In what looks to be the biggest muzzleloading news of 2013, a new company has been formed by former T/C employees in Rochester, New Hampshire. The new company is LHR Sporting Arms (http://lhrsportingarms.com/index.html) and I'll speculate the letters stand for Mark Laney, Patrick Hanley and Karl Ricker. Together with Michael Garland, they form the nucleus of LHR Sporting Arms. I've known Mark Laney for some time.

Their initial offering has been designated as LHR Redemption. This rifle is scheduled for release on January 1, 2013, apparently in a walnut version with black composite stock and camo versions to follow. According to the LHR website, you can order an engraved First Edition right now through January 31 for $799. The Redemption models start at $599. Here's a look at the basic specifications of the Redemption.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

·        Length of Pull: 13 ½

·        Weight: 7 lbs.

·        Trigger: FT2™ Match Trigger

·        Barrel Length: 24"

·        Cocking Mechanism: Stealth Striker™

·        Stock: Walnut Stock and Forend

·        Finish: Armornite™ Corrosion Resistant Hard Coat (internal and external of barrel and all critical components)

·        Sights: Williams Fiber Optic Metal Sights and Weaver Base

·        2013 MSRP: $599 - $799

Muzzleloading hasn't had much innovation in the last decade. LHR appears to finally be applying some solid, common sense ideas to the inline muzzleloader. I'm going to touch on a few of the areas that I find interesting, the first being the “Armornite™” nitrided barrel and components.

Cheap plating has been around for a long time on muzzleloaders. The nasty, soft-barreled Spanish made disasters were long supplied with nickel-plating. The nickel-plating gave the appearance to the casual observer that they were getting stainless steel, but they were getting the same old extruded junk-level tubes with a plated external finish. Thompson has done the same with their “Weather Shield™” externally coated, mild carbon steel barrels.

An external-only protective finish makes no sense on a muzzleloader, for the outside of a barrel is very easily monitored, cleaned and protected. Whether using corrosive blackpowder, even more caustic Pyrodex, or still corrosive Triple Se7en, external barrel finishes do nothing to protect your muzzleloader where it matters: inside the bore. As many people have sadly discovered, stainless steel can indeed rust and corrode. It is “stainless” but absolutely not rustless. As Doc White has long lamented, Pyrodex can etch stainless steel.

Nitrided metallurgy has been used by Glock and Ithaca, but ignored by muzzleloading manufacturers until now. This is the first factory muzzleloader with an inside and out nitride treatment that I'm aware of and this is very good news.

The class of hinge-pin hammer guns have always featured slow locktime and generally give an annoying click when you cock them. The Stealth Striker™ of the Redemption promises whisper-quiet operation and does not interfere with scope mounting. Another good, well-reasoned approach.

Triple Se7en, in particular, can create a hard slag-lie crud ring that has seized breechplugs and given people headaches for years. In the breechplug area, we have had “speed breech” attempts that reduce usable barrel length and, in general, are nonsensical. When was the last time you heard a couple of muzzleloading hunters bickering as to who could remove their breechplug the fastest? Silly stuff, but this didn't stop it from being introduced and it didn't stop the cheap-charlie importers from trying to copy it.

You'll never seize any internal barrel threads on the LHR Redemption, because there aren't any. The threads are on the outside of the barrel. The Adapt™ System of the LRS Redemption appears to be an industry first and, like the rest of the rifle, makes perfect sense.

The LHR Redemption looks to be one of most competent, well thought-out, user-friendly muzzleloaders ever. For many formerly frustrated inline muzzleloading enthusiasts, January 31, 2013 can't come soon enough. More details will be forthcoming. For now, check-out the Redemption on the LHR website.