1-24 twist

[Colterkid]

Help! I need some professional instruction. I recently purchased a Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken with a 1-24 twist. What is the principle behind the twist in relation to round balls versus conicals?
Would I be wasting my time with round balls.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

The 1 in 24 twist is specific to shooting conical bullets or the unmentionable plastic wrapped pills. It will work exceptionally well with the heavier full caliber bullets, but not be much use with a patched round ball. If it's a 50 cal, I would experiment with the 420 grain "No Excuses". If it is a 54 cal try their 525 grain slug. The TC maxi's & the Buffalo Bore bullets should also work well.

 

[Colterkid]

Thanks Hawkeye. I refuse to shoot the " plastic wrapped pills" as you put it. I've tried TC's maxi- hunters and they shoot extremely well.
I'll check out the No Excuses website.
Appreciate this Hawk.

 

[hanshi]

You should go ahead and try some loads with patched round ball just to see. If the rifling is fairly deep, often it's not, the barrel may shoot round ball just fine. A fast twist does not necessarily rule out ball depending on the rifling depth.

 

[mooman76]

I have a 54 with a 1-20 twist and I was still able to shoot light loads with patched RBs and they shot well. Give it a try.

 

[Hillbilly Delux]

HORNADY Great Plains 385g hollow points are perfect and what I shoot in mine. Damm near have to hammer them in...hit and kicks like a mule at 80-100 grain 2F.

 

[Colterkid]

You should go ahead and try some loads with patched round ball just to see. If the rifling is fairly deep, often it's not, the barrel may shoot round ball just fine. A fast twist does not necessarily rule out ball depending on the rifling depth.

I'll try that hanshi. Thanks.

 

[Colterkid]

I have a 54 with a 1-20 twist and I was still able to shoot light loads with patched RBs and they shot well. Give it a try.

What would be a " light " load for a .50 cal?

 

[Eterry]

I would try some prb and 40-50 grs fffg.
But I think the Lee REAL conical, with an overpowder wad should do well, especially if the riflings aren't deep.

I bet someone on here has a 50 cal REAL mold and would send you few. I have the REAL in 58, 54, and 40 caliber.

 

[Colterkid]

Hey, thanks a bunch. I'll look into it.

 

[mooman76]

A little below to a little over 50gr I would consider light.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I know for a fact that paper patched Lee 500 S&W bullets shoot really well.

 

[Colterkid]

I know for a fact that paper patched Lee 500 S&W bullets shoot really well.

Thanks Idaho Ron. Never heard of them. I'm new to this.

 

[.36Rooster]

1:24 will shoot roundballs if you scale back the load. conical. (That was the principle behind the Thompson Cherokee .32 with its fast twist. It was meant for light loads to make it info an accurate squirrel rifle. The other .32s required loads too hot for squirrels to be accurate with their slower twist).

Give it a try.. You'll have a quiet, low recoil rifle with low noise, and a fun steeper trajectory to master.
If you want hot loads though you're going to want to shoot conicals.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

We are not allowed to shoot deer with M/L's in UK due to lack of Muzzle velocity but my Martini-Henry barreled M/L shoots PRB pretty well out to 100yds (usually around 4"groups) offhand. (as was said at school. "COULD DO BETTER") Haven't tried it further. 50grns our No.2 powder with a .433"Hornady ball with .015"greased patch. Feel sure Rudyard will have tried his as well..OLD DOG..

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

In my part of the world PRB are not legal on deer in anything less than a 54. So I got the Missouri river specifically to shoot conicals and sabots. I am planning on trying some prb through it though on paper. I can't find any online info on the groove depth but with a tight patch I'm hoping it will be ok.

 

[.36Rooster]

If I were to guess, the accurate load for paper shooting with round balls will be much lower than your conical/sabot hunting loads. So if you aren't getting good accuracy, back way down for the round balls.

 

[Siringo]

I had one of this rifles and set it up for long range shooting. I had a globe front sight and a vernier rear sight. Barrel was glassed in there was absolutely no movement. I did not remove the barrel for cleaning.

The barrel is made for shooting conicals. Great Plains shot Ok, but the front driving band is too large. Pounding the bullet in the barrel does nothing for accuracy. I ended up using a custom sizer to size the front band down a bit.

I have a Lee mold for a S &W 500 magnum from Lee (440 gr). Search the internet and there are a few people using this bullet. In pure lead it shot well.

I primarily went down the paper patch route. Using swaged pure led bullets from Buffalo Arms it shot great. 2 inch groups at 100 yards not uncommon. However the 550 grain shot better that the 500 grain. In a 50 caliber you need weight to slug the bullet into the rifling.

Buffalo area sells a 500 - 550 grain 50 caliber grease groove that works well too.

All the bullets luster above were shot with Old Eynsford at 90 grains. Lighter charges do not have enough juice to slug the bullet into the bore.

ROUND BALLS are tricky. I wanted an easy shooting load for 50 yards. I ended up using 50 grains of OE 3f, 490 ball and 0.015 patch. It would should 1 to 1 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards. Best it would do.

For a hunting rifle this fast twist barrel is very versatile. But only for bullets, not balls.

 

[Siringo]

 

[Rudyard]

Greenswlde Is correct the then commonly surplus Martini barrels did shoot well at 100 yds . I've known the PB match won by one . But I used to load just 15 or so grains in my Military match rifle purely to harvest Spruce Grouse & Franklin & Hares ect for the pot (.In Canada this was ). But I ran into a bull Moose one time so was obliged to talk it away and by dumb luck my eloquence was enough .They are not the sharpest animal but do get stroppy in the September time of year .. I did point out I had won a gold at Bisley and I eat Moose for Tiffin .And rather unkindly added comments as to his looks & ancestry.. ( I didnt offer him a mint though His breath was awfull.).It prouved enough & he went off to join the Cow. Big ' Phew.'
With its 2&1/2 Dram & 500 Gn Sharpe's Bailey I bowled a Black Bear once but have since regretted it. It was approaching me Most likely never realised I was even there I was about twenty yards away, I did need meat but much being wasted . The site now under the Mica Creek dam in BC.
Regards Rudyard