MDM-Muzzleloaders
Maidstone, Vermont
Manufacturers of Millennium Designed Muzzleloaders
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~DESIGNED FOR THE HUNTER BY THE HUNTER~
The Ultimate Muzzleloaders and Accessories......
Load and Fire
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR
SHOOTING YOUR MDM FIREARM
In order to shoot your MDM muzzleloading firearm, a
minimum of accessories and equipment will be necessary,
which include the following:
1. Proper ear protection.
2. Proper eye protection.
3. Black Powder or approved substitute.
4. A powder measure.
5. Appropriate projectile size for the caliber of fi rearm in use.
Lead shot pellets only for the shotguns.
6. #209 shotshell primers.
7. Cleaning patches.
8. Patch worm for retrieving lost cleaning patches.
9. Cleaning Jag, supplied with your MDM firearm.
10. An appropriate bore cleaner and lubricant, suggest MDM
“LIGHTING SOLUTIONS”, gun care products.
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11. Breech Plug Wrench, supplied with your MDM firearm.
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TO LOAD AND FIRE
Practice this important aspect of gun handling (with an unloaded
firearm) until you can perform each of the steps - described
below - with skill and confidence.
Before loading the firearm, please read completely through
this manual, and always be certain the muzzle of your fi rearm
is pointing in a safe direction.
Do not load the rifle until you
are ready to use it!!
-WARNING--LOADING
Please
reread carefully the paragraph entitled
“WARNING - BLACK POWDER”, page 14.
DO NOT LOAD IN A HURRY
In the interests of both performance and safety, it is important
that steps which follow be performed in sequence and with
attention to detail:
1. BEFORE LOADING:
Check firearm to ensure that breech plug / nipple is unprimed;
bore and breech plug / nipple are internally free of grease,
oil, and other obstructions. Be certain the barrel is empty of
powder or projectile.
We suggest one of three ways to verify this:
A. Open the breech of your firearm by depressing the
receiver opening plunger and the barrel will rotate downward
to the open action position. Hold the receiver end of the
firearm, pointed at a light source, and visually look down your
barrel from the muzzle end. You should see light passing
through the breech plug / nipple.
B. Insert the ramrod into the barrel and tap it up and down
several times. You will hear the metal cap of the ramrod
“clink” as it contacts the steel face of the breech plug. Note
exactly how far the ramrod goes into the barrel.
C. Remove the ignition system from your fi rearm and look
through the receiver end to verify there are no obstructions.
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2. CLEARING THE BREECH PLUG / NIPPLES:
Without loading the barrel, place a #209 primer on the breech
plug / nipple.
Point the firearm in a safe direction, a few
inches from some grass, leaves, or snow.
Rotate the hammer
to the “COCKED” or “FIRE” position, and pull the trigger to
fi re the primer.
You should see the grass, leaves, or snow move
from the force of the percussion cap.
Repeat this process with several primers. This is done to
ensure that the nipple passage and the breech area is clear
and dry. The presence of any amount of oil in the barrel or
chamber can dampen the powder charge and cause the fi rearm
to misfire or hang fire.
-WARNING
Never load powder and/or projectiles down the muzzle with
any percussion cap or primer on the breech plug / nipple.
~~~~~~
3. CHARGING THE BARREL:
A. Starting with the fi rearm in closed breech position and the
hammer placed in the “SAFE” or “UNCOCKED” position.
Be sure no primer is on the nipple!!!
B. With one hand, hold the fi rearm securely with the barrel
pointed straight upwards, and the recoil pad on the ground.
Keep your face and other body parts away from the
muzzle!!!
C. Using a dipper or other single-charge measurer, pour the
desired amount of powder into the front opening (muzzle) of
the barrel, or insert Pyrodex pellets. Never exceed the powder
charge recommended for the projectile or pellet shot load that
you have selected from a reputable Black Powder loading
manual. Do not pour powder directly from the fl ask or other
powder container (See “Black Powder Warning” p. 18)
D. Place the bullet in the muzzle of the charged barrel, the fl at
spot (“spur”) of the round ball or the point of the lubricated
conical projectile facing upward, out of the muzzle. If you
lubricate your projectile, be sure to use a lubricant designed
specifi cally for black powder.
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Ordinary petroleum-based lubricants can cause fouling to
build up and make it difficult to fully seat the projectile on
the powder charge, with the resulting danger of a burst barrel
and injury to the shooter and bystanders.
The procedure for
loading an assembled saboted projectile or a bullet assembly is
the same.
Never use a lubricant of any type on a saboted assembly .
Loading our shotgun requires an over the powder wad or a
shot cup, followed by a specifi cally measured amount of pellet
shot, and lastly covered with an over the shot wad to retain the
pellets tightly against the powder charge.
E. If you wish to use a patch on your round ball for tighter
fi t or improved sealing of the ball in the barrel, place a 1-1/2”
diameter patch lubricated with a commercial black powder
gun grease centered over the muzzle before you place a ball
into the muzzle. Again, align the spur of the bullet in the
center of the bore facing upward, out of the muzzle. Some
shooters now push the ball slightly into the muzzle with a
“short starter” rod of about 1” in length and then trim away
any excess patch material protruding from the muzzle;
this is optional.
F. Remove the ramrod from under the barrel by pulling it
out of the ramrod thimble. Grasp the ramrod around its side
and with a fi rm even stroke, seat the bullet or pellet load fi rmly
on the powder charge. Do not push down on the ramrod tip
with the palm of your hand, in the event the powder charge
ignites while you are loading!!!
For maximum accuracy, the powder charge should be very
lightly compressed by the bullet or pellet load. Be sure either
is seated deeply enough so that it rests fi rmly against the
powder charge.
Do not leave an air space between the powder and the bullet.
This can cause the barrel to burst when firing!!!
G. You should not “pound” on the ramrod to fully seat the
projectile or pellet load since this can deform the payload and
cause accuracy problems, or even set off the powder charge
and fi re the fi rearm! Once you determine you have fully
seated the payload of your choice onto the correct powder
Page 26
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charge, note and mark on the rod, how much of the ramrod
protrudes from the muzzle. You should always be sure that
no more of the ramrod protrudes after loading the fi rearm -
- otherwise, you may have loaded too much powder, multiple
projectiles, or failed to have fully seated the payload on the
powder charge. Firing a gun with any of these conditions
could result in a damaged fi rearm and injury to the shooter
and bystanders.
BE SAFE – unload your firearm and start over again if your
ramrod protrudes excessively from the muzzle after loading.
H. REMOVE THE RAMROD FROM THE BARREL.
Place it in the thimble under the barrel.
IF YOU FORGET TO LOAD POWDER
If you have inadvertently loaded a payload without fi rst loading
a powder charge, you must remove the breech plug and push
the projectile from the barrel or use a bullet-puller to remove it
before proceeding.
~~~~~~
4. PRIMING THE BREECH PLUG / NIPPLE:
Remember that the safest way to carry any loaded
muzzleloading firearm is uncapped or unprimed.
Cap or
prime it only immediately before you are ready to fire.
Be sure to use #209 shotshell primers of good quality to
correspond with your “Incinerating-Ignition System”. With the
fi rearm still in the “UNCOCKED” or “SAFE” position, open
the breech and place the primer into the primer pocket in the
breech plug / nipple.
This can be accomplished by using one of
the many commercially sold in-line cappers, or this fi rearm design
allows the user to load them with their fi ngers.
NO SPECIAL TOOL REQUIRED!!
The primer should be completely seated
in the breech plug / nipple without undue pressure. Caps and
primers will vary in size between manufacture, so make a note
of the best combination for your fi rearm. Also, you may fi nd
a slightly loose fi t on your clean ignition system, but after you
have performed “CLEARING THE NIPPLES”, as described
on page 25 of this manual, you should have achieved the fit
required for a safe, reliable condition.
Page 27
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-WARNING
It is dangerous
to attempt to use caps or primers which are too
small. Never force a cap or primer onto the nipple. Since
they all fi re by percussion, excess force or a blow in seating
them can cause either to discharge, fi ring the gun and forcing
hot gases out the nipple, which can cause injury.
~~~~~~
5. FIRING:
To fire your MDM firearm, the hammer must be rotated back to
the “COCKED” or “FIRE” position.
A light squeezing pressure
on the trigger will cause the hammer to fall forward, striking the
ignition cap, and the fi rearm will fire.
Always be certain that
you know where the bullet or shot pellets will strike when you
fire the firearm.
-WARNING--HANDLING
Ifthe firearm is to be carried loaded, certain precautions must be
observed in the interest of safety. It is safest to carry any muzzleloader
with no percussion cap or primer on the nipple.
The gun should never
be carried with the hammer placed in the “COCKED” or “FIRE”
position.
Under such circumstances, a light, accidental blow to the
trigger can cause the gun to discharge.
Never cap or prime the nipple until you are ready to shoot the fi rearm.
When capping or priming be sure that the hammer is in the “SAFE”
or “UNCOCKED” position and keep it there until you are actually
aiming at your target or game. Only when you are immediately going
to shoot should you rotate the hammer back to the “COCKED” or
“FIRE” position.
However, the safety is a mechanical device and any mechanical device
can fail. Never depend upon this or any other mechanical device to
justify careless handling of a fi rearm.
WARNING: ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE
OF THE FIREARM POINTED IN A SAFE
DIRECTION AT ALL TIMES
Page 28
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EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN IF THE HAMMER
HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE “COCKED” OR “FIRE”
POSITION AND YOU DO NOT FIRE AND WANT TO RETURN
THE FIREARM BACK TO A “SAFE” OR “UNCOCKED”
POSITION. KEEPING THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE
DIRECTION, USE YOUR THUMB OR FINGERS AND
CAREFULLY HOLD BACK THE HAMMER FROM FALLING
FORWARD AND SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER UNTIL THE
HAMMER DISENGAGES FROM THE INTERNAL SEAR AND
GENTLY LOWER THE HAMMER FORWARD TO THE “SAFE”
OR “UNCOCKED” POSITION.
-WARNING--FIRING
When fring any firearm,
be sure all persons are a safe distance to the rear of the shooter.
When fired, all muzzleloaders discharge gas and
particles through the clearance gap between the barrel and receiver.
These particles of powder grains and percussion cap fragments are
projected broadly outward at high speed and can injure a person who
is standing too close to the fi rearm When firing any muzzleloader,
always be certain that nothing - including either of your hands - is in
the path of the hot gas and particles which are discharged from the
top, front, and side of the firearm.
Small pieces of percussion caps
are frequently blown away when a percussion fi rearm is fired.
Safety glasses must be used by shooters and bystanders when
loading and firing any percussion firearm.
Always wear hearing protection when
fi ring any fi rearm, in order to avoid permanent hearing damage.
~~~~~~
HOT GASES EXIT NIPPLE AREA
If a cap or primer fires, but the powder charge does not, the powder
may be smoldering and could ignite at any time.
Wait at least one minute
before attempting to recap or prime.
Remember that hot gases
can escape from the nipple if the powder charge ignites.
If the ACTION HAS BEEN OPENED
these gases can burn you and the
cap or primer can act as a projectile being blown off the nipple.
Keep
the firearm pointed in a safe direction at all times and additionally keep
the opened breech end of the barrel also pointed in a safe direction,
away from the shooter and all bystanders.
Keep your head, face, eyes, and hands away from the muzzle while
reloading and always wear eye and hearing protection.
Hold the ramrod around its sides - never place your hand over the end of the
Page 29
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ramrod so that it would injure your hand if the powder charge goes off
(propelling the ramrod out) while reloading.
WARNING
Do not touch the trigger until you are actually ready to fi re the rifle.
-WARNING--RELOADING
DO NOT LOAD IN A HURRY
Black Powder is extremely sensitive and a powder charge poured
down the barrel after fi ring a shot can readily be ignited by an ember
of partially burned powder, or a glowing patch fragment in the bore.
Pushing a projectile or shot load down onto a powder charge can “fan”
an ember into igniting the powder charge, thus fi ring the gun.
Always wait one minute before reloading.
~~~~~~
6. RELOADING:
After firing, the hammer will remain down in the “SAFE”or
“UNCOCKED” position.
Open the action and expose the
nipple / breech plug so you can remove the fi red cap or primer
fragments. Fragments clinging to the nipple may be removed
with your fi ngers or a decapping tool.
To fire subsequent shots, repeat steps #3, #4 & #5 as
previously listed. It is not necessary to fi re a cap between
shots to clear and dry the nipple / breech plug unless you
are cleaning between shots, but you should be sure it is clear
before reloading.
Best results are obtained by cleaning the bore after 3 to
5 shot groups are fi red. Our Max-Bore design does not
require cleaning after every shot. Using an MDM exclusive,
“LIGHTING SOLUTIONS” saturated cleaning patch, place
it over the front end of the ramrod cleaning jag, push it
completely into the bore, and pull it completely out of the
muzzle.
If it is difficult to remove, push the patch back down
and then up until it can be moved freely.
Never try to reload another projectile if it is excessively
difficult to push down the barrel - you may not fully seat it
on the powder charge and it may act as a bore obstruction,
Page 30
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resulting in a burst barrel and possibly serious injury to the
shooter or bystanders.
If this occurs, pull the projectile out of the muzzle, empty
out all the powder, and clean the barrel thoroughly before
reloading.
-WARNING--MISHANDLING
Never
carry the fi rearm loaded with the hammer in the “COCKED”
or “FIRE” position. If the firearm is dropped or the trigger is struck,
you may get an accidental discharge.
Never rest a loaded rifle against
any object (wall, fence, vehicle, tree, etc.) because there is always
the possibility that the rifle will be jarred or slide from its position
and fall with suffi cient force to discharge.
Keep safety “on” unless actually firing.
If the firearm is dropped, the bullet or payload should be fully reseated
against the powder charge, or it might act as an obstruction and cause
the barrel to burst upon firing.
When afield, periodically check to see
if the bullet has remained fully seated on the powder by inserting the
ramrod and pushing the projectile fully downward onto the powder.
This check should only be done after the cap or primer has been
removed from the nipple of the firearm.
ANY GUN MAY FIRE
IF DROPPED
SUMMARY TO “CHARGE”
& “PRIME” YOUR
MDM FIREARM
1. Check to ensure that your fi rearm is “UNCHARGED”.
2. Wipe the bore and nipple area free of all oil.
3. Pointing the muzzle in a safe direction, snap several caps or
primers on the nipple, clearing away any oil residue which may be in
the nipple/breech plug passage.
4. Place the fi rearm in its “UNCOCKED” or “SAFE” position.
31
5. Clear the nipple of any primer or cap fragments & residue.
Leave the nipple bare for loading.
6. Set firearm on its butt, holding muzzle away from face and body.
7. Pour pre-measured powder charge down the bore and settle
powder by rapping the side of the barrel with your hand.
8. Load the projectile or shot load, centrally located, and force the
payload down into the muzzle with an appropriate short-starter.
9. Push the payload the remainder of the way down the bore,
using short strokes with the ramrod, fi rmly seating it on the
powder charge.
10. Remove the ramrod and return it to its proper location in the
thimble under the barrel of the fi rearm.
11. Open the action and carefully place a #209 primer in the primer
pocket of the breech plug. Closing the action will place fi rearm in the
“SAFE” position, where it should remain until you are ready to fire
the firearm.
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MDM-Muzzleloaders
The New Revolution in Muzzleloading Technology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We accept:
MDMMDMDM
LTD. LTD.
RR1, Box 405, Maidstone, VT 05905
Phone: (802) 676-3311 Fax: (802) 676-3322
Question? Email: mdm-muzzleloaders@outdrs.net
ALL PRICING AND SPECIFICATIONS
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.