.50-140 Sharps

.50-140 Sharps
.50-140 Sharps cartridges
Type	Blackpowder Rifle
Place of origin	USA
Service history
Used by	USA
Production history
Designed	1884
Produced	1884
Specifications
Parent case	.50 Basic
Case type	Rimmed, straight-taper
Bullet diameter	.512 in (13.0 mm)
Neck diameter	.529 in (13.4 mm)
Shoulder diameter	.529 in (13.4 mm)
Base diameter	.551 in (14.0 mm)
Rim diameter	.652 in (16.6 mm)
Case length	3.25 in (83 mm)
Overall length	3.95 in (100 mm)
Primer type	Large rifle
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 638 gr (41 g) FN 1,413 ft/s (431 m/s) 2,829 ft⋅lbf (3,836 J)
Test barrel length: 30" Source(s): The Complete Blackpowder Handbook

The .50-140 Sharps rifle cartridge is a black powder cartridge that was introduced in 1884 as a big game hunting round.

This round was introduced 3 years after the Sharps Rifle Company closed its doors in 1881. The combination of a very large heavy bullet with a lot of powder made it a very effective round for large game.

Nomenclature

The cartridge is commonly called the .50-140 Sharps and is also known as one of the family of the "Big .50" It also referred to as the 3 1/4" 50.

Bullet diameter was typically .512" (13.004 mm) diameter. However, older black powder rounds with lead bullets are frequently loaded with a variation of bullet diameters based on which particular diameter shoots best in that particular gun. The type of rifling (grooves), bullet composition (lead/tin/alloy), etc. affect how well a particular diameter bullet will shoot.

Bullet weights ranged from 600 grains to a much heavier and more powerful 700 grains were used.

The powder charge was typically 140 grains of black powder. Modern subsitutes such as Pyrodex can be used.

History

The .50-140 was created specifically with big game hunting in mind. This cartridge was created about the time that the last of the great buffalo herds had been destroyed. An obsolete round, ammunition is not produced by any major manufacturer also reloading components and brass can be bought.

Rifles are only produced on an infrequent basis by a few companies such as Shiloh Sharps and C. Sharps. The rifles are typically used for buffalo hunting and reenactments. Occasionally they are used for vintage competitions, but the heavy bullet and powder charge produce more recoil than other old-time cartridges such as the .45-70, and so are used less frequently.

References

• Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide Number Two (Revised), Book by Accurate Arms Co, Wolfe Publishing, 2000 p.371