Thank you/Range Report

[Patrick Thomas]

This is easily the best website there is. The people here are very friendly and quick to help and I thank you.

When I was about 15, my parents gave me a .45 Jukar (didn't know that's what it was at the time, I learned that here). I shot it a lot and was able to kill a few deer with it. Loved it. After graduating from college, I joined the Navy, and after cleaning and oiling the rifle, I put it away and did not really touch it again for about 30 years. I still hunted a lot, just with unmentionables.

My desire to hunt with traditional muzzleloaders never left me. I joined this website last year and have done a ton of reading. All this time I assumed my Jukar was beyond hope, but thanks to people like bigted and BillinPatti, I learned that it might be salvageable. I ordered a bunch of needed items from totw and started working on it. To make it short, the rifle cleaned up beautifully. Y'all forgot to warn about the smell of Ballistol.

I shot it the other day and was quite impressed. The load it likes right now is 70 grains of Goex 3F, .440 ball and .015 cotton patch. Wiping between each shot, I am getting 1 1/2 inch groups at 75 yards, which is where I have it sighted in for hunting. The brass front sight blade is fairly easy to see and exremely easy to file. Very careful there!

Took it deer hunting yesterday, but the wind direction made things difficult. This is now my go to hunting rifle, till I get another. I'm thinking Lyman GPR .54 next.

Many thanks to you all for the great advice that you probably did not know you were giving to me.

Pat

 

[azmntman]

For sure some of the ol timers here have forgot wayy more than I know. And I know more (bout BP) than anyone I know! I agree. I have looked at a few other web forums and its like eating a burger outta a dumpster or getting one at a high dollar restaurant! :hatsoff:

 

[timothy prouty]

HEY go to gun broker and go to cva and look at the mountain rifle in a50cal you won't be disappointed in one of them

 

[hrchotaw]

The Lyman Trade Rifle in 54 is a winner too :thumbsup:

 

[Lonegun1894]

I'd go with that .54 GPR you mentioned, but it does feel different than your current .45, or most other production rifles due to having more drop in the stock. Feels absolutely perfect to me, but some of my friends HATE it, so try to shoulder one before buying if possible. I bet you'll love it, but it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.

 

[Patrick Thomas]

I have had opportunity to handle and shoot one. Fits very well. I do believe that is the direction that I am going.

 

[William O.]

Y'all forgot to warn about the smell of Ballistol

:rotf: Yep, I sympathize with you there. It was years before I would even try it and still I don't like the smell, but it seems to work pretty well.

If you are entertaining one of the Lyman offerings then I think your choice of .54 is the right one due to the lighter barrel as opposed to the .50. The .54 has a less nose heavy feel which I've appreciated over the years. I'm not slighting the 50 caliber in any way, it's just that in the case of Lyman rifles, the less nose heavy is better, IMHO.