T/C Arms’ return to the trade-show circuit with the ENCORE FireStick™ Muzzleloader is more than a product launch—it’s a signal that the muzzleloading segment is about to get a jolt of modern engineering. By packaging the FireStick’s sealed, pre-measured propellant in a self-contained, weather-proof capsule, the company is solving the two biggest pain points that have kept traditional muzzleloaders on the bench: inconsistent ignition and the hassle of measuring powder in the field. For hunters who already rely on inline muzzleloaders for extended seasons and primitive-weapons tags, the ENCORE promises repeatable velocities and tighter groups without sacrificing the “open-breech” legal definition that keeps these guns on the right side of most state statutes.

That timing matters. Several states are tightening restrictions on straight-wall cartridges while simultaneously lengthening muzzleloader seasons, creating a regulatory sweet spot that favors innovation like the FireStick. Dealers walking Booth #1938 in Oklahoma City won’t just see a new SKU; they’ll see inventory that can be positioned as both a gateway firearm for first-time black-powder shooters and an upgrade path for seasoned hunters tired of fighting the elements. In an era when supply-chain delays and shifting consumer tastes have thinned once-dominant muzzleloader brands, T/C’s reemergence with a genuinely differentiated product could re-anchor the category and give independent retailers a high-margin, regulation-resilient offering heading into the 2026 fall seasons.