Author Topic: Sanity Check (Read 655 times)

swecology · « **on:** December 20, 2003, 04:28:38 AM »

Has anyone ever built their own Black Powder long gun from the Lyman Great Plains Rifle Kit? What are your experiences, good or bad?

I haven't shot Black Powder since I was a teenager, but I have always wanted to try and build my own percussion cap long gun. After 20 years, I'm wanting to satisfy the urge... The Lyman looks like it wouldn't be too much trouble. On the other hand, thinking like that has gotten me into trouble before!

So before I even start this, I figured it was worth asking for your experience, opinions and advice - it might save some heartache later on.

Thanks in advance,

Matt

azshooter · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2003, 04:46:02 AM »

I have a Great Plains Hunter but I bought it complete. One thing I did notice on the Lymanproducts.com web site is they do not show a kit for the hunter. If this is true, just make sure you are ok with the Great Plains Rifle with the slower twist. I don't think you will have any trouble with the kit. My understanding is that pretty much all of the work is going to be in finishing the stock. They are really good shooters.

Ka6otm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2003, 05:00:05 AM »

swecology,

I haven't built the Lyman kit but I will pass on my experiences with the CVA Hawken kit in that I think they may pertain to what you will find.

I got my kit for $50 from a friend who had purchased the kit, found all the brass parts were raw sand castings and tried to polish out a few of them. After spending quite a few days and still being nowhere near the way he wanted them, he stored the kit in a closet and left it there for 15 years.

He rediscovered the kit while doing spring housecleaning and decided he still couldn't polish out the brass parts satisfactorily and so came over, put the kit on my patio table and said "50 bucks and it's yours. I can't polish the brass in this lifetime."

The finished rifle now hangs over my fireplace along with a Philadelphia Derringer kit he also couldn't finish.

I had no trouble polishing out the brass in this lifetime because I have a buffer and a lot of sticks of rouge for polishing. And it still took a month or so of weekends to do it.

The moral of the story is that if the Lyman kit has raw sand castings for the brass parts and you want a high shine, get a buffer or spend a LOT of time doing it by hand.

Ka6otm

xnmr53 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2003, 08:49:05 AM »

swecology,

I haven't built the GPR from a kit, but I did build Lyman's pistol from a kit a few years back. As I recall, it was a piece of cake. No inletting was required, and the brass trigger guard required only a few minutes with the dremel to achieve a high polish. The stock was shaped, and only required a minimum of sanding before finishing.

The Shrink · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2003, 01:28:42 AM »

Matt

I think you start on the brass with a file, then go to smaller sizes of crocus paper before you get to the buffing step. If they tried to buff out the casting marks I can imagine it did feel like it would take a lifetime. They may even be cast oversize so you can take them down to the wood, or take them and the wood down together.

Wayne

Roger_Dailey · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2003, 04:33:40 AM »

The Lyman kits are almost "assembe and go shoot; finishing optional". The amount of work involved depends on the finish you desire. The GPR kits I've done had steel fittings. There were mold seam lines, but a few minutes with files and wet/dry sanding paper took care of them. You shouldn't have any problem. Go for it!!! The best prices I've found on the GPR kits are at: Midsouth shooters supply. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/

Someone mentioned sand cast brass; it can be a little more work. However the rule to follow is to start with coarse tools and proceed to finer ones. I usually start on the rougher sand (gravel) castings with a very coarse rasp (made for filing hoarse hooves).

Black Jaque Janaviac · « **Reply #6 on:** December 23, 2003, 06:02:22 AM »

Swecology,

Don't worry about it. Just ask my wife how impatient I am at these sorts of things. I've had Lyman kits before. One came on Thursday. I was shooting it by Sunday. The only power tools I have is a drill (doesn't get used for these kits) a palm sander (I used this), and a dremel tool (didn't have this at the time).

So elbow grease is about all you need. Some mill files, and a variety of sandpaper grits, stain.

The GPR has iron furniture. Iron is more difficult to shine up than brass.

I've heard of these kits referred to as "kitchen table kits" if that gives you an idea.

Naphtali · « **Reply #7 on:** December 24, 2003, 04:09:04 AM »

My hunting partner made a .50-caliber percussion cap lock rifle from the kit. The rifle looks like -- well, he's a good provider. This past season he got a mature bull elk in the Blue Mountains.

Analysis: rilfe should have looked much better than it does -- his responsibility, not the kit's. He doesn't care.

The Shrink · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2003, 02:07:16 PM »

Some of us have rifles that are truck rifles. We don't care what they look like, they get banged up anyway. Mine is an old Turkish Mauser 1893 in 8mm-06. Who cares what it looks like if it brings the meat home!

Wayne

Black Jaque Janaviac · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:58:15 AM »

And some of us LIKE uglier guns. :grin:

There's a certain beauty that comes from use. You can always spot a child's favorite stuffed animal - it's always the ugliest one! The one missing an eye, fur is matted, bald spots...