Sako and Tikka have a 1:11 twist for their 30-06s. What is the advantage, and what is their target bullet? Most are 1:10.
Are they optimizing this for something specific, or just European way of making it?
I am not shooting far, so I shoot 180 grain. I may switch someday, I realize I really don't need 180. But I have alot of 180 bullets stocked up.
One more time.
Sako and Tikka build firearms and they get to decide what twist rate they want to use. Also they are on a fools errand if they build a rifle around one bullet.
This has been tried before and the company lost because it was not the best all round twist rate for the public.
I don't think that whether the rifle is imported has anything to do with your question , so everyone would be second guessing "Why" a manufacture does anything. Typically, any decision is based on profit. and if they don't change with the times they probably will loose out.
As one of the posters stated, years ago most people did not shoot the heaviest bullets and stuck with the tried and true 150 to 168 grain bullets because of bullet quality and trajectory. the heavy bullets were just to slow and ballistics were not that important to bullet makers with the case capacity of the 30/06.
I cant speak for the Europeans and what they like to use but they typically don't shoot or have the terrain to shoot long distances like we do.
If you worry about Why any manufacture does anything, you will drive your self crazy.
Typically, bench rest shooters feel that slower twist are better because they are easier on the jackets when engraving and there for more accurate. but long range shooters are looking for the highest BCs and wind bucking ability so there needs are different than most hunters/shooters that
are limited to 6 or 700 yards.
Most cartridges start life with a standard bullet weight and some are slow to change. The 30/06 standard bullet weight is 150 and the ballistics are based on that bullet weight. the standard for the 7mm rem mag was 140 grains. And many people still shoot those bullet weights.
With a standard Ojive bullet in the 150 weight ,the 1 in 11 or a 1 in 12 twist will perform fine. but for heavier bullets, it is recommended that a faster twist should be used to stabilize the bullet for longer distances. some bullet shapes require a faster twist because of there short body length, but may not work well in all barrels with the faster twist, (The reason I don't recommend building a rifle designed to shoot a specific bullet design and weight.
In cases with the amount of case capacity that a 30/06 has there is a reason that the designer decided to use 150 grain bullets at a velocity over 3000 ft/sec compared to an average velocity of 2650 ft/sec for the 180 or 2500 ft/sec for the 200 grain bullet. so chances are that some feel that the 150 grain bullets are still the best all round choice and builds there rifles around that bullet weight thinking it will be the better seller.
Hope this helps answer your questions.
J E CUSTOM
