Thompson/Center
FIRE STORM
I
recently contacted T/C looking to do a review on a muzzleloader
for hunting season. Since I live in Pennsylvania, the
folks at T/C recommended that I give the Fire Storm
flint lock a try. I really knew nothing at all about
muzzleloaders and wanted to write about a black powder
rifle that would be fairly easy, for a beginner to learn
with. I conveyed my concerns to them, and they again
suggested the Fire Storm. The only real experience I
had with a muzzleloader of any type was shooting a ball
or two, when someone had it at the range and offered
me a try. I never really was bite by the black powder
bug. I would watch as a charge was poured, the patch
and ball rammed down, and then the priming pan filled,
the whole time thinking" this takes way too long". The
shooters would then take aim, pull the trigger, have
a puff of smoke from the priming charge drift across
their face, then what seemed to be a half second delay
and BANG, the ball was fired. I truly didn't see what
the fuss was all about. Then I started shooting the
Fire Storm!
One of other staff writers, Fletch Ruckman, and myself
went out to our testing area with the Fire Storm, his
large collection of black powder accruements, some powder,
balls, sabots and pyrodex pellets. Fletch has a world
of black powder experience and was really interested
to see what the Fire Storm could do, especially in the
area of ignition. After a little instruction on the
proper loading of a flintlock, I loaded up the rifle
with a modest 70 grain charge, rammed down a patched
round ball and primed the pan. I took aim at the backstop
and fired. It all seemed to move pretty fast to me,
the priming powder ignited and then the rifle went off
almost instantly. I looked over a Fletch and all he
said was "Whoa!" I asked what he meant, and he responded
with "that's the fastest ignition I've ever seen in
an out of the box flint lock". We shot it a few more
times with the same results, super fast ignition. Now
it was time to try it with some Pyrodex pellets. We
loaded up two fifty grain .50 caliber pellets and gave
it a shot. Fletch seemed even more amazed at the ignition
time of the Pyrodex pellets. Because of my lack of experience
with what a flint lock should do, I started wondering
what made the Fire Storm, so special.
The T/C Fire Storm was designed specifically for ultra
reliable ignition with modern Pyrodex® Pellets. The
patent pending Pyrodex® Pyramid directs the ignition
fire 360° around the entire base of the Pyrodex® Pellet.
As the pellets move forward, the flame is drawn up through
the center of the pellets, creating a "fire storm" in
the breech for reliable ignition.(see illustration below)
After getting used to the rifle, I went to a bench for
some serious accuracy work with the rifle. I fired a
few 3 shot strings at a 100yd. Sight in target placed
out at fifty yards. My first group was just over 2 inches.
I new the rifle should be capable of a better group,
so I shot again. By the third group, I was ripping one
big hole. I then went out to 100yds. The first group
at this distance spread to about 3 1/2 inches, with
my best coming in at 2 1/2 inches. I am pretty confident
that with more practice, I'll be able to get down to
a 1 inch group.
There are a few other features of this rifle that are
worth mentioning. The Fire Storm is capable of taking
a powder charge of up to 150 grains of FFG Black Powder
or Pyrodex® equivalent (or 3 Pyrodex® 50 caliber, 50
grain Pellets). The flint lock model ( they also make
a cap lock model ) features a 1 in 48" twist and will
fire both conicals and ball. The Fire Storm has a removable
breech plug for easy cleaning from either the breech
end or the muzzle. The Fire Storm also features a massive
recoil lug which will assure solid and consistent barrel
lock up, a plus for accuracy time and time again. The
all steel click adjustable fiber optic sights aid in
precise sight alignment in low light conditions. The
barrel of the Fire Storm also features the QLA Muzzle
System.
T/C's QLA Muzzle System (Quick, Load, Accurizor) is
basically a built in "false muzzle". Many old time target
shooters used to attach a false muzzle to their rifle
barrel for loading purposes, to guarantee precise alignment
of the projectile during the loading procedure. They
would then remove the "false muzzle", prior to shooting.
The "false muzzle" also protected the rifling from being
damaged or worn during loading. T/C's QLA Muzzle is
built right into the end of the barrel in all of their
rifles permanently. It guarantees consistent alignment
of the projectile because it is surrounded by steel
for 360 degrees prior to being driven down the bore
and engraved with the rifling. This consistent alignment
greatly improves the accuracy potential of the rifle
by eliminating one of the variables associated with
good accuracy... projectile alignment. T/C's QLA® Muzzle
System also makes loading your second shot in the field
much easier. You merely drop the projectile in the barrel
and go straight to your ramrod, using short strokes.
It eliminates the hassle of trying to align the projectile
with one hand, and drive it into the rifling with a
short starter.
Specifications: (Flint Lock)
· Caliber: .50
· Ignition: Flint Lock
· Barrel Length: 26" with QLA® Muzzle System built in.
· Rifling Twist: 1 in 48" twist for use with Round Balls
and Conicals.
· O/A Length: 41 3/4".
· Approx. Wt: 7 lb.
· Rifle Sights: Competition click adjustable steel rear
sight and ramp
style front sight are fitted with Tru-GloTM
Fiber Optics.
· Stock: Black Composite.
· Trigger: Single with large trigger guard bow.
· Extra Features: Aluminum ramrod is standard.
· Loading: The Fire StormTM can accept Magnum charges
of up to
150 grains of FFG Black Powder or
Pyrodex® equivalent (or 3 Pyrodex® 50 caliber,
50 grain Pellets).
Specifications: (209 Cap Lock)
· Caliber: .50
· Ignition: 209 Shotgun Primer
· Barrel Length: 26" with QLA® Muzzle System built in.
· Rifling Twist: 1 in 28" twist for use with Conicals
and Sabots.
· O/A Length: 41 3/4".
· Approx. Wt: 7 lb.
· Rifle Sights: Competition click adjustable steel rear
sight and ramp
style front sight are fitted with Tru-GloTM
Fiber Optics.
· Stock: Black Composite.
· Trigger: Single with large trigger guard bow.
· Extra Features: Aluminum ramrod is standard.
· Loading: The Fire StormTM can accept Magnum charges
of up to
150 grains of FFG Black Powder or
Pyrodex® equivalent (or 3 Pyrodex® 50 caliber,
50 grain Pellets).
You can get more information on the Fire Storm or any
of Thompson/Center's other fine products at www.tcarms.com
By: Ron England
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