Lyman GPR Build

[Ray Settanta]

Finally got started on the Lyman GPR that I bought back in May. The original stock did not have a ramrod hole drilled in it so I returned it. The stock they sent me was used. The wood on one side of the forearm was sanded down far too much. Looked like it was done with a belt sander. The barrel tang was inletted poorly and much too deep. The barrel was inletted down into the ramrod channel and a piece of wood in the lock inlet was broken off and sloppily reglued. On the bright side, the nosecap and front thimble was nicely browned. So, I returned that one too. The new stock arrived yesterday. Brand new in the box. It was labeled "percussion" and a flintlock was in the box with it. I had to inlet the lock because evidently the two locks are a little different. That's OK because, after all, it is a kit. I want to commend Lyman because they did not give me a hard time at all and paid for Fedex both ways for the two stocks. And it gave me time to research my next builds.

[JNG3]

I swear I mean no disrespect to you Ray, but Lyman muzzleloaders and Lyman as a company in general are horrible. 10 years ago I fought Lyman over a factory built GPR to no avail. I in a moment of stupidity about 5 years ago picked up a NIB Trade rifle that is the most poorly inletted rifle I've seen in years. I had intended on restocking it but never got around to it. So your story about your GPR does not surprise me.

[Ray Settanta]

Well, I did some research before I bought this kit and what I came up with was that the rifles shot well, were a good value for the money but that Lyman Customer Service was not that good. Outside of sending me a used kit stock first before they sent a new one, I have no complaints.

[taco650]

Well, I did some research before I bought this kit and what I came up with was that the rifles shot well, were a good value for the money but that Lyman Customer Service was not that good. Outside of sending me a used kit stock first before they sent a new one, I have no complaints.

What company did you order your kit through?   Was it Lyman itself or one of the big online stores (Midway, etc.)?  Can't believe they sent you two crappy stocks in a row!

On the flip side, I have heard that the GPR kits are the best of the low-budget, mass produced kits... Way better rifles as a whole than the cheaper Traditions models.

[Ray Settanta]

I bought the kit from a well known shooting supplies company. When I looked at the stock and saw It had no ramrod hole, I called Lyman Customer Support and they sent what looked to me to be a partially finished (and not very well either) kit stock. After I talked to them, they sent me a brand new, in an Invest Arms box, kit stock. I have to emphasize that they did not at any point give me a hard time. They were polite and courteous and, as I said, paid for all Fedex shipping both ways. All I was out was some time and I spent that buying some planks and reading RCA 1 & 2.

[T*O*F]

After I talked to them, they sent me a brand new, in an Invest Arms box, kit stock.

No one ever listens to me when I tell them to buy an InvestArms Hawken kit instead of a Lyman.  They are almost half the price and the only difference is that the hardware is brass instead of steel.

[Turtle]

Yep, a friend and dealer sells Investarms among other muzzleloaders. They are the best inexpensive muzzleloader for the money. I stripped, reshaped, and refinished one for someone to make it less "glitzy"and it came out nice.