I don't really care what they do with twist rates as long as the bullets they're making to conform to them or vice versa, doesn't screw up what already works for me. I understand what guys are going after with the faster twists and the long high BC bullets, and not saying I wouldn't pursue the same in a specialty rifle, but they don't have to change twist rates on production rifles and change bullets on my account.
Yesterday I took a 35 Remington with a 200 gr RNCL bullet rated at a slick Ferrari race car BC of .195 leaving at 2340 or so, and a 35 whelen loaded with a 200 Sierra RN at similar BC's and around 2550. Wind was 10 mph left to right with 18 mph gusts. Perfect for practice. Shot at a 3" circle at 100 yds sitting elbows propped off my knees, single shot from each, cold bore, no practice, no sling wrap, no crossed legs, etc. Right out of the truck with no crutches, no excuses. Tried to allow approximately 2" kentucky windage in my wobbling. Squeezed the trigger and finished it off when the wobble crossed where I wanted. 35 Remington inside top center of circle, 35 Whelen just outside lower center of circle. Both shots taken in less than 10 seconds from shouldering the rifles and flipping the safe off, both shots less than 2" from dead center.
That right there has far more relevance for my hunting needs than a 1/4" group from a high BC bullet off the bench and subsequent hits at 700 yds ever will. I like to chase bug holes as much as the next guy, but that's just the reality of my real life hunting scenarios and the ways it pays me to practice with bullets and twist rates that work for as far as I want to shoot.
Yesterday I took a 35 Remington with a 200 gr RNCL bullet rated at a slick Ferrari race car BC of .195 leaving at 2340 or so, and a 35 whelen loaded with a 200 Sierra RN at similar BC's and around 2550. Wind was 10 mph left to right with 18 mph gusts. Perfect for practice. Shot at a 3" circle at 100 yds sitting elbows propped off my knees, single shot from each, cold bore, no practice, no sling wrap, no crossed legs, etc. Right out of the truck with no crutches, no excuses. Tried to allow approximately 2" kentucky windage in my wobbling. Squeezed the trigger and finished it off when the wobble crossed where I wanted. 35 Remington inside top center of circle, 35 Whelen just outside lower center of circle. Both shots taken in less than 10 seconds from shouldering the rifles and flipping the safe off, both shots less than 2" from dead center.
That right there has far more relevance for my hunting needs than a 1/4" group from a high BC bullet off the bench and subsequent hits at 700 yds ever will. I like to chase bug holes as much as the next guy, but that's just the reality of my real life hunting scenarios and the ways it pays me to practice with bullets and twist rates that work for as far as I want to shoot.
