50 Alaskan

[tcrocker]

I was toying with the ideal of having my Marlin GS 45-70 changed over to a 50 Ak. Does eny one have eny experance with this round?[smilie=f:

[Lloyd Smale]

yup and its a big step up in power and recoil when using full power loads. Theres a group buy going on right now for a good mold for the 50ak. Youd better jump in fast before its to late.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I was toying with the ideal of having my Marlin GS 45-70 changed over to a 50 Ak. Does eny one have eny experance with this round?[smilie=f:

Fifty years ago when I would shoot anything, I fired one round from a .50/348 in a converted Winchester 71. That was plenty, much nastier recoil than even the Elmer Keith load of 53 gr. 3031/400 Speer. Before converting you might try a few of the EK specials; in a light Marlin 1895 they WILL get your attention. One who knows.

[R.C. Hatter]

:groner: Before you try a .50 Alaskan, you may be much better served by trying either
the Elmer Keith .45/70 load of 53.0 grs. of #3031 behind a 400 gr. Speer SP in your .45/70, or 50.0 grs. of #3031 behind the 300 gr. Hornady HP. As for myself, I can make do without having my teeth jarred loose. With the .45/70, the component selection is much broader and CHEAPER ! I have taken several deer with one shot, using the 300 gr. load and can vouch for its effectiveness in the 1895 Marlin.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

This cartridge is a very popular conversion based on the 348WCF after the case is blown out straight. It is highly regarded as a cartridge for the big and dangerous. It was developed as part of a series of wildcats based on the 348 and they all kick like holy hell, (one of them-the 450-348 required a special fixture for securing the forearm of the rifle or it would be torn off). I too have tried the Keith load of around 53 grains of 3031 in the 45/70 with a 405 grain bullet. It delivers around 1750 FPS and if you like/don't mind taking a physical beating, its a good warmer-upper for the league of 348 conversions. Either it or They will flatten anything huntable in the Western Hemisphere and are definitely no plinkers. Its also an expensive venture as a good M71 is not cheap to convert; neither is the conversion of a Marlin, the brass is expensive and has to be reformed and the reloading dies (RCBS) for a 50 are very pricey. It is definitely a very special combination for special purposes. If your need/desire for this type of performance is strong then I advise you to pursue your interest and wish you the best. LLS

[stubshaft]

There is no doubt that the 45/70 is a great cartridge. I happen to own 4 of them myself and they have accounted for alot of game. However, there comes a time when big is not big enough. If you think you can handle the recoil of the 50 AK then by all means go for it. This is not about which cartridge will kill better or, is most accurate, or cheaper. When you get down to brass tacks a person can get by with only 1 or 2 guns. If you really want to move up to the higher horsepower rifles and pistols then the 50 AK is a good place to start. Brass and dies are available from Midway (starline and Hornady) and like Lloyd said it opens a whole new arena of boolit moulds to play with.

[rob45]

I do not own a rifle chambered for the 50 Alaskan, but have shot one. Definitely an eye opener!

Something to keep in mind is that EVERYTHING will be more expensive about this cartridge. Not only will the conversion itself be pricey, but feeding the gun will always be more expensive than a hot 45-70. But then again, once you let off a few of these rounds you will probably not shoot it as much;-)

With that said, if you have the money to do so and also have other 45-70's in the stable, then by all means go for it. The reason for my stating the access to other 45-70's is this: The rifle I shot is owned by a friend of mine; he puts well under 50 rounds a year through it, but still shoots his 45-70's every weekend. On those rare occasions that he does bring the "biggun", he smiles at me and ask if I want to shoot it. I respectfully decline.

We all have different thresholds for recoil, and we all have different monetary budgets. If these are not obstacles for you, do it and have fun.

BTW, +1 on what Lloyd said about the molds. If you're serious about this, get in on the group buy while you can.

[Lloyd Smale]

I have to argue some of the points here. First hornady makes dies for 50 bucks so the die expense isnt a problem anymore. As to cost of loading it isnt but a few cents more then a 4570 per round. Cost for the conversion is under a grand and thats about what it cost to do a 3 screw ruger in 44 special. If your a handloader and who here isnt you can idle down a 50ak just like you can a 4570. You dont have to beat yourself up if you dont want to. A 450 grain bullet at 1200 fps i mild out of a 50ak, about like factory 4570 rounds and what you have there is a 500 linebaugh level load and about every game animal in the world has been taken with a 500 linebaugh. Then if and when you get a chance to hunt something truely big you have the option of stepping up to a power level the 4570 just cant reach. 550 grain bullets at near 2000 fps will put a hurt on anything including you. Me i load mine mostly with 450-480s at 1800-2000. At that level you know you are shooting something but it sure doesnt make your nose blead. Recoil is about on level with a 375h&h. Bottom line is most guns for tackling really big game kick and if your going to hunt them you have to learn to master the right tool for the job.