Rate of twist

[David R. Pennington]

Whats the best way to measure rate of twist in a barrel?

[Don Getz]

Davey.........simple task.     Put your barrel in a vise, horizontal.   Using a cleaning rod with one or two cleaning patches,
start them into the barrel, several inches, then mark the cleaning rod with a magic marker at the very muzzle end of the
barrel.  Then useing a  3" piece of masking tape,  place it on the bottom of the rod and bring both ends together so that you
have a tab sticking straight up.   This should be done back at the handle end of the rod.   Next you will push the rod into the
barrel until the tab is straight down.  We now have made 1/2 turn in the barrel.   Once again place a mark on the barrel with
that magic marker right at the muzzle.   You can then pull the rod out of the barrel and measue the distance between the
tow marks.  Multiply the measurement time 2 and you will have the twist.  For instance, if the measurement is 24" in one half of a turn,  the twist would be one turn in 48"...........Don

[sz]

Fit a tight patch over a brush or rod in a way it can't spin on the rod.
You want the whole rod to turn, not the patch or head.

Introduce it into the bore and mark it dead center on one of the flats (or if the barrel is round make a mark on the rod and on the muzzle to line it up.)  Also make the side of the rod so you can see exactly where it's even with the muzzle.
 Now push the rod down until it makes 1/4 turn.  Mark the rod again.

Remove the rod and measure the distance between the 2 marks and multiply by four and you'll have the twist.

[frogwalking]

I suggest  you not use a wire bore brush unless the breechplug is out.  If the plug is installed, and if the brush is a snug fit, you may not be able to remove the brush from the bottom of the bore.

[Don Getz]

Frog.......if get a ramrod with a brush on it, when you reach the bottom against the breech plug,if you twist the rod and pull
at the same time it will come out........Don

[Dphariss]

Whats the best way to measure rate of twist in a barrel?

With a tight patch and a cleaning rod with a free running handle with REAL bearings and a jag that will not turn in the rod, screwed in tight.
But if its a gain twist it becomes far more difficult since only the last inch or so is the actual twist the ball is turning at exit.

Dan

[Dphariss]

Long bristle bore brushes will not stick in a bore. I use them all the time and reverse them as I see fit. But its not a good idea to push a bore brush into the muzzle. They are abrasive. So use on MLs should be a rare thing.
I would NOT recommend trying to reverse a 22 cal jag or any under about 35 caliber. These CAN lock in the bore and in case of those with very short bristles like the 22 may need to have the rod struck with a hammer to free them and push them out. Fortunately their are few MLs under 32 caliber.

Dan

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A couple of years ago at the BC Rendezvous, a friend of mine was using a bronze brush in his bore and the threaded end broke off, leaving the brush stuck in the breech.  A number of guys tried various things to try to grab and withdraw it, to no avail.  He brought it to my camp, and I too scratched my head for a while.  Then I screwed my .50 cal Jim Webb worm onto a steel cleaning rod, and ran it down and around the brush.  It withdrew easily.  Problem solved, for now.  I highly recommend Jim's handmade worms. They are nicely made of drill rod, and they've saved the day several times when a patch gets sucked back into the bore while cleaning.  They also can be used as they were intended...with tow or patches, to actually clean the barrel.  The one in the picture is a .40 cal worm for my Kuntz rifle.

[J.D.]

Insert a tube, as large a diameter as possible, and longer than the barrel, into the bore. The tube will slip over the bristles of the brush and which can then be withdrawn, with no damage to the bore.

[gumboman]

How can I get in touch with Jim Webb? I can use a couple of his worms.
Thanks