50 Caliber magnum?

[russellshaffer]

I attended a shoot Saturday, fireing at moving targets at about 20 yards. One of the guys fired his Kentucky/ plains type pistol with 120 grains loaded. Everything was fine but it got his attention for sure. We had a great time.

 

[hanshi]

120 grains of powder in a .50 pistol!? Most of that powder is burning in front of the muzzle and giving little more than additional recoil. The term "muzzleloader" and "magnum" simply don't belong together in my opinion.

 

[Le Loup]

I attended a shoot Saturday, fireing at moving targets at about 20 yards. One of the guys fired his Kentucky/ plains type pistol with 120 grains loaded. Everything was fine but it got his attention for sure. We had a great time.

I think anyone who puts a 120 grains into a pistol needs their head read! I would not want to be anywhere near him!
Keith.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Him and anyone standing close by was lucky that day. I would find a new group to shoot with. 120 grs. in a BP pistol is a good way to meet the devil.

 

[russellshaffer]

120 grains of powder in a .50 pistol!? Most of that powder is burning in front of the muzzle and giving little more than additional recoil. The term "muzzleloader" and "magnum" simply don't belong together in my opinion.

Sometimes I just have to agree with hanshi and this is one of them. I don't know exactly how he did it, maybe used a measure set for a rifle? I couldn't have been a double powder charge because who would use 60 grains in that pistol?

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I remember reading a story/anecdote in Muzzle Blasts about a guy who was in the 4th of July Spirit and stuffed a pistol barrel full of powder, held it high and pulled the trigger. I remember something about a catastrophic failure and how all the guy had left in his hand was the trigger guard bent around his little finger

 

[Carbon 6]

I remember what Uncle Ben said, "with power comes great responsibility"

Glad no one was injured.

 

[Swandog]

This guy tested what it took to blow up a muzzleloader rifle. It was smokeless that finally did it in.

 

[tenngun]

Got to say big waste of powder. Thinking about it from an unemotional side I have a CVA Mountain pistol. It’s got a 15/16 barrel. A .50 with a 15/16 or even a 7/8 a 120 graincharge would soundbig but not dangerous. Do you think the short barrel same thickness would be more likely to blow?
It’s not going to turn the pistol magnum. It will kick more, and probably have lower velocity then a reasonable load, but I wonder that it would be dangerous to anything but the shooters wrist.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Got to say big waste of powder. Thinking about it from an unemotional side I have a CVA Mountain pistol. It’s got a 15/16 barrel. A .50 with a 15/16 or even a 7/8 a 120 graincharge would soundbig but not dangerous. Do you think the short barrel same thickness would be more likely to blow?
It’s not going to turn the pistol magnum. It will kick more, and probably have lower velocity then a reasonable load, but I wonder that it would be dangerous to anything but the shooters wrist.

Unfortunately, not all pistols come with such heavy weight barrel walls. I see some of the stuff Dixie imported 50 years ago, with thin wire twist barrels and other stuff, certainly safe with moderate loads when in new good condition, but not with "loco" loads or after years of neglect. I have seen lots of barrel photographs showing failure with normal loads and just a short started ball, or with a minnie ball that slid forward. It is actually dangerous to go by those "scientific" lab tests to see what blows up a barrel. Did they compromise the barrel wall with deep underlug and sight dovetails. how well did the breech system match the threads on the cheaper import barrels, etc. Fact is many barrels have split over the years and it did not take a large load to do it.

Years ago, I ordered some 50 caliber 7/8 rifle barrels from Dixie for $15 a piece. Till they were breeched, the wall thickness where the breech plug snugged up against the barrel was far too thin for "bubba watch this charges."

If you think it is no big deal or impossible, load up one of those 10 inch belgian twist barrel pistols that Dixie once sold, full of powder hold it vertical over your head and pull the trigger. I'll stand back about 200 ft with my telephoto video camera and film you.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I also took notice that the guy in the video also poured down the barrel directly from a flask. It was also a CVA or traditions Kentucky with a much stronger breech system than many guns have. Either a 7/8 x 45 caliber, or thicker barrel by 50 caliber.

 

[tenngun]

Unfortunately, not all pistols come with such heavy weight barrel walls. I see some of the stuff Dixie imported 50 years ago, with thin wire twist barrels and other stuff, certainly safe with moderate loads when in new good condition, but not with "loco" loads or after years of neglect. I have seen lots of barrel photographs showing failure with normal loads and just a short started ball, or with a minnie ball that slid forward. It is actually dangerous to go by those "scientific" lab tests to see what blows up a barrel. Did they compromise the barrel wall with deep underlug and sight dovetails. how well did the breech system match the threads on the cheaper import barrels, etc. Fact is many barrels have split over the years and it did not take a large load to do it.

Years ago, I ordered some 50 caliber 7/8 rifle barrels from Dixie for $15 a piece. Till they were breeched, the wall thickness where the breech plug snugged up against the barrel was far too thin for "bubba watch this charges."

If you think it is no big deal or impossible, load up one of those 10 inch belgian twist barrel pistols that Dixie once sold, full of powder hold it vertical over your head and pull the trigger. I'll stand back about 200 ft with my telephoto video camera and film you.

Your points on mark, but I got to say a .50 cal barrel that’s not fit to stand a 120 graincharge is probably not safe with reasonable charges.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I have two specially made pistols for blank charges. They are for making noise. One is 24 ga and the other ten ga. The barrels are almost TWO INCHES across the flats. They are made for heavy charges. Even then, I don't go over 150 grains in the 10 ga. In the USA, the manufacturer's max load recommendations are about one half of what they say for the same gun in Europe. I just don't know how our powder compares to their powder. In European video's the powder granules are large like the size of black sunflower seeds. I really do not know if "Bollerpulver" is comparable to our black powder. But the max for the 24 ga is 18 GRAMS of Bollerpulver. (about 205 grains of powder)

 

[Gene L]

I remember what Uncle Ben said, "with power comes great responsibility"

Glad no one was injured.

"With POWDER comes great responsibility."

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

The most I’ve ever shot in a pistol was 60 grains FFFg in a .54 martial horseman’s cavalry pistol.

120 grains in a .50 is idiotic.

 

[Treestalker]

The only thing missing was the super glue on the patch to hold the ball in place!

 

[Carbon 6]

The only thing missing was the super glue on the patch to hold the ball in place!

Oh I think there was one more thing missing.

 

[towgunner11h]

Hope this isn’t too off-topic, but my first rifle was an Investarms .50 Hawken. Was shooting it one day with my dad and brother. Some other shooters started asking questions since muzzleloader were rare in our neck of the woods in ‘75. Let my brother load it for me without supervision, and he thought it would be funny to put 210 grains in it under the round ball. It set me back a bit (I was 12) but otherwise all was well, but boy, was I angry. Still have the rifle, and it is still a tack driver with slugs or balls.