1:48 or 1:65 twist

[Loyalist Dave]

I have read the OPs post a couple of times and don't see where he said he was looking at a 54 caliber gun. If I had a choice between the 45,50 and 54 for shooting targets like the OP stated I would get the 45. But between the 50 and 54 I would get the 50. Paper targets are easy to kill.

Please don't tell my Lyman GP rifle with its 1/60 twist that Lee REAL bullets won't shoot. It thinks they are candy and gobbles them up. Its even better with the Lee Improved Minnie.
.

You are correct, and I did not reply as though the OP was specific in caliber choice, either.
.54 is where a lot of companies both barrel makers and factory pieces, make a switch to a slower twist rate, or give the buyer an option. For example, I know that the TC New Englander with its 1:48 twist rate in .54 shoots Maxi-hunter and round ball quite well. CVA however offered 1:48 twist, and 1:66 twist rates in their "sidelock" rifles, and I also know for a fact that their 1:66 in .45 does not stabilize a TC Maxi-Ball nor Lee REAL bullet at all...further this is what CVA says about their rifles...
"Note: - Patched round balls are recommended for use in CVA sidelocks with a 1:66 twist. This is because the slower twist rate (1:66 twist) will not consistently stabalze most conical and saboted bullets." CVA "Sidelock" Rifle Manual, p. 9.

Now the Pedersoli Frontier aka the Blue Ridge Hunter offers 1:48 twist in .45 or .50 caliber as well as 1:65 for .54 caliber. You will also find that in many small caliber rifles where conicals are not offered over the counter or in molds (unless one special orders such) the twist rate is 1:48 or even faster.., for patched round ball.

Which is why I wrote may suck when talking about a slower than 1:48 twist rate and a conical bullet, and pointed out the 3-Band Enfield from Pedersoli (which shoots a .58 minie ball so I was not limiting my reply to .54 caliber ) with a 1:78 twist rate has excellent accuracy. (The original rifle had 1:78 and was specifically made for a skirted minie-ball.) The shorter 2-band version from Pedersoli has a 1:48 twist rate.


LD

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersoli-Blue-Ridge-Percussion-Rifles/1608547.uts
It appears the sale is over making it an easy choice of the 54 over the 50 IMO although neither is a bad choice.

 

[ThomasT]

Hi LD. Great post. I wish the 1/56 twist were more popular. I think its one of the better rates. But there are so many variables in what loads and projectiles a gun will shoot I stopped making claims in the absolute. The only way to know for sure what a gun will do is just to grab a handful of balls, patches and bullets and go to the range. Then spend the afternoon test a gun.

I am rereading the Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle again and Ned Roberts really tested each gun he shot and pointed out thats the only way to know for sure.

 

[ThomasT]

"Note: - Patched round balls are recommended for use in CVA sidelocks with a 1:66 twist. This is because the slower twist rate (1:66 twist) will not consistently stabalze most conical and saboted bullets." CVA "Sidelock" Rifle Manual, p. 9.

I have a Traditions Springfield Hawken and the barrel is marked 1/66 twist. It shoots the LEE 320gr REAL bullet pretty darn well. But I have measured that bore twice and keep coming up with a 1/48 twist. That would explain it. And it shoots round balls like nobody's business. For a cheap gun ($105 for the kit) it is surprisingly accurate.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Hi LD. Great post. I wish the 1/56 twist were more popular. ...,
I am rereading the Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle again and Ned Roberts really tested each gun he shot and pointed out thats the only way to know for sure .

Yes I wish the 1:56 was found in more places too.

Roberts also ran into a boat-load of Gain Twist barrels...good luck finding those anyplace except as a custom order. For those not familiar, the gain-twist idea is that at the breech the twist rate is very slow, and as the ball nears the muzzle the twist rate increases. So you might have a 1:32 twist rate at the muzzle but a 1:78 at the breech. The idea was when the bullet (for these were often rifles meant for conicals shooting 40 rods [220 yards] ) first started moving you didn't want to put a lot of torque-stress on it, but gradually introduced the desired twist rate by increasing the pitch as the bullet neared the muzzle. It apparently works well with a paper or linen patched bullet, and they also used tapered bores, and choked bores, where the rifling was the same twist for the length of the barrel, but the barrel was .005 wider at the breech, than the last 2" at the muzzle.

LD

 

[PapaG]

Numrich sold a bunch of gain twist barrels back in the heyday of modern muzzle loading. I built up a 45 half stock for a guy with one of them. It shot well with round ball, Pickett ball and pretty heavy powder charges.