The spring woods were alive with the sounds of ruffed grouse drumming and Canada geese creating a ruckus in the background. It was late afternoon, and I stalked down the green trapper’s trail, hoping to catch a big bruin taking advantage of the early-season vegetation. The trail was winding, and as I rounded a corner, I heard the rustle of dry vegetation. Stopping to listen, I caught movement in the trees and had a nice black bear sauntering towards the trail about 50 yards away. Shooting sticks were quietly deployed, and to my surprise, a giant cinnamon-colored bear ran in behind the black. With the spring rut in full swing, it was not hard to decipher that the black bear was a sow in heat and the cinnamon a big boar that had let his guard down while focused on the circle of life.
My focus was the boar, and as the bears got close, the sow spotted me and stood up at the base of a big aspen tree. When the boar rolled in beside her, I leveled my Traditions Outfitter G2 on the vitals and slowly engaged the trigger. The big bruin somersaulted forward at the rifle’s report and fell to the ground. The .45-70 bullet ensured that tracking was not necessary. The sow disappeared like it was shot out of a cannon.
The Outfitter G3 is the newest Traditions model, ideal for spot-and-stalk hunts or in tight quarters. It is also a standout when weight and size matter. Big, slow bullets, like a .45-70 or .35 Whelen, are ideal for close encounters in the bush. Like the G2, the Traditions Outfitter G3 is short, compact, and extremely accurate. The compact design offers the advantage of reducing movement when shooting in tight spaces. The break-action, single-shot cartridge rifle is easy to load. This centerfire rifle is the perfect choice for whitetail and large game hunting. With a 22-inch Chromoly fluted barrel, the Outfitter G3 provides superior safety with a transfer bar safety and manual trigger block.
Traditions is well known for its muzzleloaders and has a popular following among cowboy action shooters with pistols. The Outfitter G3 rifle is available in .357 MAG, .35 Whelen, .44 MAG, .45-70, .35 Rem, 300 AAC Blackout, 450 Bushmaster, and 350 Legend. The rifle package includes a scope with rings, bases, and a case. The MSRP ranges from $550.00 to $675.00.
The Outfitter G3 is extremely versatile and came in handy on a mule deer hunt where I was forced to crawl to get close enough for a shot. The lightweight and compact design made it easy to move forward. A single shot from the .35 Whelen anchored the buck and quickly ended my hunt. The unique calibers provide options for any hunt or season.
Muzzleloader Passion
Hunting with a muzzleloader is a passion, and the Traditions NitroFire has been a game-changer, providing reliability, accuracy, and ease of use. The new technology in the inline rifle means no more breech plug or pouring powder down the barrel. Federal Premium makes a capsulated charge FireStick, inserted directly into the barrel where there would typically be a breech plug. The charge ignites with a 209 primer inserted directly into the FireStick. It is ready to fire when loaded into the break-action rifle and the hammer cocked. The bullet loads down the barrel. It sits on a shelf to ensure the FireStick sits directly under it for consistent energy. It has simplified muzzleloading with added safety.
Consistency and accuracy result from premeasured FireStick loads in 100 or 120-grain options. The FireSticks use a new propellant from Hodgdon Powers called Triple 8. It burns cleaner than other powders, leaving little fouling in the barrel and making cleaning a breeze. At the range, the NitroFire and FireStick combination produced cloverleaf groups at 100 yards. To say I was excited to hunt the Sandhills with the new technology is an understatement.
My first hunt with the smokepole was in Nebraska, where I found an exceptional whitetail buck hot on the heels of a doe. We marked a ridge where the buck disappeared and hiked quickly to close the distance. As we edged to the crest, I deployed shooting sticks and brought binoculars to my eyes — three deer milled across the draw on the distant ridge. The big buck had caught up with the doe, but another buck was already courting her. The sun started to streak vibrantly-colored light across the sky behind us as I settled in behind my NitroFire. The buck was ranged at 152 yards. The doe would look at us, then back at her potential suitors. I watched the buck in my scope until it stopped broadside. I cocked the hammer and slowly applied pressure to the trigger. The Carnivore bullet hit the deer right behind the shoulder, making it a short distance before falling.
The NitroFire muzzleloader is a break-action, .50 caliber inline rifle with a 26-inch ultralight Chromoly steel fluted and tapered barrel with VAPR 1:24-inch twist rifling. The rifle features a Dual Safety System, an Elite XT trigger system with a rebounding hammer, a captive half-cock, and manual cross-block trigger safety. You can load or unload the muzzleloader and view the chamber. The NitroFire is available in ten configurations of finishes and optics options.
Bullet Options
Traditions has added three new bullets to its Smackdown lineup, all featuring a new sabot with horizontal ribbing and a deeper cup. The new sabot provides a better gas seal for consistency and ease of loading.
Smackdown Bleed Bullets are lead-free with a hollow point design to deliver more energy and create massive wound channels. This bullet is ideal for whitetail enthusiasts and hog and predator hunters. Available in 170-grain options in .45 and .50 calibers.
Smackdown XR Bullets have a high ballistic coefficient for better accuracy and Xtreme Range (XR). A PC tip maximizes expansion for optimal terminal performance. The bullet will be popular with deer, elk, and small game hunters. Available in 200, 230, and 250-grain options in .45 and .50 calibers.
Smackdown Carnivore Bullets have polycarbonate tips to maximize expansion for hard-hitting results. This bullet is ideal for big and or dangerous game hunting. Available in 250, 275, and 305-grain options in .45 and .50 calibers.
