Been thinking of putting something together and I was down at my friendly barrel makers shop and found an old chrome moly blank in the corner. 1-24" twist, .500 bore and .511 groove. Was thinking 50-110 Express... Now I need an action to build this on.... What would you use? A Win or Browning High Wall came to mind initially. Oh, and this barrel is a full 38" long....too bad it's not a .45.....

Nothing for a carry gun, just a big old rifle to put over the sticks and run the rear tang sight up a few notches and play some...

What is the diameter at the breech and muzzle. A .50-70 on a rolling block, or a .500-577 No. 2 on a martini come to mind as classic .50-caliber single shots. In fact I have one of each of these actions waiting for barrels for just those.

Octagon or round?
Octagon, go American.
Round, go English.
A 500BPE on one of Steve Earle's Fraser actions would be hard to beat as a long range rifle or slim the barrel down for a sporter.

For the sort of BP cartridge rifle you are suggesting I think .50-90 would be a nice choice. Does anyone build walls from adobe in Wisconsin?

I usually go with 50-110; brass is easier to get and there is no need for the large rims of the Sharps cartridges. Any single shot action will work; not sure about the Martini. if it will make the turn into the chamber. I have built them on High Walls, rolling blocks, and even Russian 91s.

Barrel is a straight 1.200", I'd cut a tapered octagon if needed or contour it down also... I certainly considered the Frasier that Steve Earle advertises but really looking for options/considerations. Even considered building my own falling block BUT that would likely put it alongside other 'someday' projects. No adobe in WI, maybe a few rotted wooden log cabins, but those you don't see further away that 50 yards in the thick woods. I can get a paltry 700 yards on an inlaw's farm and there's an excellent 1200 yard range an hour away.

Really though, if you were to build a long range rifle to shoot over sticks, I suppose the smart caliber would be 45.... Be a shame to cut this barrel short for a shorter stalking BPE rifle.

Okay, I couldn't keep myself from mentioning this because it is such a great story.

quote:

The stand-off continued into a third day, when a group of Indians were noticed about a mile east of Adobe Walls. It is said that Dixon took aim with a quickly borrowed .50-90 Sharps (as, according to his biography, he only had a .45-90 Sharps and felt it could not reach) buffalo rifle and fired, knocking an Indian near Chief Quanah Parker off his horse almost a mile away on his third shot. The Indians then left the settlement alone. Commemorative "Billy Dixon" model reproduction Sharps rifles that supposedly recreate the specifications of Dixon's famous gun are still available today.

Good timing! I am selling a set of Montana Vintage Arms sights.

Soule XLR (the "country mile" 6.18" staff) with the Hadley eyecup. Montana Magnum version with twelve holes in the disc.
#112 Spirit level windgauge front sight.

With my 45-90 I had enough vertical elevation to hit silhouettes at 1800 yards.

The Soule version has 88moa of horizontal adjustment.

The vernier tang staff base is for a Sharps, but you can buy one to fit your action for about a hundred dollars.

Current price for the set is about $925, plus shipping, but I would make you a deal.

Rich

Rich, thanks for the offer. I'll send you a note and see if you still have it when I get this project started...there's a pile of things in front of it and I have to find a suitable action first (in my mind anyway).