Omega cutting project: update
 

Well, nothing is as simple as it should be. My gunsmith cut the barrel off just fine, but when he put it in the lathe and started turning it, he noticed that the barrel chamber is not centered in the barrel, so when he used his bit to do the crowning, it cut further on one side than the other.

And I sent this barrel back to T/C twice to check and they said there was nothing wrong with it! He let me look at it and you can tell without even measuring that one side of the barrel wall is thinner than the other side.......

Now he has to figure out a way to make the crown without the lathe. Will let you know how it comes out!

i'd document it with a ton of pictures and email it to TC along with the old invoices and tell them that they now need to fix it.

The reason a lot of gunsmiths always hand button barrels is because very few are exactly on center. Once the cut is square to the bore it can be buttoned with a ball cutter by hand and polished out with a lead ball and valve grinding compound.

Let me see if I understand this correctly, your qualified gunsmith doesn't know enough to index the barrel in the lathe using a pin gauge ( tight fitted rod stuck into the bore to show were the center of the bore is ) the pin is usually made to fit the bore. Made in the lathe, not mass produced. then by using a 4 jaw chuck you center the bore in the lathe not the exterior. I would not have a lot of faith in your gun smith. I think you need to look for a different one or just take the leap and do your own work.

Personally I would have cut the barrel off with a hack saw then trued it by eye with a file then crowned it using a carriage bolt and lapping compound. That is if I didn't have a lathe. That was how I always did it in the past.

Well, got it back today. Doesn't look perfect, but pretty close. Decided to give it a try and was very pleased.

Shot a couple of different conicals. Mainly T/C maxiballs, which I could never get better than about a 6-8 inch group at 100 yards.

90 gr BH 209, felt wad, 370 gr maxiball. Last 5 shots at 100 yards measured 4 inches. Not too shabby! That is the best group I have ever gotten with that gun and that is with only one powder choice!

Naw.............couldn't have been the QLA???????? NOT.

thats good to hear Tx. Look forward to seeing the results and seeing how much better it shoots. Now youre up to 3 conicals it will shoot! LOL. But hey, thats better than none in my book.

UC's coming up next or?

Didn't shoot them today, but hoping it shoots Thors and FPBs better too!

if its shoot the maxis with better accuracy, you can bet the thors and fpb's will shoot even better.

Hey did the gunsmith give back the section of barrel he cut off?

no, didn't ask for it, but could probably get it.

i'd get it just to see if you can see anything odd with the naked eye now that its a lot shorter.

txhunter58

There was a group of Omega barrels that the QLA was not concentric with the bore. TC knows about it and even had a note on their web site about it for awhile.

After reading your description - you have one of those bores as i would bet the QLA is square and equal on the bore.

I would capture that removed part and hang on to it. From there i would contact TC and discuss the problem that you found with them. Might need some pictures for an email. Even though they have looke at the barrel in the past i think you now have the physical evidence to aproach them about a warrany replacement should you decide to do it.

I have both an Omega @ one time 2 Omegas and a Triumph that would and do shoot Bullshop conicals very well - so they do have barrels that will perform... Even their newer Hawken barrels have a QLA on them - so they can do it... when the 'quality inspector' is on the job.

I will definately go get the end of the barrel.

BTW, forgot to say the 4inch, 5 shot group from yesterday was with open sights. I was either really, really lucky, or it is shooting much better.

I have a lot more shooting to do before I am totally satisfied, however, if that was a true measure, I should be in good shape. I now plan on ordering some No excuses or bullshops and try them. If it shoots them well, I know for sure I am good. The gun with the QLA would at least shoot maxiballs to about 8 inches at 100 yards, but the no excuses were that wide at 25 yards!

This may have been a better option from Precision Rifles.
To remove the QLA and machine a recessed target crown is $45.
To drill and tap the barrel to reinstall the front sight is $20.
http://www.prbullet.com/crown.htm

txhunter58

That probably was the result of the un-equal escaping gas pressures on the side of the bullet most effected bythe non-concentric QLA. When I say non-concentric - I meaning the QLA was concentric with the bore - notthat the QLA was out of round.

This still worries me a bit... if that crown is not completely square with the bore it will not solve your problem especially shooting a flat base conical... the gas needs to escape equally all around the base of the bullet. I certainly can not question your gun smith - but "pretty close" will give you head aches.

Is this Omega still planned as a back-up gun?

Yes, I am not totally pleased with the result. Wish I had know about the prbullet option sooner, but this guy has a gunsmith shop and I had no reason to doubt he could do the job. I will have to shoot some more before I decide what to do if anything more.

I did send T/C an email and let them know what I found (noncentered barrel). If the QLA was centered, but the opening/riflings were not, that could certainly explain why it was so bad with conicals.

"Is this Omega still planned as a back-up gun?"

My goal is to make this my "go to" gun. We will see.

txhunter58

Did you get the PM I sent you?

Do not worry about what has already been done... Let's just hope that TC will make a positive contact back.

Sending it PR would have been a reall headache - not just the shipping fees but getting the gun into and back out of Canada would have been a night mare.

Actually let's just hope the problem is fixed...

Just got your PM. Thanks a bunch for the offer and for all the info you always supply. I thought I still had some no excuses, but can't find them. They are the ones that shot the worse, so if they will shoot well, I know the problem is fixed.