Semisane

Hello there RadDad, and welcome to the forum. I think you'll enjoy it here.

I can't help you with info on that model Traditions, but I suspect someone here will know something about it.

As far as loads, a 1:32 twist should shoot conicals and sabots real well. If that gun hasnever been fired I would get a box of 410 grain or 385 grain Hornady Great Plains conicals (20 in the box)and some Pyrodex RS, and break it in by shooting up those bulletsusing 70 grain loads.

I don't know your background with muzzle loaders and/or other guns, so I'll throw this out there for whatever it's worth. I break in a new ML barrel by shooting lead conicals like the Great Plains and fully cleaning and oiling the bore between each shot. If you get a quart of 91% isopropyl alcohol ($2.50 at WalMart) you will probably get a clean bore by the third patch after each shot. I start with both sides of a very wet patch of the straight alcohol. Then both sides of a slightly dryer patch, then both sides of another slightly dryer patch. Then run a lightly oiled patch down the bore, then a dry patch, then reload. It's a pain in the butt, but (my opinion) worth the trouble.

EDIT: I was thinking about mybreak-in procedure and had an afterthought. Though I've never shot them, if I were breaking a new 50 caliber today I think I would give the Hornady FPBs a try. The copper wash coating on those should burnish the bore more effectively than lead.