I have a .300 WM with a 1:14 twist barrel?

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davemccarthy707

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I have a .300WM sporter built on a P17 action. Funny thing is it has a 26 inch 1:14 twist barrel. From what I have read it shouldn't shot 180gr bullets very well. Funny thing is...it does. Very well. I guess my question is why would someone use a 1:14 twist barrel on a .300Wm?

Anyways here it is.

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That's easy. Speed of the bullet makes up for slow twist.
In 12" twist barrel 308Win shooting 180gr bullet at 2500fps spins it at 150 000 RPM.
In 14" twist barrel 300WM shooting 180gr bullet at 3000fps spins it at 154 286 RPM.
Conclusion? Big magnum cartridges don't need tight twist barrels as much as mild ones in the same caliber.
Weatherby was allways useing slow twist barrels to his advantage.
 
What gunrunner8 said.

But still, a 1 in 14", 300 win mag is a bit silly in my books. Somebody must have built it with a specific light-ish bullet in mind. Would probably be the cat's meow with 165 grain BT's, but not so good with the 200+ grain bullets I tend to prefer in a 30 cal magnum.
 
With a 1-14" twist, it almost seems as if someone intended to use bullets of 165 grains and lighter.
However, you should try some 180 Flat based hunting bullets. [ Hornady FBIL, Nosler Partition, Speer FBHC, etc]
At 300 Win mag velocities, the 1-14 may just do the trick.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
With a 1-14" twist, it almost seems as if someone intended to use bullets of 165 grains and lighter.
However, you should try some 180 Flat based hunting bullets. [ Hornady FBIL, Nosler Partition, Speer FBHC, etc]
At 300 Win mag velocities, the 1-14 may just do the trick.
Regards, Eagleye.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I use. The factory loaded Hornady Custom 180 gr. It will do 1 inch groups at 100 yards all day long.
 
Somebody had access to a bunch of 147 grain FMJ boat tail bullets, possibly from military match pull downs (7.62X 51) would be my guess.
 
Eagleye said:
With a 1-14" twist, it almost seems as if someone intended to use bullets of 165 grains and lighter.

Regards, Eagleye.
Click to expand...

My 12" twist 308 Win rifle (Sportco44) shoots 190gr Hornady BTHP close to 2600fps quite accurately to 500m so I am sure that 14" twist 300WM would have no problem to stabilize them at much higher speeds either.
 
Does anyone have any ideas on cutting down the barrel? I was thinking about taking it down to 24 inches. With the 1-14 twist would this affect accuracy?
 
Air density (ambient temp and barometric pressure) are going to make a bigger difference on the stabilization of a particular bullet then a bit of extra velocity will. Run the numbers on Bryan Litz's ballistic calculator and see.
 
cutting down the barrel will decrease fps and rotation/stabilization of heavier bullets where it might have shot those 180s well, after it might not. I will also change barrel point of aim, once you take it off it doesnt go back on.
 
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