Lyman Great Plains .50 or .54?

[JRL1164]

Well I've had my sights on a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. I was gonna go with a TVM Early Virginia but decided to wait until I really got my knees wet on a flintlock as this will be my first. I'm an avid deer hunter and just recently got into the black powder world so its been a learning curve and I'm loving it. GPR catches my eye for the traditional Hawken look without all the brass pretty eye catchy look at me and wont feel terrible about the knicks and dings it'll eventually get toting it around the woods.

I mostly deer hunt and hog hunt when they appear, so .50 has been my primary caliber. But my bucket list an elk from out west with a flinter. So I would like a rifle that can do all for my needs. I know a .50 can but from what I've read it is less than desirable.

Also I really would like to be able to shoot PRB and conicals. How is the 1:60 twist gonna take to the conicals? Specifically the Hornady Great Plains conicals? I've looked at the GPR Hunter but was disappointed to see they don't make a .54 Flinter so I feel like I either stick with a .50 with a fast twist or a .54 with a slow twist.

What's your thoughts? I feel like I'm in the can't have your cake and eat it too department.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I got a flint GPR a few years ago in .50 cal. It seems unusually difficult to break in vs all my other rifles. I have other .50 cal rifles andthey are all fine shooters. Given a do-over, I'd get the .54 cal GPR. All my other .54's are easy to work up loads for and I get better performance out to 100 yards than I do my .50's

 

[BrownBear]

Specifically the Hornady Great Plains conicals? I've looked at the GPR Hunter but was disappointed to see they don't make a .54 Flinter so I feel like I either stick with a .50 with a fast twist or a .54 with a slow twist.

Not worth a darn, and I'm speaking from experience. I shot the heck out of conicals with my 54 GPR, and it just didn't like them. I could get "okay" performance at 50 yards with groups of 3-4", but only at the very top end of powder charges. At lower velocities, and further out as velocity slows, accuracy falls off in a hurry. The hot loads delivering 3-4" at 50 yards would barely stay on the target paper at 100 yards, they were so bad.

I highly recommend the 54 over the 50, and that's from the vantage of a guy who owns and shoots both a lot. With a little less steel out front in the barrel, I simply like the balance of the 54 better than the 50.

Dunno quite what to tell you about choosing between a the GPR 54 and the GPH 50. If you're intent on shooting conicals, your path is laid out pretty clearly. My GPH 50 barrel is extremely accurate with conicals while also doing quite well with round balls so long as I use a really tight patch. But the 54 round ball also has quite a good reputation for elk and hogs.

Gotta tell one little story about 54 balls versus 50 cal conicals. We're blessed with our own place in the Rockies with elk and mule deer, and a party of 3 family members hunts it every few years. First year they showed up with 2 guys using 50 cals with conicals and the third with a 54 shooting round balls on top of 80 grains of 2f. BOTH elk taken with the 50 cal conicals required lengthy follow-ups and second shots, while the one take with the moderate charge under a 54 cal ball dropped where it stood with a single shot. The difference was the the two guys shooting conicals tried to stretch their range and muffed their shots, while the one with 54 ball resigned himself to hunting closer and making a good shot. On their next visit, all three showed up shooting 54 calibers with balls, along with the resolve to get closer and shoot better. All 3 dropped their elk with single shots, as they've continued to do on subsequent hunts.

 

[MountainRanger]

I might suggest a bit closer consideration to a TVM rather than a Lyman GPR. I have one I got as a 'temporary' piece till a custom rifle could be built. The triggers just didn't want to play nicely with others (me and anyone who shot it)and the spring seemed a bit weak. I have a good friend who got a Lyman GPR and has Never gotten it to fire the first time any more than one or two times in a row. He has even gone so far as to put a new lock on it and has changed out his triggers. He's a gun builder, so he can get away with that stuff. I don't have tools or talent for that kind of stuff, so I just letmine live in the corner of my lair.

Good luck on which one you end up going with.

 

[nwtradegun]

54 CALIBER ROUND BALL TWIST KING OF HOG KILLERS. GONIN UP NEXT WEEK TO HUNT DOWN PoRKY PIG.

 

[JRL1164]

Thanks, that's what I was concerned with. I've pretty much decided on the .54. And if I'm stuck with PRB then I can live with that. I know plenty of people hunt with PRB and are fine. I've done it last year with my .50 with small Georgia swamp deer. But seeing those heavy conicals definitely peaked my interest and felt that they must cause a hella lot of damage. But I know PRB will be sufficient. Thanks for the info.

 

[mooman76]

The Lee REAL bullets usually work in the slower twist guns. That might be an option but a 54 RB will do the job if you do your part. If you get the 54 and want to try some, I can send you some to try. Sometimes they work better with an over powder wad.

 

[BrownBear]

The Lee REAL bullets usually work in the slower twist guns.

I should have been more specific in my description of conical bullet testing. I cast both the 300 and the 380 grain REAL versions, and the 300 was best of all conicals, but only providing the accuracy I described. The 380's just couldn't get it together at any velocity, nor did any other homecast or commercial conicals up through 450 grains.

 

[jethro224]

I was gonna go with a TVM Early Virginia but decided to wait until I really got my knees wet on a flintlock as this will be my first.

Consider going back to plan A.
It sounds like what you really want is a longrifle. Might as well just put your money toward what you really want.

The heart of a flintlock is the lock. The lock you will get on a TVM is a MUCH better one than the GPR comes with.

My first flintlock rifle was a .54 GPR. It was a good shooter but took some extra care to be reliable. Even then it wasn't as reliable as a TVM with a good lock would be.

 

[JRL1164]

You right, I definitely prefer a long rifle its more my style. I have a Traditions Pennsylvania in percussion but found that its rather difficult to maneuver in a climbing stand due to its length. Also I the difficulty of cleaning it because I cannot easily remove the barrel from the stock. I know I can remove the putty and drive the wedges out but I'm not confident in myself to do such without causing damage to the stock. I've watched videos of the GPR and they seem very easy to remove the barrel for cleaning and I believe the length will be more suitable for hunting both on the ground and while in a tree.

 

[BrownBear]

Those are the kinds of insights that make for happy choices. I've had my finger hovering over the Buy button several times at the TVM site, but economics and time win out. The GPR is half the cost, and for somewhere between the two I can buy a heck of a nice used custom.

Of course, with my favorite smith building me a Leman 40 cal Squirrel Rifle at this moment, mama isn't going to be listening to my case if I spot another rifle any time soon. :rotf:

 

[nhmoose]

I do not consider a .54 RB something to be stuck with. Total penetration on Moose in my experience.

I do not feel under gunned with a .54 RB

 

[timothy prouty]

HEY how much powder you use in your54 and how long is your barrel? AND how far do you shoot a moose

 

[nhmoose]

HEY how much powder you use in your54 and how long is your barrel? AND how far do you shoot a moose

Answered your PM.

120 grains, 42 inch, flintlock. My shots were both under 30 yards. I would do the same shots at 75 yards

 

[Tom Compton]

.54

32" barrel 1/72 twist 120 gr Goex FFg .018" patch lubed w TOW mink oil thickened w bees wax as needed. .535 cast ball. Good to 130 yds from a good rest on deer and elk. I prime w FFFFg.

 

[AZbpBurner]

In 1977 I had a Gallagher breechloading carbine & wanted to try out some Minies, so I got a 410 gr. Lee Improved Minie mold. Powder capacity in the Gallagher cartridges weren't high enough capacity to really get any respectable performance, so I switched to RB's.

Fast forward a couple of decades & I found some of the old Minies I had cast years ago & I decided to try them in one of my .54 Investarms Rifles. I used the same 80 gr. 2F load. POI was about the same as RB's up to 50 yards, and fell of to over 12" low at 100 yards. Recoil was unpleasant and results were poor enough that I won't have to shoot them anymore - at least not in THAT rifle.

 

[BrownBear]

Recoil was unpleasant and results were poor enough that I won't have to shoot them anymore - at least not in THAT rifle.

Ah, wisdom! :bow:

I have a short light 58 caliber that I felt needed testing with conicals. First shot was with a 560 grain model on top of 120 grains of 2f. I fired a perfect one hole group at 50 yards.

Of course it was the one and only shot with that combo, and there'll never be another! :rotf:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I like me a .54 and a patched round ball. I wouldn't feel at all "under gunned" if I had a .50 and was using a patched round ball.

LD

 

[timothy prouty]

If you like to have a54try track of the wolf and go to gun kit and look at American long-rifle/ Colonial long rifle

 

[MSW]

you 1:60 twist will probably not be fast enough to stabilize conicals. I would, however, go with the .54 with a roundball twist. One guy's opinion - free and no doubt well worth the cost!