HELP !!!!!

hunterman67 · Sep 27, 2007

ok some may not like me- neat. but I need help. I leave for my muzz elk hunt in nm in 5 days and I am screwed up big time. first off does ANYONE shoot one of the nikon "omega" bdc reticle scopes on a t/c omega .50 cal ?????????? WTF !!!!!!!!! this has my number here guys,I thought I was fairly stupid, but now I know I am just flat out dumb ! first off heres what I am shooting
2 50 grain pyrodex pelletts
1 30 grain pyrodex pellett
1 245 grain powerbelt aerotip bullett
my group at 100 yards you can eat off of, besides my 6mm this is the best group I have shot ever I think. 5 shots 2.1 inch gap- (rangemaster verified) for the ones who need it. anyway I can shoot this gun GREAT @ 100 yards. now move to 200.

HOLY FREAKING CRAP MONSTERS

I shot 6 shots, about a minute in between the shots. and my group was 4 feet wide.

1st shot bottom of lifesize man police target 6 oclock 3 feet below bullseye

2nd shot right off paper and hit "wood" frame 1.5 feet right (cost me a $1 for hitting the wood- not my only dollar either) 2 oclock

3rd shot top of same man sized target (also in wood $1)11 oclock 3 feet high of bullseye

4th shot 1.5 foot left, barely on paper 8 oclock

5th shot OVER THE FREAKING TARGET. 11-12 oclock 4 feet over bullseye

this target was @ 200 yards and a total of 5' x 4' 20 square feet of paper with bull in center.

holy crap-ola

I could'nt do much else as the range closed. I am going in the early am tomorrow to try and salvage this mess.

ANY THOUGHTS !!!!!!!!!!
I forgot to mention this is off a concrete bench and using a LEAD SLED to hold gun in place.
WTF !
I did NOT clean it in between any shots. it was sparkling when I arrived, and after 25 shots it does NOT look bad. no patches were run through it during the shooting. would the barrel getting hot make that much difference, not cleaning it, or patching it during the shooting ? I am guessing here guys !!!!!

Proud White Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

txhunter58 · Sep 28, 2007

I would:

Try running a spit patch (both sides) followed by 1-2 dry patches (both sides) down between each shot. Yes, it could make that much difference

Yes, the barrel heating up could make that much difference. Shoot 3 shot groups, then let it cool before you shoot it again.

It could also be the powerbelt. If the plastic skirt is not releasing, as they are notorious at doing, it could make the difference that you are seeing. Research powerbelts and you will find this. I think people will remove them and put a slight amount of bore butter just on the little projection into the skirt to get them to come off better. Never done it, so don't know how that works.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

Buckrub · Sep 28, 2007

I agree!! Clean the bore between shots. A slight crud ring might give you a false sence of proper seating depth. Just a very light swipe of bore butter might help on the powerbelt skirts.
The suggested 3 shot grps. are the way to go w/ adequate cool down between.
Lastly, double check your mount and ring screws, just to be sure.
Good Luck!!!!

"Good mass & long browtines"

hunterman67 · Sep 28, 2007

thanks for the info. I cleaned it last night good, I used hoppes #9 andit was NOT that bad, not as bad as I thoughtit would be after that many shots anyway. it looked pretty good. scopes and ring is tight. I am using a 1 piece talley mount so both rings are permanent, just the tops come off and they are tight. after cleaning I ran 2 pre lubed bore butter patches through the barrel and it is CLEAN. I am heading to 3 points tomorrow morning to try again. I will try that with the powerbelt skirts. I do know that if I just use the standard push rod to insert the bullets that it akes off the ballastic tip, it comes out with the rod. so I switched to a different jag tip that won't tear them off anymore.

Proud White Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

Boskee · Sep 28, 2007

Try all the above it's good advice and remember that muzzle loaders can be like a rifle in that they sometimes like different bullets because of differing bore dimensions. Not all projectiles have the same exterior size at the bearing surface. You may have to switch to something a little different. That gun should shoot! Good luck!!

offhuntn · Sep 28, 2007

I had the same problem two years ago so I know how frustrating it can be, it cost me a new scope but that did not work either. I found that the sabbot I was using was depositing material inside the barrel. I called knight and a tech said to clean the gun the way I normally would until the patch came out clean, then clean it again with knight spray cleaner and a .50 cal. wire brush attachment on my rod then run a patch through it. It was amazing all the crap the brush brought out, after that I was dead on again. Good luck!

hunterman67 · Sep 28, 2007

I shot the t/c bore cleaning foam into the barrel and let it set for about an hour, then wire brushed it out with the hoppes #9, then ran 8 pads through it until they were clean. then I ran 2 of the butter bore presaturated patches though it. tomorrow I am going to shoot it again in the am, and let it cool, and bringing my cleaning stuff as well.

Proud White Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

predator · Sep 28, 2007

Mike, I had the same problem with the Powerbelts. I switched to Hornady, lowered my powder a bit, and got great groups out to 250.

130 grains of powder is pretty darn hot, IMO. You might try 100 even...just a thought.

contender · Sep 28, 2007

I heard somewhere you can buy a pre sighted in muzzle loader so you don't have to worry bout shooting at the last minute before your hunt. If I were you I would ask the guide to shoot it for you if you have to make a long shot. It might cost a couple hundred in tip extra but you would fill your tag.

Gator · Sep 29, 2007

Try some heavier sabots, I found out that my Omega shoot the heavier bullets at long distance better for groups, I still like the 245's for hunting because They shoot ok at 200 and great at 100 & 300.
I shoot the same Load 777--2-50's and a 30 in a Stainless barrel.

hunterman67 · Sep 29, 2007

hey PRETENDER- nice !
anyone here will tell you I will talk smack with the best of them- loser ! however I did NOT waite until the last minute to sight in my gun. I have been fighting it for 3-4 days now. my hunt is not until the 6th of next month-
so what are you even talking about- COOL GUY ?
even being nice I can still draw the losers out in a "help" post- NICE !
I still got it !!!!!

to all you who have offered advice- THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT GREATLY. luckily I still have 4 days or more before I leave and since the hunt is a week away I am fine. I have greased up the skirts on the powerbelts and will be shooting at the three points range tomorrow- sunday at 12 noon, in case any PRETENDERS want to come say hi ????? I'll let you all know what happens. it still shot good at 100 today in my yard, I have to go to the range to shoot over 150.

Proud Republican Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

hunterman67 · Sep 29, 2007

is lowering the powder to 100 going to be enough to get a 245 and/or a 338 grain powerbelt downrange or out to 250 ? heck I read the website and they actually said to shoot 150- I thought I was doing good lowering it to 130 ? will 100 put a .50 cal 338 grain pb out to kill at 250 ?

Proud Republican Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

Extex · Oct 1, 2007

250 yds is really beyond the fringe of a good shot - hence the smart-azz comments. PB bullets have never been that accurate for me at 200 yds - I think the plastic sticks creating flyers as stated. It don't matter how fast or how slow you push them - they just are not very accurate in some guns. A 3-4 inch group at 100 ain't gonna be in the neighborhood at 250 - don't matter what load it is.

Would you/could you shoot a winchester 30\30 reliably & accurately 250 yds?????? A regular ml is not a 250 yd gun unless you are doing lots of tricks and calculations IMO.

tattertot · Oct 2, 2007

I Shoot 245 gr Powerbelts out of my omega. Tried them with 150 grains pyrodex pellets and shot all over the place out past 100 yards. Lowered it to 100 grains and I'm dead on at 200 yards. I shoot 3 inches high at 100 yards and I'm 2 inches low at 200 with this load. I agree that every gun is different even two omega's will be different, but the 150 grains was my probblem. Let us know what you figured out.

deserteagle500 · Oct 2, 2007

i have a buddy that shot the exact same set up you are using. he found the same thing out with his gun as you. you need to buy TC bullets. your load is perfect, just try the TC bullets. he slammed his buck at 150 yards with all the confidence of a laser gun!

beat this

hunterman67 · Oct 2, 2007

BIG PROBLEMS !!!!!!!
went to range yesterday, shot my gun at 100 with 130 grains and the .338 FREAKING NAILED IT BIG TIME. 10 shots in 4 inches- done !
moved to 250 with this new nikon bdc reticle scope to finish my sightin in. I shot 5 rounds I had ALL 5 ROUNDS in the black targets that show green when hit. nice group. then I went to load a nother round and it STOPPED about 3/4 of the way in my barrel- WOULD NOT MOVE. I had to drive all the way home, took it apart, used a brass dowel to try and hammer it back out- GUESS WHAT ?
it did NOT budge. I had to take my barrel to the jensens here in town- $176.07 later and a full day lost and I just brought my barrel home. I shot, the last bullet
NEVER CAME OUT OF MY GUN.
I reloaded another on top of it and the powder. when I took my gun apart and took out the breech plus the 130 grains came out the back. that left a charge of 130 and 2 .338 bulletts inside it. I would have killed myself had I shot it.
now I am supposed to leave for my once in a lifetime elk hunt tomorrow and I am scared crap less. these power belts are nice bullets. if I could get the t/c bullet into my gun I would shoot them. they are so freaking hard to load I stopped using them.
WHY DO POWER BELTS LOAD SO NICE AND THE OTHERS SUCK ?

Proud Republican Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.

contender · Oct 3, 2007

67 sorry you got so angry at my advice, 250 yards is too far to shoot a muzzleloader anyway. Try heavy conicals and keep the range to 100 yards. Good luck with your last day.

bobcatbess · Oct 3, 2007

WHY DID YOU DOUBLE LOAD THE GUN???

IF ONE AIN'T COMMING OUT!!!

I'LL GUARANTEE YOU TWO DAMN SURE AIN'T COMMING OUT!!!

THAT ELK MEAT IS GETTING EXPENSIVE AIN'T IT???

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

hunterman67 · Oct 3, 2007

yeah bessy it sure is ! pretender is upset with me after being snotty he can't figure out why I was snotty back- oops ! ha ! anyway I am hitting a 12 inch target at 200 RIGHT NOW ! with the .338's and130. so I am not changing squat I will just shoot no farther than 200 yards. this was a debacle just waiting to happen. you would think that because I knew for 3 months this day was coming that I would be ready right ? NOPE ! un freaking believable. I am packing stuff and loading the trailer the day I leave, f me ! thanks for the good advice to all who gave it.

Proud Republican Man !!!!!
M WAITE, AZ.