Traditions Outfitter - Manual (Page 18)

safely positioned behind you and that they are aware that you are about to shoot. All
bystanders must also wear eye and hearing protection when in the vicinity of anyone
using a firearm.
5. Use only the proper grade of black powder or black powder substitutes such as
Pyrodex® powder, Pyrodex® Pellets or Triple 7® powder & Triple 7® pellets in
properly measured amounts. Be sure to reference the chart in this booklet for
recommended loads. Reduce charges of Triple 7® loose powder by 15%. For example, if
you were using 150 grains of Pyrodex® powder and began to use Triple 7® powder, you
would only use 130 grains of Triple 7®. Always consult the directions from the powder
manufacturer before handling and loading any type of powder.
6. Never use any amount of smokeless gun powder in your muzzleloader. Although also
black in color, smokeless powder is a very different chemical composition and it will
produce dangerous pressures resulting in serious injury or death to yourself, bystanders
and it will destroy your firearm.
7. Never smoke or permit others to smoke in the presence of black powder, Pyrodex®,
Triple 7® or any other black powder substitute. Take care to guard against all potential
ignition sources.
8. Never take drugs and/or drink alcoholic beverages before and during shooting.
9. Be certain that the powder, patches and projectiles are properly sized, measured and
are loaded in the proper sequence and that the projectile is firmly seated on top of the
propellant. See Section XXV for proper loading instructions.
10. Use only cotton or linen shooting patches when loading round lead balls. Do not use
any type of plastic patches.
11. Never load powder into a gun directly from a can, powder horn or flask. Always use a
separate calibrated powder measuring device. A remaining spark or ember in the barrel
may cause an ignition of the powder and cause injury or death to you, bystanders and
destroy your firearm.
12. A firearm’s safety is a mechanical device which can fail. Always be mindful of where
the safety lever is set and routinely verify its setting. Never solely rely on any rifle’s
safety. Always treat every gun as if it were loaded and ready to fire. Only cap or primer
your muzzleloader when you are ready to fire. Uncap or un-prime your muzzleloader
when you are done shooting or hunting.
13. Always disable your muzzleloader by carefully removing the percussion cap, musket
cap or 209 primer and unloading the barrel when immediate shooting is not planned.
14. Never cap your firearm until you are ready to fire. Never install a percussion cap,
musket cap or primer on the nipple before the gun is loaded. When loaded, a bump or
unintentional pressure could result in the discharge of the firearms resulting in a serious
accident.
15. Always store the powder, gun and percussion caps, musket caps or primers in
separate locked places. Always keep all firearms and ammunition components secured
and separate away from children. Never store a loaded gun.
16. In the event of a misfire, assume the gun could fire at any moment. Keep gun pointed
down range with the action closed. Wait at least one minute before recapping, re-priming
or removing the load from the barrel.
17. Never load a muzzleloading firearm indoors. Only load your firearm in a location
where it is safe to shoot.
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18. Be certain that anyone firing this muzzleloader understands and is willing to follow
the instructions and precautions in this manual and the fundamentals of safe firearm
handling.
19. Always make certain that the safety is in the “on” position and the hammer is in the
“at rest” position when installing the primer.
20. A great way to understand more about all types of firearms is to take a Hunter’s
Safety course
XXI. “Out of the Box” Preparations
MAKE SURE THAT THE MUZZLELOADER
IS UNLOADED BEFORE PROCEEDING.
To check if the muzzleloader is unloaded, remove the ramrod, unscrew the jag and re-
attach at the opposite end of the jag. Place the ramrod down the barrel. The ramrod
should sit 3/4" below the muzzle. You should also be able to hear a metallic sound of the
brass jag hitting the face of the breech plug. If your ramrod extends beyond the muzzle or
you do not hear a metallic sound you will need to disassemble the muzzleloader and
remove the obstruction before proceeding. Refer to the Section XXIII & XXIX.
BEFORE YOU USE YOUR MUZZLELOADER,
CLEAN & LUBRICATE IT!
These are brief instructions on what to do before you use your muzzleloader for the first
time. Please review the Disassembly instructions inside for the complete set of
instructions. When you first remove the new muzzleloader from the box there will be
some manufacturing oil and grease for shipping purposes. These residues need to be
removed so that the muzzleloader will function properly.
! WARNING: Make sure the firearm is unloaded with the safety in the “on” position.
Refer to Section XXII for safety operation.
1. Remove ramrod from the thimbles.
2. With action closed, unscrew the forend and remove.
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