Barrel twist for deer hunting

[Ricky Bobby]

I’m completely new to black powder and have a huge urge to get a flintlock rifle for some reason. Cool factor 100% in my eyes! I’m an avid whitetail hunter and definitely would like to experience harvesting a deer with one. I feel like a round ball would go along with entire experience as well but maybe I’m not thinking correctly? Are conical bullets something I should highly consider? I’m not needing or expecting to shoot a long distance … 50 to 75 yards with iron sights are my expectations. So with that said, what twist rate would you all recommend? Would you go slow twist and all in for round balls or would you try finding something in a medium twist rate to have best of both worlds and possibly be able to shoot conical bullets too? I don’t want multiple rifles so that’s definitely not the answer I want to hear.

 

[nchawkeye]

.54 caliber, patched round ball, 80grs FFF black powder and a 1-72 twist will do all that needs doing. I do prefer deep, cut rifling over shallow, button rifling for a patched round ball.

 

[bpd303]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains.
I would chose a 50 caliber with a 1 in 48 twist, which will do just fine with patched round ball and conical's. The reason being is 1 in 48 is a compromise twist to be able to shoot both with good accuracy and 50 caliber supplies are much more common and available. A 50 caliber hole and good shot placement will take any game in North America.

 

[bldtrailer]

getz 1-72 .50, green mountain 1-70 .50 , bobby hoyt 1-56 .50 or gain twist , rice 1-66

getz

green mtn

green mtn

hoyt 1-56

hoyt 1-56

hoyt gain twist

all twist can make great groups if you take the time to work up good loads all the above are round bottom but the green mtn is square bottom
even a traditions 1-66 can be made to shoot well if the right load is found

100yrds traditions Kentucky Kit rifle sight in

 

[longcruise]

A 50 is a good choice and is well proven on deer. I suggest a slower twist of 1:56 to 1:66. That will be a good ball shooter. I suggest staying with the ball for several reasons. First, it's absolutely adequate and is capable of good accuracy, especially in the slower twist rates. Second, it's more economical to shoot and you will find that the great majority of local shooters and clubs will be mainly ball oriented and those are the people you want to get in with. The enjoyment of shooting these guns and associating with other shooters goes way beyond deer hunting.

 

[Spikebuck]

I have settled on the .54 as my big game caliber. I have flint rifles with 1-56, 1-66, and 1-72 twist rates. They all shoot very well, but the 1-72 likes 105 gr 2F where the others like 90 gr 2F. I'd rather not have to use 105 gr. Not sure if it's only the slower twist or something else in the barrel that creates that much "hunger" for powder.

Regarding your question on a barrel that would possibly shoot both PRB and conicals:

My Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken (percussion) and the Pedersoli Frontier (AKA Cabelas Blue Ridge), available in flint or percussion, shot both types very well in .54 with 1-65 twist and rather shallow square groove rifling. In my case it was very short conicals. The Buffalo Ball-et and the Hornady Great Plains...neither of which are in production anymore in .54. I would suspect that a short .54 Minie would fill the bill as well. Only hollow base conicals worked for me in those two guns. Solid base tumbled.

Now, all that said, I've killed quite a few whitetails with both PRB and conicals. I came to the conclusion that for my kind of shorter range hunting generally under 100 yards and really under 75, the conical is unnecessary. A lot more cost and recoil for no added killing power, on average. So, I've been using PRB exclusively in my .54s for over a decade now. No regrets.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Yes, avoid the 48-inch twist. Everyone knows you can't shoot accurately with a T/C Haken rifled 48. Those who claim they can are just BSing. Besides Sam and Jake rifled all their Hawkins 1:48, but they didn't know what they were doing. Just ask those who know what a real round ball twist should be.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Twist rate is over rated, 1-48 to 1-72 will work great. Calibre 40-72 all work. Your ability to place the shot will have more effect than anything else.

 

[tenngun]

Any round ball gun you’ll but will have the right twist. 1/48, 1/60,I/54,1/66, 1/72
But out to fifty yards fact is you don’t need any twist at all. Lots of us have shot smootiies
Get the gun style you want and practice and experiment with it. You’ll find your load and get a belly full of venison

 

[Trigger]

Smoothbore.. I think there accurate.

You would be about to small game hunt and large game. Just seems better.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

The only thing I'll add to this is buy a good one. Tastes and opinions vary wildly but many of the imports are more expensive and most if not all are vastly inferior to some home grown options.

 

[Spikebuck]

...
But out to fifty yards fact is you don’t need any twist at all. Lots of us have shot smootiies...

Excellent post! I'm embarrassed to have missed that thought, but had my head wrapped around twist rates.

Even further than 50 yards...I have a PRB load for my smooth rifle that will do minute of deer out to 75 yards. I'll bet the new Kibler fowling piece in 20 GA would be a great all around hunter! Quality, beauty, historical, do-it-all!

The OP didn't want two guns (we all probably said that at one time ). If I could only keep one of my muzzleloaders, hands down it would be my smooth rifle. Shot or ball, it does it all!

 

[andy52]

My best shooting round ball gun is a 1-66 twist.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

gosh dang!!!!!all of you guys posting this information.thank you all. looks like to me a person has a lot of choices.Reckon a person needs to get something he wants to shoot and then start letting the smoke roll.Practice a lot and try a lot of different loads. MUCH RESPECT TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YAW

 

[VA Hawken]

Personal Opinion. Trigger time with whatever gun you have, will go a lot further than worrying about twist rates. Unless or course, that gun just won't shoot well regardless.

 

[olskool]

personally, I think there ain't a dimes worth of difference between 1-48 to 1-72,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Kmcmichael]

I shoot a lot of paper, and have twist of 1-70 and 1-48.
If I m going to shoot a round ball I cone the gun and do not bother with conicals. I rarely shoot conicals because of expense.
Don’t take anyone’s advice on load. You will have to figure that out yourself.
Most of us seem to do one or the other.

 

[Banjoman]

Figure out what gun you want, then learn to shoot it.

 

[Loja man]

Hey Rickey,
Lots of good advice from members here! Lots of feedback that twist rate is less important than other factors. I would like to rephrase Banjomans post. Narrow the playing field. In your situation I would start with do you have to have something that is historically accurate? Then I would look for a style that speaks to you. Then maybe decide on caliber. To each their own. I would go with a better grade of rifle since you’re looking at a Flintlock.

 

[bpd303]

The only twist rate that really makes a difference IMHO is the 1 in 28 22 inch barrel 58 caliber Jaeger that I restored. It is a tack driver with a hollow base mini ball and 70 gr ffg or fffg Goex powder.