Omega .45

[Archie Otto]

Hello at the forum. I have a T/C Omega in .45 cal. I've been using the T/C yellow sabots with their 200 gr polymer tipped bullets. Shoot like a dream loads like a mule. This thing hits point of aim out to 100 yards qith 100 gr of BH209. Getting the sabot down the barrel is a real chore. I have 2 renegades, one each in .50 and .54 and these load real easy. have any of you guys had problems with the Omega and sabots? I am thinking about trying maxiballs or another conical.

[Doc Hoy]

....Welcome to the group.

Someone here knows.

[shortwave]

Welcome to the madness...

I am thinking about trying maxiballs or another conical.

Have you tried other sabots? Maybe a thinner walled sabot? Different colored sabots indicate a different design/size(as in wall thickness) of sabot.

If you are satisfied with the bullet you are shooting, you can order bullets from Hornady separate from the sabots.

Then you can order sabots for those bullets from MMP(Muzzleload Magnum Products). Google mmpsabots.com or call them to get advice on an easier loading sabot. Sabot dimensions are on their website but when calling MMP they are very helpful,easy to deal with.

FWIW...if you order your bullets and sabots separately and order say 100 of each, you will cut your shooting cost down considerable. It's amazing what companies are charging for putting the bullet and sabot together in a pretty little package of 15-20 each when you can order 100rds of each(minus the pretty package) separately for about the same cost.

[NoSecondBest]

Listen to shortwave. He said it all and was spot on.

[shortwave]

Why...Thank You(and Good morning) NoSecondBest.

Just another nut that a lucky 'blind' squirrel happened to find.

[Pahoo]

This is good advice.
Most of the battle, is finding a shot-string that works for you and looks like you are there. Just need to tweek it a little. You will practically have to start over is you go to conicals. I buy my sabots and pistol bullets separate and perhaps some would say that my fit might be too loose. ...

Be Safe !!!

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Two of my friends shoot Omega's. Both those rifles have stainless barrels. When cleaned those barrels seem to load up no differently than any other rifle using sabot bullets. But most inline barrels when fired are indeed hard on their shooters in their reloadings from what I've observed. Sabot bullets are inherently hard to load no doubt. But it's funny the manufactures haven't come up with a better design in projectile delivery systems for inlines or at least a type of sabot with a slipperier surface to enhance their loading & reloadings. Not just ribbing added or reduction in size and material. Makes you wonder how those slight in stature manage.

Hows this one sound shortwave.

[NoSecondBest]

I've owned two TC Omegas and they were not hard to load. Again, you need to match the sabot to the bullet. There are thick and thin sabots for each caliber and some bullets are a thousandth over or under, and labeled that way. Just stacking the tolerences up the wrong way can make them a bear to load and stacking them the other way can make the bullet/sabot just drop down the barrel (not actually "drop" but go down very easy). Check out MMP as suggested and also Harvester sabots. I use both for different bullet/sabot combinations. Both my TC's shot great but I switched to a smokeless Savage ML2 a few years back to try something different. All are good guns.

[shortwave]

Info threaded did not respond to the OP question in a positive way.
__________________

Sure Shot

...why not?

Sounds as the OP is very satisfied with the accuracy of the sabot combo he is using, just not the hard loading. Having been down that road, IMO, switching to a different sabot would more then likely be an easier process to attain the same accuracy with easier loading then switching to a full size conical in which he'll have to start all over again finding the 'sweet spot' for his rifle and probably loose a bit of accuracy in the process.

FWIW, maybe there are those that have, but with inlines, I've just never been able to get as good as accuracy out of full size conicals and maintain easy loading as I've been able to get out of sabot rounds. Not saying you can't get 'deer accuracy' out of the full size conicals. You can!

I've got two inlines that shoot full size conicals with great deer accuracy, another that shoots them okay and yet another, which happens to be a T/C that doesn't shoot them well at all but will clover leaf sabot rds at long distance if I do my part.

There's one thing that all four of these rifles have in common...all of them will shoot sabot rounds of the right combo the best(especially at distances of 100yds+) and with the right bullet matched with the right sabot, I don't have to use a jackhammer to load them.

Again, for the tightest, consistent grouping out of an inline, it would be my suggestion to stay with the sabot round and find an easier loading sabot.

Archie,

Are you finding the rifle hard to load from the very first shot in a clean bbl. and are you sure there is no plastic fouling buildup in the bore?

[arcticap]

Harvester makes crush rib sabots which may be easier to load.
There's .45 Powerbelts which are easier to load because they have a narrower plastic skirt.
Some folks that have tight bores use bore paste to polish the bore which helps to make loading sabots easier. Shooting plastic doesn't put much wear or help to break-in the bore very much. Whereas 50 or 100 strokes with bore paste can help to break-in the bore.
And then there's also using a mallet and a starter with a special tip to gently tap the bullets into the bore without damaging the pointed tip of the bullet. A lot of traditional shooters use a mallet to help with loading tight fitting patched round balls. Especially competition shooters who like really tight PRB's for better accuracy.

[BirchOrr]

Question:

1) are you swabbing the bore between shots?

If you are and still having problems, the guys here in this thread had some good solutions.

Here's more suggestions.

T/C also makes their pre-soaked patches in "T-17" (the blue ones). They are formulated w/lube to make loading easier. Be sure to roll the wet-patch into a ball and squeeze out the extra solvent so it's not too wet going down the barrel. This can (obviously) foul your breech plug. Another method I've used is to spray a patch lightly with Ballistol and run it down before seating the sabot.

T/C's like a tight sabot! If you go with something smaller, you will lose accuracy. It's a trade off.

Birch

[shortwave]

There's .45 Powerbelts which are easier to load because they have a narrower plastic skirt.

Good info articap

PowerBelts load very easily and is what I shoot out of a Rem. and a CVA. Get great deer accuracy out to about 100yds. Too, I've found with the PB that if you use a powder load much North of about 110grns. accuracy and consistency starts going out the window fairly fast. Don't know for sure but I'm thinkin it may have something to do with the plastic skirting deforming as we've recovered some that didn't look very healthy using heavier charges.

In both the Rem. and CVA shooting 90-100grns things stay consistent and you can load them scary fast. Which is nice if you need a follow-up shot on a deer. Just gotta be careful of dumping a fresh dose of powder in on a hot ember. That could ruin a great hunting trip.

I know my T/C Encore won't shoot PB's well at all but there are those here that have T/C's and claim theirs do. Just gotta give em a whirl.

[Archie Otto]

This is all good information, thanks much. The hard loading is with clean and fouled barrel, every load every time regardless of bore condition. I have found that putting a little grease on the sabot helps a little. Even then shooting 20 rounds just plain wears me out. Shooting should not be that much work. So why would T/C make a sabot that is this difficult to load in a T/C rifle? It just don't make sense to me. From what I am seeing with T/C, CVA and other inlines I will be sticking with the traditional side hammer rifles. I have a renegade with a factory .54 barrel and a GM LRH .50 drop-in barrel and never had these hard loading problems or accuracy issues. So if ya know someone interested in an .45 omega I'd cut ya a smokin deal. I need cash to start a new hawken project from Pecatonica. I'm thinkin .58 cal colerain barrel 1-70 twist round ball barrel.

[Pahoo]

So why would T/C make a sabot that is this difficult to load in a T/C rifle?

As long as you are matching the pistol bullet diameter to the sabot, it really should not be that hard. I have seen where a shooter has tried to load a .45 bullet, into a .44 sabot and loading is practically impossible. Right off, you can tell as the petals will flare out. ....

Sure do wish I could see your set-up and I still suggest different sabots. .....

Be Safe !!!

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Archie Otto
If your into a build job. You got to check this guys posting out. He's now building a flint lock rifle from a TOTW kit. Post his work on Utube for all to follow. But threads those Links here in TFLF B/P. His tips and technique sure are interesting to watch on video. __ duelist1954__ is the Man to watch when it comes to building one from a kit no doubt. I've threaded the first three to get you started. There are seven total so far filmed to watch. To watch the others. Search for his profile site >duelist1954 or bump around in his postings till you find the other build postings. 1 thru 7 total. >enjoy.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJBNg_NLASA

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XOwE651jn4

3.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ir8roD-cVg

[BirchOrr]

So sorry you've had this problem! Sounds like the experience has been a major "turn off" to in-lines.

This is too bad. I LOVE my in-lines and they're by far, my main deer guns. In southern Michigan we can't use center fire rifles during deer season. I've taken many a deer out past 200 yards with in-lines. Deadly, accurate and reliable. Especially in bad weather.

I'd hate to see you throw in the towel just yet... Frustration stinks!

All the best,

Birch

[Doyle]

So why would T/C make a sabot that is this difficult to load in a T/C rifle?

Because there is a HUGE variation in the actual bore diameters of muzzleloaders. Sometimes even two instances of the same rifle will mic out differently.

For your Omega, try Hornady SSTs with the low-drag sabot. Those worked perfectly in both of my .50 T/C ML barrels.

[BirchOrr]

Because there is a HUGE variation in the actual bore diameters of muzzleloaders. Sometimes even two instances of the same rifle will mic out differently.

You are right on sir!

Birch

[shortwave]

One size does not fit all !!!

^^^THIS^^^

In inlines or any other front stuffer...

...finding the 'sweet spot' with an inline is the same as finding the 'sweet spot' with a side cocker or any other front stuffer. Just different components.
But once you find it(sweet spot) you will not regret it.

Your inline .45 is capable of some very accurate shooting at some very impressive distances.

As has been said, hate to see you throw the towel in so soon as with a very little tweaking with your choice in your sabot, your problem can easily be corrected.

[Archie Otto]

I bought it for the 2012 ML season due to a lack of venison in the rifle season and my renegade was in parts for a trapdoor project. I have retrieved all the renegade parts and "restored" her to the way I built it in 1984. Now I am going to start a new traditional project. I have several in mind the first of which will be using up some renegade parts from a broken stock rifle. A curly maple T/C stock from pecatonica and a colerain round ball barrel. Either .54 or .58 cal

[shortwave]

^^^ So you are definitely through with the inline?

[Archie Otto]

"Definately through" is a mighty bold statement for a guy with a short attention span like me. The inlines are fine as far as a usable rifle goes. In my mind, to hunt with a frontstuffer I think traditional is more appealing. Particularly a rifle that I have built with my unique sense of design. I am putting the Omega on a table in a gunshow in march to finance my next project.