Lyman GPR & Investarms

[SR James]

Will a percussion lock from an Investarms Hawken fit a Lyman percussion GPR?

 

[jethro224]

Yep. ...well, it should anyway...

 

[BadHorse]

Will a percussion lock from an Investarms Hawken fit a Lyman percussion GPR?

it should, considerng lyman is made by investarms

 

[SR James]

Well, I figured it should but I didn't know if they used the same lock for both guns. Thanks.
SRJ

 

[Jan Borinski]

I also would think they have the same lock..why should they produce a different lock for the american market.. :hmm:

 

[Swampman]

Is there more than one kind of GPR lock? Some seem to have smooth lock plates and some seem to have designs cast into them.

 

[mjones1579]

Yeah, I,ve got an old Lyman (they called it a plains rifle, but it looks like a trade rifle with a double set trigger. 28 inch barrel, single wedge). It's a 15/16 58 caliber with a smooth lock. What I don't know is if the lock was changed before I got it. :idunno:

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Please correct me if I am wrong. But I thought InvestArms was an importer. Not a manufacturer. I know they were an importer when I dealt with them in the late 80's and early 90's. They actually did some importing for Charles Daly. So how could an importer manufacture a lock that would fit another manufacturer's rifle(they do not make anything). They will buy from different manufacturers in order to import into the US. So I would say that some of the ones they import may fit, and some may not. ButI do not think InvestArms made the locks?? Tom.

 

[Swampman]

Lyman doesn't make anything as far as I know.

 

[jethro224]

I believe Investarms is the manufacturer. Lyman is the importer.

Investarms also made/makes guns for other companies besides Lyman.

 

[cowpoke1955]

That's right. Investarms also makes the Cabela's Hawkens and the Dixie Hawkens.

 

[Jan Borinski]

That`s absolutely right..Investarms is one of the biggest producers of muzzleloaders here in europe..they import their guns to the US,to Lyman and Cableas for example.

greetz Jan

 

[Samuel]

Hi I have found that there are at least (two) percusion locks, that have been used by the maker of these rifles made in Italy. one has a (flat top) that the breach plug of the barrel sets over the other one, has a (radius cut out of the top)for the breach plug --the part that the nipple screws into to set over. there may be more variations

 

[Rafsob]

I believe Investarms is the manufacturer. Lyman is the importer.

Investarms also made/makes guns for other companies besides Lyman.

Correct. InvestArms is an Italian company.

 

[DarenN]

and Safari.
i bought my .50 Hawken 20+ years ago. on the top of the barrel it says "Safari Arms Limited", on the left side of the barrel it says "made in Italy" (and blah-blah), on the right side of the barrel it says "Investarms.." (and blah-blah). the lock-plate is highly engraved.
it's a very pretty rifle, that always gets comments at the range.

i recently held a Uberti Hawken at the local shop.i don't want to be saying anything bad about it, but it just didn't feel right to me. it seemed, i don't know, "spindley", "thin", "narrow", "light". i can't speak to how they shoot, as i haven't fired one, and don't know anyone who has.

 

[deseeb2001]

I know there's been mention by several people on here ( This topic comes to mind) that have seen/held original rifles about the stark difference compared to the "clunky" modern reproductions. Perhaps the Uberti was a bit more "traditional" in that sense?

 

[DarenN]

i've never seen an original so i can't compare.

later, i'll post some pics of my Safari Hawken and let you experts tell me.

 

[BrownBear]

I don't know authenticity from an honest politician. But here's my experience with the GPR:

I started out with a factory model in 54, then picked up a kit in 50. There's extra wood on the kit, so first I dragged it back down to factory dimensions. Due to the extra metal in the barrel on a 50 rather than a 54, I wasn't as happy with the balance of the 50 compared to the 54.

So I went to whittling. I slimmed the fore end, flattened the cheek piece a bunch, got rid of the perch belly and generally removed wood anywhere I could. Ended up taking a full half pound of wood off by the time I was through and got the balance I wanted to boot.

The end results are a lot slimmer than the factory GPR, along the lines of a "Kentucky" or "Pennsylvania" or some such. It really is a bunch more pleasing to my eye and for my handling, whether or not it looks like a "real" plains rifle. I don't really care what others think, as a matter of fact. It's my gun for my shooting.

I was really surprised in the recent thread about shooting an original Hawken. The rifle was a whole lot trimmer than any modern repro I've seen. Kinda makes me want to compare it with other originals to see if it's unique in that regard, or if in fact the other originals are trim too. From a pure handling standpoint, I have to believe the first purchasers would have preferred trim to clunky, but what do I know?

Gotta say though, that my factory GPR's are in real danger of visits from the wood rasp. There's a lot more wood than needs to be there for anything but "style," and trimming sure turns them into a better overall gun for me.

 

[DarenN]

so this is my Safari Hawken, made by Investarms.
it's a 28" 1:48 barrel and measures 15/16" across the flats. it doesn't feel "clunky" to me.

 

[Swampman]

I got mine out and tried it. The Investarms lock will not fit my GPR. The inletting is different and the lock plate on the GPR is notched for the snail. The Investarms lock isn't notched.

Early Hawkens are not slender nor light. Post 1850s Hawkens (most of those that still exist) are less clunky. Nearly all (if not all) of them had tapered barrels which makes them handle much better.