New GPR - not impressed

Oh boy. Only perc GPR I ever bought was second hand and a fine rifle. Your experience is unpleasant to contemplate.

I got a new factory assembled GPR from Graf and Sons about 4 months ago and the fit and finish is underwhelming to say the least. Some of the things wrong with it were unbelievable, like being able to slide both the front and rear sight back and forth in their dovetails, but I've learned to overlook a lot of the bad because the thing shoots pretty good and always goes bang. Something that continues to stump me is why they include a primitive sight that doesn't fit the dovetail......must be some sort of Italian logic I just don't understand.

That's what I get when posting past my bed time. :idunno:

Sounds like QC is slipping at Investarms. I recently purchased a .54 GPR from Midsouth that exhibits some shoddy, disappointing workmanship.

Based on comments and photos on this forum and others, it seems like the older Lyman guns may have been better made. Seems like that is true for a lot of things theses days unfortunately.

This is good reason never to buy a gun thru the mail....your buying a pig in a poke...just never know what you got till you open the box! Especially lyman GPR muzzleloaders...most of the GPR I have seen on the gun racks have had poor wood to metal fit, especially the escutcheon area! Maybe Lyman should consider a refined deluxe model that has better wood, inletting, and tuned lock...most would be willing to pay the additional money for an upgrade like this...don't you think? :v

I got my Lyman's Deerstalker through the mail for this past Christmas, and the fit and finish is good. I'm pleased with mine, and would order another.

With as sloppy and odd as your rifle was I'd wonder if it wasn't done by the place you bought it from as has been suggested.

It's been a few days now. Have you contacted Lyman Customer Service yet?

Kodiak13 said:

This is good reason never to buy a gun thru the mail....your buying a pig in a poke...just never know what you got till you open the box! Especially lyman GPR muzzleloaders...most of the GPR I have seen on the gun racks have had poor wood to metal fit, especially the escutcheon area! Maybe Lyman should consider a refined deluxe model that has better wood, inletting, and tuned lock...most would be willing to pay the additional money for an upgrade like this...don't you think? :v

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Only thing I don't agree on is paying extra for good workmanship. How are they going to get it right, they cannot do it now?

My bad, Brian . . . read it too fast, I guess. Regardless, I would call MidSouth and explain my disappointment AND expect them to make it right or give the money back. No excuse for sending a rifle like that to a customer.

Kodiak13 said:

Maybe Lyman should consider a refined deluxe model that has better wood, inletting, and tuned lock...most would be willing to pay the additional money for an upgrade like this...don't you think? :v

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I'd be more inclined to think Lyman should have a heart to heart conversation with their gunmaker/supplier.
Additional money...no. It ain't like they are already giving them away.
I'm also thinking, we the people should stop accepting poor quality from Lyman, and Lyman should demand better quality from Investarm.

It is with great displeasure to report the following, and I will do so without colorful expression keeping with forum rules.

Over the last 4 days I still can't reach a living soul with Lyman's customer service, even with following their instructions as to calling hours.

Have spoke to Mid South Shooters Supply and found it nearly as frustrating. Although the young lady I spoke with was nice, the general attitude was one of you can return it, but there is nobody here you can talk with ... in other words, send it back or shut up. Any refund or repairs would be solely at the discreation of a warehouse worker, after it was sent back. The young lady couldn't/wouldn't provide me with a name to address a letter to or focus my questions at.

I have expended more in hourly wage to gain satisfaction then what this inferior product cost.

Lessons learned:

1st - no matter how good a rifle is supposed to shoot, don't buy it unless you can handle it first.

2nd - If you buy off the internet, do so at your own peril or put up with the hassle.

3rd - buy American!

This rifle is going to be torn down, rebuilt by myself, and I shall consider the factory built rifles from Lyman to be inferior in quality and build, their customer service to be garbage, and no matter how nice a young lady sounds the company she works for probably doesn't give two-hoots about the product they sell.

Now, all should consider my comments here as being suger-coated due to forum etiquette.

I have to say that I never heard some one so disillusioned with the GPR.
From everything I have read and heard it is supposed to be a good quality entry level rifle and it has quite the following.

That rifle is not representative of the usual rifle that Lyman sells. As to the companies customer service, that obviously stinks. Maybe things are going down hill back at the main office...?

IF you happened to pay by Credit Card, simply dispute the charges and be sure the Card Issuer knows that you've been unable to contact either mfgr or retailer to get satisfaction.

Once the dispute is in place, the retailer will likely trip all over himself to make it right, since you've put the squeeze on his profit margin.

Have you tried Lyman's online service?

I've tried repeatedly to get in touch with Lyman customer service. They simply will not respond by snail mail or e-mail and telephone attempts draw a blank as well. :cursing:

I'm quite sorry for you.

Not sure what's going on as I have always received a response from their online source, and my rifle is well put together. I will buy more from them as I feel the quality is well worth the cost.

I chose my Deerstalker over the Pedersi Country Hunter and Traditions Deerhunter. The Pedersoli may be better, but I'm still pleased with my choice.

I'm considering a stainless Deerstalker or Trade Rifle barrel to drop into my stock or a Great Plains Hunter to attach a Malcolm scope to using conicals for hunting fields.

I don't what's going on. Every time I called Lyman Customer Service, I always got a live person. As for buying on the internet, that is a sign of the time. Buying American is a nice thought, BUT there is only one, T/C. T/C caters more to modern muzzle loaders, while their traditional line has been reduced to one one model in one caliber. You do have a choice of flint or percussion, but at the price of a good semi custom rifle. I have two GPRs, one percussion and one flint I built from a kit. When I gave away my .54 T/C Hawkens, I replaced it with a .54 Lyman Trade Rifle, with no regrets. I wish you luck.

If your not happy, send it back... :idunno:

I have had a couple of instances of poor customer service regarding a defective product or service. What will get their attention is a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. It's pretty easy to track down the BBB site on the 'net and the complaint can be filled out on-line. Make sure you tell them what you want done to resolve the issue. Doesn't cost anything and is worth a try.

Paul_R said:

I may be mistaken but I think I heard that somebody once said that all the more experienced craftsmen at Lyman are on the flintlock production line and that all the new guys get put on percussion guns. I could be wrong... :stir:

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Recently I've seen 3 new Lyman's: 2 GPR's and 1 Trade rifle. The fit and finish was very disappointing (countersunk top tang, wedge pins don't line up, bluing uneven in some spots, gaps between wood & metal).
I would send them right back.

Seen two new Lyman flinter's. One had the vent hole off to the right half way below the pan. The other had the vent hole at the far left edge of the pan.

The old Lyman's were well made. These new one's are a joke. :shake: