Firearms Stack Exchange Archive

What is the recommended twist for a .50 caliber blackpowder rifle barrel?

• posted by: Community on 2011-11-02
• tagged: gunsmithing, barrel, black-powder, twist
• score: 1

I am going to manufacture a barrel for a custom black powder rifle and am wondering if there are some suggestions for the best rifling twist to use. It will be a .50 caliber barrel.

Answer 346

• posted by: OldWolf on 2011-11-05
• score: 1

Depends on if you plan to use conical bullets and or sabots or patched ball. The conical and saboted rounds tend to benefit more from a faster twist, ball from a slower twist. There is a good article on it on Blackpowder Journal

The general recommendations seem to be:

• 1:60 or slower is a good twist for ball.
• 1:48 is a compromise twist, okay for both, but great at neither
• 1:32 or faster is a good twist for conical and sabot. At least one custom barrel maker offers a 1:20 twist.

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