TC Hawken or Lyman Great Plains rifle/hunter?

Which rifle, TC Hawken or Lyman Great Plains Rifle/Hunter?

  • TC Hawken

    Votes: 11 36.7%

  • Lyman Great Plains

    Votes: 19 63.3%
  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
U

USMCGrunt

New member
So given the choice between a Thompson Center Hawken or a Lyman Great Plains Rifle/Great Plains Hunter, which one do you prefer and why?
 
I'll pass !!

Gees I hate post like this for to pick one or the other, means that one is inferior to the other and to what end. ....;)

Be Safe !!!
 
I have the T/C Hawken, it's a great rifle for what I do with it (mostly club shoots, rifle courses at rendezvous). It has a 1:48 twist barrel and shoots roundball loads very accurately up to about 75 grains, and conicals reasonably well although I have not experimented a lot with them. Length and weight is comfortable enough to shoot all day for me. I would also like to get a Great Plains Rifle sometime, mainly for hunting with round ball and maybe longer range shooting - because the slower 1:66 twist rate should allow for a faster RB load. Because it's a heavier and longer rifle, it could become a bit tiresome for the club shoots. The Great Plains Hunter has a faster 1:32 twist barrel, better suited for modern type projectiles. That's not really my interest so it would not be my choice.

How you plan to use it will make a difference, but I can certainly vouch for the quality and reliability of the T/C, and it is plenty versatile. But the GPR/GPH models have their strengths as well.
 
I have owned both and prefer the Lyman.It looks more like a period rifle .I have never had any trouble getting either rifle to shoot round balls.
 
Well of course I choose the Lyman GPR, because I own one. I have never shot a T/C Hawken so I can't really make an opinion on it. The GPR is a heavy bird no doubt, but because of the heft, I can hold it really steady when shooting standing and unsupported. And I never knew a round ball could be shot as accurately as the GPR throws them, it was unbelievable to me at first. Its a great rifle with an awesome set of double set triggers.
 
Pahoo said:
means that one is inferior to the other
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No, it means, "I like this one better than that one." And that's all it means. That's the reason wood fired pot belly stoves with enamel finished coffee pots on top and wood chairs and three-legged stools around them exist.

Now, pour a cup, light that god-awful smelling pipe and sit yer butt down.

I own both and have shot more than a few rounds through both. I personally prefer the GPR. But if I didn't have a GPR (actually, more than one) I'd not hesitate one second to pick up a T/C Hawken. And I have no doubt whatsoever that for every one of me there's another iron-headed old fart out there who'll say the same thing about the T/C Hawken that I do about the GPR.

Pass the pot, please.
 
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Choice

I think if you were at a traditional rifle match and would ask this question, the GPR would be the choice. Ive seen some GPRs go for what I thought was a fair price but never what I would call cheap. Not so with the TC Hawkin. It's not hard to buy one from time to time, 125-150.00 bucks, done it. Considering the retail price of the TC that says it all.
 
I have owned rifles from both TC and Lyman

But it was more than 25 years ago.

I recall thinking at the time, that the Lyman was of a quality which warranted the price but that the TC did not.

Please excuse me but this was indeed a long time ago.
 
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Choice

Less than two years ago I bought a TC Hawkin at a local pawn shop for 150.00 sling & all. Used it for trade goods.
 
I like them both, but I go with the GPR for shooting round ball. I bought the kit, saved a bunch of money, and installed the defarb as I built it. Plus you get about 5" more barrel with the GPR.
 
TC gets my vote for these features:

- superb fit & finish
- above average accuracy
- above average lock design

Jack

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So given the choice between a Thompson Center Hawken or a Lyman Great Plains Rifle/Great Plains Hunter, which one do you prefer and why?
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Thompson Center has always been my 1st choice. Why? Because their Hawken rifle is indeed American made. Where as Lyman model rifles are made by foreign manufactures.
 
I would have to go with tc . As a kid we bought the kits and my dad Put them togther. My frist buck was taken with that same 45 cal cap and ball! We have both types cap and flint.
 
GP all the way

I have two TC Scouts, one of which I like very much. Then I bought a TC Black Mountain Magnum - what junk! I sent it back to the factory but they said it was OK. So much for American made. Now I have GPR and a GPHunter. Each GP shoots better than that TC BMM and all the pieces fit like they're supposed to.
 
I love the TCs to death...but if I had my choice of only one....I'd take the great plains. I like the length/balance and overall look of the GP better.
 
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