In my 50 cal I shoot a .490 ball and a .020 (dosen't like .015) patch with 80-90 grains of FFG. One of my 54's likes a .530 ball with a .015 patch the other likes a .020 patch both like around 90-100 grains of FFg. All of those shoot baseball size groups off a rest at 75 yards. These are hunting guns so that is plenty good. All of the deer I have taken I have had all pass thru's. I feel the 1:48 twist is under rated and if you find the right patch/ball/powder charge combo they can be great round ball shooters. Now I will say my GM barrels pretty much shoot any ball/patch/powder charge I throw in it. But I would rather carry a rifle with a 26" barrel through the laurel thickets up the mountain than I would a rifle with a 32" barrel.