My new/old 54 GPR, Mutt

[JohnB]

First post, I've been hanging out for awhile and reading but haven't participated yet. I've been doing black powder stuff for over 20 years, mostly percussion revolvers. I've played around with a couple of in-lines but always wanted to get a sidelock/traditional black powder rifle. About 10 or 11 years ago I traded a .31 pocket pistol for a .54 cal lyman GPR barrel and then bought a stock and intended to buy parts and "build" the rifle, but then life gets you busy and the project sits awhile.

Since then I've acquired a part here and there, (trigger, tang, lock, ramrod) and recently when I heard that Lyman was going to stop production on the great plains I decided that I needed to find the rest of the stuff and get it built, (I figured now or never). so I got the trigger guard, escutcheons, barrel wedges, and most of the screws I needed to properly mount everything in the stock. (Also rooted through the wood screw box out in the barn to find the other screws I needed.)

So now she's fully assembled, her name is mutt. The barrel proof mark is AN, which I think places the year of manufacture at 1985. And I shot 4 shots today, the first shots fired from that barrel in who knows how long (at least 11years). I don't know if she's a tack driver yet, don't know what load she likes, but it takes 5-6 hammer strikes to set off the cap on each shot. The nipple came installed in the barrel and I'm thinking it may be peened out from dryfires (not me, maybe in the barrels previous life). So I've got a new nipple ordered from TOTW.

I like old stuff so giving a traded barrel a new life is just fun for me (I know there is no nipple on the rifle in the pictures, I didn't reinstall after cleaning since I'm replacing it anyway)

[Daryl]

Glad you got it working. If you have a bench vise and an electric drill, you possess THE lathe I used for years.
Chuck the nipple up in the drill, with the drill in the padded vice jaws, and using a file, dress down the nipple until
a cap slides on nicely.

[JohnB]

Thanks Daryl, I tried the common man 's lathe on it this afternoon and I've got it close. I can pop a cap on the first trigger pull about 60% of the time and the second trigger pull works the other 40% of the time.

Something about the geometry is still off, as I now have to pinch an #11 cap to keep it on the nipple. Not reliable for hunting but good enough for target/sighting work until the new one gets here. I'll post some target pics later this week as I work on sighting/load development.

[Daryl]

If you have to pinch a cap to keep it on the nipple, it should go off first time, every time. If not, some contact between the hammer and the stock, or inside the lock mortise, rubbing on the spring or tumbler is slowing the hammer fall. Unhindered, the hammer should detonate a cap every try, without fail.

[Wil]

Nice hunk of wood on your GPR. I have two GPR's, a 54 cal. Percussion and a 50 cal. Flintlock, love them both and both I built from kits. I bought Hot Shot nipples for my 54. The caps go off every time with one pull of the trigger.

[JohnB]

Thanks Wil, walnut stock treated with linseed oil. I love the dark wood myself and my pics don't do it justice. I'm already loving the feel of this rifle and looking forward to a deer hunt next fall.

Daryl, thanks for the help. I've been exploring your thought that something is rubbing and slowing down the hammer on its travel. There seems to be a point in the travel of the hammer that there is a catch in the working of the lock itself, seems to be designed that way but I'm no expert on lock internals and am just observing how the parts move in relation to each other.

I added a little oil to the works and polished a bit on the part I see that has that momentary catch to make sure there isn't a tiny burr on there. I don't want to alter the shape of anything in there just yet until I better understand why those parts move the way they do. I'll try a few shot tomorrow and see how she does.

[smylee grouch]

You might want to try working the lock out of the stock and see if it hangs up or catches. If it works good out of the stock you might have some wood interfering with it when its in the stock and slowing the hammer fall. Some times tightening the lock screw too tight will slow things down too.

[Daryl]

Good points, SmyleeG.

[DanL]

Good looking GPR.

Welcome to the forum!

DanL

[JohnB]

DanL, Thanks for the welcome!

Accuracy update:
I fired 6 shots this morning and it looks like mutt has the potential to be a tack driver. I fired from my homemade shooting sticks at 25yd, .530 ball, .018 patch lubed with about a 70/30 lard/beeswax mixture, 75gr 3F swiss. She seems to like that load, but there may be another one she likes better so I'll try increasing and decreasing the charge and see if the group changes.

She doesn't like the barrel swabbed between shots. The first 3 shots loaded nicley, tight but not overly so. After shot 3, I swabbed the barrel with one patch lightly sprayed with a moose milk mixture I made. Shot #4 had to be tapped down the barrel to seat so I didn't swab anymore after that. Shots 5 and 6 seated just like 1-3, tight but without having to tap the ramrod to seat the ball.

There are 2 groups of 3 hits on the target, I'm pretty sure that the group of 3 on the right of the bull is me pulling off because of the shooting sticks. I see this same pattern with another rifle I shoot from the sticks, they aren't as stable as I would like and I seem to wobble horizontally when I use them instead of a benchrest. I'm going to make a better set soon. (Also the spawn of satan from the depths of h*ll, (aka black gnats) have awakened in East TN so that didn't help accuracy any. More to come later...

[Maven]

John,  Nice rifle (I have one myself)!  You may want to pay attention to the adjustable rear sight as it has a "wandering zero."  It's not typically the fit in the dovetail that's the problem, but the left-right and vertical movement of the sight itself.  Once zeroed, you can shim it so there's no movement or dribble some thin Crazy Glue into it to hold zero.  (I did the former), or you can replace it with a primitive sight, which I used for years but didn't really like.

[JohnB]

Thanks maven!
It has a buckhorn rear sight, not like the rear sight on my traditions woodsman (which is what I would consider a modern sight with click adjust windage and elevation). The buckhorn feels stable if I try to wiggle it around, but if I shoot from the bench and still see the wandering zero I'll shim or crazy glue it

[smylee grouch]

Something doesnt sound right if you had trouble seating a load after running a cleaning patch down. You might want to try a different lube. Ditch the bees wax for one. Also try shooting at 50 yds. to get a better idea of accuracy, almost any load can shoot close at 25. This is JMHO   I'm thinking that your combo is too loose and the beeswax might be causing a lot of fouling. 

[Daryl]

Me too, SmyleeG. The Combination actually sounds fine, except for the beeswax.  Beeswax is used as a hardener for bullet lubes. I see no, & I mean NO as in ZERO reason to use it in a patch lube.
With an .018" patch, I'd feel better about a .535" ball, though.  Just lard, or Track's Mink Oil, or just Neetsfoot Oil, all will make a hunting lube. Nothing else needed.
Your individual groups look fine for 25 yards and the combination used. With a more snug combination and no BW, I wold expect a tight little cloverleaf group.
Keep at 'er, JohnB.
You don't have a sloop, do ya?

[JohnB]

6 shots this morning from 50 yd, sitting and rested off short shooting sticks. Patches lubed with lard only, .530 ball, .018 patch (the only ball/patch combo I have right now), 75gr 3F Swiss. The lower group is my first 3 shots, the upper group is me holding the front sight up a tad for some Ky windage. Rear sight needs raised and tapped over a bit in the dovetail. Groups looking better, I know she can group at 50 now. If my middle aged eyes could focus a bit better that would help too, 

I'll try a tighter patch when I can find the right material.

[Maven]

John, check that the wedges are tight and that the bbl. tang is a snug fit.  You can wrap it with a couple turns of teflon tape (the thicker kind in the yellow container) to ensure this.  You don't want the bbl. or rear sight to move at all.

[Daryl]

Things are looking up!!

[JohnB]

Quick update: Haven't gotten to shoot any in the last several days, but I have been working out the problems in the meantime. I was still having problems with the caps not going off on the first hammer strike, that is fixed now.

I took the lock apart and polished on all the places that metal touches metal and moves or pivots. It's not perfectly smooth or mirror polished but the parts are smooth-ER than they were. Also replaced the mainspring while I had the thing apart ($14 of worthwhile money spent) and now I pop a cap on every trigger pull just as it should be.

The old mainspring was definitely weak. I think I probably bought the lock used from e-bay around 8 or 9 years ago so I don't know how old it really is, but the new mainspring feels good. Internal parts also don't look worn so I don't think it was used much in it's former life. Maybe someone left the hammer at half cock for too long and the spring lost it's power to be a spring.

I should have some spare time this weekend so there are plans to send some lead downrange (weather permitting). Hopefully, we'll see what kind of offhand groups I can get at 50yd.

[Daryl]

Sounds good. There is a postal match happening!!

[JohnB]

I decided to shoot 25 yd offhand instead of 50, and I grabbed the postal match target just in case I shot a really good string, (didn't happen so I'll try that again later). I am still working on the sighting, as I worked my way through 10 shots I raised the rear a bit at a time until it's as high as I'm comfortable leaving it. The screw is loose enough that I can turn it with my thumbnail so I won't loosen that any further.

I want that point of impact at 25yd to be just about an inch high so filing the front sight blade down a bit will be the next step. On the target, the lowest shot was my first and they string upwards as I first tried some Ky windage and then raised the rear sight. The four lowest shots are my first ones with the last 6 being in that group just under the 9 ring. (That one hole group just under the 10 ring has 4 shots in it - not consecutive). So both me and the rifle need a bit more trigger time but she's coming along nicely as I learn her.

This was my second outing with this rifle using JB's Homemade BP. Using 85gr 2F, .018 patch lubed with ballistol, .530 ball, offhand standing at 25yd.

[Daryl]

Well, things are looking up. If you can find some 10 ounce denim, it might work better. There appears to be a bit of blow-by.
Also, seems quite dirty shooting, just going by the amount of black on the patches.
A mix of ballistol and water, 10:1 or 5:1, water to ballistol might even work better. Ballistol is not a hunting lube as it is water soluble.
It is however, fine for target shooting.
In my rifles, I've found dead level at 25 yards puts them about 1/4" to 1/2" high at 50yards & 4 to 5" low at 100.

[JohnB]

Thanks Daryl,
I knew if I included patch pictures, either you or someone else would give me a reading on them. Yes, my homemade BP is dirty. This is from an old batch that I made way back in 2013 that I'm working through to shoot it up. One of my first runs that probably wasn't milled long enough and maybe the ingredient ratios were off a bit. I was still figuring it out back then.

I'll try the ballistol and water mix for targets and see if I can lay hold of some 10 oz denim. In a day or two I should get to find some range time and we'll see what kind of target I can shoot for the postal match.

[Daryl]

Sounds good, John. Looking forward to your results.

[alacran]

I think when you get your front sight filed enough your gun will shine. Most GPR's I have seen are very good shooters much better than TC's.
When you go to Goex or Schuetzen you will probably have to reduce your powder charges. Most hand made powders I have shot tend to be about 30% weaker than commercial powders. Looks like you are having fun.

[JohnB]

I think when you get your front sight filed enough your gun will shine. Most GPR's I have seen are very good shooters much better than TC's.
When you go to Goex or Schuetzen you will probably have to reduce your powder charges. Most hand made powders I have shot tend to be about 30% weaker than commercial powders. Looks like you are having fun.

Yes, I'm enjoying the process,    I filed the front sight a bit and I'm looking forward to my next chance to send 5 downrange and see where they land. I need to drag out the chrono and see what my powder does compared to swiss, but will I is the question?