Fifty Caliber Friday

[ATCDoktor]

I was rooting around in my Ammo/Equipment locker last night looking for some scope rings I had rat holed in there somewhere and stumbled on 70ish rounds of 50-95 WCF and 40 rounds of 50/70 govt I had loaded that I forgot about.

Rather than let the rounds moulder in the dark for who knows how long I figured I’d unass my 1876’s and and a repro Sharps Carbine haul them to the range and beat on some steel.

It has been over a year since I’ve had the 76’s out to the range and their accuracy, handling and overall coolness factor is always extremely satisfying.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I had the Sharps out to the range (been at least a couple of years).

1876’s:

Uberti Presidio Carbine on the left, Chaparral Carbine on the right.


Sharps Carbine



All shooting was done offhand at 100 yards with smokeless handloads using H4198 powder and 350 grain boolits for the 1876’s, and Lyman 51514’s for the 50/70.

Guns that shoot like this can make the most mediocre shot (yours truly):look good on the range.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
We have a couple lever rifles in caliber 50 and one is a Chappy 50-95 with the long barrel.
Best load we have found to date is a case full of 3F under a 350 grainer. Crono showed 1465 fps and would shoot 2.25 inches at 100 yards off cross sticks.
Best smokeless load was with 5744 pushing the same 350 grainer at 1465. Will shoot just over 2.25 - 2.5 inches at 100 yards.
Mike in LLama Land

[ATCDoktor]

Mike, I have found that both my 50/95’s need to have a cast boolit that is .514-.515” in diameter to shoot with any degree of accuracy (with either rifle) irrespective of powder used.

I tried everything with my Chaparral to get it to shoot, black powder, smokeless powder, hard bullets, soft bullets and in the end the only thing I could get to shoot well out of it was Barnes original 300 grain JSP’s (those would shoot into 1.5” groups out of the Chappy with little effort but at a dollar a pop old man Barnes can keep them).

Once I saw it would shoot with the JSP’s I just started choking up on the bullet size till I got a diameter that would shoot.

After that it didn’t matter what powder I used they both shot really well.

[rockrat]

Maybe powder coated boolits might work in the Chaparral

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I am in Peru right now and do not remember what diameter we use... this getting to 70 and living at 8000 + is getting trying.
But use whatever diameter you have to. With 3F we cast 40-1. But also we use groove size in the Chappi. With the 5744 loads we load at least .002 over groove.

Now the 50 Alaskan (JES Rebore on a jap 1886) has a .510 groove and we use .5115- .512 with all loads. And the "tumble coat" slugs the same. 500 grainers we push to 1850 fps and lighter 400's or 350's just whatever the job requires. Thwap a yote at any range with a 350 slug and velocity over 800 roll them right over. Especially with 40-1
Have never tried any "J" slugs...

[Bob Busetti]

I was lucky with my Chappy 50/95 Express rifle. The Lyman mold I got cast bullets that were .515. So I opened my sizer/ lube die to .515 & the rifle shot very well with 5744 & Reloader 7 giving me the 1500 fps I was looking for out of my 22" barrel.

[ATCDoktor]

I was lucky with my Chappy 50/95 Express rifle. The Lyman mold I got cast bullets that were .515. So I opened my sizer/ lube die to .515 & the rifle shot very well with 5744 & Reloader 7 giving me the 1500 fps I was looking for out of my 22" barrel.

Yep, .515” diameter bullets were the cure all reference my issues with mine.

As an example of how mine will shoot .515’s I hauled my Chaparrel out to the range this afternoon with 10 rounds loaded with these:



Totally inappropriate projectile for the 1876 but with the bullet seated to an OAL that would eject a loaded round the rifle turned in this 5 shot group at 100 yards.



That was with a middle of the road charge of H4198, velocity was 1180 fps (POI was about 15” lower than my standard 350 grain load at 1500 FPS and I had to hold in a space above the target frame to to hit near the center).

These Chappy’s are exceedingly accurate with bullets that fit their throats.

The bore on mine slugged at .511” and bullets of .512 - 513” would shoot patterns vice groups at 100 yards.

I messed with it for almost a year before I figured I’d move up in bullet size and that fixed my problems.

[If1Hitu]

Wow how could you forget about those beauties?

[Speedo66]

So, when is the appt. with the orthopedic specialist? lol

I sold my original .45-70 Trapdoor Springfield carbine, found the recoil painful.

[GL49]

These Chappy’s are exceedingly accurate with bullets that fit their throats.

That's nice to hear. I just picked up a Chaparral today but it's a 45-75, my 50-95 is a Uberti.

I suppose if I come across a decent deal on a 45-60, I'll probably need it also. What kind of disease do we all have?

[missionary5155]

Not a disease... These are "sound investments". The sound of fun !

[45workhorse]

Just one more is all I NEED!
That's not a disease.