.50 cal. Twist rate

[bobdbldr]

I am looking to get a BP rifle, can anyone tell me what twist rate is good for a .50 cal with a 28" barrel, one that I am looking at has a 1:24 twist, is that a bit much? This would be mostly for hunting.
Cheers Bob

 

[saskbooknut]

Crux is whether you ever want to shoot patched roundball.
1:24 is great for sabots and elongated bullets. 1:48 is good compromise for roundball and lighter, shorter sabot bullets.
1:60 is optimal for roundball only.

 

[bobdbldr]

Crux is whether you ever want to shoot patched roundball.
1:24 is great for sabots and elongated bullets. 1:48 is good compromise for roundball and lighter, shorter sabot bullets.
1:60 is optimal for roundball only.

Thanks, yea that's what I have been reading, it is a pedersoli marstar has and I figured it would likely be a sabot deal which would be fine for hunting. If I wanted to shoot round ball I guess I would have to get another rifle! They are on for $400 I hear they are good quality, maybe I will look around some more to see if there is an intermediate 1:48, this would have been for next years hunt anyway so I have time! Thanks again.

 

[galamb]

Not necessarily.

You can still shoot round ball with a faster twist you just have to really cut back your powder charge.

So if you plan on hunting with conicals or sabots but would like to "just plink or shoot paper" with roundball, you can go with the faster twist.

If you think you will hunt with both conicals and round balls at some point, then as noted, a 1:48 twist would do both "ok", but you would be better off with two rifles (more guns is always good), or a second barrel.

The Great Plains Rifle from Lyman is one where they sell swap out barrels so you can have a 1:32 and a 1:60 twist barrel for shooting all types of projectiles.

 

[Ol' Flinter]

Not necessarily.

You can still shoot round ball with a faster twist you just have to really cut back your powder charge.

So if you plan on hunting with conicals or sabots but would like to "just plink or shoot paper" with roundball, you can go with the faster twist.

If you think you will hunt with both conicals and round balls at some point, then as noted, a 1:48 twist would do both "ok", but you would be better off with two rifles (more guns is always good), or a second barrel.

The Great Plains Rifle from Lyman is one where they sell swap out barrels so you can have a 1:32 and a 1:60 twist barrel for shooting all types of projectiles.

Absolutely correct on all points.