I almost hate to ask this question but I need someone with real life experience with a .50 caliber 1:48 twist barrel. My interest is in shooting saboted pistol bullets in weights from 200 to 300 grains and conicals around 270-385 grains with at least 80-90 grains of powder. I want accuracy that is less than 3" at 100 yards. The barrel length would be 28".

Anyone care to share their experience with this twist of barrel? I was considering one to use as a switch barrel for my TC PA Hunter.

WOW!! I have some rifles with that twist that can do it, but then some that could not come close to what you want. Sabotloader shoots conicals and sabots out of his all the time. I am sure he will share his secrets. I am more a roundball person, although I do shoot maxiball and REAL conicals with good results out of those rifles. What brand of rifle are you looking at?

With saboted bullets both of mine shoot best with 200 and 230grX .452 bullet and 80 or 90 grs powder depending on what powder you use the most accurate load will be between 70 and 110 gr, the conicals that work best in mine are the real bullet I mold my own I think they weigh about 320 and a 300 gr Sabortooth bullet, the maxi will shoot decent but I did not have any luck with the Maxiehunter. since I like to shoot PBR for target and deer my conical experance is limited, if you have trouble getting them to shoot try a thick greased felt wad and 20gr by vol between the wad and the bullet of corn meal. Lee

Mossie

I shoot 3 different 1/48's and I get great accuracy with both sabots and conicals. The problem is I get the best accuracy with a 300 grain projectile and sabot and a heavy long conical - 460 grain Bull Shop. Both of these bullets are against the math in a 1/48 twist - well screw the math they work. I am shooting 3" with open sights @ 100 yards without a real problem... (this off a rest). One of my favorit activities is to set up clay pigeons from 50 to 125 yards and shoot them (I like instant gratification) seeing the birds break. And normally it is one shot one bird.

Here is a target fired withmy stock Renegade... shooting 400 grain Bull Shops - the 460's actually do a little better... And this target would have been better but I was shooting through a chrono and using different powder loads...



Here is another target shot with sabots from a 1/48 - 54 cal Renegade...




This is another target shot with 460's but again shooting through the chrono and using different loads... shooting through the chrono for me takes some concentration away from the target and more to "do not shoot the chrono" The 3 shots in the upper right were at the the 2" bull in the upper right...





Cayuagd, has said it for years.. never under estimate the capabilities of the 1/48...

And to be honest most people will tell you that you need to shoot short projectiles in a 1/48 - but when I try I do not get the consistentcy from them that I do from these longer projectiles... And of course the disclaimer - all guns are different you can only try...

My New Englander will shoot a 385 Gr Plains and a 260 Nosler Partition inside 2" at 100 yds It will do it every time--however I cannot. Seriously both these loads are very accurate in my rifle. 80gr BM3 for the conical and 100gr 777 for the sabot. I have to have a good day to group that well with open sights.

Charlie