TVM - Leman rifle?

[Muskrat69]

I'm brand new to Muzzleloading and I was interested in the Leman Rifle from Tennessee Valley Muzzleloaders - http://www.tennesseevalleymuzzleloading.com/leman-rifle

I was interested in knowing if anyone here has this rifle and what they think about it.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[hanshi]

I don't have one yet but the Leman has been in my bucket list. Mike Nesbitt, who writes for Muzzleloader Magazine, has them and likes the ones from TVM. To me, that's quite a recommendation.

 

[Kapow]

One of those in. 58 calibre is my idea of a perfect hunting rifle.

 

[Snakebite]

I don't have a Leman, but I do have a TVM Late Lancaster. Great quality and great people to do business with. I would not hesitate getting any of their guns.

 

[Docgp]

Another happy customer. I don't have the Lehman, but would not hesitate to order one if that was what I wanted. I also would love a .58. That would make a jam up little brush gun.......

OK, now that you mention it, I may have to get on the list also!!! :grin: :grin:

Doc

 

[hanshi]

My only concern would be the rather thin, curved butt plate on a .58. A .54, IMHO, would pinch and bruise less; that's what I'd get.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

What are you going to be hunting, OP?

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Since that rifle is a caplock, I'd suggest you also make an inquiry in the "percussion rifles" part of the forum too. You are much more likely to run into someone who has it there. I didn't see a flintlock option offered for that rifle on the link you sent.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[jefair1]

The last sentence in the description on the link says "flintlock by L&R" and the options list at the bottom of the page says "flint or percussion".

 

[rich pierce]

I shoot a .58 with 85 grains of FFG and am glad I have an early flintlock with a 2" wide, flat buttplate. Very comfortable. If you are new to muzzleloading I suggest you find a club or someone local to go shoot with to see what you might like.

 

[Follett]

I've got a .58 flintlock, that likes 90 grs. of FFg. It has the narrow, curved butt plate. After 20 rounds or so, it will begin to wear on you.

 

[tenngun]

I made a leman in .54 with a 1 inch barrel. The gun was too light for the caliber. I found it unplesent to shoot,and I traded it off for just the cost of the parts. Real lemans were sometimes lighter then that, mine had a 35 inch barrel and 1 inch. Some were closer to 32 and 15/16. It was lighter than a NWG I used upper arm hold and it shouldered and pointed well, I liked every thing about it till trigger pull. It never bruised me but even a 70 grain charge was more then I wanted. And I'm a big ol boy.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Was it a cheek slapper or was it from the pain from the butt plate? I've heard of some fellows installing one of those mercury filled recoil tubes in their builds to deal with that behavior. It certainly helped tame the recoil on my 375 H&H.

 

[tenngun]

It was because it so narrow I think. Not much more then an inch wide. It fit well tween bicep and underarm. I can hold tight but it was like a hammer blow each time I shot. Have seen original lemans down to .36. In a smaller caliber I don't think it would be a problem, but I found my self flinching, and having to fight it. My southern rifle needs an upper arm hold but it's a .50 and not uncomfortable but the butt is about an inch and 5/8.

 

[hanshi]

I've never been hurt by heavy recoiling rifles from standing or field positions; but I have been shaken out of daydreams by firing them from a bench. I've gotten "gun headaches" from the .375 H&H and the .338 Win Mag off the bench. I'm basically un-bothered by recoil and only notice the scrapes and bruises later.

There was a comedy western movie years ago called "Texas Across The River" starring Dean Martin; and it was funny - Joey Bishop played a confused Indian Chief. The interesting thing about the movie was the weaponry. Dean and another guy carried what looked like (and I believe were) Leman percussion rifles.

 

[tenngun]

Well I try to never shoot off hand if I can avoid it :wink:

 

[TJK]

I have a 40 cal flintlock Leeman and I built a 50 cal caplock Leeman from their Kit. Both are great.

 

[Zonie]

Leman is known as one of the suppliers for trade guns the Government's supplied to the Indians however, the company, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania made a large number of rifles sold to the public.

Actually, the company goes back to 1730 when Hienreich Leman established it.

The rifle you are considering is fairly typical of the guns made by them in the 1820-1840 period so both flintlock and percussion locks would have been offered.

The guns were intentionally designed and built as a lower cost working rifle. For that reason they often were made with plain maple stocks and for a few dollars more, they would paint stripes on the wood to make it look somewhat like it had a more costly, curly maple stock. (This is one of the few times I've heard of where a company actually painted fake stripes onto a stock.)

Although the Leman rifles never received the literary "hype" given to the Hawken, I have no doubts that many of them were carried into the Western mountains by fur trappers.

If you have some talent working with wood and metal, you might consider buying one of the TVM "kits". The Leman is usually considered to be the easiest "custom" kits.

A word of warning about these though. They are not the easy to do, almost "fall together" kits like you might get from Traditions or Pedersoli which one can finish with 15-30 hours work.

All of the pieces except for the lock and barrel are basically rough castings and a rough shaped stock. You would have to not only finish the parts but you would have to locate, drill and tap all of the screw holes to hold everything together.
Typically, one of these kits will take over 100 hours of your time.

You should look around in our "Gun Builders Bench" to get a good idea of what is involved.

I didn't see that they were offering their "in the white" builds on this rifle but TVM offers many of their rifles in this condition.

A "In the white" gun supplied by them is fully assembled but the stock and steel parts need to have a suitable finish applied to them.
With the stock this would consist of some finish sanding, staining and applying a suitable gun finish ranging from linseed oil to Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil or Tung oil.

If you think a "In the white" gun might suit you, call TVM and ask them if it is available.
That could save you several hundred dollars.

Whichever route you take, I'm sure you will be very happy with your new Leman.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
I have just finished a Leman 1/2 stock flint.
It does have a curved but plate.
I chose this style, to vary from the Lyman.
The rifle sports a 1" X 35" Green Mountain barrel and a walnut stock from plank.
The rifle comes in just under 9 3/4 pounds, whith a charge of 90 grains 2F and patched round ball, recoil is quite moderate, and I can shoot all day with a jacket.
You might notice recoil with a tee shirt, or bare chested, but who shoots all day naked :shocked2:
It would make a great moose, elk rifle, or bear rifle.
But mostly I hunt squirrels , if you hit them on the noggin with that 225 grain ball, you WILL wobble their knees, it is also great on turkey.
Fred

 

[JCB]

I have one with a 15/16 x 39" long Dehass barrel in .54 caliber. It handles well for me and is comfortable to shoot off hand and on the bench using 95 grains of goex ff. It's a very accurate rifle.