The .50-140 Sharps (13×83mmR), also known as the .50-3" Sharps, is a
black-powder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...
rifle
A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...
cartridge that was introduced in 1884, as a
big game hunting round.
It is believed to have been introduced for the
Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878
The Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 is a single-shot hammerless falling-block action rifle designed by Hugo Borchardt and made by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company. It closely resembles older Sharps Rifles but has a firing mechanism that uses a ...
rifle. The cartridge is very similar to the
.500 Black Powder Express.
This round was introduced by Winchester 3 years after the
Sharps Rifle Company closed its doors in 1881. It is similar to, though larger than, the
.50-90 Sharps.
With the Sharps Rifle Co. officially closing in 1881, and with the .50-140 being introduced 3 years later, the .50-140, will not be classified as Sharp's most powerful rifle cartridge.
Specifications
Bullet diameter is typically , with weights of .
The powder charge is typically of
black powder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...
. Modern substitutes such as
Pyrodex
A black powder substitute is a replacement for black powder (gunpowder), primarily used in muzzleloading firearms. Substitutes may have slightly different properties from gunpowder such as: reduced sensitivity as an explosive, increased efficien ...
are sometimes used, although using smaller charges since pyrodex is less dense than black powder. In a strong action with modern smokeless powder, it can exceed a
.458 Winchester Magnum velocity while using a heavier bullet.
Dimensions
History
The .50-140 was created for big game hunting, and was the most powerful of the Sharps Bison cartridges.
However, it was introduced about the time of the end of the great
Bison
A bison (: bison) is a large bovine in the genus ''Bison'' (from Greek, meaning 'wild ox') within the tribe Bovini. Two extant taxon, extant and numerous extinction, extinct species are recognised.
Of the two surviving species, the American ...
herds.
An obsolete round, ammunition is not produced by any major manufacturer although reloading components and brass can be acquired or home-built.
Rifles are infrequently produced by a few companies. They are typically used for bison hunting and reenactments. Occasionally, the .50-140 is used in vintage competitions, although some shooters claim it produces heavier recoil than other old-time cartridges such as the
.45-70.
See also
*
List of rimmed cartridges
Below is a list of rimmed cartridges (R). Although similar, rimmed cartridges differ from rimfire cartridges (list). A rimmed cartridge is a cartridge with a rim, whose primer is located in the center of the case head; the primer is detonated by ...
*
List of rifle cartridges
List of rifle cartridges, by primer type, Caliber, calibre and name.
File:Cartridge Sample 2.jpg, 350px, From left to right: 1 .17 Hornady Mach 2, 2 .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, 3 .22 Long Rifle, 4 .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, 5 .17/23 SMc, 6 5mm ...
*
13 mm caliber (greater than .51 inches)
References
*''Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide Number Two'' (Revised), Book by Accurate Arms Co, Wolfe Publishing, 2000 p. 371
External links
Sharps*
{{DEFAULTSORT:50-140 Sharps
50-140 Sharps
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number.
Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs.
Mathematics
5 is a Fermat pri ...
Rimmed cartridges
Sharps cartridges