This has probably been asked and answered many times here, but I can't find anything on it. Questions: Do you think lighter weight bullets would stabilize better in a slower twist 1:48"barrel than a heavier weight bullet, or vice versa.What do you guys get the best results from when shooting saboted bullets. Bulletweightscompared to your rifle's rate of twist? Or does the bullet weightseem to make any difference? The reason I ask this is, if I for example go out with a 1:48 twist barrel and have bullet choices from 125gr to 200gr and I choose to shoot a 155gr with poor grouping from several different powder charges, should I go up or down in bullet weight to try and correct the problem?

Thanks for any input!
Blown Smoke

Well, I'll give this a stab from what (I think) I've observed on this forum:
1-48 twist is not considered "fast", but it's faster than a 1-66 or so that are primarily designed for roundballs and shorter conicals. The 1-28 twists of many inlines are primarily designed for conicals and saboted bullets, which are usually longer. You are right in between.
I would say if the 155 grain is not giving good accuracy with various charges, try going to a heavier (therefore longer) bullet.
That's just my 2 cents. Wait for more replys, and if you edit your postand give thespecific gun you are using, it may help others give better advice.

IM jaybe

Lenght of bullet -VS- Twist is the correct way to put it. The early Greenhill formula used for paper patch bullets and the early cartridge rifles comes close to what you are asking for.
T={Diameter squared X K [Greenhill constant [150] ] / length
But the simple rule of thumb that I use says 1-48 = 1.5 caliber long max
1-38= 1.75 cal.max long 1-28= 2 cal max this rule of thumb is for 45 cal bullets. Hope this helps Lee

Blown Smoke

A lot of people might indicate that a 1/48 will not shoot sabots effectivly. Couple of problems exist - the twist itself and the deapth of the grooves..

I have found that my 1/48's will shoot 300 grain bullets with sabots really well - I mean realy well, but when I back down to 250 grain things really go in the trash. One gun the Lyman will not shoot 44 cal 300'swell either but the other TC's do not care whether they are 44 or 45. The 50 cal TC's shoot the .458 300 - 350 grain bullets very well.

So my inclinenation is to tell you heavier longer bullets I hope that is what Lee's formula says. But each gun is a bore un-to-its-own...

I also found that the 1-48 rifles will shoot sabots with projectiles, but get the bigger, longer, &heavier projectiles with a moderate powder charge. I never had much luck with anything too light. Although I was getting some pretty good results with 230 & 240 grain sabots out of my one1-48 flintlock Hawkins, but I never got them past the 50 yard line. 50 yards and in, I could easily hunt with them.

I THINK THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION WAS
STATED WELL IN THE POSTS ABOVE. BUT I WILL
ADD FROM MY EXPIERENCE, ALL MUZZLELOADERS,
HAVE A NATURE OR QUIRKS, WHICH MAKE THEM
AT TIMES, VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ML
OF THE SAME BRAND. SIMPLY NOT ALL ML ARE
CREATED EQUAL. AS WITH THE PIANO LEASONS,
MOM USED TO MAKE US TAKE THERE IS NO
PROGRESS WITHOUT PRACTICE

Thanks Guys,
You more than answered my questions, and I really appreciate it.
I am new to shooting sabots,and I wanted to get a better understanding
of how they perform with different twist rates before I spent allot of $$ on
bullets I may not need orbenefit from. Or at leastknow what totry before
giving up on them if I have bad results.And yes, all of my guns are 1:48
twist traditional caplocks. Three are 28" barrels and one 24" barrel.

Blown Smoke