Anyone loading 50-140 Sharps?

Used some BP loads in both, but had the best luck with 4759. Used some 4064 as well as some similar powders. Never tried the slow powders like 4831. It was the 4064 loads that had the serious recoil.I would get some 4759 to you but have only 3/4 of a jug left. If I can find some bullets I want to use it in 50-70.
Are your bullets .512? Where are you getting them?I have a couple hundred here someplace but cant find them.
 
Lead bullets and black powder clean up way easier than smokeless when lubed properly. Just saying, don’t let that worry you. I’m going to mess with smokeless in my 45/90 1886 just because I don’t want to disassemble it all the time but my Ped Sharps will only see black.
 
Powder coating will go a long way in keeping the bore clean from powder and lead fouling.
It really works super!.
I use powder coated bullets in my 40/65 Sharps, 8.15X46R Schuetzen, and my 9.3X72R drilling.
I wish I had known about it years ago when I was shooting the 45/70's, 45/110's and that huge 50/140!
Cat
 
MTM said:
Lead bullets and black powder clean up way easier than smokeless when lubed properly. Just saying, don’t let that worry you. I’m going to mess with smokeless in my 45/90 1886 just because I don’t want to disassemble it all the time but my Ped Sharps will only see black.
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MTM said:
Just thought I’d add, a case full of compressed 2f and a 535gr. Bullet give you a good bump in a 45/90. 50/140 should be fun!
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Interesting, never thought I'd hear that B.P. can be easier to clean up. If it were just the barrel bore I'd not care too much, but I don't want to have to remove the butt stock and fore end to clean the all the fire control components each time I use it if I don't have to, nit that it's difficult on a No. 1 but I feel like it will eventually cause the screw heads to get marred and stripped out.

Have you tried powder coated bullets at all? I was thinking about it as I have heard good things(including Cat's post above) about powder coating cast bullets in general. Wondering if that would negate any leading issues with a softer lead bullet getting driven around 2000-2200 fps?
 
Beater said:
i shot one out of a sharps. 5744 worked the best but i also experimented with decent results with H 1000
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Wishing now I hadn't sold the last of my H1000 when I sold my 7mmRM. Still have that IMR4831 left over from that at least. I think I have seen data for 4895 as well which I have a few pounds of for my .308's so at least I have some options to get started with anyway.
 
Iron Sighted said:
Black powder or smokeless powder loads? You have me a little concerned hearing that story. I like a bit of recoil but don't want to feel like I'm getting punched in the head.....guess there is but one way to determine what it's going to be like, still have to wait for a few components to arrive first however.
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Guaranteed, 45-140 is gonna kick like a mule.
 
Soft lead with good lube pushed at black powder speeds should not lead the bore and clean up with water. When you go past 2000 that is another thing. Slightly harder and gas checked might be the ticket.
 
Iron Sighted said:
I expect that for sure, but not nosebleeds I hope. Again, there is but one way to know for sure.....guess I'll find out soon enough.
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I can't help with smokelesss, although I know the data is out there. I used to shoot a Sharps in .50-140. The rifle weighed about 13 lbs. With a load of 135gr of Goex Fg and a 698 grain bullet the recoil was pretty stout. Basically you'd pull the trigger and the rifle would sort of teleport you about a foot behind whereever you were :). I didn't find the recoil painful ( I wore a recoil pad ), but it was enough to prevent any decent accuracy.

Chris.
 
MTM said:
Soft lead with good lube pushed at black powder speeds should not lead the bore and clean up with water. When you go past 2000 that is another thing. Slightly harder and gas checked might be the ticket.
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The Hodgdon data shows velocities right around that 2000 fps range. I'm goiblng to try powder coated bullets and see how they do at that velocity range.
 
gunlaker said:
I can't help with smokelesss, although I know the data is out there. I used to shoot a Sharps in .50-140. The rifle weighed about 13 lbs. With a load of 135gr of Goex Fg and a 698 grain bullet the recoil was pretty stout. Basically you'd pull the trigger and the rifle would sort of teleport you about a foot behind whereever you were :). I didn't find the recoil painful ( I wore a recoil pad ), but it was enough to prevent any decent accuracy.

Chris.
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That is going to be a consideration given that the Ruger No.1 H is definitely a few pounds under 13lbs so I'm thinking recoil maybe be a bit more punishing. At least this this has a nice Pachmayer Decelerator pad on the butt.
 
Well if the recoil ends up being more than you want, you could always set the barrel back and have it chambered for .50-90 which would reduce the case capacity a fair bit, and make brass and dies much easier to find. Do you know the twist of the barrel?

Chris.
 
gunlaker said:
Well if the recoil ends up being more than you want, you could always set the barrel back and have it chambered for .50-90 which would reduce the case capacity a fair bit, and make brass and dies much easier to find. Do you know the twist of the barrel?

Chris.
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Not sure on the barrel twist rate, think I'd have to slug the bore to figure it out. I expect recoil to be a bit punishing but hopefully still tolerable, I never expected it to be a gun I'd burn through 40 rounds with during a range session. I have found that higher velocity cartridges to have more objectionable recoil than ones pushing a heavy, slower bullet so I'm hoping that will hold true for this rifle as well.
 
Iron Sighted said:
Not sure on the barrel twist rate, think I'd have to slug the bore to figure it out. I expect recoil to be a bit punishing but hopefully still tolerable, I never expected it to be a gun I'd burn through 40 rounds with during a range session. I have found that higher velocity cartridges to have more objectionable recoil than ones pushing a heavy, slower bullet so I'm hoping that will hold true for this rifle as well.
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I have had good experiences with a “Nitro” recoil pad. I do not grind to fit, so the contact patch is bigger than normal. Looks bad, feels good.
 
fingers284 said:
If you are pushing 5-600 gr 515 dia slugs to 2000 fps....you are going to be very familiar with recoil even after only one shot
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I have 450gr and 515gr powder coated lead bullets coming my way, hoping to start them closer to 1800 fps and then see if I can tolerate pushing them closer to 2000 fps or if I tap out first, which may very well be the case. Doubtful I'd try for anything beyond that even if my shoulder could take it, lower velocity is lower pressure which will extend the case life of this brass which cost me $6+ per case.
emerson said:
I have had good experiences with a “Nitro” recoil pad. I do not grind to fit, so the contact patch is bigger than normal. Looks bad, feels good.
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Thanks, I'll keep that in mind if the recoil batters me too much. Suppose the mercury recoil reducers in the stock could also be another option to explore.
 
I have a mercury tube in the stock of the #1. Pretty sure it works but does't turn 45-120 into a .223 for sure. I actually think the #1 design has something to do with felt recoil.
The RB has a thin buttstock, not many square inches to spread recoil around. I use a slip on pad on it. Sure cuts the sharpness down.
The mainspring broke on the RB couple days ago. Second one in less than 100 rd. Down to last one again. Doing something wrong here.
 
358 said:
I have a mercury tube in the stock of the #1. Pretty sure it works but does't turn 45-120 into a .223 for sure. I actually think the #1 design has something to do with felt recoil.
The RB has a thin buttstock, not many square inches to spread recoil around. I use a slip on pad on it. Sure cuts the sharpness down.
The mainspring broke on the RB couple days ago. Second one in less than 100 rd. Down to last one again. Doing something wrong here.
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RB = Ruger No.1B?

My No.1 has an after market Pachmeyer Decelerator butt pad on it which should be a decent step up from the stock one. Other than making the rifle weigh 20+ lbs I don't think there is any way to really reduce the recoil all that much with 450-700 gr bullets, perhaps felt recoil can be reduced a little but I think expecting anything other than a lot of recoil is unrealistic. I could fill the space in the butt stock where the action screw goes through with lead shot to add some weight pretty easily. Might try it after shooting it a few times just to see if I can notice any difference. Feels slightly barrel heavy as is so it might help the balance a little bit as well.....maybe I'll go do it now just to see how it balances after.
 
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