This twist rate will comfortably stabilize bullets up to 80-grains, and the excellent 75- and 77-grain bullets also work great at a wider spectrum of velocities—which means barrel length isn’t critical. by Ray P » Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:22 am, Post The Hornady 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is a "magnumized" 6.5 Creedmoor. These standard twist rates will stabilize standard for caliber bullet weights. If you're struggling with the accuracy of your modern sporting rifle, be sure you've properly matched your ammunition to the barrel's twist. Berger recommends 1:12 twist rate for their heaviest .22cal bullets and 1:15 for their lightest .22's. The standard weights of FMJ target ammo in .223/5.56 are 55 and 62 grain, which are significant. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. At a muzzle velocity of 2,000 fps, that same bullet will be spinning at 1333.3 rps or 80,000 rpm. It will shoot 32 Vmax just under 1/2 " all day. If you hunt prairie dogs or coyotes with lightweight .223 bullets, this twist rate will do fine for your needs. Any shooter that takes the time to remove parallax will likely see slightly smaller groups... Give a Gift   All Rights Reserved. I know RIO has had great success with his 1 in 11 twist which is what I have been leaning towards as a replacement tube. I think it is a generally accepted conclusion that Ruger went with a marginal twist rate for the 40 grain bullets when they decided to use a 1/12" twist. Both bullets are excellent at their intended tasks and neither will perform appropriately in the slower-twist barrels that were standard for decades. The 10.3-inch SBR shoots anything from 55-grain FMJ to 77-grain OTM with excellent accuracy, while the 18-inch Mk12 is scary accurate with the 70-, 75- and 77-grain bullets — but won't shoot 55- or 62-grain FMJs worth a damn. This twist is found on the M4 carbine, the M16A4, the Mk12 Special Purpose Rifle and even the HK416. The 40gr needs a 1-10" twist. If you don't have a particular bullet in mind, look up the data for all the candidate bullets and get a twist to match the fastest among them. Winchester used a quicker twist rate and a load with a 100 grain bullet they thought controversially adequate for deer, if you're pickier with your shots than you'd have to be with actual deer calibers. This twist rate will comfortably stabilize bullets up to 80-grains, and the excellent 75- and 77-grain bullets also work great at a wider spectrum of velocities — which means barrel length isn't critical. This is the beginning of the road for the shooter wanting to take advantage of the heavy bullet trend. It's hard to detect good luck, It looks so much like something you've worked hard for and earned. And under 1/2" at 100 yds. The earliest issued variations of Eugene Stoner's "Black Rifle" came with relatively slow rifling twist rates of 1-in-14 inches. If you're happy with 55- and 62-grain FMJ bullets, you don't need any more twist than this. You will commonly see a 1-in-8 twist in .223 Wylde chamberings, and it is popular among 3-gun and and other competition shooters. There is an desirable range of weights for a given twist, but there is not an optimum, singular bullet weight for a twist. My Savage 12VLP in .204 Ruger with a 1 in 12 twist shot the 40 gr. In other words, you will NOT be able to get a good load with a 115gr DTAC, 105 Berger, or 107 SMK in a .243 Win from a 1:14" twist, no matter how well developed your load is. Civil war muskets such as the 1861 Springfield used extremely slow twist rates (1-in-78") to fire heavy lead bullets with relatively good accuracy, while modern AR-15-style rifles use barrels as fast as 1-in-7 to stabilize long-for-caliber projectiles. With longer barrels and the commensurate faster velocities, this twist can be more forgiving. Its ability to stabilize tracer rounds in-flight is one of the reasons that the military chose this twist rate. I asked him to run through the rate of twist to stabalize 204 cal bullets. This spin stabilizes the bullet in flight, much the way a football is "spiraled" by a quarterback. After the adoption of the M16A2, the military started using a 1:7 rifle twist, which was faster. The story of a confederate sniper’s revenge and an exclusive look at his rifle. All rifles are shooter and a 5 shot group.250 or less is not hard to do. NRA Life Member. From milled slides to optics-included packages, these pistol options are all red-dot sight... "Assault weapon." Shortly thereafter, nearly all M16s and M16A1s were being issued with faster 1-in-12-inch twist barrels. And the 50gr needs a1-9" twist. I currently own two AR-15s with 1-in-7 twist rates — a 10.3-inch Mk18 Mod. Military and long range target shooters have gone to heavy for caliber bullets to increase ballistic coefficient for extreme long range shooting. Unless you intend to go overboard (and get, say, a 1:9 even though you believe a 1:10 will suffice), the most practical solution is to follow the manufacturers' recommendations. Jeremy Stafford traveled to Gunsite Academy to compare the speed of stock sights against express, three-dot, suppressor-height and red dot sights. For others, the debate goes on. Today’s modern battlefield is not in a jungle environment with a thinly dressed enemy. Bullet Twist and Maximum Bullet Length Based off the Greenhill Equasion Rifle Twist Rate ( Inches for one full revolution) Maximum Bullet Length 5 1.492 0.223 150 6 1.243 0.223 150 7 1.066 0.223 150 7.5 0.995 0.223 150 8 0.932 0.223 150 8.5 0.878 0.223 150 9 0.829 0.223 150 10 0.746 0.223 150 11 0.678 0.223 150 12 0.622 0.223 150 13 0.574 0.223 150 I have a Colt Sporter Match Heavy Barrel in 5.56 mm of course, and according to what I remember it is a 1:7 twist barrel. bullet with a 1-10 as it should stabilize very easily. The original M16 began with a 1:14 twist rate, which is good enough for bullets around 55 grains. The lowest common twist rate is 1:7, which also happens to be the M4 and M16-A2/A4 standard. For a 16-inch general-use carbine, the 1-in-8 twist is about as versatile as it gets. Would barrel length make a difference in your decision? Before we get into the weeds on individual twist rates, let's take a minute to discuss rifling in general. Let's take a look at the commonly-available twist rates used in conjunction with the 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington chambering. Some publish the numbers and the rest will provide it if you ask. : After a long absence, I want to get back into EIC and service rifle competition. 1 in 9 inches. Life is an adventure and often to short. This is a good twist rate for lighter bullets and will also generally stabilize projectiles up to 69 grains, such as Federal Premium's Sierra MatchKing BTHP load. This twist will stabilize most traditional bullets up to 75 grains, and monolithics up to 70 grains — but they do so right at the edge of the envelope so not all rifles will do it. 1-in-10 Inches Twist Rate. Soldiers now fire a heavier bullet at longer … Very happy with how it shoots. My first centerfire rifle was a Ruger Mini-14 with a 1-in-10 twist. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Determining proper twist is a factor of bore diameter, velocity, bullet weight and even bullet construction. by 204Shooter » Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:46 pm, Post For all you experts out there, if you were to design your dream .204 and could pick your twist rate, what would you choose? Swarovski Z5(i) P BT L 3.5-­18x44mm Scope Review, First Look: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint Bolt-Action Rifle, Pulsar Thermion XG50 Thermal Riflescope - First Look, Leupold DeltaPoint Micro Red Dot Sight for Pistols: New for 2021, The Story of Civil War Sniper Jack Hinson and His Rifle, Understanding Ballistics of Long-Range Shooting, How to Eliminate Parallax in a Riflescope, Pairing Barrel Twist Rates with Bullets for .223 and 5.56 NATO, Trijicon RMRcc Reflex Sight – Perfect for Optics-Ready Concealed-Carry Pistols, Guns & Ammo TV: Cameras Don't Lie: 9mm vs .45 ACP. My 3-gun rifle, built by my friend Iain Harrison, wears an 18-inch, 1-in-8 twist White Oak Armament barrel and shoots just about anything well. 1 in 9 is a ‘do it all’ twist rate in moderate length barrels. Boat tail bullets need a faster twist than flat base bullets of the same weight. While 1 in 10-inch barrels exist for 223 barrels, it's not readily available for ARs. You can read an expanded article on twist rate over here – but in summary, a twist rate is the number of times your rifling (the groove in your firearm barrel) makes a full revolution over a set distance – this is generally expressed in inches – so a “1 in 10” makes one revolution of rifling every ten inches of barrel length. With so many bullets and twist rates available these days, keeping track of which ammunition is compatible with your barrel can be overwhelming. However, you’ll need the right twist rate for your choice of bullet. Heavier/longer 69-, 75- and 77-grain 5.56 mm/.223 Rem. In my mind, however, the 1-in-10 twist is just a bit too restrictive. In this segment of “Cameras Don't Lie,” competitive shooters Patrick Sweeney and Jim Tarr head to the range to put the vaunted loads on record, and then consider the footage. Though far better than the 1-in-14 twist, it is still unsuited for some of the premium loads developed over the past decade. Don't misunderstand me; serious disparities in bullet weight to twist rate can cause poor accuracy, decrease velocity and potentially compromise a weak bullet's structural integrity. Marriage is the only sport where the trapped animal has to buy the license! this is mostly going to be used for coyotes. I am also very interested in this issue of twist rate as I originally wanted to shoot the 39/40 grain pills in my gun. Due to the constant diameter inside the barrel and the fact that most bullets are manufactured with the same components, the best way to determine the proper twist rate is based on the weight of the bullet (measured in grains). V-Max were all over the paper. By contrast, take a 22-250 varmint rifle with a 1 in 12″ twist firing a bullet at 3,600 fps. Any of these are capable of shooting a 40-50 grain bullets just fine if need be however, a slower twist (e.g. The Old 243 Win is an awesome cartridge. We’ve come a long way since the late 1960s in .223 Rem./5.56 mm ballistics. Some of the loooong plastic tipped bullets have changed our ideas about what will stablize & what won't. The Anschutz Model 1770 .223 has a one-in-9-inch twist and shoots well with 40- to 69-grain bullets. For a 45~55 gr bullet, a twist rate of 1:12 is optimum. by Lenard » Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:45 pm, Post Make the most with family and friends. O. Sierra’s 69-grain MatchKing bullets with their boat-tails and long tapered noses shot well in the Savage’s one-in-9-inch twist. There is no "golden" twist rate for all firearms. Post In this segment of "Guns & Ammo TV," Gun Tech Editor Richard Nance and Pro-Shooter Jim Tarr head to the range to wring out the Umarex Air Ruger 10/22. If you hunt prairie dogs or coyotes with lightweight .223 bullets, this twist rate will do fine for your needs. Matching the rifling twist in your rifle or carbine to the appropriate ammunition won't guarantee great accuracy, but it will ensure the bullet is properly stabilized in flight. Twist Rates has that twist and shoots well with 40- to 80-grain bullets. In that case, you’re probably going to want to look for a faster twist rate that stabilizes larger bullets. If you want a Mil-Spec clone, the 1-in-7 twist is the way to go. I'd just prefer to err on the side of faster-twist — especially with carbine-length barrels. Gold Medalist Jessie Harrison puts her skills up against a handicap while facing Guns & Ammo... How to improve your shooting while at home. The two bullets that rose to the top of the heap were the Sierra 77-grain BTHP/OTM and the Barnes 70-grain TSX "Brown Tip." This is the least-versatile twist rate you'll see in the 5.56x45mm/.223 Remington chambering. The 1-in-9 is a great compromise twist rate—not too fast to cause problems with the 55-grain bullets, but fast enough to stabilize all but the heaviest bullets under most circumstances. The only load I found for 40 Vmax is over H4895. When the U.S. military first adopted the M16 rifle in the 1960s, the M193 cartridge and its 55-grain bullet was standard. For some, this has been asked and answered already. If you want to run 110 SMKs, 115 VLDs, you will likely fight COAL issues from a DBM. For good hunting flexibility I recommend a 1:9 twist to the average hunter. When I built a custom 220 Swift years ago, I called Nosler and asked what twist rate they would recommend for their 55 grain BT. A box of "bullets." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); General discussion and information about the .204 Ruger. I am abandoning the 7" twist. My first centerfire rifle was a Ruger Mini-14 with a 1-in-10 twist. Glacierwolf. Also shoots 39 SBKs even better, around 3/8". Some 12-twist barrels do seem to shoot the 40-grainers accurately, but that's probably at the edge of the stability envelope. If a more powerful 223 is used (Higher velocity) A 1 in 9 to 1 in 15 is recommended depending on the bullet weight. The early M16A1 utilized a rifle twist rate of 1:12 to stabilize the 55 grain M193. Generally speaking, the 12-inch twist offers its best accuracy with 45- to 55-grain bullets, which covers a broad spectrum of popular varmint bullets. To illustrate how velocity and twist rates can be the ying and the yang of bullet stability and accuracy, I fired a variety of loads side-by-side from the two rifles. Conventional wisdom suggests this twist rate is perfect for bullets in the 55-to 60-grain range, though most will stabilize the common 62-grain FMJ rounds. Subscriber Services. 16 to 18 inches would be a sweet spot. You're unlikely to find a 1-in-14 barrel on any AR-15 produced in recent years, but they do exist and you may encounter them on a bolt action rifle on occasion. The people asked and Trijicon answered. So if you're shooting heavier bullets, you'll want one of the quicker twists; if you're using lighter bullets for varminting, the slow twist rate will do a little better. Otherwise my recommendation is to use 7.5" or 8" twist and stick with Sierra 107s or Berger 105s. The Savage’s one-in-9-inch twist also shot well The only problem with long bullets in the .223 Remington, like Nosler’s Com- "Rifling" are the lands and grooves impregnated into the barrel's interior that impart spin on a projectile as it travels down the bore. going the other way, 1:7 is the military twist rate for 55 and 62 grain bullets but fast enough to stabilize 75 grain, 80 and even 90 grain bullets. In more modern times, bullets for military and civilian use have migrated to longer, heavier designs and twist rates have been altered to stay in-sync with this progression. Berger LTBs OK (I don't think they make them any longer), but the 40 gr. Although 1-in-14 barrels can stabilize 55-grain bullets used by the original M16, it's really better suited for bullets up to 50- and 52-grains—most of which fall into the varmint and target category. by Rick in Oregon » Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:46 am, Post Re: Optimal twist rate for 40 gr. Here are the available rifle barrel caliber and twist rates we offer. According to Nosler 1:12 is the standard for the caliber but suggests a faster twist for their 60gr. 1/9", 1/10" or 1/11" twist? |   Here's what is impacting the flight of your bullet and, ultimately, its accuracy. I bought a PacNor barrel and had it put on my action. Others have found that when the 40gr bullets will not stabilize, the Sierra 39gr BlitzKing bullets stabilize quite well in the 12-twist. My personal 16-inch Rock River Arms carbine with a 1-in-9 twist does fine with ASYM's Tactical Match Grade 77-grain OTM load, but has shown signs of instability with handloads using the 70-grain Barnes TSX - unless the bullet is pushed to maximum velocity. There are also some helpful hints in choosing the correct caliber and twist rate. 1:10 would be my next choice. The rifling made a complete revolution within 7″ now instead of 14.” We are talking twice as fast. I have no desire to shoot the 50-55 grain Bergers so I don't want a faster twist than I need. Introducing the RMRcc miniature red-dot sight for compact, concealed-carry pistols. This barrel will stabilize bullets of up to 90 grains, and can handle the 70- to 77-grain bullets at just about any velocity, which makes it well suited for carbines with very short barrels. Shorter guns such as 10.5-inch carbines emerged as the fight put troops in and out of vehicles and into close-quarter fighting. if you shoot the lighter bullets less than 55 grains you'd want a 1:12 or 1:14. the 1:14 is best for very light varmint bullets like 40 grain. 1 and an 18-inch Mk12 Mod. The 12-twist is the most popular and works very well with bullets up 40 grains. by ryutzy » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:22 pm, Post These long bullets require faster twist rates in order to properly stabilize. I just bought a nice Ar with a douglas barrel,it has a 1/7 twist rate,what is the best weight 223 bullet for this twist rate.I have a load of 40 grain BTs but i think i need a heavier bullet for the best accuracy.Am i correct? The 32gr needs a 1-14" twist.The 35gr needs a 1-13" twist. Drop-In Barrels. Accurized, Special Purpose Rifles (SPRs) were issued to fill the long-range overwatch niche between standard carbines and specialized sniper rifles. This is correct in theory — however, modern ballisticians have pretty much debunked the over-stabilization theory as a practical matter. Since the 5.56/.223 barrel is a constant diameter, it is the length of the projectile which determines the twist rates it will be stabilized with. A 1-12" twist would require a 37gr bullet as the optimum weight in a 204 barrel. At a muzzle velocity of 1,000 feet per second (fps), the bullet is spinning at 666.67 revolutions per second (rps) or 40,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). If you have the room in an internal magazine, go for it. On the other hand, faster rates could over-stabilize lighter bullets, causing similar problems. With 26.5 grains of Vihtavuori N540 the MatchKing bullets had a muzzle velocity of 3,022 fps. Twist Rate. HOWA 1500 Varmint 204 Ruger, Bull Barrel, Hogue Overmold Stock, Leupold VXII 6-18x40mm AO LRV Custom Reticle Timney Trigger, Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails. Sixteen-round "clip." 1 — both made by Monty LeClair at Centurion Arms. Get the most from the world’s longest-range, flattest shooting MSR 15 cartridge by shooting it through a 1-in-7-inch twist barrel. 1:10 and 1:9 twist barrels, which work just fine with 55 grain projectiles but will also handle heavier 60, 62, and 69 grain bullets. The age-old question, 9mm vs .45 ACP. My Cooper MVT, in .223, has a 1-14 twist. This would have to be a custom job most likely. ... Just kiddin honey! However, it would not stabilize 80-grain bullets. When specifically talking about 5.56/.223 ammo, bullet weight is the biggest determiner of what twist rate is optimal. I have a 1-10 with a 20 TAC and it shoots 40 vmax very well. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. I am far from an expert, but I do have first hand experience with stability problems with a 1 in 12 twist. 5 0. If you went this route, you'll be served by rounds that range from 55 to 69-grain projectiles in a barrel shorter than 20 inches. .22-250 Recommended Twist Rates The .22-250 shoots a wide range of bullets very effectively, from 35gr flat-based varmint bullets, to ultra-long 90gr VLDs. by Bitman » Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:04 pm My Cooper MVT, in.223, has a 1-14 twist. It will shoot 40 grain Nosler BT into one hole at 50 yds. Sierra BlitzKings. For max velocity and accuracy with the lightest bullets, a 1:14″ twist may be ideal. AR10.308.260; 6.5 Creedmoor; AR15.204 Ruger.223; 6.5 Grendel; 300 Blackout; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 77/22; Sako Quad; Sako Finnfire; CZ 455/457; Anschutz; Ruger Precision Rimfire; In-Stock Barrels. ©2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. I see an advantage for the 204 using a 45 gr. This will get you the best accuracy and stability out to 300~400 yards or more. by Fred_C_Dobbs » Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:47 pm, Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests. 1:11 will be probably be my next barrel. The lighter grain bullets are best suited in conjunction with higher rates of barrel twist like 1:8 and 1:9. Conventional wisdom taught us that slower twist rates wouldn't properly-stabilize a bullet, causing it to yaw. Doubletap's 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip load generates 3,300 feet per second of velocity out of a 22 -inch barrel, and will easily stabilize in this twist rate. For 60-62 gr bullets, you need a 1:10 twist rate, which will also be good out to the same distance. Thin-jack-eted, 50-grain bullets, like the Super Explosive and Sierra BlitzKing, held together and shot well as fast as I could make them fly. Haven't had the weather to fine tune the load but shoots about 1/2 with a random load. The next step in the evolution was a 1:12 twist rate, followed by a 1:10 for the 62-grain bullets. What grain bullet is best for a 1:7 twist barrel? Love the 204 Ruger!! by OldTurtle » Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:55 am, Post 1:14) will give you a little higher velocity if you know you will never shoot a bullet larger than 50 grains. Shoot often and shoot a small hole. Shorter guns needed the added bullet mass to compensate for lost velocity, while the SPRs used heavier, high ballistic-coefficient bullets to gain long-range performance. If achieving maximum velocity with light bullets is your goal, this may fit for your needs — Winchester's 45-grain JHP load is a screamer at 3,600 feet per second. Bullets of 80 and 90 grains now being used at the High Power 600-yard line require twists of 1:8- or 1:7-inch, and the appearance of 100-grain bullets has brought out barrels of 1:6.5-inch twist. AR. I could not find a load for them, so I moved on to the 39 gr. by Bitman » Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:04 am, Post This twist rate will generally stabilize 40- to 60-grain bullets; however, I have seen select 60-grain bullets produce good groups at 100 to 300 yards, but they showed signs of accuracy loss at longer ranges due to becoming unstable. You're recommending the same 1:8 twist for both the heavies and the 55's. by Neil S. » Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:13 pm, Post My howa has a 1 in 12 twist factory barrel. I am also a big fan of the 24" barrel for the 204. Trijicon's new RMRcc features the durability and reliable controls that have made the RMR so successful, but its reduced dimensions make the “Concealed Carry” model better suited for the popular small-frame pistols designed for discreet carry and personal defense. I purchased a Ruger #1 in the varmint series it has a factory 26" 1 in 12 barrel. by futuretrades » Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:04 pm, Post bullets. The 40-gr bullets all have very slightly different designs that will affect stability. by Silverfox » Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:56 pm, Post :? The Pulsar Thermion XG50 Thermal Riflescope is the first-ever riflescope to combine a BAE... You might be surprised how many Americans (even gun owners) think machine guns are illegal. I used to shoot 69 grain match thru it many years ago since it seems it didn't like the 55 grain stock much. This is the slowest twist still seen in large numbers on AR-15s and other .223s. bullets may also perform well with a 1:10-inch twist, but a faster 1:8-inch twist might be better, depending upon the specific bullet. There is no one twist rate that works well for all bullet weights so the best plan is to figure out what bullet weight you want to shoot then buy a barrel or gun to match. I'm using 40 Hornady, 40 Bergers, 35 Berger or 39 Sierras. Products & Services. I'll put in my .02 Back in 2006 I ordered a 20cal Hart barrel in sendero contour 26" finished length and all Hart offered was 1 in 12. Doubletap's 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip load generates 3,300 feet per second of velocity out of a 22-inch barrel, and will easily stabilize in this twist rate. On the other hand, using a bullet that's too heavy for your barrel's twist is a virtual promise of poor accuracy and ineffective terminal performance. Originally I tried H335 with the 40Vmax, but could not find the sweet spot, was around 1". This is the twist chosen by the military since the switch was made to the M16A2 — and the 62-grain M855 cartridge — in the 1980s. I order a second Hart barrel a year later for another 204 project again all Hart offered was 1 in 12. Twist rate is a interesting topic. If using a shorter barrel (20 in) I would go with the 1:10 twist. Groups were .66 inch at 100 yards, 1.08 … The chart below shows how common bullet weights (in Grain) perform in barrels with various twist rates: Today most of the popular AR-15s, including most of our choices for the best AR-15s, come with barrels in a 1:7 or 1:8 twist rate. Over the past decade or so, military rifles chambered in 5.56mm have migrated in two directions: In both cases, heavy bullets evolved as solutions for terminal and external ballistic issues. All things being equal, it is better to have too much twist than not enough.