.45 cal 1:20" twist load suggestions
 

I am attempting to improve the accuracy of a Traditions Pursuit .45 with a 1:20" barrel. I know from past experience it throws most mid-range weight sabots in the 4" group range at 100 yards with 100 gr of Triple seven or Pyrodex but recently have gotten the urge to try to turn that B School gun into a nail driver...when I shoot anything over 100 grains the groups explode.

My question is - who has played around with heavier bullets shot out of a 1:20 twist? I am looking at the 300 gr. powerbelts for one. I also am looking at the 35/45 sabots that MMP and Harvestor have. There are a whole lot of .35 bullets that have AWESOME ballistic coefficients, think I could get them to shoot well out of it? Am I right in thinking those might require some even lighter charges?

I know there are a lot of 1:20 twist smokeless powder guys - any body using black powder with great accuracy?

When I figure out what to try I will post the results...doesn't seem like there is much info on here about this.

Might look through these and see if you get any good thoughts..

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...ting-farm.html

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...city-test.html

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...ards-tips.html

What bullets and sabots have you tested in the rifle?

Good info from Sabotlaoder!

They don't have to be heavier bullets, just longer :)

THE most accurate load in my smokeless 45-70 conversion, 1:20 twist:
Is the 40cal 200grain Bloodline/Lehigh, in the Smooth Blue Harvester sabot.

The knight 45cal 1-20 twist I have shoots 195gr barne in a Harvester smooth blue sabot very will and 100gr to 120gr

I have shot 200 gr SSTs and 180 XTPs in it. I think there was one or two others but I cant remember what, its been over a year since I picked that gun up.

The sabots were whatever came with the above bullets, I haven't experimented with sabots in the gun. They got 4" groups with 100 grains of 777, Pyrodex, and American Pioneer but the groups were bigger at 110 grains and doubled in size at 120 grains.

One thing was better actually - I could hold 223 grain platinum powerbelts in the 3" range with 100 grains of American Pioneer. I never tried heavier (longer, higher BC) powerbelts and maybe I should.

Those results are not promising I know, the SSTs have higher BC than the powerbelts but shot worse...:s5:

I never tried less than 100 grains of power in that gun...maybe I need to.

I have my eye on the .358 FXTs with MMP 35/45 sabots so I find the results you posted in those threads interesting Sabotloader...I am impressed with the velocities posted and accuracy before the sabots apparently failed with 120 grains of BH.

I have not tried BH in the gun yet...

I know the Lehigh's/bloodlines have a lot of potential but am a little hesitant buying them at the price given I don't know how well they will shoot, if I KNEW they would be accurate (1.5" or so for this gun I think) I would definitely get them. I would rather experiment with cheaper rounds first anyway...