Thread: .50 Eley loading info

Is there anyone on here with actual experience loading .50 Eley?

Same case as .500 nitro but the lower pressure cartridge prior to the nitro.

This .50 Eley is in great condition and has a good bore.

Any real world info appreciated

Cheers

I made up a .500NE 3 1/4in on a New England/ H&R single shot & shot that a lot, it was like being in a Car Smash each shot with full Nitro loads & I know a bit about reloading that case both Nitro & light Nitro/BPE loads !

Is it a Double or single shot, I'm thinking a single as you are calling it by the .50 Eley name ?

Originally Posted by Scout

I made up a .500NE 3 1/4in on a New England/ H&R single shot & shot that a lot, it was like being in a Car Smash each shot with full Nitro loads & I know a bit about reloading that case both Nitro & light Nitro/BPE loads !

Is it a Double or single shot, I'm thinking a single as you are calling it by the .50 Eley name ?

@Scout good guess

Original 1885 .50 Eley
Round number 3 barrel
British proofs
Shotgun butt
1889 from the serial numbers
Probably for the Indian market
Very tidy and straight rifle with a good bore
Nice trigger at 4.5 pounds
Hopeless American express sights.

I have borrowed it to copy the stock for the 1885 I'm doing up

The owner has cases but has never fired it.
But is keen now as I have a heap of .50 450 grain projectiles for another project

Originally Posted by Scout

I made up a .500NE 3 1/4in on a New England/ H&R single shot & shot that a lot, it was like being in a Car Smash each shot with full Nitro loads & I know a bit about reloading that case both Nitro & light Nitro/BPE loads !

Is it a Double or single shot, I'm thinking a single as you are calling it by the .50 Eley name ?

I'm picking you had your fun and sold it on ?
That would have been a beast of a rifle
Complete re barrel or a re bore or open up the chamber on a .50 something ?

Originally Posted by muzza

is it a 500 x 3" case? There are a bunch of 500 lengths and loads so you need to know which one you have .

Only only took the rifle not the cases.
It would have been to tempting if i had the cases as well !

Stuff one full of black powder
Hammer in a projectile with a soft face hammer
Let the beast loose for the first time in decades !

First thing to look into is the British proofs
Crown over V and a couple I will need to blow up to decide what they are

Chamber is 3 1/4"

Proofs

Yes it is gone, I was shooting it in a few big bore shoots (with full loads & arm goes numb & fingers can hardly reload) & one of the shooters wanted it badly so I sold it, strangely with in that week I was offered a Winchester Model 1885 in .50 Eley I think these are normally in 3in case, if it had been in .50/110 -.50/100 I may have grabbed it but in hind sight I wish I had !

That was why I was thinking it would be a single shot !

Originally Posted by Scout

Yes it is gone, I was shooting it in a few big bore shoots (with full loads & arms goes numb & fingers can hardly reload) & one of the shooters wanted it badly so I sold it, strangely with in that week I was offered a Winchester Model 1885 in .50 Eley I think these are normally in 3in case, if it had been in .50/110 -.50/100 I may have grabbed it but in hind sight I wish I had !

That was why I was thinking it would be a single shot !

I also nearly brought an 1885 50 eley years ago
But the guy I was looking to buy it off seemed very dodgy and I decided that it was not worth the aggravation or to find it was stolen or what ever

400 grain lead bullet, 140 grains Fg, according to Cartridges of the World.

Can you take a pencil rubbing of the proofs?
Then take a picture of that?

So looking properly with a magnifying glass I can compare the proofs with on line and they are London Proofs as expected.

the Winchester caliber marking is .50 Eley but the proof caliber is 50 EXP

50 Exp is 50-110 as far as I know.

Shoot something with it.

Originally Posted by norsk

50 Exp is 50-110 as far as I know.

Shoot something with it.

@norsk this one is probably to good for me to be allowed to hunt with !

But a well used Norwegian one in 50-110 That has shot a truck load of moose in its lifetime would for the bill