Do you use a different powder in your pan than in your chamber? We get some opinions from the experts.
This article first appeared on NMLRA.org
What’s the best for oiling black powder guns?
Developing a load for Lyman Great Plains Hunter Rifles
Questions and answers from the NMLRA Facebook Group
“Does anyone have experience with Lyman Great Plains Hunter rifles? I am looking to get one as a pure hunting gun and wanting to load 250-300gr sabots. Typically using Barnes TEZ/TMZ. Just looking for accuracy, load info, and even some cool game pictures!
-Andrew Ault
Andrew’s question brought up 30 comments one evening. We wanted to share some of the comments, hope it’s helpful!
Here are some of the most informative comments from the post.
Photo Credit to Ted Davis. Lymans Great Plains Rifle 1 in 66 twist. Also comes in Flintlock
“I'm not familiar with the "Great Plains" model, and I don't know the twist ratio. But Lyman had made a model called "The PA Hunter". "PA" stands for Pennsylvania. The rifle had a 1 in 66 twist for roundball. This was produced because the Pennsylvania "primitive" hunting season required a muzzleloader which had flint ignition, open sights, and fired a single "spherical" projectile of .50 cal or greater.
The laws in PA have since changed and the cal is now .45 or greater, and conicals can be used. Flint ignition and open sights are still the rule. Lyman discontinued the PA hunter.
Pennsylvania also has a "muzzleloading" season (which is earlier) when in-lines, and percussion ignition can be used with peep or optical sights” George Hunter”
“My Great Plains 54 is 1:72, I think. For target I use 50 grains of FFF and a hand cast .540 round ball, patched .015. If I decide to hunt deer with it, I up my powder charge to 80 grains. Same with Deerstalker 54. Only the hunting load is 70 instead of 80. Shorter barrel. Both are proven to harvest Michigan Whitetail.” Craig Chambers
Bill Bolen adds, “I have only ever shot bullets in my GP .50 cal and used it to kill a bunch of deer. I have used the Hornady copper jacketed 280-300 gr, Powerbeats, and many others. All shoot pretty well out to 100 yards or so. Lately I have switched to a Great Plains 300 gr all lead that shoots about the best. My hunting load is 90 gr 2f Goex.”
If you’d like to join in on the conversation, head on over to our NMLRA Facebook Group! The group is open to anyone who is interested in Muzzleloaders and living history as long as they follow the rules.
Find out more about the NMLRA
How to Stain a Cabela's Kit Muzzleloader
Questions and answers from the NMLRA Facebook Group
“So I pulled the Trigger and decided to purchase the 50. Cal, Kentucky from Cabela's today, as a Christmas gift for my son, he prefers shooting black powder long gun's more so than modern firearms, because of his interest in Civil war history, I think it will make an excellent father and son experience together, my question for y'all is, what type of wood stain application should I use, and what methods are best for applying the stain to the stock? Thanks.”
-Daniel Colt Foely
This question from Daniel racked up about 40 comments over the weekend, many of them very helpful to new builders, so we wanted to share them!
Here are some of the most informative comments from the post.
Larry Rowland said, “Get "Homar Dangler's" stains and finishes, is my suggestion. Follow the directions.”
WL McCoy brought up, “ Lowe’s has an oil based colonial maple that I like. You could add a little walnut if you like darker. Hand rub with old T-shirt material. Cotton.”
Dale Pederson suggested Laurel mt. “Makes some good stains. You cad find them at Track Of The Wolf.”
Mike Dollinger said, “ I used shoe polish on my 1st gun. I used homer dangles stain on another. Aqua fortis on another”
Rob Scroggins added, “ I built mine a couple years ago. Used minwax stain (dark walnut) and tung oil as a finish”. He included a photo as well.
“If its plain wood and your first gun, get fiebings leather dye in alcohol not oil. Its easy, dries instantly and med brown is a great color with a reddish tinge and dark brown is pure brown. Birchwood caseys tru oil is a foolproof beginner finish. If you want to go the authentic route it would be aqua fortis, heat and oxidized linseed oil but hard to master. When you assemble this there are some shapes you can modify that will really improve this rifle if you just ask there are a lot of people here to help guide you.” - Mike Davis
Josh Young took a simpler approach, Plain old boiled linseed oil never hurt no one.
And a special thanks to Paul Luttrell for his notes and story on building a similar kit. “This was like my first kit build, in. 45. Brown leather dye worked guite well for me. It actually produced a reddish tint on the stock, after final sanding, of course. I rubbed in several coats of "boiled linseed oil", rubbing in with my palm until warm then wiping off excess oil after each coat and letting it dry. The choice is yours, of course, there is a myriad of stains and techniques.
A friend of mine tried Dixie Gun Works' suggestion of soaking a bag of chewing tobacco in ammonia, letting it sit for several days before applying with an old piece of T-shirt, then rubbing in Tung oil. That was on a cherry stock.”
If you’d like to join in on the conversation, head on over to our NMLRA Facebook Group! The group is open to anyone who is interested in Muzzleloaders and living history as long as they follow the rules.
Find out more about the NMLRA