Anybody else prefer a 1-48” twist?

[Just-a-hunter]

I do. I like to shoot PRB’s but I like to hunt with conicals. Being a hunter that likes to shoot, I really like the standard 1-48” twist.

I recently got into casting and I’ve really enjoyed making my own bullet/ball fodder. The balls actually seem more accurate than store bought balls. Maybe because they are round and not shaped like a golf ball.

I prefer shooting Goex over Swiss as the Swiss seems to be way harder in the bore after shooting. I think the Goex is a bit dirtier but I’ve found the extra soot makes it easier for follow up loading without swabbing between shots. I can’t shoot two PRB’s in a row shooting Swiss without really having to hammer on the ball.

anyway, my rifle doesn’t shoot anything good enough to win a target shoot, but it shoots everything very acceptable for hunting. Most of my groups are around 4 MOA but the factory hunting sights seem to be about 4 MOA sights. It’s hard to shoot a smaller group than your sight picture. My particular rifle seems to shoot PRB’s better than anything but I sure like how conicals perform on game.

I really like the 450 gr. Lyman Plains bullet. Lubed with 45/45/10 mixture. Not the best for keeping the fouling soft but with Goex, I have no issues loading and shooting 3 without a swabbing. Not much different than the skimpy factory lube on Hornady Great Plains bullet.

only 8 more months until elk season!

Todd

 

[Ames]

You asked. No.

 

[Just-a-hunter]

You asked. No.

There may not be very many... but I admire your confidence in speaking for the World Wide Web.

 

[hinamanra]

That felt wad tightened thing up

 

[Just-a-hunter]

That felt wad tightened thing up

yes, they really seem too! More testing to come!

 

[Marinekayak]

I dont prefer but I am not a hater like some seem to be on here.. I have a Traditions MT rifle in 1-48 and i can put three rounds touching an 50 yards with 80gr of FFF and a patch round ball. It does the same or better with a maxi hunter dropped in the bore. To me it seems like a good all around rate of twist.

 

[Carbon 6]

I prefer 1-66" and round balls, just my preference.

 

[bubba.50]

A .535 ball patched with a Wally-World prelubed patch over 70gr Pyrodex or a well-lubed maxi-ball over 90gr Pyrodex will print three-shot cloverleafs all day long at 75 yds in my Renegade and shoot to the same point of impact.

 

[nkbj]

In a .54 hunting rifle you need unpicky so 48" twist is just plumb wunnerful.
What kind of rifling do you have?

 

[Just-a-hunter]

In a .54 hunting rifle you need unpicky so 48" twist is just plumb wunnerful.
What kind of rifling do you have?

It’s just a standard T/C factory Hawken.

Todd

 

[SDSmlf]

Find 1-48 barrels ok, but my best performers for round balls are 1-66 in 50 caliber, 1-60 in 58 caliber and 1-66 in 62 caliber. Most accurate conical barrels are 1-30 in 45 caliber.

 

[brewer12345]

1 in 48 is OK. Both of mine shoot conicals real well with a wad and a stuff charge. Not much fun to target shoot with, though. One won't shoot round ball for beans and the other shoots it very well, but requires a stiff charge and a wad to do it. So I picked up a slow twist barrel from GM for the one that won't shoot round ball at all.

 

[Kansas Kid]

Sure, for rifles up to 40 caliber

 

[Critter Getter]

I love my 1-48” TC Hawken .45. It shoots lights out with a prb and gives me very acceptable accuracy with maxi ball and maxi hunter for deer sized game. A do it all rifle that can still win on the competition line! Maybe I just got lucky owning this rifle but it sure is pretty and shoots exceptionally well. Greg

 

[Ben Meyer]

I prefer 1:48 in Hawkens, mine has it. I know it's a compromise twist, so you can shoot roundballs and conicals but (in my gun at least) the heavier conicals I've tried shoot several inches low. Now, I know I can easily adjust my rear sight ramp(its not trad/dovetail) to put them in the 10 ring, but then my PRBs are all high.

Based on the lethal performance 80gr 2f Goex and a .490 PRB gave me with the big doe I took this season, I'm gonna stick with those. They're cheaper, easier, I have a bag mold, less recoil, and i now trust them to get the job done so long as i do my part, on deer at least. I live in Ohio, hunt in Indiana. Deer is what we have. If I ever went elk or bear hunting, I'd use a 30-06 or my inline before I "upped the challenge " and went traditional. But if I ever do, I'll probably go with conicals for those critters.

 

[Silvertip8k]

I shoot round balls for fun...which is 99 percent of my shots...but when it comes to hunting its strictly conicals...my fav is an old t/c maxi hunter 50 cal. Hawken 1:48...actually in my m
Home state(colorado)its the law...only a 54 cal can shoot round balls after elk sized game...

To answer the question specifacally...thats not so easy...my 1:48 barrel shoots 50 cal round balls fine...if I can hit a tennis ball at 100 yards with anything I'm tickled...for contest or similar I would def go with the 33 inch 1:66 twist rifle... period...

If it was allowed here I would shoot neck shots with the 50 cal hawken and round balls...but its not for elk...

 

[sawyer04]

I prefer 1-66" and round balls, just my preference.

Got a strong second here, Carbon, although I am not a hater.

 

[longcruise]

I have 45, 50 and 54 with 1:48 twist and they can all be tuned to shoot RB to be adequate for hunting any game for which they are legally suitable. The 45 not being legal for big game with a round ball in Colorado.

Not a statement of preference but just a matter of fact.

My primary deer/elk rifle is a 54 1:70. It does require a heavier than necessary charge for best accuracy.

 

[nkbj]

It is the TC rifling geometry, not the 48" twist, that is a compromise.

 

[tenngun]

My guns tend to be slower, but to your question as does any one prefer it? Well I would say Jake and Sam Hawken, Derringer,Dickert,Ike Hines, Leman, Henry... et al, most Ml rifles back in the day were 1/48.