Traditions pursuit XLT Extreme (REVIEW)

matt068 · 02-11-2010, 07:12 PM

I finally received my scope and rings and got to shoot my new ML today So as i said i would review the gun for all.

The gun is sharp looking, clad in camo and nickel and the overall balance and feel of the gun with the soft touch camo to me seems very comfortable. This gun features the knoxx recoil system, PAS projectile aligninging system. It has a 28" fluted and ported barrel as well.
After installing weaver bases and rings i attached a Barska 3x9x40 scope which set me back a whole $23 from sportmans guide
After boresighting I loaded a 240 gr hornaday xtp w/ mmp sabots on top of 100 gr of 777 pellets. To my amazement my first shot, the elevation was perfect but 2 inches to the right I decided to try for a nice group and group it did. After each shot I used 1 wet patch followed by 3 dry and after 3 shots at 100 yds all 3 bullet holes were touching. I then tried 250 gr shockwaves on same powder load, not quite the accuracy but 2 inch groups arent bad I noticed shockwaves seemed quite a bit looser upon loading.

WHAT I LIKED:::
Great accuracy and virtually no recoil w/ knoxx system its like shooting a 22 rifle I am really amazed how well it works. Like the double safety and the ease of break action to remove breech plug. Very little blowback around primer.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Trigger is not all that crisp. Also upon starting a bullet either of the two bullets I used they go in Projectile alignment system fine once the sabots hit rifling a bitch to get started once past initial rifling slide down ok. This is compounded by the knoxx recoil system as you push bullet to start, since it goes in hard at first the recoil system compresses w/out a firm bottom to push against makes starting bullet even harder

OVERALL
I have a total of about $310 into this gun I bought the closeout w/out the new accelerator breech plug. A new gun alone is $540 I can remove my breech plug w/ a wrench for $230 and the break open action is a lot nicer to do this than my OMEGA. Accuracy feel and overall detail make me a very happy owner of this TRADITIONS Hopefully my pics of gun and groups come up as well Hope this may help anyone out!! I highly recomend this GUN

cayugad · 02-11-2010, 07:15 PM

Nice looking rifle... glad to hear it is shooting so well for you.

gman57 · 02-11-2010, 08:11 PM

Congrats on a nice rifle and good shooting,tha Traditions people do some thing right when I first shot my Pursuit LT same thing the elevation was right there but the horizontal was like 3" to the left. Enjoy.

stretch56 · 02-12-2010, 04:14 AM

nice looking gun
those xtp's really shot a nice group

saxman1 · 02-12-2010, 07:37 AM

Good report
I shouldered that rifle yesterday at GM.
Nice feel to it.

Semisane · 02-12-2010, 07:52 AM

Excellent report Matt. I've always liked the feel of the Traditions. Darn near bought one back when I bought my Mustang. Maybe I should have. The Mustang has never shot a group like your first one.

Doe Dumper · 02-13-2010, 03:09 PM

One thing I always liked about Traditions rifles... not the most expensive but every one I have messed with has grouped really well.

dburns51 · 02-16-2010, 09:15 AM

Great report. All and all that ml is a keeper.

heinz57 · 02-19-2010, 02:45 PM

how is the trigger pull ...???????

matt068 · 02-19-2010, 07:02 PM

The trigger pull isnt all that bad, It just doesn't seem very smooth to me. That goes for the whole trigger assembly including the safety its plastic and just has a cheap feel to me it does however shoot awesome so I'll overlook that. I really cant find fault with much else Did some more fine tuning with the scope and literally put 5 shots for a total group of about 7/8 " at 100 yds