I was just looking at this new Z5 the other night and was wondering how different the bore in it might be as compared the the SS Omega. I guess I was a bit worried that I might have one of those extra tight TC bores.

Anyway I dug out a .504 Bull Shop - took it to the sink and with hot water and a tooth brush washed all the lube off the bullet.

Dropped it into the QLA fo the Z5 and with the range rod pushed to the bottom of the barrel. I was really surprised it went down as easy as it did, but it was on a squeaky clean and lubed barrel. Took the breech plug out and pushed the bullet out the breech. I then put it back into the barrel of the Z5, it dropped the the bottom of the QLA. I pushed a bit with my thumb and met resistance - so I got a pair of forseps and turned the bullet in the QLA until the bullet lined up with the riflings. It was really obvious when this happen, the bullet dropped a bit and with a small amount of thumb pressure I could push the bullet down. Grabbed the range rod and the weight of the rod pushed the bullet down to the breech.

Next grabbed the SS Omega and inserted the bullet into it... same thing turn the bullet with forseps and feel it drop then ram rod weight to the breech. So in my mind those two bores are really close to equal.

Well, now I had to try that same conical in the Remingtons. I still had to align the bullet with the riflings which was a lot easier since the Rems do not have a QLA - but once I hit the alignment the bullet slid all the way to the bottom - turn the Rem's upside down and the bullet fell back out on the carpet.

Decided to go another step... The SS GM-LRH barrel was next it went exactly as the Remingtons. Then tried the blued GM-LRH - same results.

So now I have proved to myself what i already kinda knew. The Remingtons and the GM barrels have about the same bore. They all will load the a HPH-24 or regular Harvester just fine. The Omega have always appeared a bit tighter but I can get a 24 down the SS Omega with out much of a problem, now this gives me hope that I can and will be able to load 24's down the Z5. But just in case I do have some 3p's and crush ribs on hand...

Excuse the rambling but it was interesting to me...