Can anyone change my mind about a 1-16 twist rate not being optimal for a 4.5” barrel? — 1 Answer

Your long awaited response, if you even care anymore:

If you’re building or rebarreling for a specific goal:
• For plinking, target shooting, or general pistol use with common ammo (CCI Standard, Mini-Mags, etc.) → 1:16 is optimal and reliable.
• For extreme long-range pistol shooting or heavy subsonics → a faster twist (e.g., 1:14 or 1:12) might edge it out in wind or at distance, but that’s niche and often shows minimal gains in short barrels.
• Slower than 1:16 (e.g., 1:17+) is rare and usually not recommended.
Bottom line: Stick with 1:16 for a 4.5” .22 LR barrel unless you have a very specific ammo/load in mind that demands otherwise. It’s the proven, no-fuss choice.