22-rimfire
Member
Going to buy a Thompson Center Omega black powder rifle shortly. Never shot one and never loaded one. Any advice? What bullet would you suggest? What is the recoil like? Accuracy?
TC Omega 50 cal-Advice?
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arcticap
Member
I did an "Omega" blackpowder forum search on THR's sister site thefiringline.com and these are just a few, there's more threads if you want to search there.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220031&highlight=omega
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224074&highlight=omega
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152319&highlight=omega
Found this too:
http://www.huntingforums.com/ReviewPost/showproduct.php?product=97
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220031&highlight=omega
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224074&highlight=omega
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152319&highlight=omega
Found this too:
http://www.huntingforums.com/ReviewPost/showproduct.php?product=97
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The TC Omega is a great gun and very accurate. It might be a good idea to take a friend along that has some ML shooting experience to assist you on you first trip out. Every ML shoots different. Make sure you put the powder down the barrel before you put a bullet down…
I use Pyrodex smokeless powder in my Omega along with Powerbelt 245 Grain bullets. Start with small charges (60 to 70 grains) and work your way up. I use 130 grains of powder (as that combination holds the tightest groups at 100 yards in my gun), but it may not work for you. You need to try as many combinations of bullets/powder charges as you can and find the right combination for your gun. Good luck.
I use Pyrodex smokeless powder in my Omega along with Powerbelt 245 Grain bullets. Start with small charges (60 to 70 grains) and work your way up. I use 130 grains of powder (as that combination holds the tightest groups at 100 yards in my gun), but it may not work for you. You need to try as many combinations of bullets/powder charges as you can and find the right combination for your gun. Good luck.
ATAShooter
Member
BigV's got it... a245 PBelt , only I use 100gr. 777. ( I'm a recoil wuss )
I've owned a.50 cal. synthetic stock T/C Omega for about 2 years now. It's an excellent inline muzzle loader.
Since you are new to the game the best advice I can give you is read the owners manual from cover to cover. Until you can explain it to someone else. It's covers just about everything you could want. And it will, if followed keep you and those around you safe.
Each gun is a law unto itself so try as many loads as possible. Another very important point. Clean between each shot, otherwise you will never know the true accuracy of your setup. In the field you can get away with not cleaning before the first reload.
Omega bores run a little tight but the sabot on the Barnes bullet takes that into account. So loading isn't difficult, especially if you use the short starter and then seat the bullet using the ramrod.
When you find your load mark your ramrod at the point at which the load is fully seated. Your loading procedures will then be consistent accurate and safe.
Make sure you coat the threads of both the breech plug and the breach area with anti-seizure lubricant to prevent an unremovable breech plug.
My load is a Barnes 250 grain TMZ, over 3 pellets of 777 and the Triple seven primer. It kicks there is no getting around that which is why I added a Sims Vibration Labs recoil pad. It reduces recoil considerably, but also increases the LOP length of pull. A skeet clay is not safe at 200 yards with practice.
While a three pellet load over matches the deer we have around here. We have some pretty big hogs.
As someone else said pick a knowledgeable shooter who can guide you. Develop your technique and stick with it and have fun.
flatdog
Since you are new to the game the best advice I can give you is read the owners manual from cover to cover. Until you can explain it to someone else. It's covers just about everything you could want. And it will, if followed keep you and those around you safe.
Each gun is a law unto itself so try as many loads as possible. Another very important point. Clean between each shot, otherwise you will never know the true accuracy of your setup. In the field you can get away with not cleaning before the first reload.
Omega bores run a little tight but the sabot on the Barnes bullet takes that into account. So loading isn't difficult, especially if you use the short starter and then seat the bullet using the ramrod.
When you find your load mark your ramrod at the point at which the load is fully seated. Your loading procedures will then be consistent accurate and safe.
Make sure you coat the threads of both the breech plug and the breach area with anti-seizure lubricant to prevent an unremovable breech plug.
My load is a Barnes 250 grain TMZ, over 3 pellets of 777 and the Triple seven primer. It kicks there is no getting around that which is why I added a Sims Vibration Labs recoil pad. It reduces recoil considerably, but also increases the LOP length of pull. A skeet clay is not safe at 200 yards with practice.
While a three pellet load over matches the deer we have around here. We have some pretty big hogs.
As someone else said pick a knowledgeable shooter who can guide you. Develop your technique and stick with it and have fun.
flatdog
22-rimfire
Member
I pretty much know the basics. But I don't know how it feels to seat a bullet fully and stuff like that. A friend said, push it until it stops. I will be reading the manual as well and I have a video from TC that I need to watch. Shooting BP is not cheap with sabots. Not planning on using it to hunt this year. Season starts this coming weekend.
I appreciate the comments. What is the best stuff to clean around the breech plug and so forth? What is this lubricant for the threads you are talking about? Is seasoning important?
I appreciate the comments. What is the best stuff to clean around the breech plug and so forth? What is this lubricant for the threads you are talking about? Is seasoning important?
arcticap
Member
It's called breech plug grease and has various brand names depending on the gun manufacturer. I think that TC's is called Gorilla Grease, and they often come packed in a small tube or tin. You can also coat the threads with Wonderlube or auto anti-sieze lubes, but they might not always be as compatible with shooting BP.
There's many effective BP solvents, here's 2 popular commercial BP solvents that have been highly recommended as being among the best:
Shooter's Choice Black Powder Gel
Butch's Black Powder Bore Shine, but be careful about getting it on your stock
Other include Birchwood Casey, Hoppes #9 Plus BP Solvent, Rusty Duck Black Off.
If you buy sabots and bullets in bulk packs, especially for practice, you can cut down the costs of shooting considerably. Just try to buy cheaper lead or FMJ bullets of the same weight and diameter as your favorite name brand sabot/bullet combo.
Experience helps to teach easier loading techniques. Having a small mallet and the right sabot loading accessories for your short starter or ramrod, marking your ramrod for proper bullet seating depth, and having an accessory palm saver type of handle for your ramrod, and/or a separate range rod dedicated to loading difficult projectiles, plus cleaning your barrel between shots all help to make loading tight sabots less difficult. Also having the rifle planted against a solid rest in a well supported upright position when loading is important so that you can lean on the ramrod and sabot with enough pressure to firmly seat it on top of the powder.
There's many effective BP solvents, here's 2 popular commercial BP solvents that have been highly recommended as being among the best:
Shooter's Choice Black Powder Gel
Butch's Black Powder Bore Shine, but be careful about getting it on your stock
Other include Birchwood Casey, Hoppes #9 Plus BP Solvent, Rusty Duck Black Off.
If you buy sabots and bullets in bulk packs, especially for practice, you can cut down the costs of shooting considerably. Just try to buy cheaper lead or FMJ bullets of the same weight and diameter as your favorite name brand sabot/bullet combo.
Experience helps to teach easier loading techniques. Having a small mallet and the right sabot loading accessories for your short starter or ramrod, marking your ramrod for proper bullet seating depth, and having an accessory palm saver type of handle for your ramrod, and/or a separate range rod dedicated to loading difficult projectiles, plus cleaning your barrel between shots all help to make loading tight sabots less difficult. Also having the rifle planted against a solid rest in a well supported upright position when loading is important so that you can lean on the ramrod and sabot with enough pressure to firmly seat it on top of the powder.
Here's some more food for thought.
http://www.eabco.com/Muzzleloader04.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/thompson_omega.htm
Seasoning and the proper way to do it draws some strong opinions. The first article describes one way to do it. It kind of reads like an add but it's interesting none the less.
The second is just another overview of the Omega written in 2003.
Your friend is right about seating depth you'll get the feel for it soon enough. Get him to watch your technique and guide you.
Make sure you mark your rod it will tell you when the depth is correct with that particular load.
Different bullet profiles may require different depths to fully seat over the charge. A dirty bore makes consistent seating more difficult. Swab your bore after each shot and it will make consistent seating much easier.
Think of it as quality control. Each load is a custom assembly job produced to your own exacting standards.
flatdog
http://www.eabco.com/Muzzleloader04.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/thompson_omega.htm
Seasoning and the proper way to do it draws some strong opinions. The first article describes one way to do it. It kind of reads like an add but it's interesting none the less.
The second is just another overview of the Omega written in 2003.
Your friend is right about seating depth you'll get the feel for it soon enough. Get him to watch your technique and guide you.
Make sure you mark your rod it will tell you when the depth is correct with that particular load.
Different bullet profiles may require different depths to fully seat over the charge. A dirty bore makes consistent seating more difficult. Swab your bore after each shot and it will make consistent seating much easier.
Think of it as quality control. Each load is a custom assembly job produced to your own exacting standards.
flatdog
Jim Reaves
Member
I have the Omega and use three pellets of 777, with the Powerbelt 245 sabot.
I could not believe how accurate the weapon is.
I could not believe how accurate the weapon is.
The Deer Hunter
Member
More importantly is cleaning.
Go with a friend who knows alot about B.P. and have him help you pick out cleaning supplies.
Go with a friend who knows alot about B.P. and have him help you pick out cleaning supplies.
22-rimfire
Member
Got the rifle. Won't be scoped this year. Now I can stop talking about black powder shooting and actually do it (safely of course). Thanks for the responses.
I have purchased some 240 gr Hornady sabots and the 245 gr Powerbelts, Triple 7, and Remington Kleanbore 209 primers. Looking forward to seeing how the thing shoots.
I have purchased some 240 gr Hornady sabots and the 245 gr Powerbelts, Triple 7, and Remington Kleanbore 209 primers. Looking forward to seeing how the thing shoots.
Good deal,
One further suggestion, record as much information about each load as possible. You may get the perfect load first thing out of the box. But more than likely you'll have to search around a bit.
That way you'll have all your data at your finger tips and not have to rely on memory. It saves time and money and builds confidence.
flatdog
One further suggestion, record as much information about each load as possible. You may get the perfect load first thing out of the box. But more than likely you'll have to search around a bit.
That way you'll have all your data at your finger tips and not have to rely on memory. It saves time and money and builds confidence.
flatdog
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