Just thought you guys would like to know that the new Omega Z5 that I was having so much trouble getting to shoot well, (see Omega Accuracy Issue post below), is now shooting 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards with no difficulty at all.
During a discussion with Frank at the Thompson Center Repair Shop the question of powder contamination came up.
When I told Frank that I was cleaning the bore after every shot with a very wet Rusty Duck Black Off patch, followed by a dry patch, he suspected that some of the excess cleaning fluid was accumulating in the breech plug cavity (which was not being reached with the dry patch) and leeching up into the powder load on successive shots.
He told me to just swab the bore after each shot with a damp (not wet) patch with TC #13 on it followed by a dry patch.
I took the gun to the range this morning and following Frank's swabbing instructions, I was able to shoot several groups of 1 1/2" or less at 100 yards using 250 gr. Shockwaves over 100 grs. of loose Pyrodex RS.
Feeling confident that my accuracy problem had been solved, I decided to try another bullet/sabot combination to see how the gun behaved.
I happened to have some 45 cal., 300 gr.,.452 dia. Hornady XTP's in my shooting box that I stopped using because I couldn't get them down the barrel of the Omega with the MMP HPH12 sabot on them.
I took a few of the HPH24 sabots that came with the Shockwaves and substituted them for the HPH12's and now the XTP's loaded beautifully.
I didn't have a lot of time to experiment with them, but at 50 yards they seemed to be grouping just as good as the Shockwaves (1 1/2" or less).
Since the XTP will probably be my bullet of choice for deer hunting, I just ordered a 100, 45 cal.,250 gr.,.452 dia. XTP-HP's and 100 MMP HPH 24 sabots.
Plan to stay with the 100 grs. of loose Pyrodex also.
Don't want to jinx a good thing now that I finally got this gun to shoot.
Want to thank everyone for all their help and useful suggestions.
Happy Hunting-------------
