I am new to in-line shooting and I bought a Thompson Center Omega 50 cal rifle. Watched the CD (the last third was distorted and non-functional). I haven't had any problems but there remains a question that keeps me unsettled.
My first shot out of a cleaned barrel seems to seat much more deeply than the second shot. I assume there is sufficient debris in the barrel to explain this, but I'm talking about 1 to 1.5 inches difference. The book remarks that there should not be any space between the powder and bullet so as to avoid a pressure increase significant to burst the barrel. Yet one should not seat the bullet so deeply as to break the powder pellets. I gather the best accuracy is from a cleaned barrel but it is impractical to clean between shots while hunting if you need and can get a second shot right away (I know, you shouldn't need a second shot....).
I sighted it in with 250 gr sabots to 1.5 inches high, dead center, at 100 yards. When I fired at 200 yards it consistently hit 4 inches to the right and dropped about 20 inches!! I expected more of a drop than I see with conventional rifles, but 20 inches seems a bit much. I was using a 100 grains charge of Triple Seven (Hodgdon) not Pyrodex. Should I push to 130 or 150 (even though recommended loads in the book are not listed)?
Any advice or suggestions?
My first shot out of a cleaned barrel seems to seat much more deeply than the second shot. I assume there is sufficient debris in the barrel to explain this, but I'm talking about 1 to 1.5 inches difference. The book remarks that there should not be any space between the powder and bullet so as to avoid a pressure increase significant to burst the barrel. Yet one should not seat the bullet so deeply as to break the powder pellets. I gather the best accuracy is from a cleaned barrel but it is impractical to clean between shots while hunting if you need and can get a second shot right away (I know, you shouldn't need a second shot....).
I sighted it in with 250 gr sabots to 1.5 inches high, dead center, at 100 yards. When I fired at 200 yards it consistently hit 4 inches to the right and dropped about 20 inches!! I expected more of a drop than I see with conventional rifles, but 20 inches seems a bit much. I was using a 100 grains charge of Triple Seven (Hodgdon) not Pyrodex. Should I push to 130 or 150 (even though recommended loads in the book are not listed)?
Any advice or suggestions?