T/c omega or CVA optima?
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I have had an Omega for about 8 years. It's a great rifle and a real tack driver. Mine's a blued/synthetic.
T/C has always been known for quality. If you plan to shoot Blackhorn 209, Don at Western Powders told me the breech plug design on the Omega is one of the best designs for igniting this powder. He recommends Federal 209A or CCI 209 Magnum primers. I use the CCI Mag primers and have not had a fail to fire yet. Keep the breech plug good and clean.
It has a 3X9 Leupold VX-II and added a Simms recoil pad to it.
Outstanding rifle. You won't be disappointed. It's also easy to clean.
Good luck with which ever rifle you buy.
Paul
T/C has always been known for quality. If you plan to shoot Blackhorn 209, Don at Western Powders told me the breech plug design on the Omega is one of the best designs for igniting this powder. He recommends Federal 209A or CCI 209 Magnum primers. I use the CCI Mag primers and have not had a fail to fire yet. Keep the breech plug good and clean.
It has a 3X9 Leupold VX-II and added a Simms recoil pad to it.
Outstanding rifle. You won't be disappointed. It's also easy to clean.
Good luck with which ever rifle you buy.
Paul
I also have had an Omega for about 8 years. It is very accurate and consistent. I have worked on an shot many muzzle loaders and the only dedicated muzzle loaders I like better than the Omega are the Triumph and the Pro Hunter XL, if you should decide to buy a CVA look very closely at the Accura before buying an Optima.
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It's hard to beat an Omega. Simple design, reliable, accurate, light,easy to clean, and a lifetime warrantee. I have more expensive guns in the safe but my Omega is what I reach for 90% of the time when I hit the woods. It is also the gun I recomend to all beginers. I know nothing about the Optima but here good things on here.
Welcome aboard by the way. Ask any questions you may have we are here to help.
Welcome aboard by the way. Ask any questions you may have we are here to help.
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I think I need to ask, how much you're going to use the rifle. And what kind of shooting situations will you encounter?
No one will argue that an Omega is not a great rifle. It is made by a great company, and has a excellent track record. But so does the Optima. Where I live my shots are close. So a long range weapon is not needed. The Optima and Omega are both well built and water tight. Both are extremely accurate. But one costs far more then the other.
I purchased the Optima. It is well built, accurate, and I expect many years of fun use. But it was only $209.00 which is a fair price. If you only hunt a few weeks a year, the Optima, cost and function wise might be the better choice. With a good scope and practice I have an easy 150 yard rifle, for many years to come.
No one will argue that an Omega is not a great rifle. It is made by a great company, and has a excellent track record. But so does the Optima. Where I live my shots are close. So a long range weapon is not needed. The Optima and Omega are both well built and water tight. Both are extremely accurate. But one costs far more then the other.
I purchased the Optima. It is well built, accurate, and I expect many years of fun use. But it was only $209.00 which is a fair price. If you only hunt a few weeks a year, the Optima, cost and function wise might be the better choice. With a good scope and practice I have an easy 150 yard rifle, for many years to come.
i like the omega (mine is blue/black) and is very much more accurate than i am. the one down side is the breech plug can be relatively hard to get out after a long day at the range.
the cva has a breech plug like the wolf if i recall correctly, i have the wolf and i love that gun! the breech is a hand tight and hand remove proposition without the need for tools.
folks talk about the break open design being less accurate, but in my experience my wolf is again, much more accurate than i am.
i think walmart has the optima on closeout for around 200 bucks, thumbhole camo stock and stainless barrel.
i bought my omega z5 for 199bucks closeout at walmart a couple months ago.
i like them both but or very different reasons, i can't imagine the optima is anything but better than the wolf, and if that is the case, it ought to be a very decent gun in my opinion.
one note, and this is probably going against the grain of many inline shooters, i have never had really good accuracy with bh209 even with magnum primers, but i am still trying it out.
and i have had excellent luck with T7 with moderate loads, quite accurate at 100 yds with as little as 50gr of powder and 250gr xtp projectiles. and there is more than enough power to take down a reasonable size deer at that range in my opinion, although i would probably go to 70gr of T7 to be sure.
both are rated for so called magnum loads of 150gr black powder or equivalent substitute, however in my opinion it is totally unnecessary
to go anywhere near that level of any powder.
again this is my opinion based on admittedly a small sample of approx 300rounds at the range.
btw, i both of mine are black synthetic stocks, hollow and ring like hell... so i filled both with low expansion blow foam, which dramatically dampened the issue and now both guns feel better as well when you shoulder them,, might be the small added weight? not sure.
bob g
the cva has a breech plug like the wolf if i recall correctly, i have the wolf and i love that gun! the breech is a hand tight and hand remove proposition without the need for tools.
folks talk about the break open design being less accurate, but in my experience my wolf is again, much more accurate than i am.
i think walmart has the optima on closeout for around 200 bucks, thumbhole camo stock and stainless barrel.
i bought my omega z5 for 199bucks closeout at walmart a couple months ago.
i like them both but or very different reasons, i can't imagine the optima is anything but better than the wolf, and if that is the case, it ought to be a very decent gun in my opinion.
one note, and this is probably going against the grain of many inline shooters, i have never had really good accuracy with bh209 even with magnum primers, but i am still trying it out.
and i have had excellent luck with T7 with moderate loads, quite accurate at 100 yds with as little as 50gr of powder and 250gr xtp projectiles. and there is more than enough power to take down a reasonable size deer at that range in my opinion, although i would probably go to 70gr of T7 to be sure.
both are rated for so called magnum loads of 150gr black powder or equivalent substitute, however in my opinion it is totally unnecessary
to go anywhere near that level of any powder.
again this is my opinion based on admittedly a small sample of approx 300rounds at the range.
btw, i both of mine are black synthetic stocks, hollow and ring like hell... so i filled both with low expansion blow foam, which dramatically dampened the issue and now both guns feel better as well when you shoulder them,, might be the small added weight? not sure.
bob g
I have nothing but good to say about my TC X7 Omega , I have not shot the the CVA.
Both will end up being good shooters once dialed in. I would look at customer service and then shoulder both and choose the one YOU feel fits your better.
Steve
Both will end up being good shooters once dialed in. I would look at customer service and then shoulder both and choose the one YOU feel fits your better.
Steve
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The Omega is NOT a conical gun, so if you plan on shooting sabots only, you can't beat the Omega. However, if you think you may want to shoot sabots, don't get the Omega.
txhunter58 said:
I respect fully disagree with that statement, But I am inclined to believe that is not what you meant to say. I know a lot of people do not believe that the Omega is a good conical gun, which if I go by mine I can also disagree with because mine holds an inch and a half at 100 yds but I also know that if you get one where the machining is a little off they will not shoot conicals well but I have never seen one that would not shoot sabots well and that's what most of us chose to use. The other thing is some people do not load conicals right with the QLA.
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bob g., substitute "conicals" for "sabots" at its last position in txhunter58's 2nd sentence and you will have what he meant to type.
My fingers do that to me often, the animals!
Txhunter58's Omega would not shoot conicals worth spit until the QLA was removed and the bore re-crowned. That problem has been fairly common in the past, can't say about recent TC product.
My problem with the Omega design is the tight fit of your trigger finger in that little guard. The trigger's un-cocked position leaves little room. And each and every one of the three I owned beat the crap out of my trigger finger when firing. The trigger pull on all three I owned was also pretty terrible.
I would choose the new Optima V2 any day of the week.
My fingers do that to me often, the animals!
Txhunter58's Omega would not shoot conicals worth spit until the QLA was removed and the bore re-crowned. That problem has been fairly common in the past, can't say about recent TC product.
My problem with the Omega design is the tight fit of your trigger finger in that little guard. The trigger's un-cocked position leaves little room. And each and every one of the three I owned beat the crap out of my trigger finger when firing. The trigger pull on all three I owned was also pretty terrible.
I would choose the new Optima V2 any day of the week.
that trigger guard will bite the crapolla out of you won't it!
i got bit once, now i shoot with my middle finger, so that i can get more of a grip on the stock.
my younger brother got really bit, and came up bloody, now he don't like muzzleloaders at all!
when i reduced the load of powder, the problem is much less of an issue.
bob g
i got bit once, now i shoot with my middle finger, so that i can get more of a grip on the stock.
my younger brother got really bit, and came up bloody, now he don't like muzzleloaders at all!
when i reduced the load of powder, the problem is much less of an issue.
bob g
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CVA....." IT'S JUST A BETTER GUN " :!:
Ray................. :wink:
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dgc1
I would not worry about the trigger thing very much at all... Normally you do not try to get your finger on a trigger untill you are ready to shoot. And by that time you have pulled the hammer back and the trigger moves to the rear of the trigger guard.
Like Lee, my Omega would shoot conicals very well, but it was one of the first Omega's made.
It was an extremly good and reliable rifle and actually very simple to use and clean. The QLA does offersome advantages as does the one in the CVA series, can not remember what they call theirs, it is not cut as deep but does help protect the crown and loading sabots.
The Omega breech plug is also probably the best universal breech plug made for all powders. It is not a quick release you have to screw it out, but then again the CVA is not a quick realease either, you do have to screw it out also. I will say the CVA BP does a much better job sealing blow back and the finger turning release is really nice.
The Omega, IMO, opinion does offer a more stable platform as it is a 1 piece barreld action while the CVA is a pivot two piece barreled action.
Oh! another weakness of the Omega is the black composite stock, although the thumbhole composite stock and maybe even the new regualr composite stocks have beaten the problem. And the laminated wood stocks never had the problem...
For me the choice would also be an easy choice... I would end up with an Omega versus just about any CVA.
I would not worry about the trigger thing very much at all... Normally you do not try to get your finger on a trigger untill you are ready to shoot. And by that time you have pulled the hammer back and the trigger moves to the rear of the trigger guard.
Like Lee, my Omega would shoot conicals very well, but it was one of the first Omega's made.
It was an extremly good and reliable rifle and actually very simple to use and clean. The QLA does offersome advantages as does the one in the CVA series, can not remember what they call theirs, it is not cut as deep but does help protect the crown and loading sabots.
The Omega breech plug is also probably the best universal breech plug made for all powders. It is not a quick release you have to screw it out, but then again the CVA is not a quick realease either, you do have to screw it out also. I will say the CVA BP does a much better job sealing blow back and the finger turning release is really nice.
The Omega, IMO, opinion does offer a more stable platform as it is a 1 piece barreld action while the CVA is a pivot two piece barreled action.
Oh! another weakness of the Omega is the black composite stock, although the thumbhole composite stock and maybe even the new regualr composite stocks have beaten the problem. And the laminated wood stocks never had the problem...
For me the choice would also be an easy choice... I would end up with an Omega versus just about any CVA.
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That trigger guard issue is something you won't dismiss if it ever bites you, and certainly not if bites you repeatedly on 3 different rifles. And of course I wasn't suggesting that one would carry the rifle with his finger squeezed in on the trigger in the un-cocked position - just pointing out the poor design of that toy cap-pistol hammer/trigger design.
You asked for it!
TC could do several things to dramatically improve my opinion of their muzzleloading products (which was once very high but no more).
Barrels - shorten the QLA section by at least half or get rid of it entirely. If it is to remain at all make sure both it AND the bore are centered in the barrel. Also, do some proper manufacturing and QC such that land-land and groove-groove dimensions are stable throughout the properly centered bore.
Scope mount base positioning - not only does TC seem to think every rifle they make is really a pistol (based upon that mount hole spacing), they seem not very inclined to make sure that good bases will align properly to the bore.
Triggers - improve designs such that one would not feel the immediate need of a trigger job and be consistent about putting out rifles with those good triggers. Especially on rifles that are priced in the 1K range.
Stocks - TC could put a little more effort into making stocks that won't easily slip from your hands and those hollowed stocks could at least provide better support and contact for a good recoil pad.
Sure, every company has its issues and occasional design problems but TC seems very stubborn about maintaining theirs. And I've read nothing that leads me to believe that things have improved since they changed hands. Their former employees that are now building the Redemption are clearly trashing TC's ongoing mistakes.
Mike, I understand your prejudice against break-open rifles (which is purely a personal thing - performance at the target and on game doesn't support it as an objective finding). I would have to call the Omega quite an oddball break-open though as the entire action pivots away from the barrel, rather than the reverse.
The only reason I would own another Omega is if someone gave it to me as a gift and I was free to sell it. :lol:
You asked for it!
TC could do several things to dramatically improve my opinion of their muzzleloading products (which was once very high but no more).
Barrels - shorten the QLA section by at least half or get rid of it entirely. If it is to remain at all make sure both it AND the bore are centered in the barrel. Also, do some proper manufacturing and QC such that land-land and groove-groove dimensions are stable throughout the properly centered bore.
Scope mount base positioning - not only does TC seem to think every rifle they make is really a pistol (based upon that mount hole spacing), they seem not very inclined to make sure that good bases will align properly to the bore.
Triggers - improve designs such that one would not feel the immediate need of a trigger job and be consistent about putting out rifles with those good triggers. Especially on rifles that are priced in the 1K range.
Stocks - TC could put a little more effort into making stocks that won't easily slip from your hands and those hollowed stocks could at least provide better support and contact for a good recoil pad.
Sure, every company has its issues and occasional design problems but TC seems very stubborn about maintaining theirs. And I've read nothing that leads me to believe that things have improved since they changed hands. Their former employees that are now building the Redemption are clearly trashing TC's ongoing mistakes.
Mike, I understand your prejudice against break-open rifles (which is purely a personal thing - performance at the target and on game doesn't support it as an objective finding). I would have to call the Omega quite an oddball break-open though as the entire action pivots away from the barrel, rather than the reverse.
The only reason I would own another Omega is if someone gave it to me as a gift and I was free to sell it. :lol:
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hawgslayer said:
CVA....." IT'S JUST A BETTER GUN " :!:
Ray................. :wink:
Now that is funny.
This might get a bit winded.
TC has a long history with the QLA. A bad history with it. Its been pretty well documented the problems with it here so I won't go into all the sorted mess with it.
I am still in the Honeymoon period with my CVA Optima but by all accounts its a solid shooter. Ive turned out some outstanding groups with it and some solid cold bore center shots with it which is what I demand out out of muzzle loading ML. The breech plug design is simply amazing. I wonder why no one thought of the no tools approach before. Seems like a no brainer.
Edwardamason said:hawgslayer said:
CVA....." IT'S JUST A BETTER GUN " :!:
Ray................. :wink:
Now that is funny.
This might get a bit winded.
TC has a long history with the QLA. A bad history with it. Its been pretty well documented the problems with it here so I won't go into all the sorted mess with it.
I am still in the Honeymoon period with my CVA Optima but by all accounts its a solid shooter. Ive turned out some outstanding groups with it and some solid cold bore center shots with it which is what I demand out out of muzzle loading ML. The breech plug design is simply amazing. I wonder why no one thought of the no tools approach before. Seems like a no brainer.
Thompson Center has had the quick release breechplug out before CVA. I have never had to use any tools with it either.
