50-90 Sharps

[DW475]

I tested some loads in my Winchester 1885 50-90 Sharps using Goex 1F and a Lyman 425gr bullet and the accuracy is excellent at 50 yards. Planning to use this on Brown Bear in the near future but not liking the amount of fouling that 1F seems to leave behind. All the load data i dug up for the 50-90 indicates to use the 1F and seems to be the recommended powder. Anyone worked up any loads using 2F in the 50-90 sharps?

[concho]

Lyman 46th edition Reloading Handbook Pg 361 has 50/90 loads 2F is starting 422 Gr.515141 bullet, 58.5 1097fps / Max 90.1440fps
Not one loading for 1F , Total of 8 loads also a duplex . #2 alloy for all loads listed

[Don McDowell]

If you have some Goex Cartridge on hand it works pretty well, but if all you have is 2f use enough that it needs to be compressed about 1/10th of an inch to let the bullet seat. Also be mindful of the lube you use, some lubes allow a lot more fouling build up than others.

[johnson1942]

put 7 grains of reloader 7 in the bottom of the case then your 1 f on top of that, and i bet your fouling goes way down.

[Gunlaker]

I've shot Goex FFg out of my .50-90. I don't think it was any better than Fg. In my experience with Fg, you get less fouling by using lots of powder and some compression along with a heavy bullet. I use 95 gr of Goex Fg and a 698gr Baco Creedmoor bullet for example.

Maybe Kurt will post. He has a lot of experience with this cartridge.

Chris.

[DW475]

I appreciate all the feedback. Got my hands on a can of Goex Cartridge powder this morning and found a Lyman manual at the local shot so will try some more test loads with the Cartrige, Fg and FFg and see if there is any difference. The loads i was testing had 96gr of Goex Fg. I'm thinking the bullet lube might of been an issue. I just cleaned out my lube sizer and put a fresh stick of SPG in it.

[Gunlaker]

I should have also mentioned that I wipe the bore with a damp patch between shots so maybe my idea of acceptable fouling is still too much for your liking.

Chris.

[Lead pot]

Dw.

2F will work just fine in the .50-2.5. as well as 3F.
My .50-2.5 Shiloh is my favorite rifle. I have shot that rifle so much a lot of the blueing is rubbed off and that rifle looks like it's been used for 100 years with the 20,000 + rounds shot through it :)
My .50 shot well with using a 110 grain load of 2F Goex Express powder with a 718 gr Brooks creedmoor bullet. It outshot every sharps rifle I had using that powder.
Below in the picture is a creedmoor bullet shot through a gunny sack filled with several gunny sacks to check expansion of the 1/20 lead tin bullet to see how it would perform on large game. The bullet passed through the sack and stopped in a pile of snow to keep it from further damage after it passes through. A great combination for hunting and long range target. One of the few bullets I would call good for both jobs shot from a .50-2.5.
It sounds like your highwall must have a pretty slow twist in it if your using a 425 gr bullet in it. I think If I was going after one of these big fellows that came down to the creek where I was looking for gold up your way I would use all the bullet my rifle can handle :grin:
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/Alaska%20mining/th_IMG_0002_1.jpg (http://s704.photobucket.com/user/Kurtalt/media/Alaska%20mining/IMG_0002_1.jpg.html)

I would focuse on the bullet design probrably more than the powder. The Creedmoor bullet can be loaded in the case and fired through a fouled barrel shot after shot without using fouling control for many shots fired while hunting and still hold accuracy with a good load.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/940Leadpot/th_IMG_0220.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/940Leadpot/media/IMG_0220.jpg.html)

[DW475]

Lead Pot,
Thanks for the info. I will definately take a look at those bullets. I like the picture you posted. Looks like it mushrooms just right for stopping one of these bruisers. I think a heavy bullet is better. The 425 gr mold i have is one i found when i bought the rifle. I'm very new to the black powder cartridge shooting i didn't realize there was so many options for custom molds........Opens up a whole new fun factor!! My 50-90 is the Winchester 1885 Limited that i picked up at a small shop a while back before i moved up to Southeast AK. I appreciate everyones recommendations. Looks like i need to do a little shopping and get a mold on order!

[DW475]

Thanks for the info.

[Clay M]

My .50/90 Shiloh is an older rifle with 1:36 twist. It really loves the Lyman 515142 500 gr bullet with 100 gr Goex 1F.It shoots this so well I have not tried 2F.Fouling isn't bad with SPG lube,but I still swab between shots for best accuracy.

[Lead pot]

I just looked up which bullets those are. I have three bullets for the .50 of that profile. One is a PP, one a hollow point and the solid.
Those two recovered are the hollow point cast at 1/20 T/L and it weighs 680 gr the solid weighs 718 gr.
The HP is 1.437" long and the solid is 1.495"
Both bullets hit the same point of aim with the same sight setting form 100 to 1100 yards.
The cavity is .250"deep and 120" in diameter.
Steve brooks made these moulds.
These bullets might be marginal in your rifles slower ROT, if its slower than 1/20 like mine.

:grin: Your right there are some big boys that come and visit camp. Even the Blacks are mighty fine looking critters.
That big one up in the trees came down when I was in the creek I backed out slowly when I spotted him coming in but we both minded our own business and he kept on walking. maybe he didn't like the shotgun I had in my hands :grin: That black got close enough to make my hair stand up in the back of my neck and again all turned out well and both of us went our separate ways.

Good luck on your hunt. let is know how you fared.

[DW475]

Thanks for all the info. Getting a new mold ordered tonight. I'll definately share some pictures if im successful this spring. Weathers been pretty mild so far and i still have a couple nice black bears that occasionally wonder through the yard. Those bear tracks in the snow are getting me fired up for season!

[bigted]

i have found a couple ways to load here in the frozen north where there is no time to swab the barrel between shots and the need for shooting to the same point of aim is required ...

1- is my personal favorite ... duplex loads. i load 10 percent smokless under my bp loads and this makes it so i can shoot all day with never a fouling problem. it is safe in a solid new built rifle and i NEVER go past the 10% smokless ... i then subtract the smokless grains from the total bp grains. as such;

a 90 grain compressed bp load would break down as such ... 9 grains of IMR 4227 under 81 grains of 2f or cartridge GOEX powder ... sparked with a cci or remington large rifle primer.

2- the other loading works almost equal in fouling control and is such ... i subtract just enough powder to have room for a 1/4 inch to 3/8ths inch lube cookie... goes as such;

same 90 grain total grains ... i subtract enough powder to have room for the lube cookie and the card wads between the powder and cookie AND the cookie and the boolit base. same powder 2f or cartridge GOEX and same prime.

this last is a bit more in line with a historic style load and allows for several shots into the same aim point. either of these will do what you require and allow several shots without fouling out for hunting these great bears. i still would have a pardner along that is a cool head and willing to help out in case your Brownie is in an ill mood after getting pasted with a bit of a wayward shot.

i would also re state the need for a bp style lube. it made all the difference in my accuracy and fouling control. my current choice is SPG and i also have some of bullshops NASA lube. both will ensure your better success and i use the old bee wax/clear Vaseline mixed 50/50 for my cookie mix.

have fun with your experimenting and please do report back with your results

[Lead pot]

I will go along with the Vaseline mixed 50/50 for a cookie mix. It's a good lube for pan lubing GG also.
But I don't get along to well with the Duplex load. I must admit that I just shot a few loads last year duplexing but the less than 100 rounds I shot of different loads did not convince me that there is an advantage over a straight black powder load for accuracy.

[johnson1942]

thanks big ted for your post. that varifies what i have done with good results. clean accurate and in a modern gun, safe. as for me it was about as clean as shooting smokeless.

[Gunlaker]

Thanks for all the info. Getting a new mold ordered tonight. I'll definately share some pictures if im successful this spring. Weathers been pretty mild so far and i still have a couple nice black bears that occasionally wonder through the yard. Those bear tracks in the snow are getting me fired up for season!

You probably already know, but just in case you don't.. The Badger barrel on your .50-90 has. 1:26 twist.

Chris.

[concho]

Hi Fellows , I am asking for some information about bullet weight for my recently purchased 50/70 Rem/Hepburn ? The barrel twist is a 1in24" at least that is what I get with cleaning rod and marking and measuring for the 360 twist , I have a 425 Gr Lyman mold have not shot or loaded any ammo yet .
I am assuming that a 500 or heavier weight bullet is the best for this fast twist barrel ? I was told it was a 1in36 twist by the owner and it was a Douglass Barrel .
I can't find a Douglass barrel this size anywhere ? The barrel is 1.125 across the flats end to end Octagonal , I found this size at Green Mountain and Twist matched !
In short ! what Bullet weight for this fine old gun would you fellows start with and maker for the mold ? Lee ,Lyman, ETC, ETC ? Thanks Concho

[Don McDowell]

Douglas does not make the barrels for the good stuff like they used to, so don't be surprised if your trusty ol smokepole with the "Douglas" barrel doesn't match anything in their literature today. I have a 54 Hawken flintlock with a Douglass AA barrel, but you won't find those listed anymore either.
Start with what you have and see if she'll shoot those bullets , if not then move up in weight. Sometimes the faster twist isn't as much trouble as it will stabilize the lite bullets, but a twist to slow for the heavy bullets will be spray and pray, one shot at a time.

[concho]

Thanks McDowell , as soon as the cold spell is over I will shoot her making ammo for it today .

[DW475]

Bigted, thanks for the info. I just casted up a bunch of bullets with the new RCBS mold that showed up on Saturday and lubed them with SPG. I need to get some test loads out to the range this weekend to see how they shoot. They should be a lot better than the 425gr bullets i started with.

[DW475]

Didn't get a chance to get back on here due to work but found the heavier bullets are working better out of the 50-90 with less fouling. No bear picture to share yet. I passed up 21 brown bears this past spring, most seemed to be in the 6-7' range or were sows with cubs. Hoping this fall produces some bigger bears on the beaches up here!