Any of you guys having accuracy problems with your modern muzzle loaders like the T/C Encore and Omega and others like CVA, Traditions and still yet others???
The biggest accuracy "problem" when these guns don't or won't shoot accurately can be traced directly to the barrels QLA. The QLA is the first 1/2 to 3/4" of the muzzle that the rifling is cut away from to make loading sabots and conicals easier. "QLA" stands for Quick Load Accurizer. The "problem" is that these QLA's are bored off center and as such, when the bullet travels up the bore and enters into these "off-centered" QLA's where there is no longer any bullet or sabot support from the rifling, the powders gases will push the base of the bullet off center as it exits the muzzle andthis in turn results in pooraccuracy. I have seen literally hundreds of these guns and barrels that would shoot no better than 3 to 5 inch groups at 100 yards no matter what bullet, bullet weight, powder or powder charge was loaded into it...
Well..... By removing the QLA and cutting a "tapered" target crown, these same guns that shot 3 to 5 inch groups started shooting groups of 1-inch or less at 100 yards with theworse groups going as large as 1 1/2" for 5-shots! This has been one of the biggest accuracy improvements in muzzle loaders in years. I know of other gunsmiths who have done more than I have but me personally, I cut and crown literally hundreds of barrels a year on these modern smoke poles....
The second biggest "problem" with these modern muzzle loaders is the 209 shotgun primer ignition system. These primers are way TOO HOT! The gun makers found this out a little too late but when they did, they tried to correct for it by going to a smaller flash hole in the breech plug. All this does is create one problem on top of the other. The carbon fouling from these primers can build up if not kept properly clean and can become even harder than the steel that the barrel is actually made out of...
The solution to this has been in modifying the breech plug to accept a primed .25acp. case as the ignition source instead of the 209 shotgun primer. This eleminates over 90% of the blow back that is forced back into the action area of these guns. The standard small pistol primers used, along with the flash hole being modified virtually eleminates the chance for any misfires - unless it is literally soaked in oil...
So, if your favorite muzzle loader is'nt as accurate as you'd like for it to be, then consider these two modifications. They areguaranteed to help....
DAVID
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DW,
Have you tried the brass 209 adapter that takes small rifle/pistol primers? I saw them on line and Cabelas catalog. There also was a breech plug online i saw that your referring to that fit the Omega. Pretty pricey!
Just wondering if it was worth it for the brass 209's?
Thanks, SHills
...no Sir, I have not seen the adapter to which you are referring to...
I charge $20.00 for modifying a customers breech plug to accept a primed .25acp. case and also let that cover the return shipping. I don't charge much for this service because even though I'm in business to make a living, I do what I can to help out fellow hunters and shooters. I have the pitfalls of using the 209 shotgun primer and I for one, will not use one. I even modified the breech plug on my N.E.F. muzzle loader and if I pay attention to what I'm doing, I can shoot consistant 3-shot groups at 100 yards that very seldom will have any paper between the 3-holes....
DAVID
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My Prohunter hasen't had any problems at all! I guess you get a good one,or a bad one? Haven't had any accuracy problems with the 209 primers either. Gun shoots one ragged hole at 100yds.
David,
If you read my new Omega changes post you will see the new hole drilled in the barrel behind the plug.Overpressured gasescould escape but the groove ring around the back of barrel is supposed to be be covered by the breech block but the block now allows some gases to escape to hit the scope. The older breech block design never did this @ least on thetwo rifles I have shot. None of those never had any "blow back except when using the new Remington 209ML primers. About 50 primer centers came apart and sooted up that breech space. Not sure if the primers specs are alittle smaller allowing them to come apart or just defective. Either way gases still escaped and sooted my scope.
On paper all three rifles are great shooters. I found that @ least w/ 209's RS was moreaccurate, less recoil, less fire out the barrel, and no crud ring. Even though dirtier that isn't a hunting issue.
Basesd on what I mentioned above what blow back are you referring?
Why do you think TC drilled the hole and put the ring groove which seems redundant and a design flaw IMHO?
What is your charge for taking the QLA off a Omega barrel?
I'm sure many might be interested if nothing more to balance out the non fluted barrels as they are a nose heavy.
Thanks, SHills
DW, the problem can not be handled that way in AR if you are going to hunt with the gun as being able to put carteidge case in the gun makes it a cartridge gun by our weird law. Lee
that is a "weird" law because the case is nothing more that carrier or holder for the primer....
SHills,
the blowback that I am referring to is with all the T/C Encores I get in for trigger jobs and barrel work. On most of them, the complete inside of the receiver itself is covered by a black soot that is caused by the gasses coming back around the primer itself...
I charge $75.00 for removing the QLA from a muzzle loader and recrowning $10.00 for modifying the ram rod, ie., shortening and redrilling and tapping to the original 10-32 thread size. If the front sight is to be remounted, I charge $15.00 for this....
DAVID
__________________
Remember to put God first in all that you do...
For the primers, if it makes a difference you could use "under-powered" primers such as the triple se7ens. That would be a lot easier than messing with 25 acp brass, priming, repriming etc. As for the QLA, I haven't seen such problems myself, but in extreme cases this might beajob toconsider...unless you havea lifetime warranty(such as withT/C)and can get accuracy fixed to an acceptable level for free.
Muzzle loaders w/ QLA's and Shotgun Primers
