Barrel Twist Question

[hylander]

Got a new to me like new 50 cal. T/C Hawken coming.
Got a line on a 32" G/M drop in barrel, which I will most likely cut to 30" for better handling.
However it is a 1/70 twist.
Think it a bit to slow?
I am looking for top accuracy to at least 100yds.

[mooman76]

I've heard of slower twists assuming we are talking about RBs. At worse case you might just need to up the charge a little for top accuracy but that's not much difference from a 1-66.

[Buzzard II]

Hylander,
The Green Mountain barrel is for patched round ball. Don't cut it, it will be fine as is.
Bob

[arcticap]

I wouldn't cut it either.
Slightly better handling could equal slightly less accuracy and reach.
It's a risk to alter the GM factory crown.
And once the barrel is cut, it can't be put back.
At least shoot it first and see how you like it.

The Traditions Pennsylvania rifle has a 1 in 66" twist barrel that's 40" long, and those are known for being accurate.

[waksupi]

The twist is fine. Just treat it like a sore pecker, and don't screw with it.

[Edward]

The twist is fine. Just treat it like a sore pecker, and don't screw with it.

You do have a way with words :bigsmyl2: /Ed

[KCSO]

1-70 should be great for round ball with up to 90 or more grains of powder and I would guess best accuracy at 100 yards with 80 or more. You will need range time and work but you can get it to shoot into under 4 inches at that range with iron sights IF you work at it one thing at a time. Best patches best ball diameter, best caps, best powder keep working and it will come together. When we shot 100 yard offhand I worked all summer to find the right loads for the best group. The results were a 3" group off hand at 100 yards.

[GARD72977]

At my age I'm more likely to have a sore shoulder from shooting than a sore pecker

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Tight groups with todays muzzleloaders all depends more on the shooters eye sight and just how good of a consistent shot he is. My 1:48 shoots just as good as my 1:66 twist .50cal. A .50cal with the 1:70 twist just means you will have the option of using a lot of powder and still achieve great accuracy.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

I don't agree with that at all. Far from typical. I can drive my .490" .020" patch with up to 90gr Pyrodex P and at 100 yards is still shoots tight groups. Im not sure what twist it had, but I had a .45cal deer creek northwest rifle ( new named cva mountain rifle ) and that rifle shot 70gr 3fg and a .440 round ball just as accurate as it did a 225gr Powerbelt with 80gr 3fg T7. Actually, that thing was down right scary with round ball. Could kick myself for getting rid of that one.

[725]

it's not my business, but i'd never cut a green mountain. if it had a damaged crown, well then, yes, but that's the only time i'd consider doing it.

[hylander]

Thanks for the input.
I am going to see if I can find someone to build me a barrel with 1:56 or 1:60 twist
with deep cut rifling.
Or find a 45 Cal. barrel to rebore to 50

[Hanshi]

Methinks too much is made over rifling twists. Any barrel will shoot like it prefers. I agree, don't cut it. My .45 is 1-56", the .50 is, I believe, 1-60". My .54 is 1-66". All shoot extremely well with anything from powderpuff loads up to deer slayers. I pay more attention to groove depth as it relates to rot rather than just assuming a barrel will or will not deliver.

[waksupi]

From barrel maker John Getz;

Ok...time for a little rifle barrel 101. Saw a post earlier on another site pertaining to rifling twists and accuracy. What followed ..based upon the answers given...had me literally shaking my head.??? Its not rocket science, but it apparently isn't elementary either.??
Soooo...here goes. The question was.." Which is more accurate...a 1:48" twist, or a 1:66" twist.?? ". I answered "neither"...both are equally accurate..all else being equal. Such as rifling depth, groove size, etc. . Sounded simple enough...but ..instead..the post was bombarded with some, shall we say "misinformed" answers..!
Like..1:48" is only for conicals...1:66 is a patched roundball twist...etc. Whelp..both are right AND wrong. According to famed collector Joe Kindig Jr., 1:48" twist was the most common twist he measured in his extensive collection.! Yes...for 18th century ROUND BALL shooting. It is a splendid choice for shooting a patched RB..when proper deep rifling is employed.! It will settle into a powder charge it likes and deviating from it will likely be somewhat detrimental to accuracy..but it is just as accurate as any other twist.! Especially in the .32-.45 range.!
A lot of shooters in the 70's and 80's got their indoctronation to the 1:48" twist through the shallow rifled Thompson Center..who wanted a "dual purpose" rifling system that would shoot their conical "maxiball" and a patched round ball. It worked OK..but deeper rifling would have been better for the patched roundball.
Now...the 1:56 - 1:72" twists. Now...these are more popular for patched roundball shooting, as they afford a greater range of powder charges with quality accuracy. There will still be a " best" most accurate load. But one will harmonically "ring the bell".. and be the most accurate.
Some people claimed that these were "too slow" to shoot the conical slugs.? Well....No. The 1863 Springfield musket used a 1:72 twist to shoot the hollow skirted "minie ball" quite accurately . Tapered rifling in thise muskets helped them hold tight to the rifling...accurately.
1:66" twist and 1:56" dominate most of the 31,000 barrels we have made, but most of the .32 - .40's are 1:48".
A few more points to consider...some of the early Christian's Spring rifles and some other early Moravian rifles had a 1:42" twist..! These were early rifles...and quite possibly a byproduct of many of their early European counterpart..i.e. "Jager" or "Alpine Stutzens" had a turn in the length of their short barrel. Call most in that 18" -32" range. They loaded them a little tighter than their Colonial American counterpart...but by jove, that's how they were. There are some other famous early rifles that even had twists in the mid 30's...!!! You can bet your Lexus they shot a dedicated powder charge.! Slowly working their way to the much slower 1:48" twist. And YES..it was deeply cut rifling for a patched round ball. !!
Whew...ok...enough expounding upon this topic. I just saw it and figured Id help "cut through the chaffe". Try and take some mystery out of RB twists. If you want to occasionally goose your charges up the powder scale..the slower.. i e. 56", 66", 72" may be for you. But the 1:48" will not suffer from performance anemia. Choose wisely grasshopper...all good.

[Hanshi]

You and I pretty much agree with what you posted. :goodpost: