Man is my shoulder tired....
I put over 50 rounds through my Omega Saturday.
To go back...when I got the gun, it at first shot very well (sub-MOA with 110 gr 777 and 200gr Shockwave, 1.25" w/220 gr DC and 100 gr 777). However, after removing it from the stock, it shot worse the next time...nothing under 1.5", and the 100gr Shockwave load was closer to 3". With the action screws removed, the action rocked noticeably in the stock. The screws tightened against the wood stock, meaning that compression of the stock depended upon torque of the screws. Finally, I had to tighten them carefully to maintain a marginally floated barrel.
Last week I installed aluminum pillars (from McMillan stocks). Briefly, I reamed out the existing screw holes to the size of the pillars with a 5/8 drill. Then I epoxied the pillars (cut to size w/hacksaw) and glued them in to that they touched the recoil lugs front and back.
After a day drying, I used sandpaper to float the barrel all the way to the front lug, then put masking tape around the front end to maintain its position in the stock. I also taped the breech area as a reference point. Then I used a dremel to remove 1/16 to 1/8 of wood from around the pillars and on every side of the lugs. Also did this along the barrel between the lugs. This created room for the glass bedding.
After filling the ramrod channel and lug holes with modeling clay, I used ProBed 2000 to bed the action. I used Pam spray to anti-stick the action. I ended up with a good bedding job, ie a VERY tight fit. I used a drill to recreate the ramrod channel where it was filled in (and remove the clay). I ended up with a gun that had a totally floated barrel and tight-fitting action. Now when I tighten the screws, they go from loose to tight in the same instant.
The first two shots out of the gun at 100 yds were touching. While adjusting the scope I had some issues....turned out the 110 grains of 777 heated up the barrel really fast. When I began giving it cooling time between groups and wet-swabbing the barrel every 10-15 rounds (in addition to spit-patching every shot), accuracy was superb.
I didn't try over 110 grains because I figured I'd have too much additional heating problem to warrant the slight velocity increase.
At 100 yards, bullet holes overlapped (didn't measure them). At 200 yards I only fired 2-shot groups to save ammo and time, but they were about 1-1.25" if I did my part consistently. At 300 yards I also did 2-shot groups, and they ran around 2-5". The high end of that spread was almost always horizontal wind-drift issues from a decent and variable cross-wind.
I was sighting in my Leatherwood In-Liner auto-ranging scope. While the directions say to sight it in from 100-300 yards, I took advantage of this flat-shooting load to sight it in from 200-400 yards instead. I did not finish fine-tuning, but right now I am dead-on at 300 yards and a couple inches low at 200 yards (meaning ~2" high at 100). Next time I will finish getting it set at these ranges, which should have me very close at 400.
We don't need to debate the ethics of shooting a deer at 400 yards with a ML....that isn't necessarily my reason for doing this, partly I just enjoy the challenge of doing it. Also, I think the 100-300 yard trajectory of this load is outside the range of the scope's adjustment (the manual uses the un-aerodynamic XTP mostly).
The ACP conversion continues to impress. Over 50 shots and LITTLE breech fouling, no misfires, and no crud ring.
