How to determine twist rate

[JW]

I have 2 Hawkens I inherited from my DAD. (See Mountain Magic's Pedroselli Hawken post).
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...mt-hawken.html

I have asked MM for help - so we will be posting back and forth using this medium. I invite all to join in - I know enough to be dangerous and do not post on topics that I do not have the experience to share. I have done quite a bit of BP shotgunning and jsut stated with an inline. I have no patch and ball or mini ball experience.

So the first thing with these hawkens - I would like to determine the twist rate.

I did mic the bores and I have a 54 and 45 calibers as there are no caliber markings on the rifles.

JW

[cayugad]

If you get a tight fitting patch, apply gun oil to it. Push that patch to the bottom of the bore. Now make a mark on the ramrod, and one on the end of the barrel. Now a 1-28 twist... the mark would make one complete revolution in a 28 inch barrel. So if you were to pull that ramrod up 14 inches it should make 1/2 a revolution. On a 1-48 the ramrod should make half a turn in the barrel on a 28 inch movement. A 1-66, 33 inches would make that mark turn half the way around the barrel.

The rifling will spin that tight fitting patch with the rifling as it moves up the barrel.. So if you measure the distance it has moved and how far it revolved around in the barrel it can give you some idea of the twist rate. The problem is, some people pull the patch through the rifling and this sets off the measurements.

[mountaineer magic]

deleted : no longer want to be on the forum

[mountaineer magic]

]
deleted : no longer want to be on the forum

[sabotloader]

Originally Posted by JW

I have 2 Hawkens I inherited from my DAD. (See Mountain Magic's Pedroselli Hawken post).
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...mt-hawken.html

I have asked MM for help - so we will be posting back and forth using this medium. I invite all to join in - I know enough to be dangerous and do not post on topics that I do not have the experience to share. I have done quite a bit of BP shotgunning and jsut stated with an inline. I have no patch and ball or mini ball experience.

So the first thing with these hawkens - I would like to determine the twist rate.

I did mic the bores and I have a 54 and 45 calibers as there are no caliber markings on the rifles.

JW

I think those two guys pretty much have covered the easy standard method of calulating twist...

But I am betting your guns are in the 1-66 1-70 rate of twist, but they could very well be in the 1-48 area, but I doubt it.

Now that statement leaves a lot of room for guessing?

[Underclocked]

The free-spinning rod is definitely needed. You should be able to calculate the twist even if your rod isn't as long as the barrel so long as you can accurately note the amount of revolution and the length of rod inserted in the rifling.

[JW]

Well I have no free spinning rod sooooo....

The .54 Cal rod length from muzzle bore to end of rod inserted is 33.25 inches- for 180 degrees using the front sight as 0 degrees - I got measurements of 26.75, 27.25 & 26.825 - Avg of 26.94167 and times 2 = 53.8833 ~ that gives me a 1:54 twist?

Hmmm a .54 with a 1:54 twist rate?

The .45 cal - rod length from muzzle bore to end of rod inserted is 34.5 inches and for 180 degree using the front sight as 0 degrees - I got measurements of 25.75, 25, & 26 - Avg 25.58833 and times 2 = 51.16667 that gives me a 1:51?

Both are very similar it appears. Unfortunately the person who made both these rifles died quite some time ago. He was on consignment to build my father a pair of 50 cal pistols to which he wrote to dad where complete , jsut need to be test fired, but dad never got them. His wife never responed to the phone calls or letters. He lived in California I do beleive. Too bad.

Now that I think about it - I think I do have a free spinning rod when I brought all this home from my dad's house but I need to find it.
I used the range ram rod with a brush and a patch and made it as tight as possible. I then inserted the rod all the way down as far as it would go. I then taped the starting point at the muzzle end creating a 'flag' like mountain magic did. I marked 180 with marker on the bottom of the barrel so I could take out guessing. I placed this on a gun rest to which I could draw out the ram rod trying my best to let it spin naturally. It took a bit of practice before I took measurements as from the beginning I was all over the place.....dang rookie!
Think I will re-do this once I find or buy a new spinning ram rod and use my lead sled which is up north.

So that is what I came up with......comments?

DAve...JW

UPDATE:
Ps after using the correct rod both 54 and 45 caliber bores are 1:60 twist. Use a spinning handle rod -- only way to go....

[mountaineer magic]

deleted : no longer want to be on the forum

[MountainDevil54]

most likely 1:60. When i measured my twist it showed a 1:42 but i figured its most likely a 1:48. Its a good way to get an idea what range the twist is.

[Semisane]

Hey JW, I just looked again at the pictures of those guns that you posted in Mountaineer Magic's thread. Dang man! Those barrels were made by Bill Large. He was a premium barrel maker - died in the mid `80's. You've found the golden ticket. Try a Google on W.M. Large barrels or Bill Large barrels.