Traditions REX User Manual

I M P O R TA N T !

T h o r oughly read and

understand all of the

i n s t r uctions and warnings

in this manual BEFORE using

your Traditions fire a r m.

If you do not understand any aspect

of this manual seek black powder

f i r e a r m instruction from a qualified,

p r ofessional instructor BEFORE you

handle, load or use this fire a r m .

Muzzleloader Owner’s Manual

Traditions Performance Firearms

1375 Boston Post Road

P.O. Box 776

Old Saybrook, CT 06475

www.traditionsfirearms.com

email:

[e-mail]

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YOUR MUZZLELOADING RIFLE

Congratulations on your purchase of the new

Tr a d i t i o n s™E x p r ess Double

™

M u z z l e l o a d e r.

You have selected a muzzleloading fire a rm designed and
e n g i n e e r ed to give today’s shooters the highest perf o r mance and optimum
a c c u r a c y. When given the respect and care that any fire a r m demands, you can
expect many years of reliable service and enjoyable hunting from your new
Traditions muzzleloader.

The

Tr a d i t i o n s™E x p r ess Double™M u z z l e l o a d e r

is based on a pre ­existing concept of the double rifle that uses two barrels with an over/under type
action. The

E x p r ess Double Muzzleloader

is not made to shoot long

distances and is intended to shoot at a maximum of 100 yards. The

E Tr a d i t i o n s™E x p r ess Double™Muzzleloader

uses 24" fully rifled barre l s
with a 1 in 28" twist to provide you with a well balance and hard hitting
m u z z l e l o a d e r. This high grade, innovative muzzleloader provides you with that all
i m p o rtant second shot that can come in handy when hunting big game! The

Tr a d i t i o n s™E x p r ess Double™M u z z l e l o a d e r

p r ovides you with a high
grade action with four locking lugs to support up to 150 grain powder charge in
both barrels. The 10.5 pound weight of the

Tr a d i t i o n s™E x p r ess Double

™

M u z z l e l o a d e r

is considered to be a perfect weight ratio for a .50 caliber double
gun. It is not terribly heavy to carry yet it is heavy enough to provide you with
good recoil reduction and will allow you to set up for that important second shot.
Both barrels have a 209 primer breech plug system installed to provide you with a
s u re fire ignition of both barrels. We have drilled & tapped the barrel to utilize the
p r ovided steel, We a v e r®style 1-piece base to mount a scope or red dot sight. An
adjustable, fiber optic rear sight is used with a fixed front sight that is built into the
B a rrel Jack. (The Barrel Jack is fully explained later in this manual and is an
i m p o rtant feature / p a rt to the regulating of the top barre l . )

A person using any fire a rm has elected to take on an enormous re s p o n s i b i l i t y.
This manual contains instructions, cautions and dangers for the safe
enjoyable use of your Traditions muzzleloader. Shooting a fire a rm is a serious
e n d e a v o r. These instructions and precautions should always be followed
during each shooting session.

I M P O R TA N T !

A person using any fire a r m has elected to take on an enorm o u s
re s p o n s i b i l i t y. This manual contains instructions, cautions and dangers for
the safe enjoyable use of your Traditions muzzleloader. Shooting a fire a rm is
a serious endeavor. These instructions and precautions should always be
followed during each shooting session.

If you sell, trade or give this rifle to another person, be sure

to give the new owner a copy of this manual. Copies of this

manual are available free of charge from Tr a d i t i o n s

P e rf o r mance Fire a rms. Call 1-800-526-9556, or fax

860-388-4657 or email us at info@traditionsfire a r m s . c o m

FOR YOUR RECORDS

I m p o rtant: Please re c o rd information here and keep for your re c o rd .

Model No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Serial No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Model Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
C a l i b e r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Date Purc h a s e d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
F r o m _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Registration Card mailed on _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

CAUTION: Please read and

understand all information in

this booklet before using your

new Traditions firearm. If all

safety information is not read

and the WARNING, CAUTION and

IMPORTANT statements are not

understood, death or injury

could result.

Please call Traditions Customer Service Department at

1-800-526-9556 with any questions or concern s .

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TABLE OF C O N T E N T S

I . THE SPORT OF MUZZLELOADING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

I I . GENERAL SAFETY RULES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

I I I . RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

I V. SAFETY RILES AND REGULATIONS FOR FIRING AND

USE OF YOUR TRADITIONS FIREARM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

V. MUZZLELOADING “MUSTS” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

V I . WARNINGS SPECIFIC TO YOUR EXPRESS DOUBLE™. . . . . . 15

V I I . MAKE SURE THAT THE MUZZLELOADER IS UNLOADED. . . . 16

V I I I . SAFETIES INCLUDED WITHYOUR MUZZLELOADER . . . . . . . 18

I X . ASSEMBLING YOUR EXPRESS DOUBLE™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

X . BARREL ADJUSTMENT JACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

X I . BLACK POWDER & BLACK POWDER SUBSTITUTES. . . . . . . 26

X I I . P R E P ARING TO LOAD THE PROPELLANT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

X I I I . LOADING THE POWDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

X I V. LOADING THE PROJECTILE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

X V PRIMING YOUR MUZZLELOADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4

X V I DECAPPING YOUR MUZZLELOADER AFTER FIRING . . . . . . . 3 5

V X I I . HANGFIRES & MISFIRES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

X V I I I REMOVING THEPROJECTILE AND THE CHARGE . . . . . . . . . . 3 7

X I X . SIGHTING IN AND SCOPE MOUNTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

X X . CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

X X I CLEANING AFTER SHOOTING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2

X X I I . HELPFUL MUZZLELOADING ACCESSORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

X V I I I . WARRANTY CARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

TRADITIONS’ WARRANTY PROTECTION

INCLUDED WITH YOUR NEW GUN

Thank you for purchasing the Traditions muzzleloader. Quality, pride and
old world craftsmanship has gone into your new Traditions muzzleloader. We
work hard to provide the best value and performance possible, we back it up
with a limited lifetime warranty. Should you ever experience mechanical
difficulty with your new Traditions firearm, be assured that we are staffed
and equipped to correct it quickly. Your satisfaction with your firearm is very
important to Traditions.

PLEASE HELP US SERVE YOU BETTER

In the unlikely event you need warranty service on your new firearm, we
need your help to get the work done right and without delay. It’s as easy as
dropping us a note or picking up the telephone.

Traditions conveniently engraves the caliber, serial number and model name
on each barrel. Take note of this information, record it on the warranty page
in this manual and be prepared to state it when contacting the Traditions
Customer Service Department with your questions.

Contact Traditions at 1-800-526-9556, tell us what problem you are
experiencing and we’ll get busy to remedy your situation.

Help is just a phone call away should you experience a problem. Simply
follow these four simple steps and we’ll get your firearm back in perfect
working order in the shortest possible time.

1. Do not return your firearm to the dealer. You can save time by following
the steps outlined below.

2. Do call us and describe the problem. Chances are we can either guide you
to a solution right over the phone or when possible send you the parts
you need to correct the problem.

3. Should your gun need factory service, we will give you instructions
about where to ship it and issue you a Return Merchandise
Authorization number.

4. We will inspect your firearm and make necessary repairs that are covered
under warranty.

Often we can help you by phone, call before you return your

Traditions firearm for service. Good Shooting!

1-800-526-9556

Important: All firearms must have a factory issued
Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA#)
before returning to Traditions for warranty service.

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1

I. THE SPORT OF MUZZLELOADING

More and more sportsmen have discovered the challenges and
enjoyment of muzzleloading in the past years. For both hunting
and target shooting, muzzleloading guns have helped a modern
generation recapture and enjoy an important aspect of our
nation’s sporting past.

Traditions™Muzzleloaders are firearms that represent the
latest developments in this unique part of the shooting sports.
They are manufactured to modern standards for safe and
enjoyable shooting.

This booklet is intended as a basic guide for the proper
maintenance, loading and shooting of Traditions muzzleloaders,
and it offers important rules and precautions for safe handling
and shooting of this type of firearm. In addition to this booklet,
it is recommended that the novice obtain further information
and instruction before firing a muzzleloader.

Sources for this help include:

1. National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association.

2. National Rifle Association.

3. Your town clerk, local sporting goods dealer, state
DEP or conservation department.

4. Contact your local muzzleloader or hunting club.

LIMITED LIFETIME MECHANICAL WARRANTY

Traditions will provide a warranty for this muzzleloading firearm (or parts in a kit to be built) to be free of
mechanical defects in materials or craftsmanship for the life of the firearm, while in the possession of the
original owner with the exception of wooden stocks. Traditions will repair or replace, at its’ own option,
products or parts that are returned at owner’s expense to the Traditions Customer Service Department. A full
explanation of the specific problem must accompany the r eturned item. Call 1-800-526-9556 to obtain a
factory issued return authorization number (RMA#).

Firearms packaged and shipped improperly are not covered under warranty if damage occurs.

This warranty shall remain in force unless any of the following are determined by the Traditions Customer
Service Department:

1. Use of any propellant other than black powder, Pyrodex®or Triple 7®.

2. Use of any powder charge in excess of those recommended in this booklet.

3. Use of any plastic patching material with round balls.

4. Modification of internal parts as they were shipped from the factor y.

5. A lack of proper maintenance and thorough cleaning is evident such as rust.

6. Customer abuse.

PARTS & SERVICE

To Order Parts:

ALL PARTS ARE SUBJECT TO A SHIPPING & HANDLING CHARGE. Some parts are restricted and may only
be installed by returning the muzzleloader to us. When ordering parts, please state the Model, Serial Number
and Finish color. For parts information, call 800-526-9556.

To Order Service:

To obtain information about returning your rifle for service or repairs you must obtain an RA# by calling 800­526-9556.

For any Warranty Repair Shipment:

YOU MUST INCLUDE THE RETURN AUTHORIZATION NUMBER (RA#), PROOF OF PURCHASE AND FREIGHT
PREPAID TO:

WARNING!

It is illegal to ship a LOADED FIREARM!!! MAKE SURE YOU

UNLOAD THE FIREARM BEFORE SHIPPING TO TRADITIONS.

Traditions Firearms
Attn: Warranty Repair
1375 Boston Post Road
Old Saybrook, CT 06475

*IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR RA# ON YOUR SHIPMENT THE TURN AROUND ON YOUR REPAIR ISSUE
WILL BE DELAYED. The RA# is a reference number assigned to your return issue and gives the Traditions
Customer Service representative your name, address, phone # and complete details about your return.

Other Info:

Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]

Website: www.traditionsfirearms.com
E-mail: [e-mail]

Business hours: M-TH. 8:00-5:00 EST

Fri. 8:00-12:30 EST (Fall hunting season hours will be extended on Fridays until 4pm)

If you are unsure how to package your firearm for return,

ask your service representative when obtaining your RA#.

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2

II. GENERAL SAFETY RULES

WARNING!

This muzzleloader, like other fire a r ms,

is potentially a lethal weapon that can cause

serious injury, death or damage to pro p e r t y

if handled impro p e r l y .

F i r e a r ms safety is YOUR re s p o n s i b i l i t y !

T h e r e is no such thing as a “safe”

or “foolproof” fire a r m. Handling your

Traditions fire a r m safely depends on YOU!

Handled safely, your fire a r m will give years of

shooting enjoyment. Handle it care l e s s l y, and

YOU will put yourself and everyone aro u n d

you in danger of serious injury or death.

Safety must be the first, foremost and

constant consideration of everyone who

handles a fire a r m. When handling a fire a r m ,

you cannot guess, you cannot forget,

you cannot allow yourself even a momentary

lapse of attention or good judgment,

or irreversible tragedy may re s u l t .

3

III. RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY

1. Treat all fire a r ms as if they were loaded, at all times.
These accidents can be avoided by handling all
f i r e a r ms the same way you would handle a loaded
f i r e a r m, at all times. Even after you verify that a gun
is unloaded, you should continue handling it as you
would a loaded gun, and make sure that others
a r ound you do the same.

2. Point the muzzle in a safe direction at all times. A
“safe direction” is one in which, if the fire a r m were to
d i s c h a r ge, there would be no injury to anyone. Never
point a gun (whether you think it is loaded or
unloaded - see Rule #1 above) directly at another
person or at yourself. Consider that a bullet can
ricochet (glance off) pavement, floors, walls, ro c k s ,
the ground, water, ice or almost any other object it
strikes. Also, bullets can penetrate walls, ceilings,
floors, doors, windows, and many other materials to
kill or injure someone on the opposite side.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the
trigger guard until you have decided to fire. If your
finger is inside the trigger guard, you could fire your
gun without intending to - for instance, if you were
s t a r tled, or if you slipped or lost your balance. By
keeping your finger outside the trigger guard until
you are on target and intend to fire, you ensure that
you will never hit anything you do not intend to.

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4

4. Be sure of your target, and what is around and
beyond it. The bullet fired from your rifle can travel
over one mile, and has the potential to kill or
seriously injure someone at that distance! Once you
pull the trigger, you cannot call the bullet back, so
you must positively identify your target before you
f i r e. Never fire (for instance, at a noise, a movement,
a rustling bush, or a shape in the dark) until you have
positively identified your target as something you
intend to shoot. Fire only with a safe backstop behind
your target - something that will stop and contain the
bullets you fire, even if you miss the target or your
bullet passes through it.

5. Whenever you handle a fire a r m that, even
m o m e n t a r i l y, has been out of your direct contro l ,
s t a r t by checking its condition to determine whether
or not it is loaded. A fire a rm in your hands is a lethal
weapon which is YOUR re s p o n s i b i l i t y, so YOU must
check it yourself, NOW, not later. Do not rely on
someone else to check it. Do not take someone else’s
w o r d for the fire a r m ’s condition. Do not rely on your
m e m o r y of having checked the fire a r m pre v i o u s l y, or
on your belief that you left it unloaded the last time
you used or handled it. Check it again yourself now.

6. Never give a fire a r m to anyone, or take a fire a r m
f r om anyone, unless it is unloaded and the action is
open. If someone tries to hand you a fire a r m with the
action closed, politely ask them to open it before you
take it from them. If you need to open the action of a
f i r e a r m with which you are not familiar, don’t

5

experiment, if you make a fatal mistake! Instead, ask
someone who knows how to handle the fire a r m to
open the action and allow you to verify that it is
unloaded. If you can’t find someone who knows how
to handle the fire a r m, leave it alone!

7. F i re a r ms should be unloaded when not actually in
use. Load your fire a rm only when you are on the
t a r get range or in the field and ready to begin using
it. Unload your gun as soon as you are finished
shooting. Unload your gun before you bring it back
into your car, camp or home. Never leave a loaded
gun unattended, even for a moment.

8. T h o r oughly read and understand the owner’s manual
and other literature supplied with your fire a r m. Never
use any fire a rm unless you completely understand
how it operates and how its safety features work.
Contact Traditions if you have any questions or
c o n c e r ns, or if you are not certain you have all the
l i t e r a t u r e supplied with the fire a r m at the time it was
first sold. Even if you understand everything in this
manual, no manual can provide you with the benefits
of hands-on fire a r ms instruction. If you are not
a l ready an experienced fire a r ms user, you should
obtain training in the safe and proper use of fire a r m s
by attending one of the many fire a r ms safety and
shooting courses off e r ed in all parts of the country
by the National Rifle Association (telephone 703-267-

1000), gun clubs and ranges, gun shops, shooting
schools and other qualified sources of instru c t i o n .

5

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6

9 . B e f o r e firing any fire a r m, be sure it is in good

working order and that the barrel is clear of dirt ,
g r ease, water, excess oil, rust, corrosion or any
other obstruction.

1 0 . Always wear high-quality ear and eye pro t e c t i o n

when shooting or observing, and be sure that others
who are present do the same. Exposure to gunfire
noise will cause permanent hearing loss (deafness) if
good ear protection (either commerc i a l l y
m a n u f a c t u r ed ear plugs, earm u ff-type hearing
p r otectors, or both) is not worn. Close-fitting,
i m p a c t - r esistant shooting glasses or safety glasses
of wraparound or side-panel design help to guard
against potentially blinding eye injuries caused by
granules of powder, fragments from the target or
backstop, metal fragments which can result from a
burst primer, etc. Never shoot a fire a r m, or allow
yourself or others to be present where shooting is in
p r o g r ess, without both eye and ear protection in
place. Eye protection can also provide import a n t
p r otection while you are disassembling and cleaning
your fire a r ms, both from flying fire a r ms parts, and
f r om aerosols and other solvents and cleaning fluids
that can spray or splash into your eyes, causing
serious eye injury.

11. F i r e a r ms, drugs and alcohol don’t mix! Never handle
f i r e a r ms while under the influence of alcohol or
d r ugs (including prescription medications) that can
impair your normal senses, abilities, alert n e s s ,
reflexes, perception or judgment. Make sure

6 7

e v e r yone in your presence follows the same ru l e .
Also, avoid handling fire a rms when you are ill,
exhausted, upset or preoccupied with other concern s

- safe fire a r ms handling re q u i r es your full attention,
and all of your abilities, unimpaired by other factors.

12. Any fire a r m, ammunition or supplies which are not
under your direct control should be stored so it is
inoperable or inaccessible to children and other
unauthorized users. Children are attracted to, and
can find, load and operate fire a r ms, causing serious
i n j u ry or death to themselves and others. Pre v e n t i n g
child access and tragic, avoidable accidents is
YOUR re s p o n s i b i l i t y, as an adult gun owner. The
safest way to store fire a r ms is unloaded, locked in
a gun safe or vault.

7

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8

IV. SAFETY RULES AND PRECAUTIONS

FOR FIRING AND USE OF YOUR

TRADITIONS FIREARM

WARNING!

Keep the safety engaged in the “Safe” position
until you are aimed at a proper target and have
decided to fire. Failure to do so could cause serious
injury or death.

WARNING!

Use the safety on this rifle, but don’t trust or rely on it
as a substitute for safe gun handling practices. The
safety is a mechanical device which could fail. Or, by
mistake, you may think the safety is on when it is not.
Or the safety may become disengaged without your
knowledge. Or you could think your gun is unloaded
when it is loaded. Always follow the safe gun handling
rules and procedures in this manual, whether you
think the safety is on or off, and whether you think the
rifle is loaded or unloaded. Don’t pull the trigger when
the safety is engaged, or when it is positioned part
way between Safe and Fire. Don’t use or rely on the
safety lever to try to “childproof” your rifle or keep it
safe from untrained persons - instead, your rifle
should be unloaded and securely locked up, out of
access of children and other unauthorized users.

WARNING!

Keep hands, fingers and other body parts from
touching the muzzle, barrel or chamber after firing, as
they could be burned by hot metal.

8 9

WARNING!

If dropped or struck, whether the safety is “on” or
“off’, the rifle may fire, causing serious injury or death.
Keep the rifle unprimed (without a 209 primer in the
breech) unless actually firing! Keep the safety “on”
unless actually firing! When carrying or handling the
rifle, keep it pointed in a safe direction, and carry it in
such a way that you can safely control the direction in
which the rifle points even if you should slip, stumble
or fall.

WARNING!

Children are attracted to, and can find, load and
operate firearms, causing serious injury or death to
themselves and others. Prevent child access by always
keeping guns locked away and unloaded when not in
use. If you leave a gun loaded or unloaded where a
child obtains and improperly uses it, you may be fined
or sent to prison or both.

Never transport or carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle
or otherwise. Always transport or carry your rifle
unloaded, with the safety engaged and the action
open. A suitable carrying case should be used to
transport or carry your unloaded rifle to and from the
range or other safe shooting area. Check the laws to
determine and follow legal requirements in
transporting a firearm in your jurisdiction. Close the
rifle’s action and load the rifle only when you are at the
range or other safe shooting area, ready to begin
shooting.

9

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