[Jimmy]

I will be receiving a 50-90 Remington Rolling Block in a few days , and have load information, but would like to hear from any of you that have loaded for this round. I have not loaded blackpowder before, and am going to be going slow with this one, but I first have to find dies and brass!

Thanks, Jimmy , think I'll go to bed now...

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Jimmy:
Lyman #46 has some load data. If you're in Canada I know a guy that might have some new brass. Lyman dies are about 1/3 the cost of RCBS dies. Hope this helps.

Bye
Jack

 

[dclark1]

Jimmy,

Get the Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer by Venterino and Garbe. There is good basic information on those loads with two loads. Other good information on the details of loading BP.

dclark

 

[Garth Dial]

Gents,
I really didn't get my Shiloh #1 in .50-2.5" to work well until I discovered paperpatched bullets. It opened up a whole new world of accurate blackpowder shooting. I will never let another naked lead bullet go down my barrel. Think about it!

 

[Longrider]

Hi Garth,

Where do you get your PP bullets? Do swage them yourself? I've been wanting to try PP in my rifles for some time but really don't know were to get quality bullets. I really don't want to get all wrapped up in buying swaging dies, core mould, etc. before I first try them and see if they will perform for me. What paper do you use?

Thanks!

 

[Garth Dial]

PP bullets I get from Montana Precision Swaging. I use a 9# 25% cotton bond made, I believe, by Southworth, which I purchase at the local stationer. I cut patches using a template obtained from C. Sharps Arms Co. I follow the directions found in books written by Randy Wright(C. Sharps Arms Co.) & Paul Matthews(Wolfe Publishing Co).

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Gents:
Ross Seyfried has a long article on paper patched bullets in the latest Rifle Magazine, #220, Dec-Jan 2003. It just came today and I haven't read it yet, but I know beans about PP bullets, Ross generally knows what he's talking about, and the one .50-90 in my cartridge collection is paper patched.

Bye
Jack

 

[rdnck]

50-2 1/2 load

Jimmy--the 50-90 is not always easy to get to shoot accurately. The best load I have found with a grease groove bullet is the 650 grain Saeco 61583 and 104 grains of Goex 2f lit by a WLR primer. I also have an adjustable paper patch mold, and get good accuracy with a 565 grain paper patched bullet and 100 grains of Goex 2f.

Other than these two loads, I have frankly had a difficult time getting decent accuracy out of a 50-90 with straight black powder. Be that as it may, the 50-90 is a LOT of fun, and a very compelling caliber. Shoot straight, rdnck.

 

[Bandito]

50-90 Loads

I will see if I can dig out my old BPCR magazines. Maybe there is a load in one of them. 'dito

 

[ribbonstone]

You'll learn pretty quickly with that 50/90, it may not have been everyones choice as a first round to learn BP loading with, but it for sure will teach you.

Brass will cost more than you suspect, so it will be worth it to use techniques that prolong it's life. In general, sizing is rather minimal with BP loading, so most of the war comes from crimps....work towards a minimalist attitude with crimping and sizing.

Bullest will be a bit harder find as commercail cast...and if that is an old Roller, would be best to slug the bore...in fact, slug it three times: once at the muzzle and once just ahead of the chamber and compare two. the third slug is to be driven completley through the bore, trying to tell if there are any tight spots or loose spots along the way. Given a choice, I'd prefer a bullet aht matches (or .001" LESS) the measurment at the BREECH end of the barrel. the logic being that BP is going to bump up a bullet to that size no matter what diameter is starts out life...may as well have it close to the size it will end up to minimalize distortion.

When you look at cast bullets, would be better served with designes with lots of lube (not only the number of grooves, but the depth/width of the grooves). Twist will have a bearing on bullet weight, and the twist rate used on the 50/90's is variable. Even at 50cal. for hunting I'd prefer a bullet with a flat point rahter than the sharper points of target bullets...if you want to shoot paper or steel critters, would prefer the pointed versions for long range.