Traditions - Fox River Fifty

[Feddog82]

I was given a "new" Traditions Fox River Fifty a while back and I never even really looked it over. It has a nice wood stock and blued metal. The barrel is 24" I think and it is a nice Hex barrel. I was bored today between all of my NFL madness and decided to take it down and look it over. Now this thing has been leaning in a corner of my basement for years so there was a light bit of rust starting to develop in a couple spots. I cleaned all of that off and it looks new. I took the muzzleloader comlpletely apart down to the last little parts then lubed and reassembled. It seems to me that it was never fired at all.

When it was given to me it was only the rifle, no manual of any kind. I can not find one online either. I assume that it uses #11 caps and that I can use any kind of .50 cal projectile I choose (or a .45 cal in a .50 cal plastic sabot like many people use in the modern inlines). I would also assume that a powder charge between 50 and 100 grains would suit this rifle the best. Just trying to find out if my assumptions are correct before trying anything. Let me know if you guys/gals have any info that would be helpful whether it is info from the manual on this rifle or just personal suggestions. Thanks!!!

P.S. I searched the net for a manual and info and came up with only suggestions, no hard facts. Also this is one of the Fox River Fifties that was produced in Spain and imported by Traditions when they were located in Old Saybrook, CT.
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[simonkenton]

I googled this rifle up, not much info available.
I did learn that it has a 1:48 twist.
This is an intermediate twist, which gives good accuracy with patched round balls, as well as with elongated slugs.

Why don't you use what the pioneers used, the patched round ball. Get a box of .490 round balls, and some pillow ticking. Get some Old Zip patch lube from dixieguns.com and you are ready to go.
Try 70 grains of black powder, then try 80 grains, then try 90, see what your most accurate load is.

With 70 grains of powder you can kill deer and hogs all day long with this rifle. The patched round ball is a proven game getter, is traditional, and is the cheapest way to shoot.
From looking at your rifle yes, I assume you would use number 11 caps, they work great and are, likewise, cheap.

You also could try an elongated slug, such as the Buffalo Bullet etc., they are fine but more expensive.
They don't like to talk about sabots on this forum, if you want info on sabots you must go to the inline forum.
Really you can probably do everything you want to do with the good old patched round ball.

[longcaribiner]

If it is a one in 48, that is a compromise twist.  Fair accuracy with both round ball or bullet, but not stellar accuracy with either.  A short barrel like that will allow moderate loads of powder to be consumed before the ball or bullet leaves the muzzle, but anything over about 80 grains will be wasted as muzzle flash and smoke.  Resist the temptation to feel that you need elephant loads to kill whitetail.  You won't be facing down a charging bull elephant and won't need a skull crushing elephant gun to kill any wild animal in your state.  There are folks who would laugh their butts off at anyone using a 600 Nitro express rifle for deer, yet feel the need to overload their muzzleloaders, risking life and limb, to hunt white tail. 

What range will you be hunting?  Most woodland whitetail are shot at under 50 yds.  A patched 50 cal round ball over 80 grains of FFG is plenty for whitetail under 75 to 100 yds. 

 

[Feddog82]

I hunt in SE and NE Pennsylvania and sometimes Maryland.  The shot that I would be taking with this would be no further than 75 yards.  I guess I will just start low with my charges and work my way up 10 grains at a time to see what works best.

Just a side question:  I have owned and used inline muzzleloaders for quite some time and they are very easy to do a thorough cleaning on.  How exactly do you go about cleaning one of these bad boys really well?  When I took it aprt it seemed as though the breech plug would not want to come out though I did not try hard.  I tend to run a cleaning patch through after every shot when at the range but I still like to do a spick and span cleaning from time to time.

Thanks for all the help.

[simonkenton]

Don't take the breech plug out.
These are easier to clean than inlines.
Does it have a hooked breech, where you can just pop the barrel out of the stock?
Those are really easy to clean.


You have a good hunting rifle.
I have killed all kinds of deer and wild hogs with a muzzleloader with a 1:48 twist and the .490 patched round ball. This is in the thick Georgia woods. Maximum range, 80 yards, average range, 40 yards. I used 80 grains of ffg Goex black powder.
Put that round ball in the lungs, you won't believe what an effective deer killer it is.

[Feddog82]

Yes it has a hooked breech.  I figured I should leave it alone as I did.

So when you want to get this thing spotless clean inside how do you go about doing that?  Just looking for your technique and pointers.

[Cuts Crooked]

Unhook barrel from stock, remove nipple, place breech in bucket of HOT soapy water, use jag and patch on ramrod to pump water into the barrel and back out, change patch and do again, repeat until clean, remove from bucket, run clean patches through until dry, lube with your favorte bore lube, wipe outside down with lube, clean nipple with tooth brush then lube threads and reinstall, put barrel back in stock.......check again in about a week for any sign of rusting and lubricate as appropriate if needed.

[Feddog82]

Thank you very much, that is exactly what I was looking for.

[simonkenton]

I have heard of guys who have taken the barrel into the shower with them.*
Seriously.

*Do not try this if your wife is at home.

[DennyRoark]

If it's sat for a long time and you don't know how dirty it is, you might try wrapping a patch around a nylon or bronze bore brush after you get it cleaned up with the soapy water and jag.  The new, improved Wonderlube/Borebutter has been caking my barrel real bad as of late.  Been shooting prelubed maxiballs.  After the soapy water treatment, I pour scalding water down the barrel out of a teapot.  It drys real fast, then I use the patch/brush with bore cleaner, then the jag/patch until clean.  Then give it a good oiling.  Works for me, some don't like the scalding water!

[Feddog82]

What thickness patch do you think I should use with this rifle when shooting round balls?  Cotton patch or Pillow Ticking?  And what do you prefer, lubing your own patches or pre-lubed?  If you lube your own then what commercial lube do you use?

Thanks

[Ron T.]

What thickness patch do you think I should use with this rifle when shooting round balls?  Cotton patch or Pillow Ticking?  And what do you prefer, lubing your own patches or pre-lubed?  If you lube your own then what commercial lube do you use?

Thanks

My Traditions .50 caliber Shenandoah flintlock likes .490 lead balls and .015 denim patches (you need to wash the material before using the material for patches) and I use waterless hand soap as a lube.  It also cleans the barrel a little each time you seat a new ball.  You should write or call Traditions and find out if they have an instruction booklet they can send you or that you can download on the net.  Here's their email address:
 
info@traditionsfirearms.com


Good luck...   


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.