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Fast Twist and PRBs - Accuracy

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We recently inherited A Lyman .54cal Great Plains Rifle with an additional Great Plains Hunter Barrel. I have witnessed the RB barrel shoot into 1" at 100yds using a max charge of GOEX 3F, from a bench rest. Ol' Wes sure could make that gun walk and talk!

Not having seen the Hunter barrel used, thought I would give it a try. It shoots a 1" group (center to center) at 100yds using 90gr of Pyrodex Select and the 300gr REAL bullet. Very nice.

Just for the fun of it, thought might try for a suitable Squirrel load in the Hunter barrel. Started with a 20gr charge and a tightly PRB at 20 yds, which provided a group of a little over 3". Gradually increasing the powder charge the groups commenced to shrink. At 40gr the PRBs are all tightly over lapping for a 3 shot group. Sure surprised me. This dang thing is a shooter! (Please bear in mind, I am not that great of a shot.)
This one is most certainly going to my son, when my days are up. It will include Wes' powder horn, beaded shooting bag, the patch knife he made from an old file and possibles. Comforting thought.
In the mean time, am carrying it while out looking for Grizz this Spring. Kind of feels like a part of Wes is along for the hunt, once again. Probably give it a go for Caribou this Fall, as well. Wes shot many a Caribou and Moose with it.
Best Wishes
 
I had a .50 1:28" twist barrel that would shoot really tight groups at 50 yards with a .490 PRB over 80 grains of Goex 3f or Pyrodex RS.

I have a Green River T/C Hawken drop-in fast twist barrel that I want to try with PRBs.
 
The only problem I have found with fast twist barrels shooting PRB is making sure that you use a very tight ball/patch combination. In fact, a bore diameter, or even groove diameter RB and patch seems to give the best accuracy WHEN HEAVY HUNTING CHARGES ARE USED. These larger balls are harder to load, but not impossible with the correct short starter, and a properly crowned muzzle. Use cast balls, only, of pure lead.

Always put the coarse side of the fabric against the Ball, and the smooth side against the lands :hmm:
 
That pretty much reflects our experience with fast twists and RBs.

Must be that the northern lights up here slow the spin of the ball just enough to make them work when the experts say they won't. :rotf:
 
The flat lands of Kansas must have the same properties as your northern lights because they all shoot good to me, too. I think the “experts” spend too much time reading books instead of doing.
 
Mr. Windwalker, please let me know how you do during your upcoming hunting season.
 
Of course a RB can be fired out of a "fast Twist" rifle barrel. What do you think is fired out of BP revolvers??? And what ROT do you think pistol and revolver barrels have???

That is not the issue. The problem begins as you increase powder charges to flatten trajectory. If your balls are not sorted by weight, the extra high rate of rotation can cause groups to open up at higher velocities. If you use a larger diameter Ball, to make sure you fill the shallow grooves on these barrels, they can be made to shoot sorted RBs accurately, at higher velocities. ( 1500-1800 fps.) Otherwise, you need to stay around 1200 fps MV, and some time even slower for your MV in some guns with some PRB combinations.

I learned all this the hard way, with my first import rifle. It had- and I am being charitable--
Scratches for rifling! The bore was maybe .451, but more likely that was the "groove?" depth! The lands looked like burrs, really.!

Anyway, the only way that gun would shoot well, was if I used .445" balls, and .015" patching. I don't remember what the ROT was, but it was probably 1:48"- not exactly fast, but not slow either.
 
I have a 24" long GM LRH flinter that shoots 80 grains of Goex 3f and a Hornady plastic patch holding a .490 lead roundball into less than 2" at 75 yards with no problems what so ever. Last time I posted that about a fast twist barrel the guy pretty much called me a lier. If you get a good tight fit they shoot fine.
 
ebiggs said:
The flat lands of Kansas must have the same properties as your northern lights because they all shoot good to me, too. I think the “experts” spend too much time reading books instead of doing.

I bet it's all that circular air that turns into tornadoes!

But tell me, if you shoot on the wrong side of a tornado, does it speed up the spin of the ball and make them less accurate? :rotf:
 
I just load and shoot. I don't like a tight fit (never have sorted by weight) and I haven't had any problems.

IMO this is a very simple hobby. As I get older I try no to over think things and just have fun.
 
BrownBear said:
ebiggs said:
The flat lands of Kansas must have the same properties as your northern lights because they all shoot good to me, too. I think the “experts” spend too much time reading books instead of doing.

I bet it's all that circular air that turns into tornadoes!

But tell me, if you shoot on the wrong side of a tornado, does it speed up the spin of the ball and make them less accurate? :rotf:

Ha!
This ol' boy has his butt in the basement when them things come around.
I heard and old wives tale that says every 100 years a tornado goes over every square inch of Kansas. I don’t want to test the theory!
 
The real issue is rate of spin rather than twist. That is what we are doing when we adjust powder charge/velocity to get the ideal load. A fast twist will get you the RPM needed to stabilize the projectile at a lesser velocity. Round balls do better with less RPM than bullets. Shooting 20 gr loads with PRB might be just the ticket for good accuracy in a fast twist barrel. Also it won't vaporize the squirrel.
 
If you go lower you'll be lobbing hail Mary passes.
Since you tried it out I won't need to.
 
Ha! And I NEVER forge a blade unless my anvil horn is facing true North....that's the only way to get them molecules to line up!
 
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