Traditions PA Pellet - Manual (Page 8)

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NOTE: FLINTS, TOUCH HOLE LINERS,
MAINSPRINGS AND FRIZZENS ARE RELATIVELY
INEXPENSIVE AND SHOULD BE CHANGED
FREQUENTLY TO KEEP MUZZLELOADER IN
PROPER WORKING ORDER. APPROXIMATELY
ONCE A YEAR SHOULD BE ADEQUATE. THE MORE
SHOOTING YOU DO THE MORE YOU SHOULD
CHANGE THESE PARTS.
LOADING YOUR MUZZLELOADER
Prepare your muzzleloader for loading and shooting:
Make sure that the excess manufacturing oils, grease and moisture
was cleaned out from inside of the barrel and all other working parts of
the muzzleloader before initial loading and shooting. These lubricants
have been applied to keep rust or corrosion away during shipping. This
is a very important step when loading and shooting your muzzleloader
anytime.
If these steps haven’t been done review the Disassembly section before
performing any of the following steps.
1. Open the frizzen and clean the pan and the frizzen face with
acetone and a clean cloth. Make sure no moisture or oil is in the
pan and frizzen to help prevent misfires.
2. Use a Traditions Universal Cleaning pick to clean out the flash hole
free from fouling or debris.
3. Your flintlock is now ready to be loaded.
Loading the Powder and the Projectile:
The PA Pellet Flintlock has been designed to be able to shoot the
newest types of powders and projectiles. Tradition’s recommends
using a saboted projectile with loose or pelletized powder. Conical
bullets will shoot accurately but should be used with loose powder
only. Patched round balls can be used but will not give you the best
accuracy because of the fast rifling twist in the barrel.
Place the hammer in the half-cock position and open the frizzen.
This is an important step because with the frizzen in the open
position it guards against any accidental drop of the hammer to
initiate a spark ignition.
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When fully inserted into the tang, squeeze the barrel down into the
stock so that the tenon hole is lined up to tap the wedge through the
stock and barrel. Make sure you insert the wedge into the lock side of
the stock only.
Tighten both lock plate screws into the lock.
Insert the ramrod into the thimbles. Note: If ramrod is loose when
replaced into the thimbles, the ramrod retaining spring maybe
positioned incorrectly. You will have to remove the barrel to check.
Check proper functioning of the lock by pulling the hammer back
into the half-cock position and pushing forward to make sure it doesn’t
fall forward. Then pull the hammer back into the full-cock position and
push forward to make sure it doesn’t fall forward. Pull trigger to make
sure hammer falls forward towards the frizzen in the open position.
INSTALLING THE FLINT INTO THE JAWS
NOTE: BEFORE PRIMING ANY FLINTLOCK, MAKE
SURE YOU CLEAN OUT THE FLASHHOLE WITH A
CLEANING PICK OR BRASS WIRE. THIS WILL
ENSURE THAT THERE WILL BE A CLEAR PASSAGE
WAY FOR THE SPARK TO TRAVEL TO THE POWDER
CHARGE.
• Place the hammer into the half-cock position.
• Unscrew the top hammer screw until jaws are wide enough to
accept the flint.
The flint will need something to support it in the jaws. We
recommend using a small piece of leather. The excess leather should be
trimmed away up to the edge of the jaws so not to interfere with the
ignition process.
The flint edge needs to be positioned with the leading edge in an
upward position towards the frizzen. By placing the flint’s leading edge
upward in the jaws it will provide a more accurate and consistent spark.
When the hammer is in the half-cock position and the frizzen is
closed, the flint should be tightened approximately 1/16” away from
the face of the frizzen.
With an UNLOADED MUZZLELOADER, place the hammer in the
full cock position and test fire the flint to make sure you get a spark
when hitting the frizzen. If you do not get an adequate spark, reposition
the flint inside the jaws until you do or hand knap the end of the flint.
• You are now ready to load your muzzleloader.