I just got back from testing a few rounds and now
it doesn't added up. It is a encore 223 17" barrel with a twist of 1-9. The sie 40 BK & hornady 50 SPSX shot perfectly but the Hornady 60 V-max key holed all over the place. i thought I might have trouble with the light bullet but with this twist the heavier 60 grain bullets should have been at least stablized. What is your take on this. It just doesn't make sense to me.

I really did want to shoot the light bullets so if the heavy ones don't work I don't really care but they still should work.

Kevin,
I have a 358 Win. with a 1:10 twist that shoots 357 diameter 158 grain pistol bullets to .33 inch at 100 yards. The twist thing, for me, is tighter is better.

PaulS

Kevin - You are correct in your assumption that the 60gr bullets should have stabilized in a 1-9" twist barrel. Because of this fact, I would look other places at potential problems. Things that I would be concerned with are the actual measured diameter of the 60gr bullets (maybe they are blems), the diameter of the bore (maybe it is oversized and therefore not able to stabilize the heavier bullets...although I would expect some problems with the lighter bullets as well if this were the case), are the bullets in the 60gr loads fairly concentric? I would imagine that if you start the bullet into the rifling crooked then you could destabilize a bullet. I guess the obvious thing that I almost overlooked is to verify the twist rate of your barrel with a "cleaning rod test". Maybe you only think you have a 1-9" twist barrel...it would explain things if it were actually a 1-12" or a 1-14" twist. Hope this gives you something to think about and investigate...good luck!

Kevin sent an e-mail message to me addressing some problems. After Kevin measured the twist rate he found out that the barrel was a 1-14 twist, which of course would not stabilize the heavy bullets. When I sold the barrel to him the tag was marked 1-9 twist. I did not check it before it went out so I was under the assumption that it was indeed a 1-9 twist. So I guess I have to work something out with Kevin.

Dave

This brings a question to mind. Is it possible to "load around" a barrel twist? In this case there is a 1-14" twist that won't shoot (stabilize) 60 grain pills. Is it possible to load these bullets for stabilization, or am I breeching a safety issue?

V.V. Dave man you are fast. I wasn't going to say anything on here until I had a chance to talk to you. I knew we could work something out and I am really happy of the out come. I know this this fix cost you guys some money so all I can say is thanks for standing behind your products.
one added note it really shot the sierra 40 grain BK great! I guess reasons like this is why this is my third barrel from V.V.C.G.

Gosh Dave - I woulda thought a "pro" like you could tell the twist rate in a barrel by thumping it on the side like a ripe melon!

Yes, we can also tell the difference between stainless and blued by taste.