Fast twist 50 cal a 400 Bullet review

[Ninering62]

Your experience and knowledge, and willingness to write it all up is extraordinary. I wish I could give you a strain gauge and a Garmin chronograph and a secretary to take notes, compile and print/post it all. You (and Todd and and Tom and Tom) have enabled me to spend a couple thousand dollars in the past year. It's nowhere near over. There's lots of testing and data gathering to do. We've only just begun. Hahaha. It's shootin season (and fishin season, and golf season).

The “ Enablers Club “ for the win again huh bro. That’s just awesome!

 

[Ninering62]

Thank you so much I hope others pick the 50 back up and give it another look, I shot the 20 twist today with the old cans of sr4759 and some 300 grain sst in a 20 plus mile an hour wind I was getting three quarters of an inch, I added a group of 250 FTX ,I shot the 300 mags that did so well in the 22 twist even in the heavy wind today I managed three quarter inch group with the 250 FTX in between wind gust, both barrels are very consistent ,extremely good barrels from a good company Douglas!

That’s really cool

 

[GM54-120]

IIRC the "old school" thumper load for MLIIs suggested on Dougs was 3031 and a 400gr. 404 Jeffrey type energy. I would have to look up how much powder was suggested. IIRC 4198 was suggested upto a 350gr bullet.

70gr with a 400gr bullet produces 32kpsi at less than 2200 fps with a 94% burn. So around 76ish is max

 

[Mnt monkey]

Gm54-120 , thank you for that load information, I do have 3031,varget showed potential at 55-57 gr, as I mentioned I did not expect 4198 to be so accurate with the 400 grain. The fury 400 and the northern precision are really beautiful bullets and I know my load that I shot both of them with with these particular barrels was low low, pressure starved ,but as I mentioned the plastic wasn't and the accuracy was there, also with the 325s I shot my load that I was shooting all the other bullets ,59 grains with the 325 it was very accurate however I also shot 52 grains with the 325, that was very accurate that was imr 4198. The old cans of 4759 in the 20 twist have done very well ,34 to 37 grains and a 300 grain bullet around 3/4 of an inch five shot group. I have 16 lb of n120 in route I hope to experiment some it with the 300 to 325, the Douglas Barrel has just been phenomenal both of them ,today I took six of the bullets that I had used in the test and I shot them back to back it was about a 1.50 group 5 shot 325, 300s ,and 275 .

 

[GM54-120]

Douglas Barrel has just been phenomenal both

Their barrels seem very forgiving, at least with sabots. My NULA has a Douglas Prem XX that shoots almost anything under 300grs well because of the slower twist. N120 is a thumper in the 50cals. 300gr at 2300fps+ is a cake walk but 57-58gr feels more pleasant to shoot. Mine will shoot a Parker BE 275gr with 58gr N120 at 2440fps.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I had 4198 all around me at small places and just didn't get off my butt and buy enough, so nothing but myself to blame there, but I've really been wanting to try n120 a 275 grain at 2400 plus looks pretty good.

 

[Ninering62]

Their barrels seems very forgiving, at least with sabots. My NULA has a Douglas Prem XX that shoots almost anything under 300grs well because of the slower twist. N120 is a thumper in the 50cals. 300gr at 2300fps+ is a cake walk but 57-58gr feels more pleasant to shoot. Mine will shoot a Parker BE 275gr with 58gr N120 at 2440fps.

Do you think that the Parker BE's being shaped like they are, with the long shoulder & short ogive ( like the SST/SW bullets ) makes them that versatile that they shoot equally well in BTB & in sabots?

 

[Mnt monkey]

4198 kicks a lot too to me at least compared to a lot of the other powders but I just can't seem to get away from it

 

[Mnt monkey]

Many bullets will shoot phenomenally in plastic ,we just don't realize it.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Just enjoyment a little bit today I'm going back and shooting a couple of the loads that I was surprised with ,and I'm still very happy with ,matter of fact I love this load right here and I know how light it is, at least the charge, it's 42 grains of IMR 4198 and a northern Precision 400 grain pinpoint The Recoil signature has a little bit more of a roll to it but it's still requiring your focus this is my Buffalo load it is fun to shoot. Five shot and yes I pulled that one on the right ,,even the very first shot is at the top I think it got the best of me ,but now the last three showing what the loads capable of, again you got to really stay focused behind that 400 grain bullet it's a little different than shooting a 275 or 300 it takes a little more follow thru, or you will lose it the second half of the recoil signature. When's the last time that you all shot a 400 grain jacketed bullet in plastic?

 

[jims]

I agree sabots can be shot well. In fact I find them so much easier to use I seldom use my smooth form or full formed loads. Still fine accuracy with ease of loading.

 

[Mnt monkey]

The Harvester black and the light blue both continue to amaze me, I have become a plastic shooter, I still size bullets and I will from time to time but I am convinced of the practicality of plastic ,as well as the accuracy potential,so very grateful again ,,jims for the 50 cal trace material. I hope sabots get better one day, imagine what just a slight Improvement would help if the black and blue could take 10% more pressure than they take without degrading, or there was a new series that was capable of 10 to 20% more without having to have support of any kind.

 

[Mnt monkey]

The improvements that could be made aren't just about making smokeless muzzle loading better, it would be better for Muzzleloading across the board, the improvements and new approach to twist are not just about making smokeless better, an improved twist in a smokeless rifle would also make a regular black horn, sub ,or black powder rifle shooting the same bullets and plastic perform better too.

 

[Ninering62]

The improvements that could be made aren't just about making smokeless muzzle loading better, it would be better for Muzzleloading across the board, the improvements and new approach to twist are not just about making smokeless better, an improved twist in a smokeless rifle would also make a regular black horn, sub ,or black powder rifle shooting the same bullets and plastic perform better too.

Heck yes

 

[imstihlaguy]

What a great read. Awesome information. As a guy who decided to get into sml with a 50, im very excited to see a bit more interest in the caliber. If I wasn't so slow I'd have my gun put together by now, but I'd like some suggestions from you guys who know so much more than me.
Im planning to shoot 5744, and will be doing someone development this summer. What bullets would you guys recommend?
I like the look of the hornady boredrivers, and the fury universal fits, as far as btb goes, or was considering the harvester scorpion golds in a sabot. Any other suggestions? Sabot suggestions? I dont mean to hi jack the thread, just seems like there's lots of knowledge right here right now. Thabks guys. Feel free to pm me of you'd rather that.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I had meant to try fury full bore 50 cals, I had such success with plastic that I did not even try them, if you do go fast twist 50 cal smokeless, I would recommend them or even with black horn, both the 22 twist and the 20for the most part shot everything I put in them, if you go back and read the thread it was with the smooth Harvester black did try the ribs a couple of times, but the smooth perform better, I'm personally of the opinion that the smooth is going to outshoot the ribbed most of the time, if for some reason you are having trouble getting the smooth down your bore and it risks sticking one out in the field then of course I would use the ribbed but I am of the opinion that the tighter fit you have with that plastic as long as you can facilitate seating is better, if I can answer any questions you're welcome to p.m. or ask him here I'm still very excited about 50 cal fast twist smokeless and I've got another build coming maybe this year, I hope that will be more of a hunting taper rather than this target rifle but I have not had that much accuracy with plastic in any 45 Cal I have ever shot I'm still excited about it.

 

[imstihlaguy]

I had meant to try fury full bore 50 cals, I had such success with plastic that I did not even try them, if you do go fast twist 50 cal smokeless, I would recommend them or even with black horn, both the 22 twist and the 20for the most part shot everything I put in them, if you go back and read the thread it was with the smooth Harvester black did try the ribs a couple of times, but the smooth perform better, I'm personally of the opinion that the smooth is going to outshoot the ribbed most of the time, if for some reason you are having trouble getting the smooth down your bore and it risks sticking one out in the field then of course I would use the ribbed but I am of the opinion that the tighter fit you have with that plastic as long as you can facilitate seating is better, if I can answer any questions you're welcome to p.m. or ask him here I'm still very excited about 50 cal fast twist smokeless and I've got another build coming maybe this year, I hope that will be more of a hunting taper rather than this target rifle but I have not had that much accuracy with plastic in any 45 Cal I have ever shot I'm still excited about it.

Thanks. Yeah I suppose that was my other question, its not a fast twist ler say, its at 26, according to your write up the lighter bullets were better with slower twist. Should I opt out of the bigger like 340 grain bullets? Or even the 300, and try more 240-280 range?

 

[Mnt monkey]

Try all you mentioned, plastic will be better I think with lighter bullets, with that twist,275 to 300 ,,full bore you can shoot heavier, let us know your results.