I am building a .458 x 1.8 and can get a skookum deal on a .458 barrel with a 14inch twist. How do you guys think it will work?

Typically 45s at this speed use 18-22 inch twists. But 458 Wins use the 14

Thoughts?

What bullet will you be using?

Twist rate has almost nothing to do with speed, and everything to do with bullet length. The reason many people use slower twists is they only use shorter i.e. lighter bullets. I can't see any downside in a 1-14. Slow enough to be friendly with cast, fast enough to stabilize any weight bullet you'd reasonably used. I always err on the side of a faster twist, much more flexible.

Agreed that bullet length is the factor that needs to be taken into consideration. I know guys shoot 500s in 20inch 45-70s with good results.

14 inch should work with 300s to 400s but being that normal 45-70s use 18-20 inch twists I was wondering about a downside if any

My .458WM has a Buhmiller 1:16" twist and handles everything from 300gr up to 510gr without a hitch. I think a 1:14" , .458 x 1.8 with heavy bullets would make a killer (pun intended ) subsonic critter getter.

Ed

The faster twist probably was intended to keep long heavy bullets penetrating point on in dangerous game.

I built two 458x1.8's. One with a 1-18T, and one with a 1-14T. I shoot 300gr Barnes TSX-FB and TAC-TX and they both shoot very well. I tried one load with 300gr Barnes Original (cup and core), and it shot horribly.

What powder do you use with the 300gr bullets?

I settled on LilGun with the 300gr TSX-FB. In my 1-14T barrel, I'm loading W296/H110 with the 300gr TAC-TX. I get higher velocities with LilGun than W296. My TAC-TX load is intentionally downloaded a little to produce less recoil.

J

Okay
Thanks I'll try LilGun.
RL-7 with the 300gr TSX-FB only gives me about 50fps more than I get with the 350 TSX-FB.