Greenjoytj
54 Cal.
I fired my new Lyman Great Plain Rifle (GPR) .54 cal. yesterday.
I used the OEM supplied cut agate flint and the lock never failed to spark, the priming ignited ever time.
I dry balled the loading twice (back to back screw ups) but removing the lock and the vent liner I was able to pour in about 20 grains of 2 FG into the chamber area of the patent breach.
Reinstalled the vent and lock and the rifle fired, weakly but enough to launch the ball all the way to the 20 meter target I could see the bullet hole in the paper and I tested for an empty bore with my chamber cleaning wood dowel rod.
My first load attempt was with .018" pillow ticking patch lubed 4:1 water:Ballistol mix and a .535" ball.
The muzzle fit seem too tight it spooked me, didn't want to get a load stuck (I forgot to bring a hammer to pound a load). So I didn't use that load and tried the thinner .015" patch lubed the same and a .530" ball. This combo was easily seated and fired over 90 grains of 2 FG Goex.
I wiped the bore between shots with Butch's BP bore shine and was able to shoot until time was up about 15 shots.
Some shots went to the point of aim by putting the front sight even with the top of the rear sight notch and others went ~6" low. A shot using the top of the buckhorns went ~6" high.
I need more practice with the issue buckhorn sights and shooting this rifle.
The only mechanical trouble I encountered was using the set trigger.
On full cock I would pull the set trigger (must pull it very hard) and I feel and hear the "click". Moving to the front trigger I would press very lightly and hear a "click" again but the cock would not fall. Continue to pull the front trigger (very hard) and the lock would release the cock and the rifle fired.
I have a lyman digital trigger pull gage and will test the trigger and get actual pound pull numbers to see if the set feature is working, I don't think it is.
All shots were fired with 90 gr of powder as I wanted see and feel what a hunting load would be like and my Lyman BP book say this load should be about 1450 fps.
No way will I shoot this rifle through my chrono until I get the trigger problem fixed and can cause my shots to group.
I collected all the fired patches I could find (not many were found) most were ok, they sure get ragged around the edges after firing. I had a few that looked cut and a few with burn holes (.015"patch used).
My last shot of the day was with the .018" ticking patch and the bigger .535" ball.
I decided I would try to load this tighter combo. I had to hit the short starter harder and more times and the heavy solid brass range rod helped seat the ball over the 90 gr charge aimed and squeezed real careful and fired, that ball went 1.5" right of center but at the perfect hight with the front sight held even with the top of the rear blade.
Nice to finish the day on a good shot.
I used the OEM supplied cut agate flint and the lock never failed to spark, the priming ignited ever time.
I dry balled the loading twice (back to back screw ups) but removing the lock and the vent liner I was able to pour in about 20 grains of 2 FG into the chamber area of the patent breach.
Reinstalled the vent and lock and the rifle fired, weakly but enough to launch the ball all the way to the 20 meter target I could see the bullet hole in the paper and I tested for an empty bore with my chamber cleaning wood dowel rod.
My first load attempt was with .018" pillow ticking patch lubed 4:1 water:Ballistol mix and a .535" ball.
The muzzle fit seem too tight it spooked me, didn't want to get a load stuck (I forgot to bring a hammer to pound a load). So I didn't use that load and tried the thinner .015" patch lubed the same and a .530" ball. This combo was easily seated and fired over 90 grains of 2 FG Goex.
I wiped the bore between shots with Butch's BP bore shine and was able to shoot until time was up about 15 shots.
Some shots went to the point of aim by putting the front sight even with the top of the rear sight notch and others went ~6" low. A shot using the top of the buckhorns went ~6" high.
I need more practice with the issue buckhorn sights and shooting this rifle.
The only mechanical trouble I encountered was using the set trigger.
On full cock I would pull the set trigger (must pull it very hard) and I feel and hear the "click". Moving to the front trigger I would press very lightly and hear a "click" again but the cock would not fall. Continue to pull the front trigger (very hard) and the lock would release the cock and the rifle fired.
I have a lyman digital trigger pull gage and will test the trigger and get actual pound pull numbers to see if the set feature is working, I don't think it is.
All shots were fired with 90 gr of powder as I wanted see and feel what a hunting load would be like and my Lyman BP book say this load should be about 1450 fps.
No way will I shoot this rifle through my chrono until I get the trigger problem fixed and can cause my shots to group.
I collected all the fired patches I could find (not many were found) most were ok, they sure get ragged around the edges after firing. I had a few that looked cut and a few with burn holes (.015"patch used).
My last shot of the day was with the .018" ticking patch and the bigger .535" ball.
I decided I would try to load this tighter combo. I had to hit the short starter harder and more times and the heavy solid brass range rod helped seat the ball over the 90 gr charge aimed and squeezed real careful and fired, that ball went 1.5" right of center but at the perfect hight with the front sight held even with the top of the rear blade.
Nice to finish the day on a good shot.