Smoke Pole Thompson Omega
Solid reviews and good ballistic information is hard to find.
I am looking for some honest opinions based on first hand experience.
Would like any comments positive or negative about the Omega. I have heard that Knight has the market on truely accurate .45's. The dealer that sells both mentioned Thompson"s rate of twist was not correct to stabalize the longer .45s. But... we were talking about an Encore Barrel not an Omega.
Also would like any input regarding .45 vs .50 caliber. I shoot CVA belted copper jackets in my current inline. It is not a Magnum load capable gun. I really want a consistant tight grouping rifle that can deliver the terminal ballistics to ethically drop a Whitetail at longer ranges.
Most of my hunting applications would be open field or light wooded mountain shots 100-250 yards. And of course fun at the range punching paper.
Thank You in advance for any help or links you can share.
Feel free to email direct as well. bluewaterhunter@att.net
"Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way."
Charlie
I am looking for some honest opinions based on first hand experience.
Would like any comments positive or negative about the Omega. I have heard that Knight has the market on truely accurate .45's. The dealer that sells both mentioned Thompson"s rate of twist was not correct to stabalize the longer .45s. But... we were talking about an Encore Barrel not an Omega.
Also would like any input regarding .45 vs .50 caliber. I shoot CVA belted copper jackets in my current inline. It is not a Magnum load capable gun. I really want a consistant tight grouping rifle that can deliver the terminal ballistics to ethically drop a Whitetail at longer ranges.
Most of my hunting applications would be open field or light wooded mountain shots 100-250 yards. And of course fun at the range punching paper.
Thank You in advance for any help or links you can share.
Feel free to email direct as well. bluewaterhunter@att.net
"Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way."
Charlie
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I don't have firearms comparison for you, but I have shot smallbore smokepoles, .45's, .50's, and .54's. I have personally found the .50 to be the best "jack of all trades". I can shoot very reliable 1" groups at 100 yards, even better if I clean often and load carefully. I can hit a paper plate at 200 yards every time, but that is a little loose for me to use at that distance for hunting. I have experimented some with polymer-tipped bullets and haven't found the perfect one yet (for my rifle).
I like the .50 because you can use a full bore size for a heavier-hitting bullet, or use a sabot and shoot .44 or .45 caliber bullets.
I'd be glad to talk more with you on my experience with smokepoles (whatever it's worth). I've taken over 50 whitetails with blackpowder guns, although most were from my old CVA sidelock, I bought a Remington 700MLS and after some initial firing pin trouble, it has been a very accurate shooter. I am not kidding at all when I say I can shoot better with my 700MLS at 100 yards than I can with my .300 Win Mag at the same distance.
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
Hopefully this will be the objective assessment your looking for?
http://www.progressivefarmer.com/farmer/rs/field/1002-1.html0 -
Also, this may not always be true, but my 1 in 60 twist .50 sidelock CVA could hold a very good group with sabot .44 240 grain bullet. The grouping was about the same as a patched roundball at the same distance.
My 700MLS, with a 1:28 twist, can't shoot a roundball to save its life
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
bluewaterhunter: My hunting partner and I drew nonresident buck tags for Kansas last season and hunted the early blackpowder season. Neither of us had ever fired a blackpowder rifle before this hunt. My partner is a gold staff member of a major outdoor equipment manufacturer. We picked up the Omega's the day before season opened and headed to the range to get familiar with and sight in both rifles. We started at 50 yds and both shot a ragged one-hole 3 shot group with the tru-glow sights. From 100 yds both rifles would shoot 1 inch 3 shot groups if we did our part. I think that we shot about 12 rounds each at the range and both left very impressed with the T/C Omega rifles. We were shooting 100 gr's of Pyrodex under a .44 calibre 240 gr XTP sabot bullet in these .50 cals. Long story short, my partner took a nice Kansas 11 pointer at 135 yds for a one shot kill two days later. I had to go back in December to get my buck. The Omega is a fine rifle capable of outstanding accuracy and well worth the selling price IMHO.
Bruce
In our schools, if we train the mind and not morals we will unleash criminals on society...Dr. Benjamin Rush0 -
I own a T/C Omega. It is one of if not the finest muzzleloader ever built. I have owned a Austin Halleck & Treditions inlins also. Neither of thes rifles came close to the accuercy of the Omega. I have the blued version noe and when I can find one I am going to buy the SS verson with the camo stock. I can keep my groups right at 1" at 100 yards with the 240gr Hordndy XTP hollow point bullets. I use 2 50gr pellets of Clean Shot powder. This is the recomed bullit that T/C sends with the Omega rifle. You can't go wrong with an Omega. Also it cleans very quick.
Hornet0 -
bem243 I would love to go back and hunt those KS whitetails again , how hard was it to get those out of state tags ? is there a kansas F&G web page for info? any info is appreciated 0 -
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/
I have a lifetime license in Kansas (and in Oklahoma), so I am not sure about how hard tags are to get...
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
bambihunter: thanks for the link , I wish I had purchased a life time license for KS back when I lived there , [:(!] 0 -
Sure gskyhawk, glad I could help... If you get a tag up there give me a hollar, maybe we can hook up. I usually hunt unit 11 (S.E. part of the state).
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
thanks , I'll keep that in mind 0 -
Thanks to all. I bought the Omega this week end in SS .50 w/ Realtree Hardwoods Syn stock.
I have been using 295 HP Powerbelts in my CVA with 100 grains of powder. I took a big doe at 90 yards this year. I hit her shoulder, she was quartered toward me. Bullet shattered shoulder, grazed off rib cage and exited rear breaking back leg in half at the knee. No blood to track.
I asked about the bullets because I was not pleased with the penetration. I felt that it should have entered chest cavity. May be just fluke based on the high angle (I was 25 feet up in a stand). Or maybe I found a bullet proof deer.
Thanks again
"Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way."
Charlie0
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