Shooting the Omega
 

New to the muzzleloader game, shot my T/C Omega yesterday for the first time. All I have to say is, "Wow!"...loved it! Shot both .295 PowerBelts and 250 T/C shockwaves w/ 100 gr of Pyrodex and had good results w/ both. Bought the gun about three weeks ago, but wanted to get all my "ducks in a row" before I went out to the range. Just wanted to say thanks to a lot of you guys for suggestions, tips, etc...especially Triple Se7en and cayugad. I'll be going out to the range again before I can hunt w/ it, but am eager to get it out in the woods and see what it can do.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Congrats on your new ML!!!

This is a great place for help and info, isn't it. I read these two guys' posts with interest as well. Great sources of info!!!:)

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

I love my Omega. The more you shoot it the more you will like it.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Congrats! Which one did you get?

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

I can only say I love my Omega, but it keeps disappearing from my gun cabinet... My father sneaks by every time I am out of town to just screw around with it, he has the TC Encore.

Anyway I went all out and got the SS fluted barrel with thumbhole laminated stock, haven't regreted it for a minute, one of the best gun purchases I have ever made, you get what you pay for most of the time!

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Here it is with my hunting ground in the background...

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Pretty gun. Here's mine.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Those guns are quite impressive. I ended up getting the blue/black model w/ a Bushnell Banner scope.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Hey if you haven't gotten one yet you might want to try one of these. Here's a good place to get one.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

HEY,
I ALSO HAVE THE OMEGA AND WAS WONDERING WHICH SCOPE YOU GUYS RECCOMMEND.
EB

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

I have a Leupold VX-II 3x9x40mm matte finished scope on my Omega. Buy a good scope the first time, it'll save you money in the long run!

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

About the Sims pad... I was talking with a friend who does alot of shooting about the Omega and how I bought a Sims pad for it... he proceeded to give me grief for being a pu$$y, can't handle recoil, etc..., then he laughed and said he's bought the Sims as soon as they came out. Has them on his center fire rifle and muzzleloader.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

I have a Burris 4x on mine, it has very good eye relief, is compact, and has bold cross-hairs. Personal preferrence.

As for the recoil, mine is amazingly light, probably the lightest recoil I have ever felt on anything that could kill a deer, I shoot 100 grains with a T-shirt on and I only weigh a tad bit over 150, I don't know why anyone would need any SIMS pads, etc.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

The first time I had a long shooting session with mine, I ended up with a bruised shoulder. Let's put it another way. I also own a thumbhole stocked Disc Extreme. Before the sims the Extreme was slightly longer lenght of pull than the Omega (now they're darn near equal) and about equal in weight after scoping them. My Extreme also has a much softer recoil pad than the Omega's factory pad. I've been shooting 100 gr triple seven loads with a 260 gr. saboted bullet for over a year and never bruised once. I even recently tried 150 gr of 777 pellets behind a 250 gr. SST and still wasn't bothered by the recoil.

It simply was the pad. I was hindered by a rock hard recoil pad on my Omega. Your the only one who has to shoot your rifle, as long as it's not bothering you, then good for you. The recoil did bother me for nearly a hundred shots out of my Omega this year before I finally got the Sims pad. A hundred shots is plenty of punishment. I upgraded to more comfort during shooting.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Yep... those Sims are a great $29.95 investment... especially with magnum 777 charges

I shoot a .300 mag centerfire so recoil is no issue for me. Yet I prefer to soften/absorb recoil on all my rifles because it keeps the rifle more in scope-control & it feels better on the ol' shoulder -- more-so when I shoot the Omega 20-25 times at most range sessions

Avoid the new guy Patrick.. he has one-sided issues with a straight ahead-only approach... peripheral lacking!

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

OK... I can't be the only one whom isn't bother by the recoil?!?! Again I only shoot 100 grain charges with a 260 grain powerbelt. I am significantly bothered by recoil in other guns I own such as a Sako 30-06, an H&R 20-gauge slug gun, Ruger .44, and especially my new Turkey gun, a mossberg 500 12 gauge with synthetic stock (the most uncomfortable recoil ever!). I really think the Omega feels very comfortable. No need to lash out on me, it is just personal preference. No need to get defensive 777. I was just really surprised it bothered people.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

newguy23,
Don't worry about Triple Se7en. His bark is worse than his bite. He is pretty abrasive.:eek:

Quick question, what powder are you using?

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

American Pioneer FFFG, So far I am very impressed with it's results... I really love how easy it is to clean too... I might try the new stuff from Cabela's as I will be by one when I am visiting my brother in Wheeling WV this weekend.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Ok that explains it. You don't get nearly the velocity with that AP that you do with Triple seven. I'm pushing 2000 fps with my loads.

Just one thing though, be careful with that stuff. I was told by a company rep that that American Pioneer/Clean Shot is not nearly as consistant as Pyrodex/Triple Seven. I used it back when it was still Clean Shot and, from what I was told, now belive it to be the cause of the one wounded deer that I never recovered.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

With a 240 grain bullet and 100 grains of AP powder = 1823
With a 240 grain bullet and 120 grains of AP powder = 1905

From Hodgkins web site

With a 240 grain bullet and 90 grains of 777 = 1797
With a 250 grain bullet and 100 grains of 777 = 1971
With a 260 grain bullet and 100 grains of 777 = 1865

It appears that 777 is approximately 10% more potent than AP... Not so significant to me, I don't think a deer will say man I am glad he hit me with AP and not 777... LOL!

I just don't get it... I have shot AP with no problems... To me all the moisture issues are baloney, I have left the powder out in super moist conditions, no problem. I left my gun out with powder in it under my awning overnight, shot it the next morning in heavy due, no problems. I opened a half full jar that was sitting in my fathers basement for over a year, only a couple of clumps... Same with the 777 that it was sitting next to.

I have very minimal recoil in my gun, which is opposite from 777 according to your experiences.

I don't have to clean my gun between shots, except with a dry patch to maintain accuracy, definately not that way with 777.

It is cheaper...

It is only 10% less potent... If this is a problem, just add 20 more grains...

Why are you guys so sold on 777... My buddy says he just likes cleaning his gun!!! I just don't get it!?!?

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Well your experiences with AP are far different from mine with Clean Shot (well the quick shot pellets anyway) which is the same powder. I had crud at the breech and plastic (visible) from the skirts of the Powerbelts I was using at the time. I'll never use that crap again.

Yes I get crud, but the velocity improvement is worth it. When you add powder to equal velocity you are adding recoil. When calculating free recoil you factor in the bullet (and sabot) weight, powder weight, and velocity. If you increase one, you'll increase recoil. By adding powder to increase velocity you are increasing recoil by two factors.

What do you pay per pound? I can get it locally for 19.99 per pound. I am shooting powder now that I got on clearance from Wal-Mart. I got 5 pounds of it on clearance last year. Prices ranged from $19 to $12 dollars as time went on. I got a pound everytime they dropped the price untill it was gone.:D

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

I can't imagine how you were getting a dirty barrel with Clean Shot, I have to admit I have only shot it's predecessor (AP). I have heard no one complain about that, you might want to try the new AP.

I was at Cabelas today where they don't have AP, they have their substitute, Black Magic... Which they are trying to get $27 a pound!!!!

I think the Last AP pound I bought was $16, 777 is about 20 bucks, so about 20% cheaper.

I agree pound for pound 777 is better, you will get ~10% more velocity, but so far that is the only advantage I can find. I am a lazy person and don't like to clean my gun every shot. I am not a person who will have an opportunity at over a 150 yard shot, so the velocity is a moot point for me...

Another thing, when I was shooting 100 grains of 777 out of my gun, the recoil still would not bother me unless I was to shoot more than a couple dozen shots.

Oh yeah... What a disappointment in Cabelas... I went there with a wad of cash in my hand and returned with most of it.... Prices weren't that great... My father though almost bought a Blaser... What a pretty gun, I wish I was rich. (If you don't know they are imported by SIG, single shot break opens and bolts, engraved, interchangeable barrels and run anywhere from 3 to 5 grand).

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

If I could find it I might have, but nobody around here carries it that I know of. I'm far too cheap to order any. So far I'm doing well on the 5 pounds I bought of 777. Still have 2 full ones left and an opened bottle.

RE: Shooting the Omega
 

Understood... That is my problem.... Access to the stuff. I went to my local gunstore and had them order it, that way I avoided shipping charges. And don't get me wrong 777 is a fine powder, nothing really wrong with it, AP is just better in the areas which I find important...