Industry Standard Barrel Twists

[257Roberts]

Can somebody explain to me why firearms companies don't use faster barrel twists?

Now I understand that certain guns have very specific intentions, and a specific barrel twist might make sense. However, in todays age of super quality bullet manufacturing, I think "over twisting" is a rare condition, and low risk.

Nothing frustrates me more than seeing a nifty new factory rifle only to discover the barrel twist is less than optimal. I often wonder what the heck firearms engineers are thinking. Point in fact, one recent manufacturer has a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22" 1:8 twist barrel, but the same gun, same series in 264 Win Mag has a 26" 1:9 twist? smh...the cartridge with the obvious intended usage of extended range uses the slower twist. Go figure...

I've got one of these odd barrel twist guns from another manufacturer, a 7 Rem Mag with a 26" 1:9.5 twist. Now this model is specifically intended for long range usage so why wouldn't they go at least 1:9 or faster? Now a short barreled 7mm-08 or something that might be used for something closer or smaller or with lighter bullets, sure 9.5 or 10 twist seems more appropriate.

I've never totally understood this. I've seen countless 223 Rem bolt guns with 1:9 twist and totally lost interest, if they were really wanting to shoot specifically 50-60gr varmint bullets, why not 1:12 of slower? Instead they chose that marginal middle twist range, and completely takes the super heavy bullets out of play.

Over twisting was certainly an issue in the past, is it still a major concern these days? I've never had a bullet blow up, never even seen one happen in person, only ever read about it very rarely.

Stepping off my soap box. Curious to hear other folks thoughts.

 

[Stan Taylor]

The bullet manufacturers are making Barrel manufacturers jobs a lot harder to keep up with these twist rates ,as a button rifle manufacturer, I don't know about the cut rifle industry but we would have to make rifling buttons with a Helix angle that would be impossible to make these super fast twist that's my opinion.

 

[wkdickinson]

Can somebody explain to me why firearms companies don't use faster barrel twists?

Now I understand that certain guns have very specific intentions, and a specific barrel twist might make sense. However, in todays age of super quality bullet manufacturing, I think "over twisting" is a rare condition, and low risk.

Nothing frustrates me more than seeing a nifty new factory rifle only to discover the barrel twist is less than optimal. I often wonder what the heck firearms engineers are thinking. Point in fact, one recent manufacturer has a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22" 1:8 twist barrel, but the same gun, same series in 264 Win Mag has a 26" 1:9 twist? smh...the cartridge with the obvious intended usage of extended range uses the slower twist. Go figure...

I've got one of these odd barrel twist guns from another manufacturer, a 7 Rem Mag with a 26" 1:9.5 twist. Now this model is specifically intended for long range usage so why wouldn't they go at least 1:9 or faster? Now a short barreled 7mm-08 or something that might be used for something closer or smaller or with lighter bullets, sure 9.5 or 10 twist seems more appropriate.

I've never totally understood this. I've seen countless 223 Rem bolt guns with 1:9 twist and totally lost interest, if they were really wanting to shoot specifically 50-60gr varmint bullets, why not 1:12 of slower? Instead they chose that marginal middle twist range, and completely takes the super heavy bullets out of play.

Over twisting was certainly an issue in the past, is it still a major concern these days? I've never had a bullet blow up, never even seen one happen in person, only ever read about it very rarely.

Stepping off my soap box. Curious to hear other folks thoughts.

You mentioned you've never had a bullet "blow-up", I have. I have an old Colt AR15 CAR with a 24" 1:9" twist barrel that shoots 50gr V-MAX bullets amazingly well. When I try to shoot that same load in my AR15 Match Rifle, with a 26" Krieger 1:7.7" twist barrel, only about 30% of the bullets ever get to the target. The rest go "poof" about 50' down-range from the muzzle.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Bullet weight = Barrel twist

 

[Walt Krafft]

The rifle manufacturers build to SAAMI spec, to shoot factory ammo that is made to SAAMI spec. Most cartridges were approved by SAAMI years ago. Changing those specs is very difficult. Building to SAAMI spec is liability shield for the gun and ammo makers. When you reload you are all on your own.

 

[257Roberts]

Very valid points. I wanted to be a hypocrite and quickly reply and say that the V-MAX was a specialty bullet and needs and specialty twist, but so are the heavy bullets that I prefer. I never play with varmint stuff, but I know they are thin jacketed for a reason.

And the SAAMI discussion is a valid point, but doing things because "we've always done so" isn't a very valid argument either in my book. I get that all the time with my job as well, and its a constant battle I understand. Why standards don't evolve with technology is its own baffling topic...