Big Bores,
Would you please give me some details about your 50 Alaskan? I need to know if you had it ported, what barrel length, and what contour the barrel is. Also who built it for you?.
Thanks for any replies,
Todd

My barrel is an SSK 12" plus brake, and believe me, you are going to need a brake. The barrel is full bull and the brake has the openings, three of them, on the side, a fish-gill type brake. You can see a picture of one similar on the SSK web page, Encore, more pictures at the bottom of the page http://www.sskindustries.com/enc_pics.html or a picture of my handgun at: http://www.angelfire.com/gu/biggbore/50_AK_750_570_475_450.jpg The brake is larger than the barrel so it makes the end of the barrel kind of funny looking, but you learn to love it. All I can say about it is that you have to experience it to believe it.

[This message has been edited by Big Bore (edited 10-01-2001).]

Big Bore,
Your URL is not working.I am going to have one built by Virgin Valley and just wanted some prior experience.
Thanks,
Todd

Try this URL, Boltgun:

http://www.angelfire.com/gu/biggbore/50_AK_750_570_475_450.jpg

Big Bore had an extra "." at the end.

[This message has been edited by Cannon (edited 09-30-2001).]

Cannon and Big Bore,
Thanks for the URL. What bullets are you using and also what load work have you done?
Are you using a standard throat or one of your own design? What are you doing for brass?
Thanks again,
Todd

Cannon, thanks for correction. I have to remember to not put a "period" at the end of a sentence when that sentence is a URL link, oops!

Boltgun,
The throat in the barrel is SSK's standard throat, whatever that is, but it is not overly long. The extra long ogive of the A-Max bullet allows you to seat it out a lot farther than you would think at first look. The loads that I have all use Reloader #7 powder, Win formed 348 brass, and Federal 210 match primers. For the 450 gr. Barnes original my best load is 59.0 gr. for 1727.7 fps. For the 570 gr. Woodleigh I am using 54.0 gr. for 1445.2 fps, and the 750 gr. A-Max my barrel liked 43.0 gr for 1142.1 fps best. The A-Max was for kicks and giggles, mostly kicks, but the loads for the 450 Barnes and 570 Woodleigh are both below the minimum velocity needed for expansion (2000 fps for each), not that you need any expansion for a .510" bullet. The hard cast lead bullet is a 475 gr. Beartooth LBT LFNGC bullet and I have not worked up a load for it yet. That bullet is a dummy for die set up. I'll be working up a load for that bullet when the Starline brass arrives (Starline is making factory correctly headstamped brass now for the 50 AK). I am hoping that I can work up a load to get 1800 fps, and if accurate enough (I feel sure that it will be) this will be the load that I will use in this pistol. The 50 AK really is a round not to be taken lightly. Start your loads at suggested start and work up slowly. Recoil goes up dramatically as the load increases. Those A-Max bullets are something that now that I have shot some, I do not feel the need to ever shoot them again. Wonderfully accurate (less than an inch for 5 shots at 50 yards) but the recoil was just a bit too much fun for me. The other two load shot right at 1.5 inches for 5 at 50 yards, and the loads do not seem to open up much beyond that at 100 yards if you stay on top of your game, staying easily under 2 inches. The load data that I have came from SSK and from data in "Wildcat Cartridges" Vol 2. From what I have read, other powders may give you a bit higher vels, but Reloader #7 seems to give the best balance of velocity and accuracy in the 50 AK. I know #7 gives me all the velocity and accuracy I want. I'm sure the loads are more accurate than I am so for myself, I see no need to try another powder. Now if that darned Marlin 1895 GS would just arrive so I can have a companion rifle to the Encore, after conversion of course!

[This message has been edited by Big Bore (edited 10-01-2001).]