TRADITIONS EXPRESS DOUBLE 84FS RIFLE
TYPE - inline O/U muzzleloader
CALIBER - 50
CAPICITY - 2
BARREL LENGTH - 24"
OVER ALL LENGTH - 41.5"
WEIGHT - 12.5 POUNDS
FINISH - nickel, matte blue, high gloss
STOCKS - walnut, synthetic
SIGHTS - Williams ramp, fiber optics
MSRP - $1599-$1749
IMPORTER - Traditions Firearms

Group size at 100 yards - 1-3/4 to 1-5/8 both barrels respectively. Load was 100 grains of Triple Se7en pellets and a 250 grain Traditions projectile. He also states the triggers are heavy, but break clean and crisp. This information was taken from the August issue of Guns & Ammo (which is a great magazine if you like handguns) where they have a featured article on the rifle. A person takes it on a deer hunt.

These are just my thoughts on the whole idea of an express muzzleloader. In all the years I have hunted, I never needed a second shot. Just lucky I guess. Or maybe because I am so insistent on the kind of shot I take. I will let an animal walk before I take a shot that I am sure is not high percentage of a clean take down. Would the quick second shot be nice... sure. Especially when hunting dangerous game like bear, moose,or bunny rabbits (they are hard to hit). Of course some states would not allow the rifle, mine included I believe.

12.5 pounds of weight. That is a long day in the woods people. When I was a young buck I hunted for years with a Savage 12 gauge double barrel shotgun. Killed a lot of birds with that gun (still have it in a gun rack somewhere). And developed lots of arm muscles hauling that thing around. I also have a Browning Light Twelve semi auto 5. Believe me, nothing light about that shotgun. Killed a lot of birds with it though. I finally went to a Winchester 1300 pump 20 gauge. Still kill a lot of birds but it is better to carry. Now it is single shot black powder shotguns.. What's next, a sling shot? Haul that express rifle all day over mountains, hills, even flat ground, and it will be heavy. Now throw a scope on there as well. Whats a good scope weigh?

Now in all fairness, the writer claims the extra weight can be nice when a stout load is fired. 100 grains is a good load. If it is stout, then I guess extra weigh is an answer. Not for me mind you, but it would help with recoil.

The only advantage of this rifle I see is a fast follow up shot. Accuracy wise it sounds good. But then all these magazines claim great accuracy since they sell add space. Its when you get them to your home that you learn the rest of the story. I personally never saw an express rifle shoot to the same POI with the two barrels. Close mind you, but not the same. This writer claims there is an adjustment screw on the bottom barrel that you can adjust and it will aligning the bottom and top to the same POI.

The last kicker is the price. Now granted they were found on sale. But Traditions feel that $1500 is a fair price. Maybe it is. After all you're getting a second shot you might not need, and a lot of extra metal to carry around all day. Sorry people.. not for me. But to each their own.