50BMG projectiles

[wonderwolf]

50BMG bullet diameter is .511

The 50 black powder cartridge bullet diameter is .512

I'm not thinking of running any of the rainbow rounds (Incendiary, tracer etc) but I'm curious if its plausible for the 50BMG projectiles to be used in the big 50's (50-140). Mostly just for my edification and maybe experimentation if its plausible.

[EDG]

The twist of most .50 cal black powder rifles would not be fast enough to stabilize such a long bullet.

[shotman]

Is a ML barrel the same metal that a High powered rifle is? Dont know just asking. A 50BMG bullet is 650gr up . Dont know of any 50 ml that is that heavy. But I guess you could say "Guys watch this"

[nicholst55]

Is a ML barrel the same metal that a High powered rifle is? Dont know just asking. A 50BMG bullet is 650gr up . Dont know of any 50 ml that is that heavy. But I guess you could say "Guys watch this"

ML barrels are typically made from steels that ARE NOT very hard, and they are not hardened, either. Some custom ML barrels are made from 4140 or similar steels, but not very many. MG barrels are typically made from 4150 steel, which is much, much stronger than your average ML barrel.

[oldhickory]

WonderWolf isn't talking about a ML, he's wondering about using them in a metalic cartridge Sharps as I understand. I still don't think I would do it though, if for no other reason, the cost of .50 bmg bullets.

[rockrat]

Should work just fine as long as you have the twist for it. There was an article in Hanloader, where JDJ made a contender barrel and chambered it for the 50-70 and throated it for the M33 ball bullet (647gr) and he also shot heavier bullets (750's) in it and it performed as he expected it to.
You might have to seat the bullets deep, to be able to chamber them.

[wonderwolf]

I have 2k projectiles sitting under my workbench and even some of the high dollar match bullets as well. I'm was talking about the 50-140 3.250" cartridge In a rolling block.

[Linstrum]

That is a great rifle!

I don't see any trouble at all with your idea as long as the steel of your barrel is up to the harder projectiles. Like has already been mentioned, the types of steel used can vary all over the place according to manufacturer, and with the replica arms I am familiar with, the steel they use is quite often not suitable for hard copper on solid steel-core projectiles if you want to get any life out of your barrel at all. If they are copper jacketed lead-core, then that would probably be alright. I tested a replica barrel for hardness one time and was surprised that it was only 15 Rockwell, about like SAE 1005 low alloy steel used for soft bailing wire and beer bottle caps! That gun was relegated to both cast lead and black powder/Pyrodex only.

With all those .50 BMG projectiles you might think about getting yourself a rifle chambered for the .50 Browning cartridge, I have one and it is a lot of fun.

I went the other way with projectiles, I shoot cast "plinkers" in my .50 Browning since full house loads are expensive even with surplus powder. The Lee 500-grain .515 designed for the .50-70 Gvt works great behind a much-reduced load of IMR5010. I also shoot 0.515" round ball loads in my .50 Browning rifle with a bit of Green Dot or Unique.


rl524

[wonderwolf]

That is a great rifle!

I don't see any trouble at all with your idea as long as the steel of your barrel is up to the harder projectiles. Like has already been mentioned, the types of steel used can vary all over the place according to manufacturer, and with the replica arms I am familiar with, the steel they use is quite often not suitable for hard copper on solid steel-core projectiles if you want to get any life out of your barrel at all. If they are copper jacketed lead-core, then that would probably be alright. I tested a replica barrel for hardness one time and was surprised that it was only 15 Rockwell, about like SAE 1005 low alloy steel used for soft bailing wire and beer bottle caps! That gun was relegated to both cast lead and black powder/Pyrodex only.

With all those .50 BMG projectiles you might think about getting yourself a rifle chambered for the .50 Browning cartridge, I have one and it is a lot of fun.

I went the other way with projectiles, I shoot cast "plinkers" in my .50 Browning since full house loads are expensive even with surplus powder. The Lee 500-grain .515 designed for the .50-70 Gvt works great behind a much-reduced load of IMR5010. I also shoot 0.515" round ball loads in my .50 Browning rifle with a bit of Green Dot or Unique.


rl524


AR-50 has been on my want list. Thats why I have the projectiles, lots of brass powder and primers and the RCBS reloading set up for it as well. Its a lot of pennies to save up. I got a pretty freed up schedule this quarter for school so I might see about a 2nd job heh

[montana_charlie]

I don't see any trouble at all with your idea as long as the steel of your barrel is up to the harder projectiles.
Supposin'...just supposin'...that your barrel is a Pedersoli of recent manufacture, the steel is probably up to the job.

Why? Because the steel they use was developed in by the Germans for building machine gun barrels. The Nazis needed something for their MG-42 that wouldn't 'walk' off target when it got hot...and that is the same stuff Pedersoli is using.

But, whether or not the rifling is fast enough for those long bullets is another story.

CM

[freedom475]

I was just reading an article in "Blackpowder Hunting" (not sure of the date/issue) and there was a 74 sharps, 50-140 in there and he was using a 715gr. roundnose cast at 1300fps and 130gr. 1f BP. Author claimed that this was the original loading for the caliber.

[wonderwolf]

Yes those 700+ gr bullets were mentioned in some of the literature I have dug up on the caliber. Using those really depends on how the chamber is set up. I did a cerosafe casting and besides the fact it took alot of cersafe to fill that chamber up It looks like there is little to no throat, this might call for longer bullets anyways of smaller diameters. Off topic a little I know from the original idea of this thread but from the cerosafe casting ( slugging most likely will give me a different and more accurate dimension) shows a bore diameter of .500 from there I can go any number of directions for projectiles.

[RMulhern]

Boy Oh Boy!!

Well...I've had my grin for the day!!

[jhrosier]

For what it's worth, the .50 BMG barrels have a twist of about 15".
At the much lower velocity and longer twist of a typical BPCR or ML barrel, those 710 gr bullets are certain to tumble badly.

Jack

[Mike Venturino]

About 20 years ago I loaded up three .50-70 rounds with bullets pulled from .50 BMG rounds. I don't remember the exact powder charge but it was probably 5744. Those three bullets cut a cloverleaf at 100 yards from a Farmingdale era Shiloh Model 1874 with a 36 inch twist. They sure made an odd looking .50-70 cartridge.

MLV

[Hardcast416taylor]

I agree with Mike on the odd looking 50/70. A few years back I did about the same thing with some 50/70 cases. I loaded just some loose bullets I had gathering dust into some cases and left them on my loading bench. Eventually a friend that came calling, yes I do have a friend, saw them and asked what they were. I replied they were a new gov`t experimental round being tested. I called it the .50/70 Gov`tmyarm isbrokenthumper loaded with a armor pierceing, incidentary, tracer bullet! All those pretty colored rings on the bullet tip adds to the mystery of what it is. And to think I wonder why people look at me oddly sometimes? :confused: Robert...