Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Hate to post such thing but these Lyman guys are wearing me out. . . .

Wanted to buy traditional type ML and settled on the GP family. After visiting two different stores and looking at what they offered I find poor fit and finish and 3 or 4 guns and figure why not just buy a kit then. . . .

1st kit, I find after 4 hours of shaping that the stock has a crack inside where it was hard to notice, My bad, Sportsmans wharehouse was real nice, exchange gun and start over, no biggy.

2nd kit, things had been going well until I tried to install the TANG bolt. . .

So I figure why not just order the new tang bolt and a few other items to have around.

So now after a month and call every week to Lyman I am told that Lyman has NO Parts to fill my tiny screw oder in America. I must wait for the next container to come arcoss the ocean. . .

They now suggest that I might get my bolt in MAY. . . . .

To add insult to injury the lady at Lyman USA says is not their problem that Lyman has not sent them their parts yet. I politley explained that SHE is the voice of Lyman and the SHE at this point is the LYMAN acting customer service person. When I asked why we can't just pull that parts from another kit I am told they have no KITS in america at this time. . . .Am I missing something here?[:@][:@][:@][:@]

NEVER AGAIN. . . . . . .

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

buy american?


edited to be more polite...

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Wait until you buy a bad mould from them. [:@]

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

The only thing I needed from them for my Trade Rifle was the thimble rib screws. The rifle came and when I pulled the ramrod out, someone forgot to tighten them so they fell out (in the grass outside). I found a couple but needed two more. I called them and they told me basically the same thing about no parts in stock, but two weeks later they showed up at my house for free.

As for the fit and finish, I admit the finish could be better. I ended up waxing the stock because the varnish felt sticky. So I took mineral spirits, wiped the stock down good. Let and dry, and just waxed the stock. It all seems fine now. And the rifle is a good shooter.

But I can sure understand why you would be upset with them at this point.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

TEX: TRY DIXON'S IN PA PHONE NUM,BER 610-756-6271
DIXION IS LYMAN REPAIR SHOP IN THE NORTH EAST AREA
I HAD A GPR AND NEEDED A FEW SMALL PARTS HE HAD IT AND WAS NO CHARGE

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

You're not the first complaint ive read. Lots more on the traditional site. Sorry to hear about your troubles, hope everything works out in the end.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Well thought I would try to email Lyman today instead of the weekly phone call. The email provided with my order doesn't even work. . . .

Isn't that nice. . . .[8D]

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

TEX: HERE A POST FROM ANTHER FOURM SEEM THE GUY WENT THREW DIXION IN PA.

Just got back into central Jersey from Dixon's Muzzleloading in Kempton, PA. Took one of my two .50 cal. Lyman Trade Rifles (both percussion) in due to a crack in the stock. The crack ran along the left side with the wood grain, on the opposite side from the caplock, about four inches across to where the breech hooks in.

As soon as I uncased the rifle, Greg Dixon said "Let me have a look at it". Ten to fifteen minutes later, as I was looking over the assortment of new & used rifles on display, he calls me over to the counter. "Here you go Dave, I put a new stock on it for you" . I was just totally amazed! Greg had switched the stock to one that looks even nicer, transfered the tang, barrel, furniture, peep sight, lock, etc. and I got a new end cap and a new butt plate to boot .

Then I said, "how much for the new stock?" and Greg says to me "no charge, Lyman will cover this". I was blown away! Never have I ever received while-you-wait service for a gun repair! And covered by a warranty too!

I am truly thankfull that I picked Dixon Muzzleloading Shop to buy my BP supplies. This store was reccomended to me by several other members of the Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol Club's BP League. Even though it's about a 1.5 hour drive, it's well worth it!

I can't speak highly enough about the prompt, courteous service I received! They stand behind what they sell!

Still a bit in shock,

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Sorry to hear about that! I thought they were a great company. Maybe they're not as great as I expected.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Holy Crap!
I hate to hear that about Lyman. I have a Trade Rifle and couldn't be more pleased. I hope nothing breaks. I don't want to have to go through what you are.[&o]

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Lonewolf. . . I gave Dixons a call this morning. . . .my parts ship today.:):):)

This guy is alright. Just said he would send the parts and when received then I should send back the funds. Nice to deal with folks that still understand customer service and the right way to do business.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Tex...I see you have a new bolt on the way, but I was wondering...
What's wrong with the original bolt???

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Hawkeye. . .the threads down at the end were messed up just enough where I could not get it to start. . .and I sure did not want to mess up that pressed in nut and have to deal with R&R on that item.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

That's cool, understand...I have built one from custom parts, just thought I might have a little insight to pass along...Good Luck, enjoy...

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

After numerous fruitless phone calls, I sent the following e-mail earlier this weekto LYMAN's Vice President for Sales and Vice President for Operations. No response yet.

"I am a semi-happy purchaser of a LYMAN Mustang Breakaway rifle. I'm pleased with the gun, as you can tell from my on-line review at
http://www.hunting-fishing-gear.com/review-display/2868.html, but can't seem to get a straight answer regarding purchasing a breechplug for it.

I know LYMAN does not make separate breech plugs and barrels available for the Great Plains series, but surely that can't be the case for an in-line model. Every other in-line maker has extra breech plug available. The only answers I get from your customer service source is "breech plugs are not yet available" and "we are unable to provide a date when they will be available".

Really, this is not acceptable for a company of your stature.

I am a member of several muzzle loader on-line forums and correspond with other new Mustang owners. This is an issue of concern to all.

Please, help us here."

Bye the way - I called Dixon's about a breech plug. They deal with "traditional" guns only, and haven't even heard of a LYMAN in-line.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Semisane - welcome to the forum. Great to have you hear. That's was an excellent review of the rifle. I have wanted to find some first hand experince about the rifle. From the pictures, it is a beautiful rifle. I have a Lyman Trade Rifle but not one of their inlines... good to have you here, and good luck with your rifle.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

I just bought a Lyman Mustang Breakaway inline late last year, and it's a very nice looking and handling rifle. My experience with Lyman is limited, I do have a Plains Pistol I've shot for years with no problems.
I got the new inline right at the start of our deer season so I was in a hurry to get it in operation. I slapped a Leupold 2-7 scope on it and headed for the range. The only bullets I had on hand were 300 gr Hornady XTP sabots. At 100 yards about a 2" group, not great but good enough to get to hunting if I watched my range. I also found I didn't have enough adjustment with the scope bases/mounts to get the eye relief I needed. Couldn't get the scope close enough to my eye for a full field of view.
This spring I decided to play around with it and find some good loads. I like to shoot 100 grains of loose pyrodex or 2 pellets for hunting. I took the scope off to sight in the fiber optic sights in case I ever needed a backup sight. It wouldn't zero! With the rear sight set at it's lowest setting I was still 4" high at 50 yards. I called Lyman and they told me the rights were regulated with 150 grain loads and no other sight options were available! [:@]
I went back to the range to shoot some more and after a couple shots with lighter bullets (250 gr.) I opened the action and the little magnet on the breech plug that keeps primers tight was stuck to the breech face in 2 pieces! - Called Lyman and they sent me a replacement.
Got the replacement a couple weeks ago and headed back to the range. Got set up at the bench, fired one round and started to reload. Rammed the bullet home and the ramrod snapped off at the tip! [:@]
Called Lyman and a new ramrod is supposedly on the way to me, but I haven't seen it yet in almost 2 weeks.
My overall impressions are that it is a decent rifle, but nothing to really brag about. The trigger was horrible, but some careful stone & polishing work improved it. The scope mount system is not favorable to compact scopes (I finally found an old Leupold M8-4X fit OK). The accuracy is acceptable for hunting, but it isn't a "tack-driver" by any means with any of the loads I've tried yet. I can get around 2" groups @ 100 yards with most loads, but haven't gotten much better than 2" yet. Most inlines I've owned will do better than that!

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Hey WABI! I wonder why LYMAN can send you a replacement breech plug, but can't find one to sell to me?

My trigger was not very good either. I put a little fire lapping compound on the bearing surfaces for one range session, and it smoothed out nicely.

I never did try the fiber optic sights. Put a Leupold 3X9 Veri-X II on it about twenty-minutes after I took it out of the box, and never looked back. No problems with eye relief.

I don't use the wood ramrod at the range. Wood rods do that sort of thing with heavy use - especially ones with brass fittings on the ends. Go with fiberglass, steel, or aluminum at the range.

I can't get better than 1 & 1/2 to 2 inch groups with sabots either. But, oh man, do Hornady Great Plains lead conicals shoot great. I shoot the 410 grain ones over 100 grains (volume) T-7 FFFG and get one ragged hole at 100 yards. Don't know the velocity. I killed my chronograph with a sabot to the face a couple of range sessions back.

Overall, I like this gun a lot.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

A 410 Hornady Great Plains over 100 grains of powder, there is no need to worry about the velocity. Anything that devil hits is going down.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Well CAYUGAD, 100 grains under a 410 grain bulletmight seem like a lot, but there are rumors of a predator problem on our hunting lease and you can't be too careful.

Of course, this was quite a while back. But, it seems as though one of the founding members of our club, a fellow named Gork, or Grak, or something like that, came across a T-Rex up in the Northeast corner, around the old cypress swamp. Now, he had one of those modern in-lines (you know, the ones where your sharp stone is on the end of a long stick) but still didn't feel adequately armed to take on the Rex. Poor guy had to spend half the night huddled in a hollow log.

Sure, no one has spotted the big lizard for quite a while, but you know how it is. Those old males can really hide and you never know they're there. That's why I like my smokepole to pack a punch - JUST IN CASE!

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Semisane,
They didn't send the whole breech plug, just the magnet.
Sounds like we shoot alike - I trashed my chrony with a sabot to the LCD screen, too! [:@]
The only conicials I tried were T/C maxis & Lee REALs, neither one shot good. Perhaps a longer, heavier one will work better.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

WABI, sorry to hear that Lee REALs didn't shoot well in your Mustang. They are next on my "try" list for my Mustang. I have a hundred or so 250 grainers that I use in my underhammer. Were the ones you tried 250 grains, or 320 grains?

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Semisane,
They were 320 grain.
My T/C NewEnglander .50 barrel loves them! They also shoot very well out of a Lyman Great Plains Pistol I own.
I tried the same 90 grain Pyrodex charge the NewEnglander likes in the Mustang Breakaway and at 50 yards they were all over the paper!

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

At long last the lyman order arrives. . . .only took a little over a month and4 phone calls. Not what I would call wonderful but having posted the first note talking about this issue it was only proper to let you all know that yes they do fill their orders, perhaps a bit slow but filled.

The order from Dixons only took 2 days.

So now I have lots of parts and might even get to shoot the new toy soon.:D

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Damn WABI!I have a TC New Englander also. It shoots the Lees real well.

Mustang / Sabbotted Chrono / New Englander ?

We might be twins (if you're overweight,bald, and drink beer). By any chance do you have an underhammer?

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Overweight, bald and drink beer...Just described 75% of the guys on here...:D

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

2 out of 3 ;):D

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

2 out of 3 here too...lol

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

A bit overweight, but full head of hair & no beer for me.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

I hardly ever drink

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Slightly overweight, slightly balding, don't drink, don'tsmoke........probably explains why I feel like crud most of the time.

What was the subject. Oh, I've never owned a Lyman.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

You shouldlookk into this Dixon Muzzleloader place:

http://dixonmuzzleloading.com/

Maybe they can help you with your problem.

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

Well. I make up for you then. I'll drink your share, too.
I'f you're interested, I'll be selling "Beer Offsets" very soon.
You never have to touch one, I'll do it for you at a minimum cost:D

RE: Lyman, quality & customer service, a Joke
 

MCAWFUL's Beer Offsets - "We'll Drink It For You, AND Carry The Guilt"

Great idea mcawful. American ingenuity at work!

I'm getting on the gravy train with SEMISANE's Scotch Offsets.