An innovative muzzleloader that boosts functionality, is long on safety, and promises exceptional speed and accuracy, the Traditions NitroFire Pro Series is still turning heads.
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 Powders.
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 black powder substitute called Triple Eight, which is extruded and cut when made, creating 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 has gone into new designs with many advantages. The NitroFire still loads the bullet down the barrel and sits on a shelf. The FireStick, with propellant and primer, sits directly below the bullet with the firearm’s break-action 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 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 custom fit, and can be 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 enables the user to add a muzzle brake and reduce recoil for better control and downrange accuracy. The user can create a custom-like rifle that raises the bar of any shooting experience.
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, which 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 series, the popular and affordable Pursuit XT series, and the performance-driven centerfire Outfitter G3 line. The diversity provides custom features across a broad spectrum of muzzleloader and centerfire options.
NitroFire Performance Review
Understanding the quality, consistency, and accuracy of the NitroFire and how that can be extended with the Pro features is essential. 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 choreographed for speed. The results were impressive.
Accuracy
Three groups of three shots at 100 yards were used to measure the accuracy of the NitroFire with a 250-grain Carnivore bullet and FireStick. A shooting table with Champion Target Sand Bags stabilized the rifle as a rest. The smallest three-shot group measured .375 inches, and the largest group was 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. The speed results were:
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 those of other propellants, such as Pyrodex, Blackhorn 209, and Triple Seven.
The results speak for themselves and are a testament to Traditions, Federal Premium, and Hodgdon’s dedication to continuing to innovate and evolve 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. However, its 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 safely to look down the barrel and see if a bullet is seated on the shelf, ensuring a second bullet is not loaded.
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
The bane of muzzleloaders for centuries has been keeping their powder dry. The combination of the NitroFire and FireStick systems ensures 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.
For this test, 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 exceptionally 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 pre-measured to the exact standards. Muzzleloader hunters can enjoy the accuracy that centerfire rifles produce with a custom barrel and premium ammunition.
The Pro Series helps shooters be more accurate and more proficient. Having the proper fit and feel while reducing recoil lead create enjoyable shooting and repeatable results.
Cleaning & Maintenance
The NitroFire is the easiest muzzleloader to clean. The Triple Eight powder in the FireStick leaves very 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 was 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. If you’re using a muzzleloader that isn’t FireStick approved, avoid these products. The simple kit includes:
- Dry patches.
- A nylon breech brush.
- A bronze breech brush.
- An unloading jag.
- A pre-lubed cleaning cloth.
- FireStick pre-saturated cleaning patches.
Redefine Muzzleloading
The NitroFire and FireStick were developed within the muzzleloader industry and perform like most front stuffers. They do not differ from other inline muzzleloaders in performance. A breech plug is no longer required, but the muzzleloading components remain the same—bullet, powder, and primer.
All Traditions Pro Series are available at distributors, independent retailers, and merchants nationwide.
