Lyman GPR set trigger assembly doesn't adjust

[Naphtali]

I did not want to intrude on Jim Brown's thread.

I have an unfired Lyman GPR percussion cap lock .54-caliber round ball rifle. I have "field stripped" it to do routine chores, such as remove packing grease and lubricate lock and trigger assembly, seal the stock and semipermanetly affix tang and break-off lug for patent breech, etc. Before I did this procedure I tested the set trigger assembly and found its let-off set or unset to be heavy. I reassembled the rifle and tested set trigger assembly again. No difference. I adjusted the assembly modestly. No difference. I adjusted it grossly. No difference. I removed the trigger plate to see what was happening when I adjusted the assembly. Lyman GPR set trigger assembly doesn't adjust anything; screws move, and that's it.

I have owned this rifle for several years, just sitting in my safe. Since I have a friend who will visit from out of state this season who prefers to use this rifle, I'm trying to get it ready for him. I am nearly certain that Lyman will not address the problem, and I would be uncomfortable pressing them on a rifle that was sold at retail years ago.

Anyone who has suggestions for remedying this situation, please let me know. My first thought was to replace the trigger assembly with another. But I have no idea regarding make, model, cost, quality - Bupkes. My second thought was to query people who have experience at solving problems like this - therefore, this thread.

 

[BadHorse]

spend the $40 to get the R E Davis "deerslayer" trigger set. you'll love them, other wise you have to get a longer adjusting screw to get it to work

 

[reddog97]

I put Davis Deerslayer triggers in mine also. Difference is unbelievable.

 

[longshot one]

I also just put in a RE Davis trigger set in my GPR due to information I received from the forum members and wish I had done it a long time ago. The best route to go. Put the Lyman trigger set in my parts box in case its needed later but judging from the quality of the Davis triggers I won't need it again.

 

[wattlebuster]

do yourself a huge favor an get the davis triggers for your gpr. they are easy to put in an once u get them in you will start shootin it yourself instead of letting someone else have all the fun :grin:

 

[BrownBear]

I agree that the Davis Deerslayer is vastly superior even after you get the Lyman to working. But the "fix" for the Lyman trigger is easy, and costs around 15 cents rather than $40 if you want to go with what you have.

In a nutshell, the adjustment bolt or screw between the two triggers is too short to engage. Don't know why they do it that way, and why they haven't fixed it. They've sure heard about it often enough over the decades. Maybe an overstock of short bolts? Or maybe lawyered up and did it so you can't really mess with the trigger pull, even if it looks like you can.

I don't recall the metric bolt size, and it doesn't matter. Back it out of the trigger plate and take it with you to your nearest Ace or True Value hardware store and visit the aisle with all the bins of bolts and such.

At the metric bolt bin, find a nut that will go onto your bolt. That gives you the diameter and pitch. Next go to the little bins of bolts and find one that's longer than the original.

In my own stores, they were all either way too short or way too long. Pick the long one and take it home (pay first!).

Screw it into the trigger plate and start your adjustments. Get it adjusted the way you want it and mark the threads where it goes into the plate. You're likely to be about 1/4" too long if you got the same screw I did.

Cut about half that much off the end of the bolt and dress the threads. That leaves you a little extra for adjustment, but not so much hanging down that it catches on stuff.

 

[Zonie]

If you do replace the screw as Brown Bear suggested you should know that the screw does not really change the 'pull weight' of the front trigger when the rear trigger is 'set'.
It adjusts the amount of engagement of the front triggers catch with the rear set triggers latch.

To adjust this after getting the longer screw set the rear trigger.
Then screw the screw in until the rear trigger is released.
Now, back out the adjustment screw about 1 turn and try resetting the rear trigger and releasing it with the front trigger.
The front trigger should have some movement before the rear trigger releases. If it doesn't, back out the adjustment screw a bit more.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Just an additional comment to what Brown Bear has explained. I recommend that you also buy that NUT that fit your screw(bolt). If you have to shorten an overly long replacement screw by sawing off some of the end of the screw, put the nut on the screw FIRST, and then saw. The nut coming off will help to clean up the threads at the end that are cut, and " dress" the threads as BB recommends, for you.

If you have a piece of the screw hanging on to the side of your saw cut, it will stick out clearly when the nut is turned almost out. The "Burr" will stop the nut. Back the nut off, and use a fine file to remove the burr. Then turn the nut off the screw. The shortened replacement screw needs those threads dressed so the screw will turn into the trigger plate in the threaded hole provided. Crooked threads( bent) or a big burr at the end of the thread may prevent you from getting the screw into the threaded hole. Don't go there. :surrender: :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[cardcutter]

Hi Guys
First of all thanks for all the great advice.

1. I have tried the above adjustments.It did not work. I guess I need to take a little more off the spring.

2.Where can I find a set of these Davis triggers?

3.Just out of curiosity, why was the thread moved? What is the criteria for this section as opposed to the flintlock section of the forum? I don't post much and I ask so I won't make the same mistake again.

Again I would like to say thanks for the great help and advice.

Thanks

Jim

 

[William O.]

http://www.redaviscompany.com/1007.html

 

[cardcutter]

Thanks again.

jim

 

[BadHorse]

in the long run you are better off getting the davis deerslayer trigger set. im a cheap sun of a gun, and fought with the lyman triggers for 2 years. the geometry is just wrong on them. i put the davis triggers in and wow! ive been kicking my self in the but ever since!

 

[William O.]

in the long run you are better off getting the davis deerslayer trigger set. im a cheap sun of a gun, and fought with the lyman triggers for 2 years. the geometry is just wrong on them. i put the davis triggers in and wow! ive been kicking my self in the but ever since!

Is the Davis Deerslayer a drop-in fit?

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I wish I had seen this thread before now.

I received my GPR yesterday. It had two problems.

The rear sight was smashed pretty bad. Why they pack the barrel with the rear sight pointed down to the bottom of the box is a mystery. All it has for protection is the thin layer of cardboard on the bottom of the box. It didn't happen from Buffalo Arms, because they had packed it secure in another box. It had to happen from Lyman to Buffalo Arms. Or Investman to Lyman. At any rate. Someone screwed up.

The other problem is the triggers. The rear trigger couldn't be pulled at all. So, all I had was a quarter inch of play and what felt like a 15 lb pull of the front trigger to fire.

I called Buffalo Arms and they said to send it back.

I can get my money back, or credit. I've sort of lost faith in Lyman at the moment. It sure doesn't have the quality of the Uberti guns i've been buying.

Are you guys sure this is a good gun? I know it's only $500, but it seems kind of cheap.

This is my first muzzleloader rifle. I was kind of shocked at the barrel heavy feel to it.

I was thinking of getting the DeerStalker instead of the GPR. It has a single trigger and shorter barrel.

Your thoughts?


I just stepped on another thread. Sorry.

 

[R.M.]

Are you guys sure this is a good gun? I know it's only $500, but it seems kind of cheap.

It's the best $500.00 gun out there.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I guess i'll order the Davis trigger and save myself some grief.

Thanks.

 

[BadHorse]

in the long run you are better off getting the davis deerslayer trigger set. im a cheap sun of a gun, and fought with the lyman triggers for 2 years. the geometry is just wrong on them. i put the davis triggers in and wow! ive been kicking my self in the but ever since!

Is the Davis Deerslayer a drop-in fit?

pretty much it is, i had to sand a little wood off the inside to get it to drop in, took like 10 minutes and the rifle was shooting agian

 

[StewartLeach]

A bit more on Brown Bear's suggestion for a longer adjustment screw.

The screws I could find all had bright plating on them, which looked out of place on a blued rifle, and even more out of place after I refinished to brown. To remedy I chucked the shank of the screw in the electic hole shooter, then used a stone to remove the plating on the head of the screw. Refinished with browning. Plating is still on the threads and in the notch, but is not noticeable.

The Lyman trigger assembly can be improved with a little easy tinkering. Disassemble, including driving the pins out. Use fine emery paper wrapped around a popsicle stick to polish the inside of the slot on the trigger plate. Polish the sides of the trigger pieces. Lightly polish the engagment surfaces using strokes in the direction of travel. Reassemble, lubricate, and adjust.

That said, I got to shoot a Davis trigger in a friends rifle, and ordered one.

White Fox

 

[paulvallandigham]

The plating on screws is usually Cadmium, and if you heat the screw up red hot, then dunk it in water, the plating comes off. Then polish the screw head, and heat it up to "Blue", and dunk it in oil. You get a nice, Blue-black finish that is quite durable.

 

[Turbojet 54]

OK, I tried the longer screw yesterday. I am trying improve the trigger for hunting. I don't want the noise of setting the trigger if a deer slips in close to me. My trigger pull weight without first setting the trigger is a lot more than I want. Mind you, it is great if I first set the rear trigger. I installed the longer screw and started adjusting. I was able to quiet the set trigger some, but there was no travel in the front trigger, and it would trip with with just a touch. It lightened the unset front trigger by very, very little, still too hard. By the time I got the screw adjusted (backed out) to get a little free travel the set trigger was making as much noise as it was with the factory screw. My results are: Not worth the gas it takes to drive to the hardware store or the $.33 for the screw. Then to take the time to cut the screw off, dress the threads, and blue it would be for nothing. My experience was a total waste of time. I put the factory screw back in. I will look into the Davis triggers in the near future or just leave it as is.