.38-55 twist rate

[JudgeBAC]

I'm looking at a Marlin Lever gun in .38-55 with a Douglas barrel. The twist rate is 1-12. Is this a good rate of twist for cast bullets? Is this an appropriate twist rate for this caliber?

[felix]

12 twist is way too fast for a 380 diameter boolit. 18 twist for 260 grainers or less would be infinitely more cast friendly. ... felix

[Buckshot]

..............I agree. A 12" twist would be fine for those honker 335gr slugs the BP silhuette guys are messing with. Betcha in a levergun slugs from 200 to 270 will do all you want or need so a 14" would be better and as Felix suggested go with a 16". The 40 cal fast twisters are using 16".

I have a 375 Whelen with a 12" twist and it shoots jacketed slugs like a house afire, but cast lead peters out of any consistant accuracy at maybe 1600 fps. They don't tumble or anything, the groups just grows larger and larger. Best high speed accuracy for me with that rifle/twist to date using cast at 100 yards has been 3". Those were NEI slugs at 328 and 352grs going 2175 and 2120 fps respectively.

...............Buckshot

[JudgeBAC]

Thanks Felix. This is what I needed to know. I will pass this one by.