PRB's and a fast twist barrel

[rhwestfall]

I had purchased a Lyman GPHunter (fast twist) because of wanting to shoot conicals. The forum has shown me the light and PRB's are now my preference. I thought I had read that PRB's in a fast twist barrel may be problematic. Anyone have any experiences? ::

BobW

 

[Old Charlie]

Go to midsouth and get a 1 in 60 barrel for it at a good price. Then you will have one for ball and one for bullets.
Old Charlie

 

[roundball]

I had purchased a Lyman GPHunter (fast twist) because of wanting to shoot conicals. The forum has shown me the light and PRB's are now my preference. I thought I had read that PRB's in a fast twist barrel may be problematic. Anyone have any experiences? ::

BobW

If it was me, I'd try range trips and personally see just what it'll do...you might be very surprised.

I don't know your particular twist, but I had always heard that 1:48" twists didn't shoot round balls accurately... but have now personally found out that they are indeed outstanding with PRB's...it was just an old wives tale.

So you (we) all soon learn to take what we see people repeating over and over again on the Internet with a big dose of salt...many times it has no truth at all...so forget all the nay-sayers and test for yourself...only then will you know.

Hunting loads in my T/C Hawken 1:66" round ball flint barrels are 90grns Goex 3F, an oxyoke wonderwad, .018" prelubed pillow ticking patch, and Hornady .440/.490/.530 balls.

I tested the same full power hunting loads in my T/C Hawken 1:48" flint barrels and shot groups from 1+7/8" to 3+1/4" groups at 100yds...cloverleafs & single ragged holes at 50yds...so with 99% of my hunting shots being 50yds, end of discussion.

You might find that your fast twist does just fine...particulary in that 25-50yd range

 

[rhwestfall]

Thanks. I agree with "shoot it and find out" But being new to this, I wouldn't know good from bad. for the record, GPHunter is 1:32 twist. Only time, powder, and lead will really tell the tale. Just seeking wisdom.

BobW

 

[Rebel]

You can always get a replacement round ball barrel for it from Midsouth Shooters Supply.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I had purchased a Lyman GPHunter (fast twist) because of wanting to shoot conicals. The forum has shown me the light and PRB's are now my preference. I thought I had read that PRB's in a fast twist barrel may be problematic. Anyone have any experiences? ::

BobW

Fast twists (1:48 I don't consider fast) and round balls are normally limited to slow velocities. That is why a .54 cal. pistol barrel may have a 1:21 twist and be deadly accurate, you just don't try to load that pistol up to rifle velocities.

 

[Tahquamenon]

1:32" should shoot PRB's just fine.

The issue is the faster the rifling, the greater the odds of stripping the rifling with a bore length projectile (pushing the PRB over the rifling) with heavier hunting loads.

I shoot PRB's in 1:28 or faster rifling barrels all the time and for target and small game this is an excellent combination.

The problem is large game hunting loads tend to strip the rifling.

Use the thickest patch you can comfortably load (.018-20).
Also, try using a wad over the powder then load the PRB.

You might find that with a tighter patch and a wad you can get say 50-70 grains or so of 3FG and a roundball to print well. This will be sufficient for deer out to about 75 yards or so in 50 cal on up.

Were me, I'd keep the barrel and shoot the most accurate PRB loads for targeting and small game, then slip a hefty conical in the barrel on top of a stout hunting load for deer on up hunting. The deer won't object to being shot with a projectile that has superior ballistics.

:imo:

 

[BillinOregon]

Dale Story wrote an excellent article touching on this subject, "Hints for Blackpowder Hunters," in the third edition of the Black Powder Gun digest. Faster twists can shoot round balls just fine assuming you adjust the ball and patch thicknesses and powder charge for optiumum performance in YOUR barrel. The talk about 1:48s not being so hot for balls is based on the fact that the TC barrels have relatively shallow grooves so as to shoot conicals well. They require a tighter fitting patch and ball to hold accuracy with higher-end loads, and the faster the twist and shallower the grooves, the smaller the "sweet spot" in which the barrel will give best performance with a ball.
So twist alone is only part of the picture.

 

[Tahquamenon]

I agree mostly.

Also with more shallow rifling, the need for more frequent swabbing may be the case.

T/C's 1:48" .005 depth rifling is just fine for PRB.

The GPR Hunter 1:32" barrel also has somewhat shallow depth rifling of .007".

A few rifles, cal, rifling type and spec as well as depth:
T/C Encore 50 Button 1:28 .005
T/C Omega 50 Button 1:28 .005
T/C Hawkin 50 Button 1:48 .005
T/C PA Hunter 50 Cut 1:66 .010
T/C Firehawk 50 Button 1:38 .005
Uberti Hawken 50 Button 1:48 .007
CVA Mtn Hntr 50 Button 1:48 .010
CVA Hawken 50 Button 1:48 .007
Trdtns Kentucky 50 Button 1:48 .007
Lyman G-Plains 50 Cut 1:66 .010
Lyman GP Hunter 50 Cut 1:32 .007
Lyman Trade 50 Cut 1:48 .010
A&H Mtn Rifle 50 Cut 1:28 .010
A&H Mtn Rifle 50 Cut 1:66 .008
DP Mortimer 54 Cut 1:66 .010
DP Kodiak 50 Cut 1:48 .006
DP Cty Hntr 50 Button 1:32 .006
DP Penn 50 Button 1:56 .006
DP Kentucky 50 Button 1:48 .005
DP Frontier 50 Button 1:48 .005
DP Jaeger 54 Broached 1:24 .006
DP Tyron 50 Cut 1:48 .010
Euro Arms Zouave 58 Button 1:66 .005
Euro Arms Richmond 58 Button 1:72 .006
Euro Arms Sprngfld 58 Button 1:78 .006
Euro Arms Harpers 54 Button 1:66 .006
Armi Spt Zouave 58 Button 1:56 .006
Investarm Hawken 50 Cut 1:48 .010
Palmetto Wesson 45 Button 1:21 .006