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Thread: RB twist?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Mr Peabody's Avatar
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    RB twist?

    I'm sending a man my barrel to have it bored out to .54. I want a patched round ball gun, what twist would work properly in a 24 inch barrel?

  2. #2
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    why so short a barrel? a brush gun for hunting?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    I'm sending a man my barrel to have it bored out to .54. I want a patched round ball gun, what twist would work properly in a 24 inch barrel?
    Ask the man doing the work ,I trust he"s good at what he does/Ed

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by rfd View Post
    why so short a barrel? a brush gun for hunting?
    T/C made it that way, and yes it's a dandy in the timber

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    I'm sending a man my barrel to have it bored out to .54. I want a patched round ball gun, what twist would work properly in a 24 inch barrel?

    Twist determines PRB accuracy results, not barrel length - so there's little difference between a 24" bbl & a 32" bbl.

    Dedicated RB twist rates can vary from 1-60" to 1:70"

    A 1-48" twist, while not the best in accuracy for either, is a compromise that will allow "adequate" accuracy for both a PRB or a conical.

    Sabot loads, & some conicals, perform best with a steeper twist of around 1-22" to 1: 28".


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    Last edited by pietro; 03-02-2019 at 11:21 PM.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I just sent my T/C Hawken barrel to Mr. Hoyt for a rebore to .54
    It will be 1:60 for PRB only.
    Mine is 28", but I would do the same with a 24"
    Failure is not an Option

  7. #7
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    Thanks Hylander, my thoughts too.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    Thanks Hylander, my thoughts too.
    Same again 1:60 to 1:70 - ideal for round ball - speciallty for hunting - can load higher velocity with slower twist.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Is it a White Mtn carbine your referring to? I own one in 54 cal having 1-48 twist. When shooting P/ball I found my rifle rather hard to sight-in to 50 yards. {just couldn't find its sweet spot in >Charges} . Sadly I haven't spent much time with it since. Although if and when I do take it afield. The little light weight 54 would likely be a dandy close range deer thump-er.

    I certainly wish you luck turning your rifle into a dedicated P/ball shooter. As far as twist rate for accurate ball shooting.> Indain Joe knows.

  10. #10
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    OverMax, no though I have one of those. It's a High Plains Sporter. Very much like the T/C New Englander but with a curved pistol grip instead of the straight one.It loves Maxi's but not so much the round ball.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    1:60 - 1:70 - if it were mine, I would go with the 1:60 for a dedicated RB barrel - but with that in mind, I would also discuss it with the people who are going to freshen the bore for you and see what they suggest/usually do.

    Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work on a number of original rifles and the majority of them fell into the 1:60 - 1:70 twist rate with most of them closer to the 1:60 rate. It didn't seem to make a difference if it was a "manufactured" barrel - i.e. where the maker bought the barrel and lock for assembly - or for those barrels that were unmarked and obviously hand made and rifled - they all seemed to be within that range.

    I bought an old barrel probably twenty five years ago from a guy at a gun show. It was hand-made - 7/8" octagon X 43" in length. The bore measured out at about a .47 caliber and the original rifling index marks were punched not he muzzle. The barrel started out on a flintlock long rifle and form he lugs and dovetails on the bottom side, it had been on at least three rifles in its lifetime. I don't recall the maker's name but it was engraved on the top flat. Anyway - I checked the rate of twist on it and it came out as close as I could figure to 1:63. I figured that it was probably from the 1775-1800 era. The breedh plug was missing but it had the typical very coarse threads found on most early barrels - at some point - had been converted to drum and nipple. I couldn't find anything on the name engraved (not stamped) on the top flat. I figured that the barrel had been "fresher" at least once by following the original rifling (i.e. not re-bored/re-rifled). Obviously a "round ball barrel". I ended up selling it to a private collector of original long rifles who lived in Virginia IIRC.

    Is the barrel you're having re-bored the same one that had the rough spots that needed to be lapped?

    Good luck with your project - you'll enjoy your "new barrel" when you get it back!

    Jim

  12. #12
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    I like 1-66.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I like 1-66.
    yes..

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    leave it up to the guy doing the work, he will know whats best.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by FrontierMuzzleloading View Post
    leave it up to the guy doing the work, he will know whats best.
    NO .....that way you get what he thinks is best - that may not be what you want - round ball only for hunting is not the nomal these days - tell him what you want and make sure you get it.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    round ball only for hunting is not the nomal these days
    I'm glad I'm not normal
    Failure is not an Option

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by hylander View Post
    I'm glad I'm not normal
    There a few of us un-normal blokes left yet!!
    one of my favoutrite hunting guns is a CVA 54 round ball gun - built it up from bits n pieces - with a load in its still a tad under 7 pounds - nice to tote around - and you can load it so's it bites at both ends - 120 grains of FFg under a soft lead ball ----- shoots about three inch high at 50 to three inch low at 130 yards.

    Thats a 1:66 twist and will shoot just about any load accurate from 60 grain plinker to full throttle

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    NO .....that way you get what he thinks is best - that may not be what you want - round ball only for hunting is not the nomal these days - tell him what you want and make sure you get it.
    That is the truth. I argued with Lilja to cut a barrel to my specs, explaining I shoot cast bullets. He wasn't listening about required barrel twist for what I needed, so I went to Bauska. No problem, Too bad they are gone.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Depends on who the guy is and whether you already know what he's a'gonna do.

  20. #20
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    I have a .50 RB rifle and it is 1-66" and I have won a number of local matches with it over the years. I like longer barrels because I shoot better with the longer sight plane. Works for me, james

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