Progressive twist

[Greg6952]

Does anyone have experience with gain twist barrels? I was wondering if going from 1:12 to 1:8 would stabilize a wide range of bullet weights, or would a 338 barrel with a 1:8 accomplish the same thing

[croc4]

They are not very popular for a reason.......just sayin

[kcstott]

They are not very popular for a reason.......just sayin

They are not very popular because few Barrel makers make them. it takes special equipment to make a gain twist barrel.

They are also much more expensive then fix pitch rifled barrels.

Gain twist barrels are popular with the guys that can afford them and the companies that make them.

[Greg6952]

This may be in the wrong sub forum, but would a 1:8 twist work for bullets from 250 to 300 gr in the 338 lapua, even cutting edge 300 gr? TIA

[kcstott]

This may be in the wrong sub forum, but would a 1:8 twist work for bullets from 250 to 300 gr in the 338 lapua, even cutting edge 300 gr? TIA

1:9 for anything heavier then and including the 250gr so a 1:8 yes you would be good.

[ar15barrels]

I was wondering if going from 1:12 to 1:8 would stabilize a wide range of bullet weights, or would a 338 barrel with a 1:8 accomplish the same thing

A progressive twist barrel that ends with a 1:8 twist will stabilize bullets the same as a barrel that has a 1:8 twist from beginning to end.

Avoid ordering a barrel with a large twist ratio change.
A large ratio change distorts the bullets more and can hurt accuracy.

In your example above, you have a 33% change in twist.
That is way too much change.
Most people using progressive twist barrels are going with a 10-15% ratio change.

[kendog4570]

Gain twist barrels are nothing new. They used to be standard on over-the-counter guns.

1860 Colt Army's.

Save the money and put it towards ammo, practice, and the next barrel.

[Bob Hostetter]

Gain twist rates were invented by a guy named Pope back in the muzzle loading days.

[kendog4570]

Gain twist rates were invented by a guy named Pope back in the muzzle loading days.

Go back a little more.

[kcstott]

Gain twist rates were invented by a guy named Pope back in the muzzle loading days.

Harry Pope didn't invent it but he could be credited with perfecting it in his time.

[Greg6952]

Thanks all for the responses

[Fjold]

I have a Bartlein 264 caliber gain twist barrel. It is a gain twist from 9.25 - 8" twist over about 18 inches and then the last 10 inches are 8" twist.

I bought it to see if it would give me a velocity advantage due to the more gradual transition to full rotational speed. It did not improve the velocity over the straight 1:8" twist Krieger barrel that was on the gun previously. But it's not a fair comparison since I changed barrel manufacturers with this switch.