60 yards, the deer did an about face and hit the ground and never moved from a neck shot. I suppose Elmer Keith has a point about large, slow moving bullets), I think I will opt for the 1 in 32 inch twist and shoot sabot type bullets.
I wonder if Pyrodex will give adequate performance in a flint rifle. I am aware that 4F finely grained powder is preferred for the flash pan.
Has anyone had experience with the Lyman Great Plains Rifle? I once used a Thompson Center Renegade in .54 cal percussion, and I would like to switch to a flintlock. The Lyman Great Plains series looks like a very good, authentic Hawken style muzzleloading rifle in the traditional Hawken style.
Have I ever shot a flint before? Well, no, but practice makes perfect and I like to shoot, so I don't think it will be a big deal. I am strongly considering purchasing a new .54 cal Lyman Great Plains in flintlock for the upcoming muzzleloading season.
Kenneth Smith
Great Plains flintlock ... GOOD CHOICE!!
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I have one. It shoots really good and straight. I built it from a kit- if you are going this route, plan on spending months working on it, and it won't svae you any money over a finished rifle.
The kit has all inletting done on the stock, and from what I can see, it is more of an assembly and finishing job than a "rifle building project". This one took me six months, built from scratch except for the barrel, which is from Green River Rifle Works (now located in Australia....)! Cal. 58 - shoots the Lyman 57730 570-grain Minie ball with 120 grains of FFg real well, as well as a .570" patched RB w/ same charge. 1/60" twist.
Cherry stock, silver mountings, fixed sight. POI @ 100 yards for Minie and RB turned out to be the same, for some reason???
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Lyman Great Plains Flintlock Rifle
. Fit and finish on it is great, and of the different rifles I've had a chance to handle it had one of the more positive feeling locks. I did meet a guy that had the .50 cal in the flintlock version of it. He's big into blackpowder and has probably at least a dozen either sidelock percussions or flintlocks, including some much more expensive than the Lyman, and still regards it as a very accurate rifle. Check Midsouth for a decent price if you decide to go for it.
