Tighten a loose Omega action

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Underclocked

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All pictures and description courtesy of paia with instruction from fisher2072.

1 - "Take the trigger assembly off the barrel
1 -
24zy5av.jpg


2 - This pic shows the pin you want to push through, and note that you want to push it from this side. Also do not push it all the way through. I used a small brass punch and hammer to drive it .
2 -
55q938.jpg


3 - This pic shows the nut we are getting at by unpinning the trigger guard.
3 -
1zpnyqh.jpg


4 - This shows the trigger guard unpinned and that nut out of the trigger assembly. Note that the pin (just above the nut)has not been driven completely out. Only push it far enough through to free the nut and trigger guard.
4 -
2vlm7tg.jpg


5 - This shows why the pin needs to stay in the trigger assembly --it is retaining the trigger spring. If you push the pin too far, or from the other direction (like I did in my first attempt tonight :roll: )you release this spring and it's kind of a pain to get back, but not too bad.
5 -
21ju0ar.jpg


6 - Shows the trigger guard and that nut. The nut is pretty loose and easy to turn and when I first pushed the pin out in the wrong direction and released that spring, the trigger guard fell to the floor and the nut moved so I had no idea where to start with my attempt to tighten my action's lock up. I went the wrong way first and then over corrected and got it too tight... But after a couple attempts I had it.
6 -
2cxb6a1.jpg


You want to turn the nut "out,"away from the trigger guard and towards the hole at the end of that little "shaft." It won't take much--just turn one or two flats on the nut, 1/6th or 1/3rd of a turn, then reassemble and see if your lock up is tight enough.

Even with my initial screw ups the whole thing did not take an hour."

Thought this would go well in the troubleshooting section. Thanks to paia and fisher2072.
 
very good write-up and good pic's for somebody that has an OMEGA

Sticky

we should have a section on the forum with pictures how to take muzzleloaders apart ..and put them back together ..
 
Underclocked

Thanks very much indeed for the awesome instructions. My inherited Omega is loose, but I would never have dared to touch the thing. I will follow your lead and get it done this weekend.
 
Underclocked,

I just wanted to inform you that I created an account solely to thank you for these instructions. I was literally about to replace my Omega yesterday but instead I found your instructions. For that I thank you and more importantly I’m sure my wife would thank you because she would have my head if I spent any more money this season.
 
This is a great tutorial and even an idiot like me should be able to follow these instructions and complete this task. My only question is....how does one know when it's adjusted correctly? Can I assume you want it tight enough to put a bit of crush on the primer to prevent any blow back? Also , my Omega doesn't have the tiny set screws in the pins that hold the trigger assembly to the barrel. Can I also assume that these pins just push through?
 
One end of the pins is knurled. Drive them out from the other end. Newer Omega did not have the set screw. The tightness of the action is determined by the fit of the breech to the barrel. Too loose; it won't stay closed, too tight it is too hard to close, and open. The job goes easiest if you don't push the one pin out so far it frees the spring.
 
Thanks for the reply Ron. I sent my original older Omega back to Thompson Center for a barrel replacement. The factory changed out a few other parts as well. The new barrel has screw on lugs instead of welded. :( The rifle is now more like a later Omega and no longer has the set screws for the pins. As it is now, the action does stay closed and the gun fires. It's just that I am getting some blow back and think if it was a bit tighter, it would add a little more crush on the primer and solve that problem. When this action was mated to the original barrel, it was definitely tighter then it is now mounted to the new barrel. I think a little tweaking is in order. So...which end of the new pins are knurled? Do I knock them out from the left side or right? Does it even matter? I do understand about the pin that holds the spring and will be careful with that one.
 
In that case only turn the nut one flat; see how it closes then. It may be real tight. How i find the end that is knurled is with a magnifying glass. Hopefully TC installed the pins so they come out the same way as Underclocked described. The end you drive the pins from does indeed matter.
What one can do to eliminate blow by, is use W209 primers, and measure each one. Use only primers 0.302" or longer. This is more or less true for all Omega rifles; they seem to be very very consistent in head space. Hopefully tightening your action, and using long primers will make you happy.
 
All pictures and description courtesy of paia with instruction from fisher2072.

1 - "Take the trigger assembly off the barrel
1 -
24zy5av.jpg


2 - This pic shows the pin you want to push through, and note that you want to push it from this side. Also do not push it all the way through. I used a small brass punch and hammer to drive it .
2 -
55q938.jpg


3 - This pic shows the nut we are getting at by unpinning the trigger guard.
3 -
1zpnyqh.jpg


4 - This shows the trigger guard unpinned and that nut out of the trigger assembly. Note that the pin (just above the nut)has not been driven completely out. Only push it far enough through to free the nut and trigger guard.
4 -
2vlm7tg.jpg


5 - This shows why the pin needs to stay in the trigger assembly --it is retaining the trigger spring. If you push the pin too far, or from the other direction (like I did in my first attempt tonight :roll: )you release this spring and it's kind of a pain to get back, but not too bad.
5 -
21ju0ar.jpg


6 - Shows the trigger guard and that nut. The nut is pretty loose and easy to turn and when I first pushed the pin out in the wrong direction and released that spring, the trigger guard fell to the floor and the nut moved so I had no idea where to start with my attempt to tighten my action's lock up. I went the wrong way first and then over corrected and got it too tight... But after a couple attempts I had it.
6 -
2cxb6a1.jpg


You want to turn the nut "out,"away from the trigger guard and towards the hole at the end of that little "shaft." It won't take much--just turn one or two flats on the nut, 1/6th or 1/3rd of a turn, then reassemble and see if your lock up is tight enough.

Even with my initial screw ups the whole thing did not take an hour."

Thought this would go well in the troubleshooting section. Thanks to paia and fisher2072.
Why are the pictures no longer there??? I have a very loose action and need to be able to see the pics along with the instructions to fix the looseness. If not, where can one find these pic??
 
very good write-up and good pic's for somebody that has an OMEGA

Sticky

we should have a section on the forum with pictures how to take muzzleloaders apart ..and put them back together ..
I agree with the comment about having pictures. 👍
 
I might as well jump on the bandwagon… 😆
513D1504-BD54-4D62-93FF-6F889858C78E.jpeg

OP ”Underclocked” hasn’t been on the board for a year and a half… anbody care to replicate the pictures?
 
Another person here with the same problem (with a Triumph and hoping the Omega fix will be applicable to the Triumph) and wishing to find the old pictures. If I am able to fix my problem using just the text, I'll try to take some pics and post them.
 
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