rossi muzzleloader User Guide
Owner’s Manual
for the Rossi
Muzzleloading Rifle
& Muzzleloading
Matched Pair
READ CAREFULLY BEFORE USING YOUR FIREARM
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
Notice:
It is recommended that you record the model number, serial number and
date of purchase of your Rossi firearm for future reference. Be sure to
retain your store receipt and any other documentation that came with
your Rossi.
Model Number ______________________________________
Serial Number ______________________________________
Date of Purchase ____________________________________
Notice:
The Rossi Muzzleloading Rifle has a receiver that can be fitted with
a centerfire cartridge barrel. Therefore, it is a FIREARM. All
regulations governing the sale, shipment and transfer of firearms
must be followed, including, but not limited to use of Form 4473
by Licensed Dealers and the use of Licensed Dealers for shipment.
Owner’s Manual
for the Rossi
Muzzleloading Rifle
& Muzzleloading
Matched Pair
READ CAREFULLY BEFORE USING YOUR FIREARM
This Booklet
The safety warnings in this booklet are important. By understanding the
dangers inherent in the use of any firearm, and by taking the precautions
described herein, you can enjoy complete safety in the use of your Rossi
firearm. Failure to heed any of these warnings may result in serious
injury to you or others, as well as severe damage to the firearm or other
property.
Dangerous Weapons
SHOTGUNS, RIFLES and PISTOLS are classified as FIREARMS or
DANGEROUS WEAPONS and are sold by us with the specific
understanding that we are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for
their improper or negligent handling or resale under local laws and
regulations.
BrazTech shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for
malfunctioning of the firearm, or for physical injury or property damage,
resulting in whole or in part from (1) criminal or negligent discharge,
(2) improper or careless handling, (3) unauthorized modifications, (4)
defective, improper hand-loaded, or reloaded ammunition, (5) use of
other than specified muzzleloading components or improper loading
methods(6) neglect, or (7) other influences beyond our direct and
immediate control. This limitation applies regardless of whether liability
is asserted on the basis of contract, negligence or strict liability
(including any failure to warn). Under no circumstance shall BrazTech
be liable for incidental or consequential damages, such as loss of use of
property, commercial loss and loss of earnings or profits.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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Warning
Securing your firearm may inhibit access to it in a defense situation and
result in injury or death.
Warning
Failure to properly secure a firearm may result in injury or death.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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Safety Warnings
Not Just For Beginners
Regardless of your familiarity or experience with firearms, you need to
study this manual.
The safe handling of firearms requires specialized training, discipline and
caution. Firearms, by their nature and intended function, are deadly
instruments. Accidental death or serious injury can result if they are
handled improperly or carelessly.
Firearms rarely cause accidents. Firearms accidents almost always are
caused by a failure to obey the basic rules of gun safety. Unfortunately,
experienced shooters seem to violate these rules as frequently as
beginners. Thus the basics of safe firearms handling cannot be repeated
too often. Read, re-read and practice the basic principles of firearms
safety until they become second nature: habits that you don’t forget.
If you have any question about your knowledge or ability to use this or
any other firearm with complete safety you should seek supervised
instruction. Personalized instruction is often available from firearms
dealers, gun clubs, state hunter safety programs or police departments in
the United States. If none of these sources is accessible, write to the
National Rifle Association, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 or
at www.nra.org. THEY WILL ASSIST YOU.
Handbooks dealing with muzzleloading basics and safety can be obtained
from the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association at
P.O. Box 67, Friendship, IN 47021 or at www.nmlra.org.
A person with a firearm in his possession has a full-time responsibility.
He must KNOW how to keep and use his firearm safely, and then must
always TAKE the precautions necessary -all of them. He cannot guess; he
cannot forget. This responsibility is his alone. It cannot be passed off to
someone else.
Remember: no firearm can be made accident-proof. A firearm is just a
machine, with no judgement of its own. It responds to your actions,
whether wise or foolish. The only truly effective safety device is the mind
of a cautious shooter who never forgets that a moment’s carelessness can
produce permanent tragedy.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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Firearms Are Not all Alike
Many makes and models of firearms might LOOK nearly the same. However,
they differ widely in design and operation, and in the location and function of
various controls.
Study this manual thoroughly. Educate yourself on the characteristics and
operation of your particular firearm before attempting to handle it. Do not
permit others to handle it - unless they also have done so.
You should have an instruction manual for every firearm you own. If you do
not, write the manufacturer and obtain one. Most manufacturers will gladly
send you one free. If for any reason a manual is not available, visit your
public library. Many books have been published which contain detailed
information on obsolete or discontinued firearms.
Your knowledge can prevent injuries.
Rossi firearms are designed and made to offer maximum safety when
correctly used. However, as with any other weapon, it is not foolproof, and
may become very dangerous if the following basic recommendations are not
RIGIDLY observed:
Attention
1. DANGER: Never, never-ever point any firearm, loaded or unloaded, at
anything you do not intend to shoot.
2. WARNING: Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
3. NOTICE: Get instruction from a competent firearms instructor before
using any firearm.
4. SAFETY FIRST: The safety is only a mechanical device, not a substitute for
common sense.
5. WARNING: Keep your finger off the trigger until you are actually aiming at
the target ready to shoot.
6. WARNING: Be certain the firearm is unloaded before cleaning.
7. WARNING: Always empty firearms before entering a place where there
are people.
8. SAFETY FIRST: Never leave a loaded firearm unattended.
9. SAFETY FIRST: Store ammunition, powder, bullets and primers safely and
separately from firearms and always beyond the reach of children.
10. WARNING: Don’t test the safety by pulling the trigger while the safety is on
unless you are absolutely sure the firearm is empty and you are pointing
away from everyone.
11. SAFETY FIRST: Be sure of your target and backstop before you shoot.
12. SAFETY FIRST: Firearms and alcohol or drugs don’t mix.
13. WARNING: Never pull a firearm towards you by the muzzle. Don’t climb a
tree or cross a fence with a loaded firearm.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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14. DANGER: Load and unload with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
15. SAFETY FIRST: If a firearm fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, keep it
pointed at the target for at least 30 seconds. Sometimes slow primer
ignition will cause a “hang” fire and the cartridge will go off or the rifle
will discharge after a short pause.
16. SAFETY FIRST: Never shoot at hard flat surfaces or water, bullet may
ricochet.
17. DANGER: When receiving a firearm always check that it is unloaded
(open breech and inspect the chamber for either a shell, cartridge or
primer), even if you saw it done previously.
18. DANGER: Never put your hand over the muzzle of a firearm.
19. DANGER: Check ammunition to be sure it is the right size and caliber,
and that it is not dented.
20. SAFETY FIRST: Charge and or prime the rifle only if you intend to shoot.
21. NOTICE: Never cock the firearm until you are ready to shoot.
22. SAFETY FIRST: Dry firing is bad for this firearm, whether the hammer
block is engaged or not.
23. DANGER: WHILE HANDLING ANY FIREARM, NEVER ALLOW IT TO POINT
AT ANY PART OF YOUR BODY OR AT ANOTHER PERSON. NO HARM
SHOULD RESULT IF YOU OBEY THIS RULE, EVEN IF AN ACCIDENTAL
DISCHARGE OCCURS.
24. CAUTION: If there is any reason to suspect that a bullet is obstructing the
barrel, immediately unload the firearm and look through the bore. It is
not sufficient to merely look in the chamber.
25. SAFETY FIRST: Treat this firearm as a precision instrument.
26. WARNING: Old or reloaded ammunition may be dangerous. We
recommend against using it.
27. DANGER: Don’t try to change your firearm’s trigger pull, because
alteration of trigger pull usually affects sear engagement and may cause
accidental discharge.
28. SAFETY FIRST: Write to us concerning any items or circumstances which
might relate to your safety and the operation of our products.
29. DANGER: Never engage a gun lock on a loaded firearm.
30. SAFETY FIRST: Protect your eyes and ears. Wear shooting glasses and ear
protectors (ear-muff-type or ear-plugs) while you’re firing any firearm.
Avoid wearing clothing made of nylon or other synthetics while near
black powder. Static electricity can set off Pyrodex.
31. DANGER: Never smoke while loading, shooting or handling black
powder or Pyrodex. Do not smoke near a charged muzzleloader.
32. DANGER: Do not keep powder or primers any where near a shooting
bench or firearms that are being discharged. Both powder and primers
can be detonated by sparks or intense heat. For more details on safe
handling of powder and primers, read the manufacturers’ instructions.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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Warning
Rossi firearms are manufactured to perform properly with the original
parts as designed. It is your duty to make sure any parts you buy are
installed correctly and that neither replacements nor originals are altered
or changed. Your gun is a complex tool with many parts that must relate
correctly to other parts. Putting a gun together wrong or with modified
parts can result in a damaged gun, danger and injury or death to you and
others through malfunction. Always have a qualified gunsmith work on
your gun.
Protect Your Eyes and Ears
Always wear adequate shooting glasses and ear plugs or “ear muff” type
protectors whenever you are shooting.
Always make certain that persons close to you are similarly protected.
Unprotected eyes may be injured by powder, gas, carbon residue,
lubricant, metallic particles or similar debris which may emanate
occasionally from any firearm in normal use.
Without ear protection, repeated exposure to shooting noise may lead to
cumulative, permanent hearing loss.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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Ammunition
1. This muzzleloading rifle is designed to utilize only Pyrodex™ 50
grain pellets, Barnes™ 250 or 300 grain solid copper hollow point
sabot projectiles and 209 shotgun primers. The maximum load is
three (3) 50 grain Pyrodex pellets. The recommended load is two
(2) 50 grain Pyrodex pellets. Use of any other black powder
equivalent or projectiles is dangerous and may result in accidental
death or serious injury. Use only new, good condition primers. DO
NOT USE SMOKELESS POWDERS IN THIS GUN. Use of old or
damaged primers or the use of smokeless powder in this
muzzleloading rifle can result in death or serious injury.
2. Use only high quality, original, factory-manufactured ammunition,
projectiles and Pyrodex pellets. Do not use shot shells or cartridges
that are dirty, wet, corroded, bent or damaged. Do not use damaged,
wet, rusted or otherwise imperfect projectiles. Do not oil shot shells
or cartridges. Do not spray aerosol type lubricants, preservatives, or
cleaners directly onto shot shells or cartridges or where excess spray
may flow into contact with shells or cartridges. Lubricant or other
foreign matter on shot shells or cartridges can cause potentially
dangerous ammunition malfunctions. Use only ammunition of the
gauge for which your firearm is chambered. The proper gauge is
permanently engraved on your firearm; never attempt to use
ammunition of any other gauge. This shotgun is suitable for use of
factory loaded shot shells or cartridges containing steel shot.
3. The use of reloaded, “remanufactured”, hand-loaded, or other nonstandard ammunition voids all warranties. Improperly loaded
ammunition voids all warranties. Use of hand cast projectiles in the
muzzleloading rifle voids all warranties. Hand cast projectiles can
cause damage to the firearm and accidental death or serious injury.
Improperly loaded ammunition can be extremely dangerous. Severe
damage to the firearm and serious injury to the shooter or to others
may result. Always use ammunition that complies with the industry
performance standards established by the Sporting Arms and
Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, Inc., of the United States,
(SAAMI) or the equivalent from other countries.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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4. Firearms may be severely damaged and serious injury to the shooter
or to others may result from any condition causing excessive
pressure inside the chamber or barrel during firing. Excessive
pressure can be caused by obstructions in the barrel, propellant
powder overloads, or by the use of incorrect shot shells, cartridges,
projectiles, Pyrodex pellets or defectively assembled shot shells or
cartridges. In addition, the use of a dirty, corroded, or damaged shot
shell or cartridge can lead to a burst shell or cartridge case and
consequent damage to the firearm and personal injury from the
sudden escape of high-pressure propellant gas within the firearm’s
mechanism. The use of improper powder charges can lead to a burst
barrel and personal injury or death.
5. Immediately stop shooting and check the barrel for a possible
obstruction whenever:
•You have difficulty in, or feel unusual resistance in, chambering a
shot shell or cartridge, or
•A shot shell or cartridge misfires (does not go off), or
• The mechanism fails to extract a fired shot shell or cartridge case, or
• Unburned grains of propellant powder are discovered spilled in
mechanism, or
•A shot sounds weak or abnormal. In such cases it is possible that a
bullet is lodged part way down the barrel. Firing a subsequent shot
shell or cartridge into the obstructed barrel can wreck the firearm
and cause serious injury to the shooter or to bystanders.
6. Shot, wads, sabots and bullets can become lodged in the barrel.
• If the shot shell or cartridge has been improperly loaded without
propellant powder, or if the powder fails to ignite (Ignition of the
shot shell or cartridge primer alone will push the shot and wad or
bullet out of the shot shell or cartridge case, but usually does not
generate sufficient energy to expel them completely from the barrel).
• If the muzzleloading rifle has not been properly charged or the
powder fails to ignite or the sabot fails, there may not be enough
pressure to fully expel the projectile from the barrel.
7. If there is any reason to suspect that the barrel is obstructed,
immediately unload the firearm and look down the bore with the
action open. It is not sufficient to merely look in the chamber. Shot
and/or the wad or the bullet may be lodged some distance down the
barrel where it cannot easily be seen. Do not attempt to “shoot
clear” the obstruction.
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
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On the muzzleloading rifle, if the powder has discharged, open the
breech and carefully remove the primer while keeping the muzzle
pointed in a safe direction. Then, using the breech plug wrench,
carefully remove the plug and look down the bore. If you cannot see
clear through then there is something lodged in the barrel. Do not
attempt to “shoot clear” the obstruction.
If the bore is obstructed, do not attempt to shoot it out by using
another shot shell or cartridge or by blowing it out with a blank.
Such techniques can generate excessive pressure, wreck the firearm
and cause serious personal injury.
If the obstruction can be removed with a cleaning rod or the muzzle
loading ram rod, clear any unburned powder grains from the bore,
chamber, and mechanism before resuming shooting. If the
obstruction cannot be dislodged by tapping it out with a rod, take the
firearm to a gunsmith.
8. Dirt, corrosion, or other foreign matter on a shot shell or cartridge
can impede complete chambering and may cause the shot shell or
cartridge to burst upon firing. The same is true of shot shells or
cartridges which are damaged or deformed. Sabot projectiles which
are deformed or damaged may jam in the barrel causing an unsafe
situation. If the Pyrodex pellet is broken, chipped or otherwise
damaged, do not use it.
9. Do not oil shot shells or cartridges, and be sure to wipe the chamber
clean of any oil or preservative before commencing to shoot. Oil
interferes with the friction between shot shell or cartridge case and
chamber wall that is necessary for safe functioning, and subjects the
firearm to stress similar to that imposed by excessive pressure.
10. Use lubricants sparingly on the moving parts of your firearm. Avoid
excessive spraying of any aerosol gun care product, especially where
it may get on ammunition. All lubricants and aerosol spray lubricants
in particular, can penetrate shot shell or cartridge primers and cause
misfires. Some highly penetrative lubricants can also migrate inside
shot shell or cartridge cases and cause deterioration of the propellant
powder; on firing, the powder may not ignite. If only the primer
ignites, there is danger that the shot shell or cartridge may become
lodged in the barrel.
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