I have a .50-110, had another one I sold here to I can't remember who a while back.  

At the risk of getting that same "Big difference between a 50-90 and a 50-140 in internal case capacity", I'll say that it's not an unreasonable rifle to shoot.  My standard load is 114 of Goex express, and a 740 grain bullet.  

I don't shoot it in preference to my .45-90's, only tried to shoot it in a match once, at Alliance NE for the 1000 yard.  In practice, I found my bullets wouldn't chamber reliably, so I shot the .45 instead.  I should load up a couple hundred rounds and try it out one of these days.

A lot of people have trouble handling even lighter recoiling rifles, particularly if they see the big case first.  One of my favorite rifles is my Fields Patent .450 3- 1/4".  I used to take it to the range with 20 loaded cartridges (all the brass I used to have).  I made up a charging elephant full size target that we'd put up at 30 yards, where the rifle is regulated to.  We'd all step up to the line, bring up the rifle and take one snap shot offhand.  Walk down to the target and sign the bullet hole.  Closest to the 2" kill zone took the target and bragging rights home.  A lot of onlookers at the range wanted to try it.  I'm amazed at how many missed the 4 foot elephant head target altogether, at 30 yards.  I could usually put the shot within or very close to the 2" kill zone, as could a couple other of the regulars.  The .450 is really quite tame, it uses a 360 grain or so bullet behind about 105 grains of 2f.  

Black powder works ok. Problem start when someone loads too small smokeless charge in cavernous case. .
Flatlander

Too large area with too small powder charge causes erratic primer flash powder ignition and pressure spikes. Powder lays in bottom of case with empty air space. If you load smokeless in any of the old large black powder cases I wish you the best as I have seen bad things happen. I'll say nothing more. No arguments.
Flatlander

Cbashooter wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2023 at 1:24pm:


When I boke down loaded .50-140 rounds I got with my Sharps that were loaded by Eldorado Custom Loading in Boulder, Nv. back 30 years ago I found rolled up tissue paper filler stacked above the charge of 4198 powder! I was a bit surprised as I avoid such things, and wondered how they might have shot? But I was too scared to try them as the data showed the load to be 1650 fps with a 678 gr. bullet, and didn't appeal to my shoulder, or my Sharps.