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omega 111
wristy
Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
I have an omega 3, 30:06 in excellent condition signed H Koon . I would like to know more about it and it's value
Comments
Since de Haas's book is now in it's 4th edition, you might be able to pick up a earlier used edition off fleabay or one of the on-line used book dealers. Here is a link to one, www.bookfinder.com
Welcome to the GB forums!
There is a huge analysis about this rifle in Stuart Otteson's book The Bolt Action Rifle Part II
These are some other extractions taken from the internet:
Omega Arms Omega Mark III Bolt Action Rifle
serial #646, 7mm Rem. Mag., 24" barrel with an excellent bore. Metal surfaces on this 60's-70's era, very unique bolt action rifle retain 99% original, high polished blue finish. This example was made by Homer Koon before he sold the rights to the rifle to High Shear Corp., the left side of the barrel has the "Flower Mound Texas" marking, the action "By H. Koon". This particular model is a three shot repeater, utilizing a rotary magazine in the lower half of the action. The guns were well made and rather futuristic looking. The American walnut buttstock is Monte Carlo style with a flared cheekpiece and features an Omega III 1" ventilated recoil pad and a molded grip cap which appears to be silverplated, with foliate border and engraveable center. Forend is a thin varmint style profile with 45? contrasting forend tip. The gun comes equipped with steel Conetrol 1" rings and bases and factory Q.D. swivel studs. These actions have a very quick, short bolt throw, and four locking lugs. As occasionally happens, the finish appears to have had too much hardener in it and is crackled overall, otherwise stocks do rate excellent and exhibit lovely figure of grain. These are very scarce and rather unique little rifles, a professional stock refinish would spruce this gun right up. (1615-87) (800/1200) SOLD FOR $747.50
The first I ever heard of the Omega III was an article in Guns&Ammo several years ago. The High Shear company, known mostly for aerospace parts like explosive bolts for the space shuttle, was looking to branch out into civilian areas. They somehow hooked up with a man named Homer Koon who had designed a rather unique rifle. The receiver is large and heavily machined on the inside, surrounded by a two piece stock. The bolt face is square, giving it a very short throw. The most innovative part is the firing pin spring, which is made up of seven belville washers. The firing pin travel is only 1/8 inch, which gives it a very fast lock time. Altogether it was a pretty expensive rifle made for the higher end market, about $2500 in today's dollars. But after a hundred or so rifles were built, the bean counters at High Shear decided that profits would never amount to much, and liability might be a problem in our lawsuit happy world. It was decided to not only stop production, but to try and buy back all the rifles they had sold. From what I can tell they were pretty successful. I have seen a claim that only three rifles remain, but I have seen one for sale and talked to the owner of another, so I think there are probably a good deal more than three. Two owners I talked to have tried to contact Hi-Sheer about the rifles, but one got no response and the other couldn't find anyone at Hi-Sheer who knew anything about them. I guess that's to be expected, seeing how the Omega division at Hi-Sheer was torpedoed so quickly, and this happened back I believe in the mid 70's.
Before Hi-Sheer, Homer Koon ran the Omega Arms company in Flower Mound Texas to produce these rifles. From what I can gather about 1000 or so rifles were built there in the 60's and early 70's before Koon sold the rights to Hi-Sheer. I have talked to two people who worked at Omega Arms, one of them owns a gun shop today. I own two of the Omega Arms rifles, serial numbers 6xx and 9xx. One is a 7mm Rem Mag and the other a 338 Win Mag. Both are near perfect.
The Hi-Sheer built rifles were marked "HI-SHEER CORP" and "TORRENCE CALIF" on the receiver, and "OMEGA III" on both the receiver and buttpad. The owner of one told me that the crown at the end of the barrel is recessed nearly half an inch. I know that stocks came in either nice walnut or laminates. The only calibers I have heard of in the Hi-Sheer Omega's in 270 Win and 30-06.
The Omega Arms built rifles are marked "OMEGA III" on the receiver top, "BY H KOON" on the receiver side, and "OMEGA ARMS INC, FLOWER MOUND, TX" on the left side of the barrel. There is a nice recess at the muzzle, but not half an inch. Stocks came in many varieties and grades of wood and laminates. It came in a variety of calibers as well. I have also seen a left handed rifle for sale.
One owner I emailed with claimed that his Omega III rifle had no markings at all, no Hi-Sheer, no Omega Arms, nothing, but I don't think that was accurate.
Both rifles have silver grip caps (both of mine are initialed) and nice butt pads. There may be slight differences in the shape of the bolt handles and stock forends that differentiates between the Hi-Sheer and Omage Arms built rifles.
Laminated Stock and Detail
That's about all I know about the Omega III rifle. I understand that Homer Koon died around 1997 or so. If anyone has any additional information or corrections, please email me at spider44@airmail.net. I'm very interested in finding out all I can about these rifles, and I'll update this site with that info, since people keep finding me when searching the web for Omega III. Also, if anyone is looking to buy or sell, let me know. I'll try to hook you up.
http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/6677/favorites.html