Black Powder Cartridge Series - .50-90 Sharps

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

Here we get into a cartridge that I really feel is worthwhile.  It is not for small game but works well from Antelope on up.

When I first started messing around with blackpowder cartridges you pretty much had to 'make your own'.  I got tired of this and contracted with JGS to make me up several sets of chambering reamers to solve the problem.

For this particular cartridge I had them make a reamer based upon the .348 Winchester case blown straight out to make a .50-85 (or 1/10th of an inch shorter than the .50-90 case).  With 450 or 550 grain bullets it works very well.  The first one I made was purchased from me in a weak moment and the next .50 I made was longer.  (We'll get to that)

This cartridge handles smokeless (if you have a strong enough action) just as well as black powder.  .50 caliber bullets are easy to cast and load.

[gitano]

I'd love a Browning single-shot chambered for this cartridge. 'Course I'd love a Browning single shot chambered in just about ANY caliber.
 
Paul

[Colorado]

This may be a darn good round for the sleeving projects too.  
 
 To many projects not enough income..... :frown
 
 Colorado

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

To many projects not enough income..... :frown  

I dunno Colorado... seems to me that there may be too much emphasis being placed on eating and housing.  With enough rifles you could fashion a crude tepee with a simple piece of canvas.[/size]

[Colorado]

I agree, and I told the wife this, but for some unknown reason she just didn't go for??? Go figure???

I explained the kids could just wear the skins off'n the critters we kill with the guns.  Makes since to me.  Heck they run around like wild comanches now any how.

Colorado

[Colorado]

This projects back on, hopefully should be done in about two weeks.  What I need from all of you smart fellers' is reloading data on this guy.  
 
 Other than casting my own, who has good bullets for the round?
 
 Thanks,
 Colorado

[quigleysharps4570]

Might try www.buffaloarms.com for your bullets.

[Colorado]

Thank you sir will give them a try.  Interesting thing about this round, is that reloading dies are really cheap compared to the 50-140.    50-140 were about $300.00 and the 50-90 were about $35!
 
 Colorado

[Colorado]

So the load I'm regulating to is; 36grain mp5477 and the Lyman 500 grain bullet.  This gives a good basic nitro for black load, and still enough thump for elk, bear, cougar and deer.  Should give about 1500FPS and about 2800FPE.



So what do y'all think?



Colorado

[gitano]

At 100 yards?
 
Paul

[Colorado]

No, fifty yards.  Most doubles are regulated between 50 and 75 and are considered close range guns.  It will likely cross at 100 yrds hopefully not more than a few inches.  I can also tweek the load a bit for that yardage as well.

Thanks,
Colorado

[gitano]

As we speak, I have the barrel of an 1878 Martini Enfield being rebored to .50-90. I'm going to be trying for 1650f/s for a 500-ish grain bullet. I've chosen this muzzle velocity goal based on the desire to hunt buffalo with this rifle. The free-ranging herds we have up here are notoriously 'spooky', and long shots, out to my personal max of 300 yds, are apparently not uncommon. I don't like to aim off of an animal I am shooting at. Given the ballistic coefficient of the bullets I am contemplating, and a muzzle velocity of 1650-ish, I should be able to aim at the top of a bull's hump, and still drop the bullet into its heart at 300-ish. That's the paper-whipping anyway. We'll see what happens when reality rears it's ugly head.
 
Paul

[Colorado]

You have buffalo in AK?  Where?

Thanks,
Colorado

[gitano]

There are three herds of free-ranging buffalo in Alaska - the Delta herd, the Farewell herd and the Nabesna herd. The Farewell and Nabesna herds are very remote. You can reach the Delta herd via road. All are drawing only. I've been applying for 20+ years and no success. Each year there are about 16,000 applications for 130 permits. Given those odds, it shouldn't take me too much more than 100 years to get drawn.
 
Paul

[Colorado]

I completed the conversion last week and put the first proof rounds through this weekend.  So far no mechanical issues.  Test loads are all using Varget and run from 45 grns to 72 grns max proof load.  72 grns produced 1938FPS, 4300FPE and about 16+tons pressure with a 515 hard lead bullet.  Regulation is still an ongoing process as I only wanted to proof the gun over the weekend.  Regulation load will be 63 grns Varget and a 525 grain Cast Performance bullet.  Should yield about 1700FPS and about 3500 FPE.  Perfect Alaskan Bear Gun.

Colorado

PS: Recoil was calculated 51 foot pounds at the 72 grn load. Quite stout.