I read X-rings' discussion further down and one comment made me curious - why would one prefer a RH twist as opposed to a LH twist.

It doesn't seem that it would mean much on a hunting rifle.

Thanks!

I always thought it was RH north of the equator and LH below. :-)

circumpolar whir?????

The one stops the suppressor from unscrewing itself. I think too that with the correct twist direction, barrel torque to the receiver can be reduced for alleged better accuracy. Double-check that one!

I once asked one of the old-time barrel makers why he made both LH and RH barrels. He stroked his chin, studied the ceiling, and finally said, "Because my customers ask for them."

Ray

At Kreiger, I told it depends which side of the rifling machine you stand on. Course, a LH hand twist might unscrew your cleaning patches

I have yet to see a left hand twist....are they common?

Not as common as RH, of course. But they are around. Some barrel makers won't make them because they are set up for RH but others, like Chanlyn, make a lot of them.

They both shoot the same, as far as accuracy goes.

Ray

How exactly does one define L/H or R/H rifling? My Lee Enfield spins the bullet anti-clockwise. The rifling is opposite to a R/H screw thread. This would loosen a barrel if it were not tight enough but it will tighten a suppressor. I am under the impression that the Lee Enfield has L/H rifling. So does my 303-25. My Anschutz hornet has R/H rifling, as do my 22rf's. I have an off-cut of 22rf barrel that is L/H.

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The one stops the suppressor from unscrewing itself .

Damn. Does this mean all I had to do was change my twist and it would have kept me outta jail?

It is called the coreallis (SP) effect. If you use a RH toilet in OZ, it will always flush backwards. It is something my father always warned me about: never stand too close to the bowl during the flush process just for the test phase.

There are various theories about it. It is said that there is a belief that at very long ranges that the "drift" of the bullet can offset the "spin of the earth".

Certainly in artillery at ranges of many miles that drift IS an important factor.

However that then overlooks the fact that Great Britain fought wars both north and south of the Equator!

Other theories are that for a normal right handed shot one direction of twist turns the rifle into the shoulder rather than out of it which is either good or bad...I can't recall which!

Certainly the SMLE famously had offset sling swivels.

I've seen a long treatise about the reasons why and facts and figures in a number of official British military textbooks on smallarms that give all the theories.

I think that there is some truth in the idea that the twist must be such that it causes the barrel to screw in to the receiver rather than out.

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I think that there is some truth in the idea that the twist must be such that it causes the barrel to screw in to the receiver rather than out.

It makes no difference in my Anschutz - the barrel is pinned to the receiver. Then with the Lee Enfield, the barrel is screwed in so damn tight anyway ....

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There are various theories about it. It is said that there is a belief that at very long ranges that the "drift" of the bullet can offset the "spin of the earth".

What happens if you shoot from north to south or vice versa?

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It is called the coreallis (SP) effect. If you use a RH toilet in OZ, it will always flush backwards.

You give us too much credit - we havn't invented 'flushing toilets' yet! Besides, it wouldn't work because we are upside down, (which causes the blood to flow into our heads and makes us do crazy things!)

1917 Enfields used a left-hand twist in their rifling and had their barrels installed by 2 counter-rotating chucks in order to ensure enough force to keep the bbls tight when fired extensively. I assume the 1914s were the same. In my experience all Enfield barrels are quite difficult to remove and I've seen several Eddystone receiver rings cracked, presumably & according to urban legend it was due to the excessive tightness of their bbl installations. FWIW.
Regards, Joe

I actually once built barrels for a double rifle based on a 410 shotgun frame.....it used a barrel from a Springfield and one from an Enfield.....one was right handed and one was left handed....and assembled in a monobloc rear and forward.

It was chambered in .30-30 and actually fired!

It was a piece of shit and I destroyed it as I never felt safe with it and it was darn heavy!!!!

I always told folks that it had LH and RH twists so that in case both barrels were fired at the same time the shooter didn't rotate....

I actually think some believed it!

Now that is some real Double Rifle BS... One of the best I have heard as a matter of fact! Even better than elephants hearing ejectors.
I have made R/H as well as L/H twist barrels. I think that one has no real advantage/disadvantage over the other except to the shooter. And that is all that matters..IMOP

FWIW, Colt used a LH twist in their pistols. Being a S&W fan, I could feel the opposite twist. Lou