Omega Blow By?
 

I am going to order a new muzzleloader next week. I have been hard set on an Omega after weeks of research but now in the 11th hour I am starting to wonder. I read some old threads on this forum and others and a lot of them talked about blow by getting under the barrel through the hole at the bottom of the barrel in the breech area. I don't mind removing the barrel now and again, but with the Omega being known for POI shift after barrel removal I'm not sure that I want to mess with it. Does anyone have this problem? I read somewhere that you can adjust the breech block by turning it to make a tight fit for the primer. Does that help? I really like the way that the Omega shoulders, but this might just push me in the direction of either a Triumph or a Disc Extreme. Thanks!

There is a pressure relief hole in the bottom of the breech to allow excess gas to escape through. It is a very minor amount unless there might be a catstrophic even in the vent and then it is there for safety reason.

This venting would not require you to remove the barreled action form the stock unless you were in a cleaning mode.

There are some adventurous people out there that might suggest to un-screw the BP a bit to get a tighter fit... I would not be one of them. I have shot my Omega a lot and the blow back is certainly there but nothing to the extreme especially if you use a longer length primer. You can beat the whole thing by getting a 25acp conversion.

I have all three guns and consider all three guns - excellent, but I do prefer the Knight DISC.

One of my Omega makes a 'crush' on W209 primer, and there is zero blow by from this rifle.

The other Omega is not so tight, and there was a slight blow by, even when using the long W209 primer. What i did for it, is make a modification to the breech plug that gives a 'crush' to STS primer. That rifle using them STS primer gives zero blow by. The W209 primer are too long to use in this breech plug.

I like the DISC too, Knight builds quality RIFLES, not plastic, gimmicky toys (like some of the other manufacturers are starting to do). I think that only thing I like about the Omega over the knight is that it seems to point faster. Also, with my old knight I found cleaning the breech plug threads a bit of a pain...There are no perfect muzzleloaders I'm afraid...decisions...

An honest review of the pros and cons of the Omega I owned. I repeat. The Omega I owned. You may get a better one.

Pros:

Pretty accurate. Nothing exceptional. It didn't like conicals except for the Thor.

Light

Cheap (price)

Shoots BH 209 well with stock BP.



Cons:

Creepy trigger

Blowback from primer.

Light ( felt recoil)

Hard on cheek recoil. (Thumbhole may be better)

Ramrod will fall out on recoil. (TC has no answer for this)

Sights will not work the way they come. (TC has no answer for this) (moot point if you scope it)

Removing barrel changes POI. (I had the cheap flexy Z5)


My experience wasn't that good. I wouldn't buy another one. You may have better luck. Others seem to. I don't see an inline in my future, but if there was. I'd buy a Knight.

Optima! Sweet trigger and easily adjust the head space for blow by free system.

What is your budget and what other types of ancillary purchases do you need to make that you may need to forgo if you purchase a more expensive rifle?

I have the cheapie Z5, and I am completely happy with it for the price I paid. Mine has a very crisp trigger, and I do not notice much blow by at all. The stock is cheap but you can "fix" it with very little labor and almost no cost (my POI does not shift after removing from stock). If you are scoping, get the thumbhole stock b/c the standard stock is too low for a scope (perfect for iron sights though, and you can use a comb riser if using scope). The ramrod will sometimes loosen after firing in the field, just be sure to click it back into place. As far as accuracy goes, you can't beat it for $250. I decided to go with the Harvester PT Gold last season and whipped up a 1 MOA load for it. This season I wanted to try 300gr Deepcurls and whipped up a 1 MOA load for them. I certainly can live with that in the field.

My uncle and father in law both have the Z5 and they are definitely shooters. They throw 2 pellets and a XTP down the barrel and they both will stack them. Both have nice crisp triggers and don't deal with any blow by either. Not saying nobody has ever got one that had problems but that is with any gun you buy and there are certainly a lot of happy Omega owners out there.

Good luck with those sabots, pellets,and scope if you want to come to Colorado to hunt elk.

Just saying.

If I were to buy an Omega I would get a laminated stock version.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=255055911
I've been looking at this one for a couple of months but have resisted the temptation so far.