Since I put a scope on my Omega, I can actually check how it groups and so far, I am not happy.

Shooting 50yards, the group was 4.25 inches with 100gr of TripleSeven. Increasing the charge I was able to shrink it to 2" @ 50 yards with 125grains of 3x7

Shooting from a metal and heavy rifle rest, no wind at all. Also the barrel was warm, I would shoot, walk to the target, clean the barrel (wet patch, dry patch twice - made sure to get rid of the ring) load and shoot. Say every 4 minutes a shot.

Not sure what to do now, I would much prefer 100 grains charge since it kicks less. I definitely don't want to go to 150 grains; the shooting distances in Virginia are not that great.

Please advice, Powerbelts maybe?

Well, at 50 yards, I would back down the powder to about 70-80grs to start sighting in. Also check your scope for loose screws in the bases and rings. You can change bullet types or weights. Maybe even the powder brand. Sometimes, you got to find the right bullet/powder combination to get a muzzleloader to shoot right. Here's a site that might help:

http://frontiermuzzleloadin.powerguild.net/forum.htm

Here is another idea, found it on the internet. Now I know better than try everything I read on a hunter's forum, but it could work:

Yep, most t/c's have a very tight bore. If you were using 250 gr. shockwaves you could use the Super Glides. (Yellow sabot) Hornady High Speed Low Drag 250 or 300 grainers. (Red sabot) You could buy 44 cal. pistol bullets 429-430 dia. in bulk and use Harvester Crush Rib sabots. (Green) 45 cal. pistol bullets 451-452 dia. (Black sabot) If you go with 45 cal. pistol bullets you can also use a MMP 3 petal EZ. I use the 3 petal EZ and an HPH-24 by MMP for 451 dia. Barnes bullets and get groups of 1" or less @ 100 yds.

And while searching for info on Omega loading I found this nice piece of information:

Notice to all California Customers: As of April 9, 2009 Thompson/Center can no longer send repairs directly to the customer. All repairs must go to an FFL holder per California law.

Must be great to live in California.

About the easiest way to change a load is to change the 209 primer. I got the best accuracy with the weakest 209 I could get and that was with Winchester primers. I tested a bunch and that was the weakest. Federal had the stoutest and also grouped the worst in my ML.

God Bless, Louis

quote:

Originally posted by Czech_Made:
You could buy 44 cal. pistol bullets 429-430 dia. in bulk and use Harvester Crush Rib sabots. (Green)

+1

My CVA Accura was nearly impossible to load after the first shot with standard bullet/sabot combos that one can buy over-the-counter. Ex: the barnes and hornady combo packs. I have to clean between shots so that I can reload.

I switched to harvester crush rib sabots with 240 gr XTP (.429) and get about 3" groups at 100 yards with open sights (this is with 100 gr 777 pellets). I imagine that I would do much better with a scope. It is incredibly inexpensive too. Recoil is EASY. This is what I shoot while I wait for my centerfre rifles to cool down.

I'm hoping to take a doe with this setup soon, open sights.

With loose Pryodex RS, 90 gr, I get about the same results, just a different point of impact.

Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Czech_Made:

Must be great to live in California.

Not really, IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by youngoutdoors:
About the easiest way to change a load is to change the 209 primer. I got the best accuracy with the weakest 209 I could get and that was with Winchester primers. I tested a bunch and that was the weakest. Federal had the stoutest and also grouped the worst in my ML.

God Bless, Louis

Good info! I'll have to play around with that.

Thank you, gentlemen, for your input. I found T/C XTP bullets 245gr at walmart last night. They are only $12 for 30, I will give it a shot; cheaper than shockwaves and with the ML speed, the polymer/ballistic tip is not really necessary, IMHO.

As far as primer, I already use Winchester 209.

And I was being sarcastic about CA, the law about shipping fixed gun to FFL seems absurd to me - but what do I know, I am US Citizen only few years

$12 for 30 is a good price.
I used triple 7 for a long time. But got tired of having to clean between shots because of the "crud" ring build up. Went to Blackhorn 209 powder. More expensive, but worth the clean burn and accuracy improvement. Able to seat the bullet on top of the powder better shot after shot.

Looks like the rifle is a cheapskate,just like me.

245 grains XTP bullets backed up with 85 grains of 777 will print 1 inch groups at 50 yards, hot or cold.

First I tried to shoot some Shockwaves with 125 grains of 3x7, it was a killer zone, but no real group.

Than I did those XTPs with 90, 100 grains 3 shots each and when I was getting ready to shoot 110 grains I decided to explore the low end and really struck the gold. 90 was grouping ok, but 100 was more lose - thats why I went the other way.

I will try it from 100 yards just to see what is what and myabe just for kicks 80 grains, but I am generally ready for Mr.Bambi

Sounds like your on to working out a plan about learning your rifle.

Once I had a friend who shot 150grs out of his Rem 700ML using any bullet. Could not hit a barn door. I said go down to 100grs. NO! He wanted max velocity. I said "you'r just burning powder, wasting it". He said "Show me! You do better". I loaded his gun with 100gr triple 7 loose powder and hit the target. Sometimes, less can be better.

Now that you are finding a good powder load level. Next change bullet weights and then bullet brands.

Your not being a cheapskate. You'r being practical. Learn what your rifle likes and it's downhill from there.

I shoot an encore and a black dimond, I'm getting under 1.5" at 100yds consistantly. All TC .50 fast twist bores are about the same.

1: no loose loose powder, pyrodex pellets only 130gr
2: use TC black sabots/300gr xtp
3: clean bore every shot, even in the tree stand
4: after the bore is clean, run a patch with bore butter down, then remove the excess with a clean patch. This will allow the sabot to slide down with minimum resistence allowing you to feel the seating pressure. Don't crush the pellets just seat them.

Seating pressure is the key to muzzle loader accuracy and consistency

I'm shooting under 1.5 at 100yds and about 3" at 200 with 4"drop. I have used this load to harvest 72 deer since 1996 with the encore and the son got a bunch with black dimond. I have been shooting and hunting with muzzle loaders since the early 70"s. I used to shoot the 240gr xtp but they tear up a lot of meat, the 300's group a hair better and are a little easier on the blood shot meat. a .50 don't need to expand much to drop a whitetail.

Remember it's the first shot that counts with a muzzle loader, most times there is no reason to reload

I had an Omega and I got rid of the POS. It simply wouldn't shoot anything Colorado legal (IE power belts or lead conicals). I bought a Knight rolling block on a whim and man am I glad I did. It shoots 440 gr Hydracons into under 2" with iron sights at 100 yards with boring regularity. I regularly get 3" groups at 150n yards.

My loads are either 120grs of Pyrodex Select ffg or 130 grs of Goex Black powder ffg.

My buddies Omega shoots power belts into a nice ragged hole at 100 yards over 120 Gr of Pyrodex. Go figure. All I can figure is that TC has some major variation in bore diameter, in any case I am done with TC!

All loads are loose we can't use pellets in Colorado either.

I have a TC Triumph and are very happy with the following recipe:

- 90gr Blackhorn Powder
- 245gr Barnes Spitefire T-EZ
- Remington 209 primers

Accuracy is very good at 100yds.

I hunt pretty thick woods, so I'm not shooting past 100yds. Shot a nice buck last year at about 50yds and the bullet expanded perfectly and was found underneath the skin on the opposite side.

I shoot 100 grains 777 in my Encore with TC sabots & 240 XTP Mags. First shot is easy to get down the bore 2nd shot better have a freakin hammer unless I take time to run a patch down first. I am going to try to find he Harvester sabots.

BTW 3" at 100 yrds with open sights

Good Luck

I use the bore butter to season the barrel. If it helps I am not sure, since I clean it before every load - wet, dry, wet, dry, dry patch.

Good information as I am having the same problem. I have been shooting Clean Shot in mine and cannot get what you would call a group. I finally hunted with a Hornady 240grain XTP in Nosler sabots that shot into about 4 inches at 100 and that was the best I could get. I would love to hear of some more loads that might work. Thanks.

My Omega now shoot @ 100 yards within 1.5" of the center. Everytime, cold and clean just the way I will take it to the woods.

Very happy with the wally world XTP 240grains. 30 rounds for 12 dollars, I have enough for several seasons.

I also get good groups shooting TC sabots in my Black Diamond and now the Omega.My first year ML I used their "Cheap Shots" in the BD since they grouped so well.Took two deer in 3 days.One went maybe 25 yds the other about 60 but I caught him a little far back in the lungs.

Try shooting 100 grains of Blackhorn 209, with TC Shockwave bullets with the black sabot sleeves(not yellow). I almost guarantee it will shoot 1-1.5" at 100 yards. Also use regular 209 primers, not the ones made for muzzleloaders.

Also, with Blackhorn, you never clean until the end of season. No carbon ring, easy loading, and it is better to be sighted on a fouled barrel as if you ever need more than one shot in the field, you won't have a clean barrel.

Put the thing out with the trash and go find a White. None of this nonsense, just go buy some 50-caliber SSTs or some conicals, and shoot 100-grains vol equiv. of T7...

It seems some people love the omegas, some hate them, about like anything else. I just sold mine and i loved it. it was a tough sell but i bought an encore and didnt' need it, and a good friend of mine wanted it, so i let him have it for a good price.

my omega seemed to like everything i put in it powder wise. well, jim shockey's powder it didnt' like. but anything from 90-130gr of pyrodex it loved, and i shot 120gr of loose 777 powder with great results. if you are not getting good groups, make sure you scope is mounted properly, make sure its a decent scope. i hate to say it but make sure you're not flinching. i always liked the t/c shockwave 250gr sabots in mine, and my encore loves the same combinations as well and shoots great. (under 2" at 100 yards i consider good)

imho powerbelts dont have the sectional density to kill a housecat, but if you're going to use them get the heaviest ones you can find.

keep experimenting with powder charges and bullets/primers and you'll find something the gun likes, as long as the scope can handle the abuse as well. good luck

Tim hows the shelf life on Blackhorn?I tries some of that Cleanshot powder and pellets and it worked pretty good at first but the next time at the range accuracy was gone.Others I know had the same problem.Since then I've been reluctant to use any powder that claims you don't need to clean the bore.

Try the old Thompson Center Maxi-Balls (no sabots). Start with about 70 grains of Triple Seven and work up at 10 grain increments. I had a muzzle loader that was supposed to shoot the sabots well, but wouldn't. About 90 grains of 777 with the maxi-balls shot very well.

And, as someone else stated, check scope mount hardware.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Herald:
Try shooting 100 grains of Blackhorn 209, with TC Shockwave bullets with the black sabot sleeves(not yellow). I almost guarantee it will shoot 1-1.5" at 100 yards. Also use regular 209 primers, not the ones made for muzzleloaders.

where do you get these from?

I got rid of the black tupperware stock my SS Omega came with and after shooting it with a laminate thumbhole stock my groups shrank considerbly.

quote:
--------------------------------------
Originally posted by Czech_Made:

Notice to all California Customers: As of April 9, 2009 Thompson/Center can no longer send repairs directly to the customer. All repairs must go to an FFL holder per California law
--------------------------------------

What are you guys doing to yourselfs?

My Omega shoots 348gr Powerbelts over 2 Shocky Gold Sticks to occasional cloverleafs at 75yds! That said, I haven't been impressed on the Powerbelts performance on deer! I get them, but penetration is lacking!

If you are using something like a leadsled rest, try shooting off a traditional rest or sand bags, sometimes this will shrink groups.

anyone who tells you not to clean your gun after shooting blackhorn 209 is full of shit. I actually tried that with two CVA's. Western powder was aware of it enough that they replaced both of my guns. They said they didn't do any testing of the powder themselves and just took the manufacturers word that it was hydroscopic. If you leave blackhorn residue in your barrel and have any type of humidity at all that gun will be destroyed faster than anything I've seen.

250 gr Hornady SST Sabots with two 50gr pellets of Triple 7 are the magic mix for my Omega.

My Omega shoots 1" groups at 100 with .300grn Thors, CC209 Primer, 105grns BH209.

Try Jim Shockey loose powder with Barnes 250 Gr. Sabot 135 Grains by volume not weight. I think you will be happy.It really works well in mine ,Triple Seven does not group in my rifle regardless of sabot.

Question: Does your Omega happen to have a stainless barrel?

If so/fact so get yourself a hundred or so full bore diameter slugs....maxiballs, buffalo bullets etc. You only need a light load, 50-60 grains of powder, type of which is not critical. The stainless barreled Omegas have rifling with a rough burred edge when new. It takes about a hundred or so full bore slugs down the barrel to get the burred edge off. Once that burred edge is gone the guns shoot good.

Shoot it 50 yards or so. You'll see the grouping start to get tighter & tighter as you put more full size slugs through it. Once it stops getting tighter you can start working up a hunting load of powder, bullet, primer.

My son and I both have stainless Omegas and both shot terrible at first until we got the barrels smoothed out.

My particular gun loves 2 pellets of IMR White Hots under a 250 TC Shockwave sabot with a standard Remington 209 primer. At a hundred yards it will keep 5 shots touching/overlapping before it needs cleaned. I can actually run an entire pack of of 25 Shockwaves with the same load without cleaning the barrel and the group never gets bigger than 2-3 inches at a hundred yards.