There is no doubt about it. We hunters and fishermen (that means girls, too) are just suckers for the old ways and traditions when it comes to our beloved sport. We like to think about “the good ol” days” (which for some of us is actually right now) and how it used to be, all while dreaming about the less modern guns and gear from back then.
Yes, it’s true: We do it, we like to do it, and many of us are not going to stop. You could even say some of us are obsessed with it to a fault.
(READ MORE: Walk down memory lane shows things just ain’t the same)
So what am I going on about here? Probably the best and most cussed and discussed example would be using the modern crossbow for hunting. We have been over this more than a few times in “Guns & Cornbread.”
Many in the bow hunting world have a less than sunny outlook on hunters using a crossbow, and “It’s not really archery hunting” and “It gives an unfair advantage” are things you usually hear from that side of the debate. More than a few times, I have told you I don’t understand this thinking; the crossbow gets a lot of people in the field, which means they’re hunting and buying licenses, something we sorely need.
(READ MORE: Don’t get caught in crossfire of crossbow hunting debate)
Probably the next modern equipment topic that draws the most attention is the world of muzzleloading rifles. Using a muzzleloader has been a popular form of deer hunting for many years, and several states have special seasons for these guns.
As time has gone by and technology has advanced, many states have had to revamp some of their regulations. In the world of muzzleloading hunting, the main divide has more or less formed along these lines: Many hunters still enjoy using the traditional form of muzzleloaders, while others want the convenience of carrying a more modern muzzleloader. The flintlock rifle (and shotgun) is the earliest form of “muzzle stuffer” we might use, and without getting too deep in the muzzleloader weeds, here is how the flintlock works.
All muzzleloaders are loaded through the muzzle, that is, the end of the barrel. A charge is dropped down the barrel from either a horn or a smaller device used for measuring out the powder. On top of the powder goes a bullet or a round lead ball (traditional muzzleloader acolytes often shoot the latter instead of a premade bullet-shaped projectile). The powder that went down the barrel is the charge that will propel the ball (or bullet) to the target.
Now we must have a smaller charge of powder that will ignite the powder below the ball. On a traditional flintlock, there is a “lock” on the outside of the gun with a small vise that holds a piece of flint. The lock is pulled backward and cocked. When the trigger is pulled, the flint falls forward and strikes a small metal pan known as the frizzen. The frizzen holds a very small charge of a finer, smaller-grain powder, and when the flint hits the steel frizzen, it makes a spark, ignites the powder, and a flame goes down a tiny hole into the barrel, which (hopefully) ignites the main powder charge and sends the ball speeding to the target.
Just think about the early pioneers and mountain men who endured rain, sleet, snow and other challenging conditions while dealing with angry Indians, bears and wolves, and at the same time trying to load and fire a muzzleloading rifle.
Whew! Get all that?
That is a very elementary explanation of how a flintlock muzzleloader works. As the muzzleloader evolved, the flintlock mechanism was replaced with the percussion cap system. This involved placing a small cap with a tiny charge in it that ignited the powder in the barrel when the hammer on the lock fell on it — still primitive, but faster in loading and a little more resistant to moisture and other conditions. Several years ago, the “in-line” muzzleloader system was revealed, and this involved placing a primer in the rear of the gun’s mechanism (usually a 209 shotgun primer), which, when fired, ignited the powder charge in the barrel and fired the gun.
Now we have a faster and easier loading system for muzzleloaders.
A few years ago, Traditions Performance Firearms introduced its NitroFire system. The NitroFire (a break-action rifle) uses the Firestick system from Federal Premium Ammunition. The Firestick is an encapsulated powder charge, is impervious to moisture, and is loaded at the factory with the same tight tolerances and quality controls as typical loaded ammunition. It is loaded with Hodgdon Triple 8, which is a clean burning powder. With no breech plug and cleaner-burning powder, this means less cleaning!
An unused Firestick can be removed and stored. Traditions collaborated with Federal Premium and Hodgdon to make muzzleloading safer, easier and more reliable.
And now Traditions has given us the next step in muzzleloaders using the Federal Firestick ignition system, the NitroBolt. The NitroBolt is the world’s first Firestick-capable bolt-action muzzleloader. It features a 24-inch chromoly fluted and tapered barrel, 1:24 VAPR twist, three-position safety, free-floating barrel, pillar-bedded stock, patented extractor for the Firestick, adjustable length of pull, adjustable cheek piece, three locking lugs, cocking indicator and a 60-degree bolt handle. (These rifles still load the bullet from the muzzle and are of the single-shot variety, requiring a hunter to reload after each shot.)
There are those in the muzzleloader world who want to stay more traditional and use a flintlock or a cap-and-ball rifle, and all the accoutrements that go with it. (I like all that stuff, too.) They want to keep it more primitive and enjoy going to the woods and hunting with that type of gear. I salute them!
On the other hand, there are those who want to go a little more modern and carry a muzzleloader like the Traditions Firearms NitroBolt or NitroFire rifles. If these guns are legal in your state, and they are in many, check them out.
I can guarantee you 19th-century pioneer Jim Bridger and his mountain man buddies would have loved to get their hands on a Traditions NitroBolt!
“Guns & Cornbread” is written by Larry Case, who lives in Fayette County, W.Va. You can write to him at larryocase3@gmail.com.