I confess to not knowing a whole lot about barrel length and twists on muzzleloaders. So my question is this, what kind of accuracy can one expect with a short barrel (23") and a 1"48 twist muzzleloader? Say out to 50yds. PRB or Conical if you have experience with either from a rifle like stated.
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Barrel length and twist ?
- Thread starter ORBushman
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Off the bench once your load is developed,one ragged hole
leadhoarder
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Yeah at 50 yards it should be one hole or a cloverleaf at the most. Assuming we are talking about a refined load off of a solid rest under good sighting conditions.
Thanks guys! I can shoot a pretty decent group @50yds with a Hawken style 1:48 twist rifle. 70gr. and PRB. I wasn't to sure how much accuracy would be affected loosing 5". Appreciate you taking the time to reply! 
leadhoarder
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Shortening a barrel can always change harmonics to make a gun shoot better or worse but in theory a shorter barrel will be stiffer and more accurate but you are splitting hairs with talk like that. Practically speaking there should be no difference.
Now shorter barrel means usually means lower velocity so if you are shooting at extreme ranges you ay see vertical dispersion at ranges closer than with a longer barrel. At 50 yards and normal loads that should not be a concern.
Now shorter barrel means usually means lower velocity so if you are shooting at extreme ranges you ay see vertical dispersion at ranges closer than with a longer barrel. At 50 yards and normal loads that should not be a concern.
hanshi
Cannon
I had a 24" 1-48" twist muzzleloader and took many deer with it. I now have one with a 25" (Yeehaw) barrel with that twist. It's never hunted and was only used in target matches.
@hanshi , do you know off hand what your max yardage kill shot was?
Also for those that may know, would a conical perform just as well in a short barrel? Here's the rifle I have coming. I don't have it yet so, this is seller's photo.
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Definite maybe. Every gun is just a little different that's why there are adjustable powder measures. I don't know where you are hunting but 100yds should do it.
Chasing Blacktails here in OR. The areas I hunt, I rarely see deer more than 75yds and usually it's well under that.
leadhoarder
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You should be able to find a conical that shoots great out of that rifle but it may take trying several. but the first one you try may very well shoot adequately. You will have to try and see what you get.
Barrel length/twist combo is not a factor for accuracy. As others have pointed out, a longer barrel gives a better sighting plane and adds weight. A shorter barrel might not utilize the powder charge to it's maximum potential. But many great rifles have been used with relatively short barrels. Ye jest have to learn yer gun. I know some will dispute my first sentence. Go ahead, I'm dart proof. 
Round balls are terrible in all respects, except they are extremely stable. Even a .50 cal round ball has less than half the BC of a .22. In fact they’re pretty stable out of a smooth bore with no twist. Barrel length has virtually no effect on stability. The bullet starts twisting as soon as it hits the lands. Once you start into bullet shaped bullets all bets are off. They require twist to stabilize and it’s a function of sectional density (length and mass) and muzzle velocity. You can play with this twist calculator to see how variables affect stability and therefore percision:
https://bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/
I shoot 107 SMKs out of my comp sticks with a 1/7.5 twist, but that’s at the extreme end of the scale of VLD bullets. Shorter, flat-back bullets (like most cast) aren’t going to require extreme twist to stabilize, but you can’t say how much is enough unless you actually do the math (or use a twist calculator). A lot of older guns were kind of best guess, and it’s a good idea to figure out on paper where the sweet zone is to save some powder and bullets before deciding where to build your ladder loads and find the highest percision, IMO.
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Well I've no idea what a vld bullet is or the related ?107SMK even the 1/7.5 escapes me. I Do know the balls don't generally shoot as well as the conicals such as the TC Maxi & that short 577 Lee bullet. And only practice or test at 55 yards since 100 yards at a live creature seems as like to fail or wound than any surety . In the dense NZ forests your lucky to see 100 yards and under 30 yards is more likely. As for barrel length 26"and non over 30" at least for a bush rifle. I once hunted with a long rifle ('Nimpkish Valley School' )probably the only such rifle made in that Vancouver Island Canfor carpenters shack , Logging camp style ! 42" Dougles 1 "50 cal I swamped bought of Ted Fellows mated to a Haddaway lock . It being too hot to log most all the crew took off to town , Ide no town to go too, So I took the rifle part made for a walk down the Tisitika River to the Salt Chuck & paddled up to Beaver Cove on a 'got up 'raft .Sort of' poor mans Gun boat' .Concluded big long heavy affairs of little merit. And never hunted with one since. My pet flint rifle very mid18c English that really saw many bush miles is a 26" taper/swamped 50 call weight just 5 pounds .Would I take it to Bisley ? Nope, But in the weeds its a joy to carry .My maxim is" If your going to carry any weight make it edible "
Rudyard's two pennorth'
Rudyard's two pennorth'
107SMK is for 107 gr Sierra Match King bullet, VLD is for Very Low Drag.
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Well Thankyou for that input , not surprising I didn't ken as I've zero knowledge of such rifles never reloaded any just stuck to black powder . My old 303 Jungle Carbine took nitro but it was issue stuff for deer culling, I took that job years ago, Deer are pests in NZ but the deer I shot I figured could have been adequate had a used a double BP shotgun with ball. as usually it was a quick' up & bladder' at short bush ranges no need of sights or rifleing but the' department' didn't supply such guns .just the drilled nose 303. .Regards Rudyard
Yep... the 303 British is an excellent deer caliber, I have two, one is a 303 Epps modified slightly from the original.
