Federal Ammunition's New FireStick – Revolutionizing the Muzzleloader
I have to confess that I didn’t know that hunting with muzzleloaders was a thing, but it’s legal in several states in the United States and seems to be gaining in popularity. Federal Ammunition calls their new product FireStick, and describe it as a whole new chapter in muzzleloading technology. By the looks of it, the FireStick reduces the amount of steps you need to take to fire a muzzleloader quite dramatically. We got our first look at the Fire Stick back at SHOT Show 2020, check out our earlier article here.
Below you can see a break-down of the components.
- Shooter inserts Federal 209 muzzleloading primer (SOLD SEPARATELY)
- Fast, effortless charging and decharging
- Same tight tolerances and quality controls as loaded ammunition
- Propellant capsule uses clean-burning Hodgdon® Triple Eight™ powder
- Impervious to moisture and the elements
Here is the full press release:
Federal Ammunition Introduces New FireStick to Revolutionize Hunting with Muzzleloaders
ANOKA, Minnesota – As long as there have been muzzleloading firearms, their shooters have been burdened by reliability, consistency and safety concerns. The new Federal Premium FireStick solves those issues. It is the main component of a whole new ignition system that uses an encapsulated propellant charge inserted from the breech, with the bullet loaded from the muzzle. The result is a safer, cleaner, more convenient and reliable way to hunt with a muzzleloader. Shipments of this new product have begun to arrive at dealers.
The FireStick charge is completely impervious to moisture. It features clean-burning Hodgdon Triple Eight powder and is loaded to the same tight tolerances as other Federal Premium factory ammunition. This ensures shot-to-shot consistency and accuracy that muzzleloaders have never experienced before. FireStick can be removed quickly, simply and safely by slipping it out of the action—there’s no need to fire the rifle to unload it.
“The primary benefit of the FireStick is best-in-class safety. Its design allows for a hunter to quickly and easily uninstall it whenever needed, such as to cross a fence, climb into a treestand, enter a blind, or ride in a vehicle,” said Federal Muzzleloader Product Manager Dan Compton. “It also delivers a safer shooting experience because using factory-controlled, precision-measured, pre-filled powder charges eliminates the risk of accidentally over-charging a rifle to dangerous levels.”
Features & Benefits
- Polymer charge filled with clean-burning Hodgdon Triple Eight powder
- Charges from the breech of Traditions NitroFire rifle
- Bullet loads from the muzzle
- Totally impervious to moisture and the elements
- Same tight tolerances and quality controls as loaded ammunition
- Fast, effortless loading and unloading
- Shooter inserts 209 shotgun primer (not included)
The FireStick can be used with the shooter’s choice of bullets and primers. It is the perfect match for Federal Premium Trophy Copper or Lead Tipped muzzleloader bullets and 209 Muzzleloading Primers. Currently, the FireStick is only compatible with the new NitroFire rifle from Traditions. Initially, FireStick will be available from dealers of Federal Ammunition and Traditions Firearms. Learn more at: https://www.federalpremium.com/firestick.html.
Prices are as follows:
PMZFS100T8 / 100-grain FireStick / $26.99
PMZFS120T9 / 120-grain FireStick / $26.99
Here’s a one minute video to find out what it’s all about.
The Traditions’ new NitroFire rifle is one muzzleloader that is compatible with the FireStick.
Find Federal FireStick Ammunition
For more information on all products from Federal or to shop online, visit www.federalpremium.com
Will this new product get you into shooting and hunting with muzzleloaders? What do you think?
Still not sure? There’s a pretty good FAQ at the bottom of the page here.
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Ex-Arctic Ranger. Competitive practical shooter and hunter with a European focus. Always ready to increase my collection of modern semi-automatics, optics, thermals and suppressors. TCCC Certified. Occasionaly seen in a 6x6 Bug Out Vehicle, always with a big smile.
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What if the firestick had a 1" barrel integral to it? Then it's a 4" long muzzle loading pistol. You can hit it with a hammer to set it off, or use this more convenient 5 foot long velocity enhancing muzzle device & brace that it fits right into. But it's definitely not a cartridge going into a firearm, it's a self-contained pistol with accuracy enhancing fixtures that are totally non-permanent. No, the big part isn't the gun, it's more like a prosthesis that helps hold the gun. Yeah, that's it.
Surprising it hasn't been done earlier, they've been improving muzzleloaders for awhile now, some of the more expensive ones can shoot right with a centerfire to 200-300 yards. Look there's only 2 markets for these things that keep them going. 1) felons and 2) hunters that either want to fill additional tags in states that allow separate muzzleloader tags, or they want to get a shot at trophy animals earlier before "gun" hunters thin the numbers, the same reason many people archery hunt. I know tons of archery and muzzleloader hunters, and almost every one of them has zero interest in being a "traditional" hunter, it's all about getting to kill more animals and getting to the trophy ones before the masses of gun hunters do. It's a lot like black friday shopping, archery and muzzleloaders are the equivalent of being first in line at your favorite storefront to get the deals.
I know guys that are grooming their kids 2 years early so their 10 year old can take a trophy animal because youth season is usually the first season of the year.