Big 50 is here

[mustanggt]

She's finally here. C. Sharps, 30" #1 heavy, mid-range soule with spirit level globe. Working up loads now. Trying 100, 105, 110 gr of 1F KIK. Next I will try the same weights in 1.5F KIK. Using a 670gr. BACO Money. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=36868&stc=1&d=1319320274 http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=36869&stc=1&d=1319320274

[TXGunNut]

Very nice, congrats on a fine rifle. I'm quite fond of hurling huge hunks of lead but have to ask; why the big .50?

[mustanggt]

Because of the history associated with this cartridge. This was what the real professional runners used and was the forerunner of all the other big cartridges. I love the history of that time and have been reading alot of books about them. I was going to get a 40-70ss but changed my mind after being inspired by my reading. I already have two 45-70s and wanted a new challenge. One day I will take a buffalo with it and relive a little history at the same time. Besides I wanted it. :bigsmyl2:

[Don McDowell]

Looking good.
Anxious to read your shooting reports.

[6.5 mike]

Very nice, I do like C Sharps. :popcorn:

[Lead pot]

What is the twist?

[frankenfab]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the caliber? .50-110?

Nice looking rifle. I could get in to something like that.

[mustanggt]

Kurt, 1-26" twist. frankenfab, just means 110gr of powder. You can call it by whatever amount of powder you can stuff in it. Kurt, what's the most you've stuffed into a 50 2 1/2" case? I started with 90gr but when I looked into the case I thought maybe my scale was way wrong. I swear it only filled it up about half way. I put a wad on top of it and didn't hear it crunch so I said hell that aint enough so I jumped up to 100gr and went from there. :mrgreen:

[Lead pot]

Mustang I settled on 110 grains of 1F with the 720 grain bullet, but my rifle has a 1/22 twist.
I can use 120-2 grains with a PP bullet but it serves mo purpose doing that.

Your 1/26 ROT will perform well with a 600 grain bullet or about 1.4" long, Mine are 1.5" long but I dont think the 1/26 will shoot that long bullet good.
If you ever go with a PP bullet I would get an adjustable mould from Rick so you can work with the length that performs.

[mustanggt]

Kurt, I was thinking of doing just that with a PP mould. I talked to BACO about that particular mould and they said they've done very well with that boolit at that twist rate. So that's why I got that one. We'll see how it works. I can shoot steel beyond 100yds but my range is limited to getting things on paper at the longer ranges. I may have to go up in the hills and find a nice flat spot and set up a target at 2 and 300yds.

[Lead pot]

You will find when you get your bullet length worked out that .50 will just about work with any amount of powder you use. I dont know how long that bullet your going to use with that "money"nose is but I would look for stability problems even at 100 yards with that 26 twist. The Gibbs profile like Rick makes for the .45 would be my choice for a .50 caliber with the 26 twist.
But you will work this out in time with out a problem.

[TXGunNut]

Those are the best reasons, Mustanggt. I'm somewhat aware of the history of the round but haven't read very much about it. Will remedy that soon. Looking forward to a range report.

[mustanggt]

Took her for a spin this weekend. It will take awhile to break it in. If it is any indication 100 and 105grs. may not be it. I have yet to try the 110gr loads of KIK 1 and 1.5F I made. I was pleasantly surprised that the recoil was very managable and I think I won't have a problem with it at all. I also tried 3F KIK in place of my usual 3F Swiss in my 45/70 and it was very close to my Swiss loads. That also will be a work in progress to see if my preliminary trials will be consistent.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like you're having a good time, was wondering about available moulds.
Thanks for the KIK report, I'm transitioning from Swiss as well. Have some loads I hope to shoot next weekend when all the deer hunters get off my range. :cbpour:

[mustanggt]

Took it again to a shoot this morning with the old timers. I'm the youngest at 49. Had a blast with the Big 50. I got it on the 300 yard gong and just went after it and hit it most of the time. Switched to 400 and did the same. I'm starting to get more and more comfortable with it and all my Sharps rifles. We had no wind, which is a rarity here, and was able to get a good zero. The BACO 670gr. money was on the money (pun intended) and the 1 in 26 twist seemed to have no trouble with that twist rate. I will eventually go with paper patch in this one as well soon. 110gr of KIK 1 and 1.5 seems to be the ticket right now. It'll rock ya but it is very tolerable to me.

[EDK]

The BIG 50 is an addictive experience. You can do a lot of logical reasons why not to shoot one, BUT it is what YOU WANT and I love mine. I did "cheat" with a 34 inch heavy barrel and a recoil reducer in the butt stock when the elves at SHILOH built mine...14 pounds blocks the recoil some.

If you ever get to the Quigley shoot, look for bobw. He shoots a 10 pound 50/140 with 500 grain paper patch...scares off the wimps and rattlesnakes on his relay every year!

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[mustanggt]

I'm not afraid of recoil or I wouldn't have bought it. Of course it's easier to not be afraid when you are wearing BACO's recoil shield. :) So if I ever make it to that shoot I will look him up. 50/140 sounds like it will rattle your molars loose!!! :-D Thanks

[TXGunNut]

Big 50 sounds like big dirty fun to me. My .45-90 is pretty tame to me, Big 50's just a little more boom and smoke. What's not to like?
A buddy (and off-duty RO) was setting up to shoot as I was packing up my 45-70 and 45-90. He just started reloading for his mouse gun, been loading for pistols only up until now. He couldn't wait to show me all the different loadings of .223 he'd very carefully assembled, packaged and labeled. I looked them over, and just couldn't help myself. "Hey, that looks just like rifle ammo, only smaller!". [smilie=l:



:bigsmyl2:

[Lead pot]

TNG.

And the smoke is even heavier on a misty rainy day and watching the heavy smoke rings slowly drift away in the light breeze. :-D :Fire:

[mustanggt]

It was really remarkable how much smoke just hung right in the air in front of me after shooting. Much more than the 45-70. Guy that was spotting for me said he'd never seen those steel targets rock like that when hit. When I looked through my spotting scope at the 400 yd target the lead splashes were huge!!! This is such fun awesome and cool rifle. I'm so happy I bought it. Thanks for helping me Kurt.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like a good time painting the gongs silver. [smilie=w: Is that a soft alloy or does it just like to get around? ;)
Just reminded me of the first time I pulled the trigger on real BP in a .54 Hawken. So much fun I was reasonably certain it was illegal and I was risking arrest with every shot. Nice smoke rings too!

[mustanggt]

Just 20-1. Now that I have my 3rd Sharps I think the bug has bit me hard. Now I'm even thinking about getting one chambered in 44-90SBN or some other bottleneck case. Those are $2+ per case and $162 for CH4D dies. Think I'll pull back from spending another $4G to get into another rifle for awhile. As I'm playing with loads for the 50 I'm also loading PP for the 45-70 and eventually the 50 I suppose. Never ending joy in learing new things for me.