1 in 38 Twist in .44 Magum Rifles

[lightload]

I see that many think that a faster twist might give better accuracy in the .44 mag rifle. I have a Henry Big Boy but have not yet cast boolits for it. Is the 1 in 38 twist better suited for lighter boolits than the heavier 300 grain versions?
Asked another way, what weight cast boolits are best suited for the 1 in 38 twist?

[Outpost75]

In my Marlin 1894S Microgroove rifles with 38" twist of rifling I get 3-inch TEN- shot groups at 100 yards using 265-grain Saeco #430, and #441, as well as with 240-grain Hornady XTPs with 24.5 grains of RL7 or 22 grs. of IMR4198.

[bcp]

Rifle magazine had an article about the benefits of using a 1 in 20 twist barrel.

See the first page of the Spotting Scope column in this PDF, right above the Canjar ad.

www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/ri150partial.pdf (http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/ri150partial.pdf)

Bruce

[missionary5155]

Good morning
It is about having enough rotational movement on the bullet to fly straight. The longer the bullet the faster it needs to spin.
A 1-38 twist means you have to maintain high velocity with long (heavy) bullets to keep them flying correctly. Sooner (at less distance) than a 240 grainer that 300 grainer will go unstable if both are pushed at the same velocity. But switch to the 1-20 twist and there is plenty of rotation force involved with less velocity to keep that 300 grainer stable at the same ranges. And a 240 grainer probably could get popped along at 800 fps and fly just fine.
But it all is a trade off. Faster twist needs a harder mix to withstand the faster twist at high velocity. But that 1-38 twist is a hold over from BP loads in the 44 WCF. Why modern rifle makers think we need 150 year old technology to govern our rifles evades me... except for the fact that is what they have been geared to do for the last 100 years. It costs money (profit) to upgrade. Most shooters have little concept of barrel twist and such. Long range shooting is 100 yards. So rifle makers plod along with the profits. You and I well we either like it or rebarrel.
Happily there are lever rifles in 44 that have faster twists and I for one have no problem buying a better product that meets my desires.
Mike in Peru

[hornady308]

I have a Winchester 94 in .44 and it definitely likes lighter weight boolits. I tried jacketed and cast of 240 grains and up, but was always disappointed. However, cast bullets of 210 - 230 grains grouped well and I settled on a GB 434-207-rf as the main projectile for this rifle. You might consider the lyman 429215 or the NOE 434-235-rf if you can't get your rifle to group well with heavier bullets.

[ironhead7544]

With 300 gr bullets in my Marlin Cowboy 44 Mag I get good accuracy at 50 yards. At 100 yards I get keyholes. With any 270 gr or less I get very good accuracy at 100 yards. The 265 gr Saeco bullet mentioned above feeds slick and is very accurate.

Proper sized 200 gr cast RNFP cowboy bullets over Unique are accurate and fun plinkers. Around 1300 fps is good.

[Shuz]

I have a Winchester 94 in .44 and it definitely likes lighter weight boolits. I tried jacketed and cast of 240 grains and up, but was always disappointed. However, cast bullets of 210 - 230 grains grouped well and I settled on a GB 434-207-rf as the main projectile for this rifle. You might consider the lyman 429215 or the NOE 434-235-rf if you can't get your rifle to group well with heavier bullets.

hornady308--Doesn't your 1894 have a 1:26" twist? I have two 1894's and both mine do and shoot a wide range of boolits well.

[TCFAN]

In my Marlin 44 mag Cowboy 20 inch barrel with 1-38 inch twist I found that a shorter boolit shot a lot better overall than long heavy ones.I had Accurate make me a mold for a.434 gas check 230 gr. mold that I shoot at about 1400-1500 fps. I just pretend that I am shooting a heavy loaded 44-40.It works for me..............Terry

[hornady308]

Apparently, Winchester used different twist rates at different times. I'm pretty sure mine is 1:38 and it certainly behaves that way.

[Outpost75]

In my Marlins using Saeco 265-grain flatnose, dispersion is linear with range to 300 yards, which is the farthest I have nearby to shoot. I shoot plainbased bullets and soft alloy about 1300-1350 fps.

[Gray Fox]

I just checked the Rossi Rifleman site (Ranch Dog's) and it says that all Rossi 92s regardless of caliber are a 1 in 30 twist rate. I've one in .44 Mag and the Ranch Dog 265 mold so I'm figuring this twist rate should handle about all the 2400 or 296 that I want to load under the 265. Any Comments on my thought? GF

[longbow]

I'm another one with 1:38" twist and I find that my gun won't stabilize any 300 gr. cast boolits I have tried or factory jacketed bullet of 300 grs. past about 50 yards.

I have been told that WFN boolits and RanchDog designs at 300 grs. will stabilize if you shoot at max. velocity. I have not tried those designs nor do I want to shoot them at full loads all the time.

I settled on 270 gr. max. weight in my gun and that seems to do well.

Longbow

[Lonegun1894]

My 1:38" .44 Mag is a H&R and not a levergun, but it does great with either the NOE 235gr sized .434" or my Lyman 429421 that weighs 268grs and sized to .434". I also have a Rossi 92 1:30" .44 that shoots these same bullets great, so I don't mind a bit faster twist rate. Having said that, there's some of us who prefer the SLOW twist rates because as has been said, they allow a softer alloy, which makes for a great hunting bullet. If I had a choice between two guns, a 1:20" and a 1:38", I'd buy the 1:38" twist gun if the only difference was the twist. If anything, it wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit if my Rossi was a bit slower, even though it works just fine with the 1:30" twist. Accuracy is good with either twist, but personally, for those times when I want a bullet that weighs 300grs or more, I have a .45-70, so my .44 Mag and .45 Colt rifles get fed bullets in the under 300gr weight class, so why would I want to spin them that fast? I mean, to me at least, it's like using a 1:7" twist .300 BO barrel and rechambering it to .308 to shoot 180gr bullets, and then wondering why I have to mess with alloy when I could have gone with a standard 1:12" twist and had a gun that shot great without any fuss.

[flint45]

My 1-38 marlin handles up to 265gr. after that its not to good. 265gr and 21.0 grs.4227

[6pt-sika]

I'm another one with 1:38" twist and I find that my gun won't stabilize any 300 gr. cast boolits I have tried or factory jacketed bullet of 300 grs. past about 50 yards.

I have been told that WFN boolits and RanchDog designs at 300 grs. will stabilize if you shoot at max. velocity. I have not tried those designs nor do I want to shoot them at full loads all the time.

I settled on 270 gr. max. weight in my gun and that seems to do well.

Longbow

I had a pair of the old 1960's Marlin 336-44 rifles . Both shot very well with jacketed and cast . In the second one I had good loads with the Ranch Dog 432-240GC , 432-265GC , 432-300GC and a mold I had cut by Mountain Molds with a RD nose and normal lube grooves that was 432-325GC . Now I will say all of my results were to 100 yards and that 325 grainer was right at the ragged edge when it hit the paper at 100 yards . I'd have no qualms about shooting a deer at 100 yards with that load if I still owned the rifle but mush past 125ish might be a bit much as at 100 yards it was just beginning to yaw when it hit the paper , it still gave 3 shot groups at 100 yards inside 2" but as I said before it was right on the ragged edge of loosing stabilization .