Building on an already standout muzzleloader rifle platform, the new NitroFire Pro from Traditions takes frontstuffer refinement to the next level
by Brad Fenson
The resurgence of the muzzleloader industry in the 1980s started a revolutionary race that plateaued with innovation in 2020 with the launch of the Traditions NitroFire muzzleloader. The innovation occurred on three fronts: Traditions, Federal Premium, and Hodgdon Powder Company. Engineers at Federal Premium fabricated the FireStick, best described as a polymer-encapsulated propellant charge that loads from the breech of an inline muzzleloader. Hodgdon developed a new blackpowder substitute called Triple Eight, which is extruded and cut to create lots of surface area to ignite and burn quickly and efficiently. Triple Eight burns clean and produces little fouling, making cleanup and maintenance easier. Traditions Performance Firearms worked with Federal Premium to engineer the NitroFire inline muzzleloader to accept the FireStick.
The history lesson shows the in-depth research and development that goes into new designs. The NitroFire still loads the bullet down the barrel and the bullet sits on a shelf. The FireStick, with propellant and primer, sits directly below the bullet with the break-action of the firearm closed. The FireStick replaces the need for a breech plug.
Traditions NitroFire Pro
Traditions hit a home run with the NitroFire, permanently changing how many look at the modern inline muzzleloader. Taking development to a new level, Traditions created the Pro Series of firearms to offer hunters and shooters components and upgrades to increase accuracy, consistency, and user enjoyment.
There is nothing wrong with the NitroFire base model; however, the NitroFire Pro model provides three distinct features to enhance fit, feel, and performance. The Pro model has an adjustable length of pull with spacers that can be added or removed. An adjustable cheekpiece can be lowered or raised for a custom fit, fine-tuned with a screw in the side of the stock. The first two features provide adjustments, which allow for a more comfortable and consistent shooting experience. The third feature is a threaded barrel, which allows the user to add a muzzle brake and reduce recoil for better control and downrange accuracy. All together, the user can create a custom-like rifle that raises the bar of performance.
The NitroFire muzzleloader itself is a premium firearm. It is .50 caliber and has a 26-inch ultralight chromoly steel fluted and tapered barrel with 1:24 inch VAPR twist rifling. The rifle’s components speak to the quality and include a Traditions Elite XT trigger system designed with a rebounding hammer and a manual cross-block trigger safety. The Elite XT trigger adds safety and convenience by allowing the action to be broken open with the cross bolt safety engaged. This means you can load or unload your muzzleloader and view the chamber while remaining safe at all times.
The Traditions Performance Firearms Pro Series is available in the NitroFire, the popular and affordable Pursuit XT, and the performance-driven centerfire Outfitter G3 line. The diversity provides custom features across a broad spectrum of muzzleloader and centerfire options.
It is important to understand the quality, consistency, and accuracy of the NitroFire and how that can be extended with the Pro features. Accuracy was tested with a Federal Premium 100-grain FireStick and a Traditions Smackdown Carnivore 250-grain bullet. A three-shot group was generated, with each chronographed for speed. The results were impressive.
Accuracy
Three groups of three shots at 100 yards were used to measure the accuracy. A shooting table with Champion Target Sand Bags stabilized the rifle as a rest. The results…
- Smallest group: .375 inches
- Largest group: just over 1 inch
Following industry standards, a chronograph was set up 10 feet from the barrel to record the velocity of five shots with the Carnivore bullets. The ignition source was Federal Premium Muzzleloader 209 primers.
Traditions Smackdown Carnivore 250-grain bullet with sabot produced the following results…
- Max. velocity: 1,997 fps
- Min. velocity: 1,953 fps
- Mean velocity: 1,973 fps
- Variance: 44 fps
The NitroFire and FireStick system exceeded the acceptable industry tolerance of 75 fps variance. The velocities are in the same range as other propellants like Pyrodex, Blackhorn 209, and Triple Seven.
The results speak for themselves and are a testament to the dedication of Traditions, Federal Premium, and Hodgdon for continuing to push the innovation and evolution of muzzleloading.
Hunting Advantage
Seating a bullet down the barrel, placing a primer into the back of the FireStick, and loading it into the firearm’s breech adds new meaning to a speed loader system. A timed speed-loading test measured the time between two shots at the range. Remember, accuracy wasn’t the number one driver behind this test; however, two shots fired took approximately 17 seconds. It was easy to see that a FireStick was faster to load than a powder charge down the barrel. A primer had already been inserted into the FireStick, which made the process even faster.
Safety
The NitroFire is accurate, consistent, and easy to shoot and maintain, although the firearm design offers enhanced safety features like a Dual Safety System and Traditions’ Elite XT trigger system described earlier.
What might be overlooked as a significant safety benefit of using a NitroFire is that there is no way to double charge or overcharge the rifle. The user can open the action in safe mode to look down the barrel and see if a bullet is seated on the shelf. A ramrod can push the bullet back up and out of the barrel if needed. The firearm can be cleared of the bullet and the charge, eliminating the need to fire it at the end of the day to clear the barrel. You can break the action, remove the FireStick, and reload it the next day without worrying about moisture or failed ignition.
Ultimate Weather Protection
For centuries, the bane of muzzleloaders has been keeping the powder dry. The combination of the NitroFire and FireStick systems is being confident in consistent ignition. The powder charge is locked away from moisture while hunting or during storage. The primer can be left in the FireStick or removed without compromising the charge.
A FireStick was placed in a deep puddle of water and left for 15 minutes. The moisture was shaken off and loaded into a NitroFire. Ignition and performance were not compromised in any way.
Hunter Preference
The NitroFire and FireStick shoot extremely well with most bullets and 209 muzzleloader primers, meaning hunters and shooters can use proven favorites. Three bullets were tested for accuracy and speed, exceeding industry standards. The firearm design takes user error from the equation and makes loading more consistent than ever. Seating a bullet on powder with perfect pressure is no longer an issue. The bullet sits firmly on a shelf in the barrel and the charge is premeasured to the exact standards. Muzzleloader hunters can enjoy the accuracy that centerfire rifles produce with a custom barrel and premium ammunition.
The Traditions Pro series was developed to help shooters realize the quality of the firearm and components. Proper fit and feel with reduced recoil lends itself to better form and repeatable results.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The NitroFire is the easiest muzzleloader to clean. The Triple Eight powder in the FireStick leaves little fouling and takes minimal effort to clean from the bore. There is no breech plug to clean, and working around the bullet shelf in the barrel is easy. Half the number of cleaning patches are required when compared to shooting Triple Seven, and much less than Pyrodex. There is little or no blowback from or around the FireStick into the receiver or firing pin.
Traditions sells a cleaning kit for the NitroFire, which uses a special solvent for the Triple Eight powder. These products should not be used with muzzleloaders that do not use the FireStick. The simple kit includes dry patches, a nylon breech brush, a bronze breech brush, an unloading jag, a pre-lubed cleaning cloth, and FireStick pre-saturated cleaning patches.
Redefine Muzzleloading
NitroFire and FireStick were developed within the muzzleloader industry and perform like most frontstuffers. There is no performance deviation from other inline models when shooting a blackpowder substitute and bullet designed for modern muzzleloader barrels. A breech plug is no longer required, but the muzzleloading components remain the same — bullet, powder, and primer.
And Now…A New Ramrod
Adding to the ongoing refinement of the muzzeloader experience, Traditions has recently introduced a new ramrod system designed to work with all Traditions break-action muzzleloader platforms in .45 or .50 calibers. These include the Vortek StrikerFire and the NitroFire and Pursuit XT models.
Called the Ram-T, this new product puts a fresh spin on the traditional one-piece ramrod design. While it fits into the thimbles beneath the barrel in the same fashion as conventional ramrods, the Ram-T is of a telescoping design the provides an additional 3.5 inches of length for loading and cleaning. Employing the familiar twist-to-lock, twist-to-unlock engineering. The Ram-T includes a flip-out T-handle for easy bullet seating and faster loading and cleaning operations. The Ram-T rod is made of anodized aluminum and comes with a brass loading tip that serves as a bullet seater and is threaded to accept other tip accessories.
With an MSRP of only $49.95, this is a must-have upgrade for anyone using a break-action Traditions muzzleloader.
