Sharps 50-90: effect of slower twist rates on accuracy

[Lead pot]

Perhaps they might have shot better if the load was cut down some to slow it down a little. The upper left three are very tight and they were shot #2,#3 and#6 in that order.
I might work with this size bullet a little more using a slower powder like regular Goex 1F and a different wad combination to slow the velocity down some.

Kurt

[dcwilliams29id]

Those 400 grainers probably did feel like shooting a Red Ryder after those big 'ol 700 grain cannon projectiles

[appleseedgunsmith]

I have owned a 50-90 for some time. My load consists of a 745 gr. bore riding spitzer bullet (my CAD design & cut by steve brooks) on top of 90 gr. of Goex fffg and 2 beeswax discs. I am getting 1150 fps. Recoil is substantial even from a 12 lb rifle. Accuracy is hovering at 2.5"@ 100yds and it will shoot through just about everything!

[Multigunner]

Has anyone heard of Mercury being used to surface harden .50 Sharps bullets?
I'd read a list of items taken on the Stanley/Livingston expedition and they carried several Sharps rifles. Among the list of loading supplies was Mercury to be used to harden cast bullets for their Sharps rifles.

I figured this was some sort of heat treatment to allow heavier powder charges while avoiding stripping into the grooves.

[Lead pot]

You would have a hard time getting a properly fitted lead bullet to strip using black powder.
I shoot my 718 grain bullet at 1304 1327 if I compress 2f tight cast with 1/40 alloy and I have never seen any signs of stripping with all the bullets I recovered. But I have found bullets that stripped when I cast them at 1/16.

The .50 will shoot very good if you can swallow the recoil. Learn to roll with the recoil and don't shoot it in the dark (closing your eyes) and it will put the bullet where it belongs.
I read a lot that the .50-2.5 is no good for shooting in long strings at a match well that might be true for some that are recoil sensitive but dont you ever let my .50 hear you say that. When I go to a long range shoot I take 400+ rounds just to shoot a few days before the match because I don't have a place to shoot past 200 yards so I take advantage of the time I'm at a long range. I end up loading more rounds just so I can shoot the match. After 5-600 rounds fired in a few days I still have placed very good with 600 other shooters on line at the Quigley shoot with the extended recoil my Calamity will give me.


Kurt

[appleseedgunsmith]

with 90 grs? goex? what is your seat depth?

[Lead pot]

90 grains is minimum in my cases or I have to add more wads to put a little compression on the load. My load is 110 grains of 1F and 2F goex express using the Star line brass or 118 grains for the Bell brass to keep the same compression.
My bullet from a Brooks mould is 1.497 long and it weighs 720 grains with 1/40 alloy that I mostly use in the .50 and that bullet takes the whole block with just maybe 3/32" left on the bottom of the block and it is seated in the case about .640"

Kurt

[appleseedgunsmith]

that is serious compression. mine goes to .680 with 3f. im gonna have to try the coarser stuff

[Lead pot]

No not really. I compress .380

[appleseedgunsmith]

never heard of mercury being used but it is possible. would be hard to duplicate now since mercury is soooo.. not politically correct and is regulated. old timers used to drop a silver dime in the pot as well. i have done this and it has some merit. a silver dime will melt in my 900 degree pot, but then i use a turkey fryer with a 75 pound capacity dutch oven on it.

[Multigunner]

I found this passage in an old Encyclopedia Britanica Dictionary of Arts and Sciences at google books.

The bullets of sporting rifles, and particularly those of Express rifles, are often lighter than military bullets, and made with hollow points to ensure the expansion of the projectile on or after impact. The size and shape of the hollow in the point vary according to the purpose required and the nature of the game hunted. If greater penetration is needed, the leaden bullet is hardened with mercury or tin, or the military nickel-coated bullet is used with the small-bore, smokelesspowder rifles

Some of the Sharps Cartridges were very much like the British "Express" cartridges, a light bullet compared to the load, to give maximum velocity for the bore size and propellant.

Use of Mercury to harden the bullet seems intended more to reduce deformation and let the bullet drive deeper into meat and bone, so it could be used on heavy game.

Haven't found just how they used mercury yet.

[Rifledude]

I have a Farmingdale 50-90, and did a chamber cast only to find as described above as a VERY long throat. The twist measured out as 1-28" best as I can figure out. I had wondered if it was a PP chamber, and have a friend that has the twin to mine that also has the long throat.
What bullet would you be looking a to make this one shoot a group? I couldn't keep it on paper @ 50 yds w/ conventional grooved and lubed bullets of 515 gr and 450 gr.
Thanks in advance for your input.

[Don McDowell]

Rifledude your best bet would be to do a chamber cast and then use a 550 or 600 grain bullet the diameter of the measurement of the throat.