Hello Fire friend. I have a question to all you TC Omega and Encore muzzleloader folks. I bought a Omega used and have shot it, fairly accurate so far still working up loads. The thing is, the primers seem a little loose in the breach plug. So I bough a second backup plug, primers still loose. Is this just to be expected for the Omega and Encore (they share the same breach plug)? Does a loose primer, even though the breach is sealed, affect the shot? If so is there something that can done safely to remedy the loose-ness? Thanks in advance.

Primers have different outside diameters as well as lengths, I use Federal shotshell primers. As I remember Win 209 primers were a problem..

Doc

The primers can be loose before they're fired but what's all important is what condition they're in after they're fired and if you're getting any blow-by/leakage.


What propellant/primers/projectiles are you using?

Fish head, I'm using Alliant Black MZ and BH209 for powders. Hornady fbp 300gr and Federal BOR 270 gr for bullets. And CCI and fed primers. Accuracy is 2-3 inches, sometimes better, open sights at 100. I figure that is the best my eyes will allow. So accuracy isn't a major issue.

Just out of curiosity you have any on deer experience with either projectile? I'm hearing alot of mixed comments on both. Need to pick one for a muley hunt in 4 weeks.

A TC Omega barrel is designed for optimal accuracy with a sabot.

I've never shot the Hornady fbp 300gr or the Federal BOR 270 in my Omega. I've been hunting in Utah where sabots are legal and I found my go to load with a Hornady 250 gr SST and the red "Low Drag Sabot", BH 209 (110 grs by volume), and a WW 209 (shotgun primer). It's a 1" load (plus or minus - more plus than minus) in my Omega.

The WW209 primer has less blow-by (in my rifle) than a CCI 209M primer and ignites BH209 with no problems.

I hope this helps without starting a schitstorm about this and that and blah, blah, blah.

New head scratcher...went to the range today. I shot the same bullet and powder combo and charge as I have before. Before, grouped 2-3 inches (open sights) at 100 yrds. Today could pattern squat. WTH? I thought maybe technique was off,but adjusted and still couldn't group. Is there really something to tightening the rear screw (@ the trigger assembly) first on a TC Omega to get them to shoot? Any other tricks anyone cares to share? Any advice is welcome, hunt in 3 1/2 weeks and getting nervous. Don't want to mangle a deer and not put it down.

Blue: T/C barrels have a feature called QLA. The first inch or so of the barrel has the rifling removed to make loading easier. While T/C barrels are very accurate, T/C then screws the pooch by machining the chambers and QLA not concentric to the bore. I just sent an Encore ML barrel back to customer service because you could see how far off the QLA was with the naked eye. Runout often exceeds .012. This problem is well documented on the precision rifle and bellm websites. The quick fix is to shorten the barrel to remove QLA and recrown. You will have to re-attach the front sight.

we've been cutting them down to 20-21inches for the last couple of years.the QLA may be hurting that barrel.saw it off in a band saw ,smooth it up and crown it with a 1/2 counter sink. just make sure its good and square .it not hard to do. i just cut a new truimph far a friend a few weeks ago.he loves it.

The brand new triumph that i cut off a few weeks ago would not close on a winchester primer unless you slammed it real hard. Thats a first in the guns i've seen. You need a tight fitting primer

I use a small o-ring beneath the primer. This provides a tight seal, so no crud gets back into the action. It would also cure your problem with loose fitting primers. I only shoot Blackhorn 209 in my inlines and they need a hot primer with all the fire going through the flash channel.