The Replica Prop Forum

The Replica Prop Forum
Very cool site I am also a member of

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The .50-110

Many years ago I held in my hands a beautiful original C. Sharps Arms rifle in .50-110 caliber. I actually got to fire that rifle and it's twin also in .50-110. For the last several years when I"ve mention I wanted a Sharps in .50-110, many people have told me that there was no such caliber. Well I've been doing some digging and here now is some proof that Yes, there is a .50-110.

Exhibit "A" Buffalo Cartridges :

".50-90, .50-100, .50-110 Sharps

In 1872 Sharps introduced their 2 1/2 inch case for .50 caliber bullets. This was in the form of the .50-90 Sharps, soon known as the "Big .50". The same cartridge was also called the .50-100 and .50-110 when loaded with lighter bullets and more powder.

The .50-90 Sharps came about when buffalo hunters clamored for more powerful loads with increased killing power. The .50-90 became one of the mainstay cartridges of the buffalo runners. Its case is a rimmed, straight taper type with a base diameter of .565" and a neck diameter of .528". Case length was 2.5" and COL was 3.2" It used .509" diameter bullets.

Factory loads gave a 335 grain lead bullet a MV of 1475 fps and ME of 1630 ft. lbs., or a 473 grain bullet a MV of 1350 fps and ME of 1920 ft. lbs. A 550 grain bullet could be driven to a MV of about 1275 fps and ME of 1985 ft. lbs.

Cases for reloading and bullet molds are still available as of this writing for the .50-90 Sharps. Some of the Sharps Big .50 rifles remain in use today, and Shilo Sharps Rifles of Big Timber, Montana is once again offering new Sharps rifles in .50-90 caliber.

Sharps put both their .40 and .50 caliber cartridges on a "special order only" basis when they went to the .45-90 cartridge series for their regular production rifles. However, the Sharps Big .50 remains one of the most famous of all the American buffalo cartridges."


The .50-110 was also used by Winchester in it's famous model 1886. :

"This is an example of a truly exceptional one-of-a-kind Winchester Model 1886, Take-Down, Fancy Sporting Rifle that was manufactured in 1894-5. What is truly unique about this rifle is that it is factory documented as being chambered for 50/100 caliber. In a Buffalo Bill Historical Center letter dated January 20th, 1987 Winchester Arms Museum Researcher, William L. Porter, states the following (about this rifle): In researching the Model 1886 records, I found that serial number 97359 was a 50/100 caliber arm when it left the factory. This was the only 50/100 caliber arm recorded. The aforementioned documentation is contrary to the rifle as having the "450" added to "Ex 50-100-450". It is the noted authority R. L. Wilson's opinion (letter included), that the factory remarked the rifle upon it's documented return to the factory on either July 1, 1908 and May 28, 1915. The rifle has a blued barrel and receiver with color casehardened lever, hammer and crescent buttplate. Blued receivers are typically found on special order take-down Model 1886 rifles in this serial number range. The rifle has many rare special order features which include: fancy grade, checkered walnut forearm and pistol grip stock, very rare half-round/half-octagon barrel with full length magazine, matted sighting plane on both the round and octagon portions of the barrel, rare 'Winchester Express' rear sight with two folding leaves, ebony pistol grip inlay and eyelets for detachable sling swivels on the forearm cap and butt. 1895 was the first year that the M1886 Winchester was chambered for this cartridge. The hammer has the early style knurling with double border on the spur. The upper receiver tang is roll stamped: "-MODEL 1886-" and the lower tang is marked: "-PAT.OCT.14.1884./JAN.20.1885-" in two lines behind the trigger. The serial number, "97359" is located behind the lower tang screws. The left barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "MANUFACTURED BY THE/WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN .CONN.U.S.A.", followed by "NICKEL STEEL" below the rear sight and "EX 50-100-450". The oval Winchester proof mark is stamped on the left barrel flat between the caliber designation and the receiver. Besides R. L. Wilson's letter and the factory letter, there is also noted Winchester authority and book author George Madis's letter dated August 1, 1994 about this rare Model 1886 50/100 included in the lot."

A Link to a discussion about the Winchester is HERE. There are many great photos of both the take down and the solid frame rifle.

The .50-110 Sharps is based upon the .50-90 Sharps round. The .50-100 and the .50-110 use a lighter weight bullet with more powder, 100 grains and 110 grains respectively. So technically a .50-90 Sharps can be used as a .50-100 and a .50-110.


There are many reloading supplies for the .50-110 WCF, but very few for the .50-90/.50-100/.50-110 Sharps round. And I feel this is sad as when I fired those .50-110 Sharps many years ago I hit the steel gong first time. I loved the could of smoke, the shove of the rifle, not a kick a shove. And while it was a stout shove it was nowhere near as bad as when I fired a .358 Rem Mag.


So if you see a .50-90 Sharps around for a halfway decent price you might want to consider just how much fun you can have with it.


Mark

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Obama and UN Gun Control Measures

http://blogs.forbes.com/larrybell/2011/06/07/u-n-agreement-should-have-all-gun-owners-up-in-arms/

Go read that. and if you write a blog please post it on your own blog. Lets get it out so more people are aware of how our "President" who is supposed to ensure OUR rights is trying to take them away instead.

Mark

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Wow!!!

Obama actually did a press conference without his Teleprompter. I wonder how TOTUS feels about that. You can actually see him looking down to his notes/speech instead of his look left speak, look right. Over and over ad nauseum. Unlike G.W.B. who used note cards and spent most of his time looking out at the audience and who rarely used a teleprompter, B.H.O. looks weird, where G.W.B. looked comfortable. Maybe he's learning? Nahhhh He'll have TOTUS back up there again probably his next conference or speech.

Mark

Ugh!

I don't think I can take any more of this. The lies, the frustrations, the misdirections and obfuscation.

I'm talking about.........


The Main Stream (Lame Stream) Media.


Weinergate is just the latest. The attacks on Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, on ANY Conservative, be they a Republican or a Democrat. The lack of coverage of LEGITIMATE news stories for partisan means. Where is the media with the wildfires in Texas, the tornadoes in Missouri and elsewhere? A brief 30 second bite and then on to just how our great leader is trying to save the planet and his voting bloc. Where are the real hard hitting questions on unemployment? On the health care "Mandate"? Rising fuel costs? Inflation which the government is denying but hits me every time I go to the grocery store, or to the gas station.

WHERE IS THE MEDIA!!!!!!!!!

Yes Fox News does cover a lot of these stories, but Fox ie: Faux, News has credibility issues. What credibility issues? You ask. Most younger voters believe the LSM lie about how Fox, I'm sorry, let me get it right, Faux News is so biased they couldn't tell you the sky is blue without lying.

The perception is there, fostered by the connivance of the rest of the media and the liberal left politicians. The Whitehouse's war on Fox News to label them as "Not a news organization" only fell apart when the other media outlets stood up to the Whitehouse and say "Oh, no you DON'T" they actually grew a backbone. The problem is, it withered away and the other media outlets resumed their jellyfish imitations. The Whitehouse doesn't like a reporter's story, so they get kicked out of the press pool. When will it end? When all the reporters are locked in a closet? Ooops That already happened.

The Media needs to quit being afraid of losing their access to the Whitehouse, and start worrying about doing their jobs. A reporter is supposed to go after the story, the WHOLE story. Not just the parts that look good to their preferred political ally or allies.

Otherwise, they might find themselves as obsolete as the print news is rapidly finding itself.

Mark