- Joined
- Dec 4, 2009
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I had my first experience with this muzzleloader today. A guy that bought one got hold of me and asked for some help. He purchased it from a rather large sporting goods store here in MI. The person that helped him, told him that Traditions recommended Barnes bullets and told him that some Traditions barrels can be pretty tight. So he recommended the 250gr T-EZ and that he should use magnum primers. He also picked up a bottle of Bh209. The shooter had a Nikon Pro Staff scope and they mounted and bore sighted it. Well, ok so far....
When he took it out of the case, he didn't really seem as excited as one would expect with a new muzz. Seems he'd shot it a couple times and found a few things that he didn't like about the rifle. He started pointing out some things that he wasn't happy with. Now at this point, I'm kinda wondering why he didn't look it over better before the purchase. His first complaint about the rifle, was that you have to cock the hammer before you can push the safety to ON. Next was the ramrod. Without getting into a lot of it, its too small diameter and just plain SUCKS. He was pretty sure that the person that designed it, never graduated 3rd grade. Personally I tend to agree. His intent is to remove the thimbles and drill them out, purchase a different solid ramrod and cut it to length.
He removed the breech plug and showed me that he'd cleaned it after shooting it but, I think it was more to just show me how it came out. He sounded confident that he had it shooting to hit paper at 100yds, so I told him that we may as well get started.
He measured out 100grs V of BH209 and poured it down the barrel, then grabbed one of the T-EZ's and tried to run it down the barrel. HOLY CRAP! STOP.... you sure you didn't buy a .45??? Needless to say, we pulled the breech plug, dumped the powder out and pushed like heck to get that bullet out. He'd brought his range rod and brush, so I held the rifle while he brushed the living crap out of it for at least 10 minutes. Ran some cleaner a few times and swabbed it until the patches were clean. Time to try again...
Prior to loading, I went inside and got the force gage and wanted to check that loading force. Ended up taking 97# force to start the slide of that bullet but, it seated. It was evident at the first shot that he had to adjust the scope. He fired it a few times and it wouldn't shoot the same POI after he adjusted the scope and it was still very hard to load the T-EZ's. I pulled out a couple TMZ's and replaced the supplied sabot with a crushed rib. It took 84# to get them down the bore. He shot a couple and then they started to load much easier. We then switched back to the T-EZ and they were loading better. However, it just wasn't grouping and he was getting pretty frustrated.
I asked to shoot his rifle a few times and I believe he was quite happy about someone else trying. I loaded the first T-EZ and sent it. He wanted to know if I wanted to check and I just told him, "Nope, just gonna shoot it again." Sent the second round, then told him we'd go look. First time shooting a Traditions and the two bullets were 1..5" apart but, on the far right side of the target. He wanted to adjust and I just said, "Nope, I'd like to shoot it twice more. Both those bullets entered between the other two. Now, we'll adjust.....
First shot went where it should, next shot and the following started moving and grouping at a different spot on the paper. NO DOUBT...... SCOPE. I expect him back in a few days with a new scope.
Overall, the rifle is going to group well with a scope that's not flawed. I think that Traditions should make major changes to the ramrod. I'm not impressed, nor do either he or I, like the hammer having to be cocked to push the safety on. Once he mounts a good scope and breaks it in, I believe he'll get used to it. However after my introduction to the Traditions Vortex, I wouldn't be interested in one myself.
When he took it out of the case, he didn't really seem as excited as one would expect with a new muzz. Seems he'd shot it a couple times and found a few things that he didn't like about the rifle. He started pointing out some things that he wasn't happy with. Now at this point, I'm kinda wondering why he didn't look it over better before the purchase. His first complaint about the rifle, was that you have to cock the hammer before you can push the safety to ON. Next was the ramrod. Without getting into a lot of it, its too small diameter and just plain SUCKS. He was pretty sure that the person that designed it, never graduated 3rd grade. Personally I tend to agree. His intent is to remove the thimbles and drill them out, purchase a different solid ramrod and cut it to length.
He removed the breech plug and showed me that he'd cleaned it after shooting it but, I think it was more to just show me how it came out. He sounded confident that he had it shooting to hit paper at 100yds, so I told him that we may as well get started.
He measured out 100grs V of BH209 and poured it down the barrel, then grabbed one of the T-EZ's and tried to run it down the barrel. HOLY CRAP! STOP.... you sure you didn't buy a .45??? Needless to say, we pulled the breech plug, dumped the powder out and pushed like heck to get that bullet out. He'd brought his range rod and brush, so I held the rifle while he brushed the living crap out of it for at least 10 minutes. Ran some cleaner a few times and swabbed it until the patches were clean. Time to try again...
Prior to loading, I went inside and got the force gage and wanted to check that loading force. Ended up taking 97# force to start the slide of that bullet but, it seated. It was evident at the first shot that he had to adjust the scope. He fired it a few times and it wouldn't shoot the same POI after he adjusted the scope and it was still very hard to load the T-EZ's. I pulled out a couple TMZ's and replaced the supplied sabot with a crushed rib. It took 84# to get them down the bore. He shot a couple and then they started to load much easier. We then switched back to the T-EZ and they were loading better. However, it just wasn't grouping and he was getting pretty frustrated.
I asked to shoot his rifle a few times and I believe he was quite happy about someone else trying. I loaded the first T-EZ and sent it. He wanted to know if I wanted to check and I just told him, "Nope, just gonna shoot it again." Sent the second round, then told him we'd go look. First time shooting a Traditions and the two bullets were 1..5" apart but, on the far right side of the target. He wanted to adjust and I just said, "Nope, I'd like to shoot it twice more. Both those bullets entered between the other two. Now, we'll adjust.....
First shot went where it should, next shot and the following started moving and grouping at a different spot on the paper. NO DOUBT...... SCOPE. I expect him back in a few days with a new scope.
Overall, the rifle is going to group well with a scope that's not flawed. I think that Traditions should make major changes to the ramrod. I'm not impressed, nor do either he or I, like the hammer having to be cocked to push the safety on. Once he mounts a good scope and breaks it in, I believe he'll get used to it. However after my introduction to the Traditions Vortex, I wouldn't be interested in one myself.
