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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge. (Read 7685 times)
malkin
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Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Aug 16th, 2019 at 8:02pm
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Does anyone have a safe smokeless powder  load for a 50-140 cartridge in a C. Sharp rifle.
  
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Hiwall55
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #1 - Aug 16th, 2019 at 8:42pm
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I've got an OLD Lyman cast bullet handbook with 50-140 1 in 36 twist shooting 420 grain government  bullet. Starts with 39 grains of  IMR 4198 at 1375 fps  with a piece of dacron on top of the powder. 
I would shoot BP in it if it was mine.
I also shoot 32 grains of 5744 with a 540 grain bullet in my 50/90 Hiwall when I shoot smokless. PM me for more info,Bill
« Last Edit: Aug 17th, 2019 at 8:47am by Hiwall55 »  
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George Babits
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #2 - Aug 17th, 2019 at 10:40am
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Not to be too cynical, but why did you buy a rifle chambered in a cartridge which is definitely for black powder and want to shoot smokeless powder in it?   In my opinion that cartridge has way too much "empty space" between the powder charge and the base of the bullet to be safely used with smokeless powder.  Even with black powder, it "kills on both ends."   Back in the mid 1980s I was shooting next to a fellow at the Virginia City shoot who had a Ballard chambered for the 50-140 and everytime he fired it  (with black powder) he got a bloody nose.

I'm partial to the 50-70, and while it will work quite well and safely with smokless powder, I prefer to shoot black powder in it.

Just my two bits worth.   

George

  
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Hiwall55
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #3 - Aug 17th, 2019 at 12:08pm
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George, I definitely  agree with you.A friend was settling an estate  and he got ahold of me ,he had a roller marked 50 Sharps ,I figured 50/ 70 right,  when I got there it was a Navy Arms 50/140, so I passed . Who in there right mind would shoot a 7 lb.  rifle with 120 grains of powder.
  
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George Babits
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #4 - Aug 17th, 2019 at 2:31pm
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Yea,  when Shiloh first started making cartridge rifles I bought a 50-90.   That was plenty enough recoil to satisfy anyone with a masotistic inclination.   I didn't hang on to it very long.  As for 50 calibers, the 50-70 is really hard to beat.  For more fun though, the 56-50 CF is very pleasant 50 caliber to shoot, as is the percussion 50 caliber Maynard carbine.

George
  
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oneatatime
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #5 - Aug 17th, 2019 at 3:44pm
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Come on guys, we're talking less recoil than a 10 gauge mag with 1 1/2 ounces of shot especially considering that the shotgun probably weighs less than the Sharps. Now 50 rounds prone with either, no thanks! But offhand not much difference.
  
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32-40 Cadet
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #6 - Aug 17th, 2019 at 11:59pm
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Hi Malkin. I am also new to this forum, though not new to large cal single shot rifles. My choice is large frame Martini Henry's and Cadet rifles. The heaviest cal I have is 577-500No2 and I have shot it with smokeless and BP. The case capacity on this round is almost identical to your 50-140. The 500No2 case will take 140gr of FFg level with the bottom of the neck. 
The safe smokeless load I have used in mine is 67gr of ADI 2207 ( IMR4227 ). This is around half a case full and I put some raw wool in to take up the space. Bullet is a paper patched, 500gr RNFP with a cupped base and of my own design. 
My rifle weighs just over 10lb with sights and recoil is manageable. This same bullet over a case full of BP is makes the rifle Very lively indeed! Wink My favourite load is shooting the Lee 50-450-F over 25gr of ADI AP100 ( SR4756 ) once again with wool packing. 
I was using dacron, but our range is located on private property and the owners are trying to keep their pastures toxin free and I thought that Dacron wasn't something that would normally be found in a paddock.  Wink
Hope this info is helpful in your quest.
Cheers,
Tony. 
  
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dibbler
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #7 - Aug 18th, 2019 at 6:25am
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Check the reloading forum at (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

  
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Statesrights
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #8 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 12:44pm
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A great forum!  Some of the folks always offer help.
  
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CW
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #9 - Aug 27th, 2019 at 1:39pm
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The 1996 Accurate powder guide  Revision #1 (hand out from LGS counter) lists 50-140 3-1/4" Sharps and other older BP era cartridges.

50-140 3-1/4" Sharps

Gun  C. Sharps
Barrel length   30"
Primer  FED 215
Case  Eldorado

MAXIMUM LOADS

Lyman 440 SP   5744  55.0 grs  1978 fps
RCBS 550 FN    5744  50.0 grs  1736 fps
Hoch 700 SP     5744  48.0 grs  1529 fps

-CW
  
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JS47
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #10 - Aug 27th, 2019 at 11:05pm
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Malkin,
My neighbor has a Caugswell and Harrison double rifle in 50 BPE that I think is pretty close to the 50-140. He has used it for years with smokeless powder. If you want I can find out his load. I talked him into shooting black powder in it and I think the load he researched was 140 gr. powder and a 425 grain bullet. He did say it bucked a little more than he thought it might.

JS
  
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flint45
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #11 - Sep 4th, 2019 at 7:09pm
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I tried the different loads in the accurate manual the7oo grain loads and my 650 grain cast loads were something good accuracy but recoil was very heavy 40 rounds would give me a sore neck and a headache.
  
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George Babits
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #12 - Sep 4th, 2019 at 9:30pm
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Well, you were doing pretty good since you didn't get a bloody nose too.   Never have figured out why people like to pound themselves to a pulp.

George
  
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40_Rod
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #13 - Sep 9th, 2019 at 9:06am
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If your going to use smokeless it it DON'T use dacron unless you want to ring the chamber. use a cork wad .100" off the powder or if you must use something fluffy use Kapok. Never Dacron I don't care what a book says.

40 Rod
  
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Cbashooter
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Re: Smokeless loads for 50-140 cartridge.
Reply #14 - Sep 9th, 2019 at 9:16am
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40_Rod wrote on Sep 9th, 2019 at 9:06am:
If your going to use smokeless it it DON'T use dacron unless you want to ring the chamber. use a cork wad .100" off the powder or if you must use something fluffy use Kapok. Never Dacron I don't care what a book says.

40 Rod


I've used dacron in 32-40 and 30-30 and other BN cases for years and have not ringed a chamber.is the ringing  particular to larger straight cases? ive heard of it before and usually in 45-70 ,45-90 with large wads of dacron over 4759

« Last Edit: Sep 9th, 2019 at 9:24am by Cbashooter »  
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