Input before I order SMI- UPDATED

[rangeball]

Ok, finally ready to make the call to SMI to order my smokeless barrel for my 12g H&R USH.

After much deliberation, I've decided to go .50, especially with the availability of the thor bullets for shooting sabotless. I think the .50 will do everything I need, especially if Ed's 200 grain work with the barnes pans out.

Likely loads will be 250 grain barnes at 2300 fps or 200 grain barnes @2500 fps. Barrel will be 28", due to the shorter H&R action. If I get more velocity from the longer barrel with the same powder loads, that's a plus, but I'm not really looking to really push the envelope, well, not yet anyway

Last variable I'd like input on is twist rate. From everything I've read here it sounds like 1:22 should be good. Should work well for the two desired loads as well as let me shoot heavier if I ever have the need.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

[hillbill]

Only a suggestion but I would look hard at a 45 cal barrel, could go sabotless or even 40 cal bullets saboted( less recoil). A 45 gives you many choices of good bullets.
Bill

[rangeball]

Bill, I've wrestled with caliber for a few weeks now... I understand where you're coming from, but I'm pretty well settled on the .50 after much deliberation. If .40 were legal here, it'd be a different story.

[hillbill]

Thats going to be a light gun, I hope its wearing a good recoil pad if you shoot full power loads.
Good shooting, Bill

[rangeball]

It's a 9#er as is, but does have the bull barrel, which is a 10g blank bored for a 12g. I haven't talked with SMI yet on exact contour, but they'll have to stay full 1.2" for awhile, possibly 10-14" from the breech, and then taper. With the smaller .50 hole, I'm guessing weight will be a wash, or at least close. With scope it should end up close to 10#.

[clintsfolly]

Just tell them what you want to do with it. and let them guide you clint

[rangeball]

Clint, I did just that. They gave me more to think about, for sure. Summary of the call-

It was an eye opener for sure.

They can get me any twist I want, but feel strongly for 200-300 grain bullets at 2300-2800 fps there is absolutely no need to go faster than their stock 1:36 twist. He says they shoot cloverleafs all day long, less plastic fouling and stripping and sabot failure.

They can do a breech plug with a carbide ventliner, but only needed if you run lots of magnum charges with fast powders. Their standard plug has a .30 hole and with 4198 or 2015 (their preferred powders) no wear problems. 4198 has no cold weather issues assuming a tight sabot/bullet fit.

Loads I'm interested in are 250 grain in a harvester black sabot with 65gr of 4198, good for 2550 fps in the 28" barrel. 200 grain in the same sabot with the same load about the same fps, but much less recoil.

They are experimenting with a hawk bullet now that has the same jacket thickness as the barnes original, same .458 diameter but 250 grain weight. A while back they bought 5000 special order bullets from barnes, which was the 300 grain .458 but at 250 grains, very accurate and hard hitting, went to order more and barnes special order minimum is now 25,000 and the price was right at $17,000. They didn't get them.

He thinks my barrel is tapered, I have to check it. Their standard barrel is made for the h&r 12g smoothbore taper, he doesn't think H&R makes a laminate forearm for these anymore. If they can use a full width blank or if a stock barrel taper will work, $350. To custom taper to fit my forearm, $75.

Douglas does not lap their barrels, but they come as smooth as a baby's butt. Going from a .73 hole to a .5 hole should only add about 6 ozs. I found a calculator on one of the barrel manufacturers site, I'll double check, I was thinking it would be more.

I need to look at a few things and get back to them, they're gonna order barrels in a week or two, and will order mine with a deposit. I really need to put a lot of thought into the 1:36 twist. I'm not sure. They seem very confident it's all I'll ever need unless I want to shoot much heavier/longer bullets.

Thoughts?

[SW]

I have a 28" 50 cal SMI barrel on a NEF frame. It shoots well and recoil with 70-75g 2015/300SST is not bad at all. If I were to continue using it, I would likely use the 250 TMZ. I would certainly get a 45 if I couldn't get a 40 where I live. Of the 4 40 cal shooters, I think at least 3 would not want to go back to a 45. Of the 40 and 45 shooters on here(a whole lot of people), I expect NONE would want to go back to a 50. THAT SHOULD INDICATE SOMETHING!

[KerryB]

Just my 2 cents worth, but i had them drill and tap a pair of breechplugs for my Ruger No.1 so i could install Savage style ventliners. That way when the hole gets enlarged, you just screw in a new ventliner instead of having to buy a replacement breechplug. But on second thought.............they wouldn't be selling you any more breechplugs if you did that, now would they! I had a Shilen 1:20 twist .45 installed on the Ruger and i also have a PacNor 1:22 twist .45 installed on my Henry Ball #007 Savage 10MLII. Those are proven twists for the .45. I sure hope you go with the .50 1:36 twist so the rest of us can see what she'll do in the accuracy department!

[encoreguy]

I did a lot of research before I ordered my SMI barrel for my Encore and I went with a 1 in 28" twist. I wanted it to shoot the higher b.c 300 grainers. According to various twist rate formulas it should be able to shoot anything except maybe the .40 cal 200 grain Shockwaves, but it was right there. The NULA guns that guys like are 1 in 32", SMI standard is 1 in 36" and Savage 1 in 24" so I just split the difference and went 1 in 28". If I had it to do again I would order a 1 in 28" again and as of today still get a .50 cal.

[dans]

I have two 50 cal 1 in 36 twist SMI barells and accuracy with 250 to 300 grain bullets has never been an issue. You just have to find out what they like.