Omega Build - McGowen .45

[ElDiablo]

What happened to your coyote stock?That is a beautiful stock.

I put a Woodman Brux barrel on it.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I love live action but I want to be hunting the cat I don't want the cat hunting me

 

[capttoddjones]

Omega with .45 1:18 twist Macgowan

 

[ElDiablo]

Awesome Kitty Cat! That's definitely a bucket list for me.

A spot and stalk lion with a muzzy has always been a dream of mine. The warden guessed this old lioness at 15-20. I guess we’ll know for sure when the tooth age data comes back. No doubt she ate a pile of deer and elk over her lifetime. They say these cats eat a deer/elk a week on average. Will make a fine addition to the trophy room!

 

[BillyTheKid44]

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

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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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Man thats a sweet rig there. I think I may need to look into a omega I like the cva I have I just want something a little nicer.

 

[ElDiablo]

Shot a few Northern Precision bullets this morning in the McGowen .45 Omega. First time I’ve tried these. Very pleased so far!

270 gr NP pinpoint/56 gr I4198/wool wad





275 gr NP spitzer/53 gr N120/wool wad

 

[Mnt monkey]

I'm 100% sure those are the bonded version of his pinpoint they shot very well for me

 

[capttoddjones]

Good looking bullets and groups.

 

[ElDiablo]

Shot some 200 gr .40 Swift A-Frames/HLBS/wool wad and 57 gr of N120 in the .45 McGowen Omega. Clocked one at 2350 fps (@32 degrees here today).




And knurled some .45 Barnes 275 gr TSX bullets with 60 gr of I4198 and wool/veg wads. May have to try annealing these to see if they’ll shoot better.

 

[jsteurrys]

Try some 250 gr or 290 gr Barnes TEZs. They shoot very well out of my McGowen barrels.

I have some 275 gr but have never shot them as it has been reported that they don't consistently expand. Check out Ron's bullet tests. He tested the 275 gr for me.

 

[Procross]

How come no 100 yard shooting ,always 50 yard, what they doing at 100 yrds, wind or no wind excuses, curious to see how those bullets shoot. At 50 yrds with my center fire I almost get hole in a hole, 100 yrds 1/2 or under, curious to see groups at 100

 

[Patrick McChristy]

Shot some 200 gr .40 Swift A-Frames/HLBS/wool wad and 57 gr of N120 in the .45 McGowen Omega. Clocked one at 2350 fps (@32 degrees here today).

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And knurled some .45 Barnes 275 gr TSX bullets with 60 gr of I4198 and wool/veg wads. May have to try annealing these to see if they’ll shoot better.

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Did you knurl the A frames or do they come like that? Also when do you decide a wool wad is needed? thansk!

 

[ElDiablo]

Did you knurl the A frames or do they come like that? Also when do you decide a wool wad is needed? thansk!

I knurl the AFrames. All sized bullets get a wad (or two). With sabots, I guess I’m not terribly scientific about it. I try some with and without and examine the base of the recovered sabots for damage. Many loads don’t need a wad but I haven’t seen one increase dispersion.

 

[ElDiablo]

How come no 100 yard shooting ,always 50 yard, what they doing at 100 yrds, wind or no wind excuses, curious to see how those bullets shoot. At 50 yrds with my center fire I almost get hole in a hole, 100 yrds 1/2 or under, curious to see groups at 100

Fifty yards gives me an idea of which loads to throw out and which to continue testing. Three shot groups don’t tell you how good a load may shoot but they may tell you how poorly. Which bullet/load do you want longer range results on?

 

[Patrick McChristy]

ElDiablo that makes good sense - my sabots usually end up in a pile of leaves i never see. Ill clean off first now so i can inspect them - thanks for that tip! I agree about the 50 yard shot groups Thanks for this info very helpful!

 

[Procross]

Fifty yards gives me an idea of which loads to throw out and which to continue testing. Three shot groups don’t tell you how good a load may shoot but they may tell you how poorly. Which bullet/load do you want longer range results on?

I was just curious about a 50 yrd load, I see what you’re saying but I never really see the 100 yrd results. I get it. On regular rifles I wouldn’t think of groups at 50 because they would all be touching. I guess muzzleloader are different, I have an omega and with the right load I can touch three at 100. Just sent out for conversion. Thanks

 

[ElDiablo]

Just sent out for conversion.

Just sent your Omega out for conversion? Someone putting a SML barrel on it for you?

 

[Procross]

Just sent your Omega out for conversion? Someone putting a SML barrel on it for you?

Ordered fromWoodman

 

[ENCORE50A]

I'm 100% sure those are the bonded version of his pinpoint they shot very well for me

At only 50yds, why not throw a rock? LOL

Just asking, what was the longest distance you shot them well? They wouldn't shoot for crap out of either the Kreiger or Rock Creek at long range. That's beyond 300yds.

 

[ElDiablo]

At only 50yds, why not throw a rock? LOL

Just asking, what was the longest distance you shot them well? They wouldn't shoot for crap out of either the Kreiger or Rock Creek at long range. That's beyond 300yds.

Was that that Kreiger that someone gave you to help test some bullets?…