gleason.chapman

frontier gander

Chap, If he gets the omega, he plans on hunting in colorado and our state does not allow sabots. Thats why we warned him about the conical issue and the omega.

gleason.chapman

Yes, that is right, I recall he was from Iowa and then he was going to hunt some in CO. Thanks, I changed my post to conform to this. Chap

timwlarsen

Those were great reads. I only mentioned powerbelt as that was the only conical I was aware of. My best friend and hunting partner worked for hornady several years back as a engineer who developed bullets (though rim-fire). Appears the XTP would be a much better choice. I located a gun shop in Omaha that is suppose to carry whites off of their website. I would also like to look at the X-150. So much goes into a elk hunt, I would be crushed if through all the preparation, the animal runs 3-4 miles (because the bullet sucked)the wrong directionto where you might not get it all out.

gleason.chapman

Bingo, if your doing a "hunt of a lifetime", don't takea chance on the bullet. Get something you KNOW will work. I don't think an XTP is legal in CO, but I have never hunted Co. A lot of other guys do however. Glad you enjoyed my post and got educated. I did a complete PB page here:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/powerbelt_page.htm


Chap Gleason Va

frontier gander

heres a website with the x-150 and the winchester apex, the apex is like the omega but will shoot conicals and has the sealed drop action. Where you pull down at the rear of the trigger guard and the block hiding the cap area now comes into view. Both of these guns are over 8lbs but that helps tame recoil and make for a solid hold on the rifle. If you want something thats weather proof, then the apex would be the way to go. You can see that the black/blue apex is under $200 which is more than affordable. They also have an SS/CAMO Apex for $271, i like the SS barrels due to them not getting rust spots when you hunt in the snow or rain. But thats just a personal thing.
They have the x-150s on here but they are all .45's, in order to get a .50 you'll have to call winchester mling and see what they have, they even stock refurbished apex's and x-150s.
Heres their number: 877-892-7544

Jon

Edit:
Heres a complaint about powerbelts in an omega thats scoped. The yahoos blamed the bullet for accuracy problems when in truth, its the barrels that are mounted on them. They were designed for sabots. Just keep your options open and ask questions about each rifle you've looked at and we'll help you in the direction to go.












2 out of 5 [/align]Not the most accurate?, February 10, 2007
By Drake31 from South Central Minnesota
[/align][/align]


"Last fall a co-worker and myself spent a long Saturday looking for the best down range accuracy from a muzzleloader. We tested various versions of the powerbelts and a number of different sabots from a large spectrum of manufacturers. We ran controled tests at 100 and 200 yards, using both .45 and .50 caliber thompson Omega's. Each different load was tested with a clean barrel for the first round, then 3 more round through a dirty barrel. For accuracy sake we mounted each gun with a Leupold Varmiter scope, something not practical for hunting but necessary for an accuray test. All test were done with 100gr of 777 power, not pellet.

We found that the powerbelts had the worst overall accuracy, holding a 3.5inch group at 100 yards, 5+ at 200 yards. These numbers are still very good and would easily find the average 8 inch vital area of a whitetail. The only area that the powerbelts were the best was in they're extreme easy of loading.

gleason.chapman

Frontier Gander, I may be one of those yahoos, but would like to change my ways if you can properlyteach me. How am I to know that an Omega is designed for sabots? If you look at the manual they show conicals and sabots being used for the rifle. Is it be 'cause of the 1:28 twist? Is that statement based on your experience with the rifle? Did you read it somewhere? How do you know it was designed for sabots.
Chap Gleason

frontier gander

Thats easy. Call TC and ask how well their omegas. encores shoot conicals and you'll tell you that they aer mainly sabot rifles. So far the only way ive seen people shooting conicals with decent accuracy is by cutting off the QLA that TC can not get right.

1:28 twist should be perfect for shooting conicals, my inline and the one before it have 1:28 twists and i get great accuracy from them. Theres something with the qla that tc refuses to fix or look into. IMO, they are screwing themselves by not fixing this problem and hunters in states that can not use sabots are turning away and going with something that will.

Heres part of the add off cabelas website talking about the omega.

The magnum charge capability, up to 150 grains of black powder or Pyrodex®, sends slugs thundering downrange. Quick-Load Accurizer Muzzle System on the 28" barrel makes loading easy, and 1-in-28" twist stabilizes sabots for tack-driving accuracy

Pglasgow

Chap,

You are right, TC claims the omega drives tacks with conicals. But when they don't, they don't stand behind them. Ask txhunter58. They tell the person that they are designed for sabots, shoot some shockwaves through them, and them return them to the owner, end of story. If one needs his omega to shoot conicals, and it won't, he is SOL.

As for the BPI barrels, they are designed specifically to shoot full-bore conicals. Save the White, probably nothing else shootsfull bore conicalbetter than a BPI barrel. In fact, a Walmart Buckhornclearance at $59 probably outshoots a $750 pro-hunter when a full-bore conical must be used.

gleason.chapman

FG,
Was not aware that the QLA was causing the conical shooting problem. Is that because it is bored out a bit larger at the muzzle and the bullet is still traveling the "groove" but is not being held tight within the barrel? Why wouldn't a sabot perform the same? Are the sabots expanding to still travel the QLA groove? Chap Gleason Va