I recently bought myself the Great Plains Rifle in 54 caliber with the slow twist. This is my first sidelock type muzzleloader so I have a few questions.
Overall, the gun looks well made. One thing I noticed is that the hammer is a little out of alignment with the nipple. It isn't real bad and it shouldn't affect it hitting a cap. I just wonder why they didn't make it a little more centered. Is there any way to adjust this or should I even worry about it??
Another thing I am wondering is just how tight should the wedge pins be. Right now I have to lightly tap them with a block of wood to get them in and use a punch to take them out. Should I be filing off a little material so they are less tight?
When you clean the rifle how do you get down into the breech area. The jag doesn't go all the way down. Are you finding that a scraper or a smaller caliber brush works best in this area?
Finally I am trying to figure out the purpose of that clean out screw. I figured I would be flushing water through the nipple and then taking it out and using a pipe cleaner to clean the channel to the breech. What is the reason for the clean out screw?
Thanks in advance for any help. Any other tips on this gun would be appreciated. I'm hoping to get shooting some round balls during the next warm spell.
Art

As long as caps fire correctly don't worry about the hammer. Also, don't worry about the wedge pins at this point. Figure out if the gun shoots as it should. These are not CF guns, and barrel contact with the stock is normal. Too much tension may be a potential problem, but I'd only be concerned if the gun acts up.

I'm not familiar with the design of this gun and the length of the ramrod, but you should get a cleaning rod. One that's long enough to get to the breech. You may actualy end up using it for range-loading and cleaning to save wear on the supplied rod. I've never needed a scraper, but have used a plastic bore brush. Wire could be used but go easy.

I have a gun with a clean-out screw too. Never used it, never had any problem. When water-cleaning, I leave the nipple in for quite a few strokes, then remove it and keep on flushing. That has always worked. Can't imagine there's anything left down there, but you could try it after you have cleaned normally to see if additional residue comes out. Thnking about it, I'd be careful removing that cleanout screw. Looks easy to booger that screw up, as small as it is.

If the hammer is too badly out of alignment you can remove it, heat it with a torch and bend it slightly to bring it into better side to side alignnment with the nipple.

Base pins should not be a bear to remove and install but should not be loose, such that they fall out by themselves, especially under recoil. Remember that they are not the same length, there is a front and a rear. One trick if they are too loose is to bend them slightly. If they are extremely tight, figure out where they are tight and relieve that area on the gun gently. Mine go in and I have to push them the last 1/16 with my ball starter. I use my ball starter to get them out by an initial push in the other direction.

That clean out is for cleaning the entry hole into the patent breech. Since to get into that passage via the nipple would require a flexible claning tool it is easier to remove that set screw. Remove it now and add some never-sieze ot the threads.

as for barrel cleaning... how far from bottom does the jag come from touching? It should go to the bottom of the barrel / breech plug with no issue. I will use a bronze brush from time to time to clean the square bottom rifling followed by patches. some warm water and some dawn to clean it out. I always remove the nipple before cleaning...

If the hammer's out alignment,,,,odds are that it's the wrong replacement nipple. The Lyman GPR takes a specific nipple. Even if the threads are correct,,the nipple needs to sit per mfg's recommendations. It takes a low barreled nipple. Trust me on this one.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(mxtnht2gw25cm055dxj5mi45))/categories/tableList.aspx?catId=14&subId=171&styleId= 785&PageSize=25&Page=2

Thanks for all the responses. Batch, the alignment aint that bad, it's a new gun so at least I hope they'd have the right nipple on it. I just have a problem of expecting it to be perfectly dead center which it isn't. Now we just need to get above freezing and I'm going to try er out.
Art

Okay,,,I didn't realize it was a new rifle. (my bad....) Shoot the fool out of it and let us know how she does!![8D]

When I got my Great Plains new last year the wedge pins were a bear to get in also. They did loosen up a bit after the first 50 shots or so, but were still tighter than what I wanted. I tapped the wedge of a flat blade screwdriver into the tenions to open them up a bit. Check the notes of fitting wedge pins on page 21 of the Lyman manual.

As far as cleaning the patent breech, get a 1/4" x 36" wood dowel, round the end and use a hacksaw to cut a slot about 3/4" deep, and use asmall patch to clean it out.Go in and out with a twisting motion on the rod. Works great, and no - the patch doesn't come off.

Thanks semi, I like that idea. Did you think of that all by yourself?
Art

Yeah! Brilliant, huh?