Thread: .44 magnum twist rate

I am setting up to load for a marlin .44 with 1-38 twist, 16.5" barrel with suppressor. I am hoping to use a reasonably heavy bullet (ideally Roberts 280 grain lead bullet) at about 1050 fps, but am concerned about bullet stability especially regarding the possibility of suppressor strike. I have run some of the heavy weights through JBM s calculations and the they show the 280 and 300 gr bullets to be marginally stable.(280 gr gives a stability number 1.260. Site says they should be between 1.3-2 ) Im not sure how these numbers translate to real world but would I be right to worry about shooting these through a suppressor? I have read I should test with suppressor off (then check target for round holes) but is this a reliable way to check for stability? Is a projectile more or less stable as it immediately leaves the barrel or does it tend to stabilise or destabilise over distance? If a bullet tends to stabilise over distance, maybe checking for round holes doesn't guarantee it wont hit the suppressor. I might be over thinking things but I hate that feeling that I haven't thought things through before I pull the trigger. Has anyone had a play with a similar type of set up?

Greetings ebee,
The 1 in 38 inch twist has given poor accuracy with projectiles over 240 grains forever. The US gun press has been pressing Marlin and others to go to a 1 in 20 inch twist which gives better accuracy with the heavier projectiles and, I believe, have recently met with some success. The slower twist is a hangover from earlier rifles and pistols for the .44-40 with the 200 grain projectiles. I really don't know if the stability will wreck your suppressor but would not risk it myself. From what I remember of the reports the projectiles flew point on but the accuracy was crap.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by ebee

I am setting up to load for a marlin .44 with 1-38 twist, 16.5" barrel with suppressor. I am hoping to use a reasonably heavy bullet (ideally Roberts 280 grain lead bullet) at about 1050 fps, but am concerned about bullet stability especially regarding the possibility of suppressor strike. I have run some of the heavy weights through JBM s calculations and the they show the 280 and 300 gr bullets to be marginally stable.(280 gr gives a stability number 1.260. Site says they should be between 1.3-2 ) Im not sure how these numbers translate to real world but would I be right to worry about shooting these through a suppressor? I have read I should test with suppressor off (then check target for round holes) but is this a reliable way to check for stability? Is a projectile more or less stable as it immediately leaves the barrel or does it tend to stabilise or destabilise over distance? If a bullet tends to stabilise over distance, maybe checking for round holes doesn't guarantee it wont hit the suppressor. I might be over thinking things but I hate that feeling that I haven't thought things through before I pull the trigger. Has anyone had a play with a similar type of set up?

A friend of mine shoots the 280gr in .44 mag Handi Rifle with a 1:38" twist with no problems other than the .432" groove diameter other guy shoots them in a .444 Marlin with the same twist
it is not the weight it is the length that determines the twist rate the 280gr is shorter than the Keith 245gr which was the original bullet used to develop the .44 mag the factory lead bullet load
was a swagged clone of the Keith design, It is a smart move to develop loads with out the suppressor apart from hitting a baffle why use it when it is really not need you will only wear it out.