Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

I have a new TC 50 Cal. Omega that I took to the range for the first time. I bought some TC 300gr. Mag Express sabots and had some Powerbelt 295 gr. bullets to try out.

Both of these bullets are so hard to get down the barrel, so hard that I have to stand over top of the Omega and push down with extreme force (haven’t broken the ramrod yet…:eek:)

From what others were saying these bullets should be a lot easier than others to load. Is there something that I could be doing wrong??? (The PB 295’s work great in my CVA with no problems, but not the Omega)

I did completely disassemble the gun and clean the barrel and the breech plug before doing any shooting.

Are there any others bullets to try that would be easier, as the two above won’t do?

Thanks for reading!
Deer Magnet (Bob)

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

What did yu use to get the packing grease out of the barrel?

What did you use to remove the barrel oils & solvents when you stored the rifle after you cleaned it & before you took it to the range?

You need a harsh cleaner to remove the grease. You should use rubbing alcohol to remove storing oils. Failure to do both could lead to a sticky bore that appears to be clean - but remains difficult to load a bullet because the bore is tacky.

If you did all the correct things to ready your rifle, call T/C by phone ( tel# is in your manual). Tell them your bore is too small & they will want you to return the rifle by Fed-Ex. If it's too small, you'll receive a new barrel free of charge.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

The 295's load well in your .50 CVA, but not your .50 Omega? Those are the easiest loading bullets there are!

First check your barrel to make dead certain you have a 50 cal (should be stamped on the barrel) as it is possible there was some screw up. If you do, then a call to Thompson is in order.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

That may be with the sabots, but not the powerbelts. Out of the correct caliber they are absurdly easy to load even in fouled bores. It sounds to me as though his bore is undersize.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

Time to dust off the dial calipers at home (I was a machinist a loooong time ago) I will check it out again tonight.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

Thats really strange. Powerbelts are about easiest bullet to load. But if it was really undersized, then it would be hard for you to get the bullet started. Let us know what the dial measuements are.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

If the bullet part of a powerbelt digs in, there is something seriously wrong. Powerbelts are designed so that only the base engages the rifling when loading. If the rifling leaves anything more that the tiniest of a scratch in the bullet. your bore is undersized.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

I also suspect something is up with the size of the bore. Of course, while you're measuring, check the bullets as well.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

hey deer magnet, was wondering what you found, a buddy of mine is having the same problem with his 209X50 encore, i told him that i had seen this post and to check it with some calipers, and he said he couldn't because the gun has the QLA and the calipers wont reach? any other ideas, because he has tried the "bore seasoning" that tc recommends. anyway any help i'll pass it on, he bought the gun used we have done all the cleaning, and i'll tell ya you just about have to stand on the ramrod to seat the bullet, plus he's afraid he's crushing/or damaging his pyrodex pellets/ he says it never loads to the same depth??????[:o]

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

If I had scrubbed the bore clean with something like JB Bore Paste, and then still had problems seating a T/C bullet sabot combination, I would be calling Thompson Center Arms. They are really willing to help you with any problem you might have with one of their rifles.

I own a T/C Black Diamond XR and that thing loads like a dream. I can load and shoot up to five T/C Cheapshots or Shockwaves without swabbing if I really want to.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

Take a conical such as a Maxi-ball or a Lee REAL, lube it up good and then run it through your bore. Run it down to just above a normal seating level - then run it back out with the breech plug removed. Slow and careful the whole way. Then measure the narrowest points across the upper band of either bullet (where it is engraved), trying to get a full diameter reading. That will be your land to land. I doubt you'll be able to get anything on groove to groove - but that isn't the major problem anyway.

T/C has a fairly wide tolerance on bores.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

I went and bought some Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber. It seems to have helped with the powerbelt bullets down the barrel a lot. As for the 300gr. TC Mag Express Sabots, it has helped a little bit. Not as forceful as it was. I shot it yesterday and was able to load the TC Mag Express sabots and get it sighted in. I cleaned after each shot with the bore scrubber until the barrel was clean and dry. It shot well at 50 yards to get it on paper and out at 100 yards it was "dead nuts" in the bullseye:D I am using 85 gr. of loose 3F Goex for both bullets, while the TC sabot grouped tight and in the center of the target, the Powerbelts shot 6 inches high and 4 inches right from where the TC bullet was at but also in a tight group. I think I'm going to stay with the TC bullet though. I may also pick up some JB Bore paste it give it a go of that as well. Keep us informed of what happens with yours.

RE: Difficulty loading my Omega...WHY???
 

After you scrub the barrel real good with a J.B. Bore Paste, get a bore brush and scrub it again with the bore scrubber. After your done, coat it with a quality oil such as Rem Oil or Birchwood Casey Sheath. Scrubbing the bore with bore paste will open up the metal pores in the barrel and you need a good oil to reseal all of that.

Then before you shoot it next time run a patch with some denatured or isopropyl alcohol on it and remove the oil from the bore. I think you will find it will load excellent then.

DeerMagnut .. nice to hear the rifle is coming around and shooting good for you... I like the T/C sabots much better then the powerbelts for cost and performance....

good luck