Anybody else prefer a 1-48” twist?

[Ben Meyer]

I've wondered about this too. I'll use my rifles as examples. My flintlock has a 1:66 twist and a 41" barrel. My Hawken has a 1:48 twist and a 28" barrel. My math(which could be wrong-I divided barrel length by twist ratio, ie 41÷66)tells me the Flintlocks barrel rotates a patched ball .62 of a complete rotation as it travels from end to end while the Hawken does it .58 of a complete rotation. If this is correct, how does a .04 difference "really" matter?

 

[hanshi]

I've mentioned this before but it was a while back. The actual twist rate is not nearly as important as the depth of the rifling. A very shallow bore shooting prb at hunting velocities will often not be very accurate. The reason is that the prb is moving too fast to grab the tiny, shallow grooves and skids over the rifling resulting in poor accuracy. Conicals usually fare a bit better. I have rifles with 1-48". 1-56" and 1-66 inches and they all shoot very accurately. Even bores with a .006" depth could possibly be problematic if the twist is really fast. Don't worry as much about the twist rate as about the rifling depth. Mine range from .006" to .016" in rifling depth and have to use different patch thicknesses. Tight loads are normally more accurate in any bore and I use them.

 

[lwscrim]

I like my 1-48" twist rifles!
And Tenngun gave the most definitive answer!
Sam A.

 

[Bad Karma]

It depends. I don’t necessarily prefer it but I’m sure not going to toss a rifle because of it. The only rifles I’ve owned with this rate of twist have been T/C from .45 to .58 caliber and two investarms, a .54 and a .58. They’ve all been capable of fine accuracy.

 

[Dr5x]

That felt wad tightened thing up

NO,
THE FELT WAD TOOK THE PLACE OF TOO THIN A SHOOTING PATCH IS MY GUESS
A wad of east nest will do the same job.
While wads will often give you some accuracy It's simpler just to have a shooting patch of the right thickness and it eliminates a step in your loading. A 4 x 4inch piece of your local anti gun newspaper, lightly moistened and wadded uptight do as well as the felt wad plus it will give yo a warm feeling.
Dutch

 

[longcruise]

I've never been convinced of the value of a felt wad under a ball. Often it is said that it seals the bore. Thinking of this leads me to envision a flat disc being slammed against a round sphere under huge pressure. It seems like it would conform to the round ball which would make it smaller in diameter compared to the bore. Or, maybe it does distort and help seal the bore?

In any case, whatever a felt wad might be doing it's probably hiding a patch or bore condition problem.

 

[Just-a-hunter]

If you read the post, you would see the wad was behind a conical.. I don’t use a felt was with PRB though I have tried it. I like a chunk of hornets nest just to keep the powder lube free. I never liked the idea of putting lube on the powder. Especially for several days at a time during hunting.

Todd

 

[longcruise]

If you read the post, you would see the wad was behind a conical.. I don’t use a felt was with PRB though I have tried it. I like a chunk of hornets nest just to keep the powder lube free. I never liked the idea of putting lube on the powder. Especially for several days at a time during hunting.

Todd

I was responding to Dutch's post above. The wad
under The ball is an often offered solution to accuracy problems or patch problems.

 

[bang]

Think you will find a pretty equal view on bullet or ball for hunting. Considering placement is the paramount issue when making a shot either will get er dun. POA = POI is all in load development to best ability of the barrel.
The 1:48 typically shoots either. My preference is maxi to get skirt engagement in riflings. I found my Hawken 45 1:48 28" could put 8 of 10 PRBs in 2.5 bull at 100 yards using 70 gns. Maxis would walk 6" with 70gns. Drop the charge to 60 and they flew straight as a PRB, just a bit more elevation.
Stick with the science of building a load. Shoot just what provides accuracy for both bullet and ball respectively.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My 1:56 twist rate 38" .54 barrel has taken a lot of deer with round ball... and my 1:56 twist rate 26" barrel on a caplock also shoots roundball well....
My 1:48 twist rate .50 barrels, whether 28" or 37" always shoot round ball well.., they shoot conicals too...quite well...but I don't like nor need that recoil, so...
My 1:48 twist rate .40 barrel does very well indeed with round ball...,

I wouldn't care a whit what was the combination, as long as whatever I launched hit where I was aiming.

LD