Not sure about the rules in Washington, but in Idaho I can hunt during the regular rifle season with a muzzleloader also. During that time the rules about conicals - 209's and scopes do not apply so I can use what I a more modern fitted muzzleloader.
One of the guns I use during the regular season is an Omega. This one is not mine I am working on it for a fellow ML shooter from back east.
Took it out this morning to do some testing...
All in the Rock Pit...
It has been a long summer so far - been working most every day, but today I really needed a distraction. Terry was headed to a big volunteer social event all day (serving free ice cream for the Moscow Historical Society) - I decided I needed to shoot - even though it was hot and dry.
InRecordBookBuck's Omega z5 was standing in the corner (still waiting for his stock to back from the camo operation) so I grabbed it and the gear and headed to the Rock Pit - really hard to start a fire in the Rock Pit.
Couple things I wanted to check anyway with this gun. I had installed a new Swift Reliant Scope on the gun for testing purposes and I wanted to make another run with it. The glass is really clear and I really like it. The Ballistic Recticule is really simple and easy to see through. I do not know this but I really think it is built just like a Swift Premier but does not have a 'life time' warranty so they can afford to sale it for less money. Using it again this morning proved to be great - it guided the bullets right where I was looking... I am impressed.
The Omega z5 that IRB sent out also worked as designed. I just gotta say the Omega really is a good rifle whether it be a z5 or a regular SS model. They just function well - not to mention they shoot great and are easy to handle.
Lastly... the last time I shot ths gun I did not shoot any Lehigh/Bloodlines from it and a few wondered how it might do with them. I was able to load the full variety of bullets down the barrel without a problem. The gun did have a very tight bore before the JB treatment that I put it through.
It was 65* when I got tot the rock pit @ 8:30 and when I left @ 10:30ish it was in the low 80's - hot - hot - hot - I hate hot!
Anyway @ the pit everything went well - set up 6 birds to peck away at. Decided to start with the .452-250 grain Lehigh/Bloodline, so I shot 3 of those then I got brave and went to the 40-200 grain in a Blue MMP sabot - probably the thickest 40 cal sabot on the market. I was prepared for a very difficult push down the tube - but it went right down smoothly and snug.
After dispatching the 6 birds with 6 shots, I then began the hunt and peck routine shooting peices of the broken birds that I could see through the scope... which again seeing through that scope even in the bright sunlight is an easy thing to do.
After hunting and pecking for another 6 shots - thought I really should try some 458-300 grain Lehigh/Bloodlines. Walked 3 new birds out to the rock wall and loaded up... Of the 3 three different bullets shot this morning the .458 in the Orange sabot was the most diffiucult to get through the crown. Once through the crown they went down fine. The knurlings on the bullet do make the bullet just slightly larger than .458 but as soon as you compress them into the sabot as it passes through the crown -every thing goes well.
Here are some pictures from this mornings adventure...
