Small bore rifle barrel

[northmn]

I have been searching the web for a while to find a barrel smith that supplies a smallbore barrel with a fast twist rifling rate.  Something like a 30 cal or 32 cal with a faster twist like a 1-30 so that it can be laoded decently with reasonable charges for small game.  Almost every one I read with cmall bores uses fairly heavy charges for the bore usually in a ratio of about 1/2 the ball weight or better which follows my own experience with the 32s I made.  Being somewhat experimental in nature I would love to try to find something that uses more modest charges.  I prefer shooting for the head but really do not need to blow the little critters to pieces.

DP

[David Rase]

David,  My little .29 caliber has a 1-72 twist.  I was really apprehensive with that slow a twist when I first acquired the rifle.  My normal charge for 25 and 50 yards is 30g of FFFg.  If I am trying to reach out to 100 yds I up the charge to 45g of FFFg.  My experience with this rifling twist has proven deadly accuracy.  I don't have any experience with a faster twist but I think that a 1-30 twist would prove to be very finicky due to fowling build up in that small bore.  My two cents worth.  Good luck with your project.  Sorry to get off topic.
DMR

[northmn]

You aren't off topic as I am interested in getting a small bore.  1-72 seems real slow and if I have to I may get a Rayl 30 in 1-48 if I can.  I had a douglas 32 with a 1-66 that seemed to shoot about the same as the 1-48 twists.  Trouble with barrels is that I could get another 32 at 1-48 that may like 20 grains or may like 30 grains.  Due to the hopeful reduction in charge I wonder if fouling would be that bad. Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried mixing 4f with the 3f for a main charge in the small bores.  I tried it and it at least was not any worse than straight 3f.  I still would like to find a faster twist.
I was hoping someone would put me in touch with possibilites.  I saw one supplier for Rayl barrels but have not had contact with that business, Stonewall Creek Outfitters.  Open to others also.  Guess its OK to ask for references.


DP

[Bill of the 45th]

Troy Roope, owns Stonwall Creek, which is the old Vern Davis company.  Troy is great to do business with, and if you get lucky, your fast shipment might be decorated by his creative five year old.  His precarved Tennesse stocks would fit a Rayl nicely.

Bill

[Levy]

northmn:  Like David Rase, I have a perc. original in .29 cal. with a 1-72 twist.  Due to the condition of the barrel I've used thick patches (denim) and #2 buckshot (.27 cal.) with a great deal of success since 1983 when I aquired the rifle.  A .32 cal. with 20 grs. of 3fff will still remove their heads and do a lot of bodily damage.  This year I've used my .25 cal. with 20 grs. of 3fff exclusively and it does seem to be less destructive than the .32 and still very lethal.  I don't shoot them as far away as you do.

A friend of mine by the name of Scott Pickett (here in Tallahassee, FL) makes a couple of different sizes of small bore barrels (.28 cal. and .33 or 34, I can't remember which).  He can make the twist rate pretty much whatever you want.  I think he only makes straight barrels at this time.  I have one of his .28 cal. barrels in 13/16 x 44" which I haven't stocked up yet.  Contact him at: 850-559-1207 (cell).

James Levy