Omega Build - McGowen .45

[ElDiablo]

While waiting for Mark Woodman to finish a Brux .45 barrel for an Omega build, I am trying a McGowen 24” 1:18 twist .45 barrel on an Omega platform:

McGowen 22” .45 1:18 nitrided (1” shank)
Woodman Arms 209 breech plug
Woodman Arms picatinny rail
LR Customs MZ-Rex 2 brake
Boyd’s Pro Varmint stock
Contessa 1” Light Picatinny low rings
Kahles Helia CL 3-9x40
Spartan Arms picatinny rail and bipod
Total weight: 9 lb 11 oz



This barrel has one of Mark’s adjustable-head space 209 breech plugs. The plug is an absolute work of art (as has been said before) and performs beautifully. I’m guessing all the other big names will be going to this design before long. I easily adjusted this one for about .004 crush on a Fed 209a and it is working great.

The barrel is beautiful. Mark machines a one-piece recoil-lug block and welds it to the barrel. The nitride finish is flawless. The 1” shank tapers to .888 at the brake. Mark threaded the barrel for my brake and made a nut for it. Mark recommends staying under 40k pressure in these SML barrels.

So far I’m testing light smokeless loads - 50-55 gr of H4198 and Fury 300 gr Star Tip 2p bullets with a 1/8” dry wool wad.

The very first two bullet-to-bore shots with 50 gr of powder from this rifle at 50 yards shot into one ragged hole. The barrel really seems to like 53/53.5 gr as well with that bullet. The worst group I’ve seen so far at 50 yards has been .635”.

Here at 80 degrees and 3000’ the 53 gr loads are going about 2217 fps and the 55 gr loads are running about 2335 fps at the muzzle. Recoil is fairly light.

Planning to push these 300s a little harder and move into testing some 327 gr bullets in the next day or two.

Thanks to @Mnt monkey for his advice in setting this rifle up. So far, I’m very happy with this rig!

 

[Mnt monkey]

Good looking rifle!!

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Very Nice!

 

[Mike3888]

Nice shooting and gun. Still in the wait process for a brux barrel.

 

[Mnt monkey]

We might have to ask Diablo what he thinks about that McGowan barrel!!

 

[ElDiablo]

Shot a bunch of 327 gr bullets today with 46-52 gr of H4198.

Speeds were 2131 with 50 gr and 2214 fps with 52 gr. The barrel seems to like 46 gr, 49 gr and something near 52 gr.

No complaints so far! I’ve got about 15 other muzzys that may be for sale soon…..

 

[alternate]

I built a Savage 45 sml with a McGowan .458x18 bbl. Sub MOA out to 200 yds, (longest target at my range)

 

[03mossy]

Nice shooting!

I did a Stevens/McGowan build about 10 years ago and that barrel could shoot! Still kick myself for selling it.

This was a 200 yard group.
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/im-ready-200-yard-target.24571/

 

[ElDiablo]

Another good day at the range. I found it interesting that 53 gr of H4198 is a sweet spot for the 300 gr Furys and the 327 gr Black Max bullets.

 

[Ninering62]

While waiting for Mark Woodman to finish a Brux .45 barrel for an Omega build, I am trying a McGowen 24” 1:18 twist .45 barrel on an Omega platform:

McGowen 22” .45 1:18 nitrided (1” shank)
Woodman Arms 209 breech plug
Woodman Arms picatinny rail
LR Customs MZ-Rex 2 brake
Boyd’s Pro Varmint stock
Contessa 1” Light Picatinny low rings
Kahles Helia CL 3-9x40
Spartan Arms picatinny rail and bipod
Total weight: 9 lb 11 oz

View attachment 23870

This barrel has one of Mark’s adjustable-head space 209 breech plugs. The plug is an absolute work of art (as has been said before) and performs beautifully. I’m guessing all the other big names will be going to this design before long. I easily adjusted this one for about .004 crush on a Fed 209a and it is working great.

The barrel is beautiful. Mark machines a one-piece recoil-lug block and welds it to the barrel. The nitride finish is flawless. The 1” shank tapers to .888 at the brake. Mark threaded the barrel for my brake and made a nut for it. Mark recommends staying under 40k pressure in these SML barrels.

So far I’m testing light smokeless loads - 50-55 gr of H4198 and Fury 300 gr Star Tip 2p bullets with a 1/8” dry wool wad.

The very first two bullet-to-bore shots with 50 gr of powder from this rifle at 50 yards shot into one ragged hole. The barrel really seems to like 53/53.5 gr as well with that bullet. The worst group I’ve seen so far at 50 yards has been .635”.

Here at 80 degrees and 3000’ the 53 gr loads are going about 2217 fps and the 55 gr loads are running about 2335 fps at the muzzle. Recoil is fairly light.

Planning to push these 300s a little harder and move into testing some 327 gr bullets in the next day or two.

Thanks to @Mnt monkey for his advice in setting this rifle up. So far, I’m very happy with this rig!

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Nice lookin Omega & good shooting.

 

[ElDiablo]

Settled on 52.8 gr of H4198 and a Parker 327 Black Max for this rifle. With the brake this is a very polite shooting load and it’s shooting quite nicely to 450 yards.

With any luck I’ll get to test the setup on an elk in the next week or two!

 

[ElDiablo]

Well, I did not get to test this rifle at long range as I expected to but….

After some really rough winter weather, on the 8th day of the hunt here in Nevada we spotted a group of mature bulls out in the flats. It took me about an hour and a half to crawl up to within 280 yards. The five bulls were now bedded in the sage and all I could see were their antlers. I got the rifle set up very solidly on a tripod and waited an hour and a half for the biggest to wake up and stand. When he did I made a picure-perfect broadside shot with the 327 gr Parker and he went down in about ten yards. The bullet absolutely destroyed the bulls lungs and heart. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to take this beautiful old bull!

I’d like to give another big thanks to Mark Woodman for his fine work on this barrel! I’m looking forward to shooting it more this winter.

 

[HC]

CONGRATS

 

[Ninering62]

Well, I did not get to test this rifle at long range as I expected to but….

After some really rough winter weather, on the 8th day of the hunt here in Nevada we spotted a group of mature bulls out in the flats. It took me about an hour and a half to crawl up to within 280 yards. The five bulls were now bedded in the sage and all I could see were their antlers. I got the rifle set up very solidly on a tripod and waited an hour and a half for the biggest to wake up and stand. When he did I made a picure-perfect broadside shot with the 237 gr Parker and he went down in about ten yards. The bullet absolutely destroyed the bulls lungs and heart. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to take this beautiful old bull!

I’d like to give another big thanks to Mark Woodman for his fine work on this barrel! I’m looking forward to shooting it more this winter.

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Outstanding! Congrats on a super bull elk. Great shot & pics, thanks for sharing them.

 

[Patrick McChristy]

Congrats on a beast! That's awesome & thanks for sharing your adventure!

 

[Mnt monkey]

That is so cool!!!!

 

[Mnt monkey]

I guess that old junkie McGowan Barrel is okay after all!!!

 

[03mossy]

Heck yeah! Good shooting!

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Congrats!

 

[brad502a]

Congrats very nice