Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters More Twist Questions

That one never did make sense to me.

A while back I was looking at a rifle manufactures web site. Of the cartridges and configurations available. One of, if not the tightest twists. Was 223 at 1 in9". One of the slowest, 22-250 at 1 in 12". I assume they figure 22-250 buyers want top velocity with lighter bullets. But it seems to me if a 223 can benefit from a faster twists, so could a 22-250. Or visa versa.

1. Does tightening the twist reduce velocity to any great degree?

2. Is it true that over spining a bullet does not hurt accuracy?

3. Would a faster twist in the 22-250 make the lighter constructed bullets more prone to comeing apart in flight?

No
Yes
Maybe

1. No.

2. Yes. if the bullet's well-balanced, and today most are.

3. Maybe, but they'd have to be really lightly constructed and the barrel really hot. Or at least that's my experience.

The reason pushing bullets faster doesn't increase stability all that much is there are two opposing forces at work: gyroscopic spin, the force that stabilizes the bullet, and air pressure on the front of the bullet, which destabilizes it. While higher velocity increases the bullet's spin, it also increases air pressure on the nose.

Great minds.......

Apparently!

Is a terrible thing to waste...

1. No. (Nicely qualified.)

2. Yes. In absolute terms, yes. Whether it is enough to be seen with sporter rifles under field conditions ... unlikely, but in absolutes, definitely.

3. Yes. An over-spun bullet is more likely to come apart than one that is not. Add a rough throat as the barrel "ages" and it becomes even more noticeable.

Tom

Ok thanks fellows. So

4. Why don't the manufactures tighten up the 22-250.

It's primarily a varmint round, not a big game round.

Because so many people are afraid of twist.

Overspinning a bullet WILL hurt accuracy to some extent. You may not notice it in a sporting rifle but it will show up in a target rifle. The degree of overspinning (if that is a word) will make a difference too.

I don't see the point for 14 twist in a 22-250 for much of anything. Nobody uses it for short range BR so limiting it to 52 grain bullets is silly. I have found that my 14 twist 22-250 struggles to stabilize even 52 grain AMAX bullets. It shoots the 40s into .3" all day long and 52s open up to over an inch.

If the the overspinning didn't make a difference, I think all the manufacturers would just switch to faster twists and be done with it! Must be something to it no matter how trivial.

It's called being stuck.

Right, that is why my 1in8 223 shoots 3/4moa with 77SMK's and 50gr HP's and prints both groups on top of one another at 100yd.

That is also why David Tubb has been an abysmal failure in the shooting world as he always prefers a tight barrel twist.

Got a pic of your 223?

How about a pic of just one 77smk? You can use your cell phone, just one pic....

David

One of the facets of the computer age that I just don't get, is that the printed word has lost relevance. A picture is considered the holy grail. If I wanted to lie with pictures, I'd just shoot some 20 yard groups and write 200 yards on them, and post the picture. But if I say, in print, that a rifle will shoot a certain group size, it is considered a non-event unless pictures are posted. I'm a man of words and numbers...my reloading records are such. I just haven't gotten into taking many pictures, and don't have a data plan on my phone so I can send them to a computer or anywhere else. Guess I might have to get one so I can participate .

If your posts read like the Pathological Liar skit from Saturday Night Live, then yes, expect people to ask for proof.

You don't need a data plan to transfer pictures on a phone - they can send e-mail wireless just like a full size computer/tablet or can upload pictures to a device through their charger/USB cord.

David

This. The institutional inertia in the gun industry is uber.

part of it is the 'slowest twist is most accurate' train of thought left over from the days of crappy bullets.

it amazes me what people will give up for a hypothetical .001" diff in group size

The slower twists in many factory rifles are also due to machinery. It takes money to retool, especially when many companies use hammer-forged barrels these days. And as long as the vast majority of potential customers don't care whether their .223 or .22-250 has a faster twist, there's no reason to change.

the savage LRP and it has done well in some 600 yard matches. get onje and try it.