Rifle · Proprietary
.50-120 Sharps
A large-capacity blackpowder buffalo cartridge from the tail end of the great-hunt era, loading roughly 120 grains of black powder behind a heavy .512-inch lead bullet in a 3¼-inch straight case.
- Caliber
- 0.512″ · 13.005 mm
- Introduced
- 1877
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target
- Status
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1877
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Sharps Rifle Company
- Manufacturer
- Sharps Rifle Company
- Standard
- Proprietary
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Scarce
- Twist (typical)
- 1:22
- Primer
- Large Rifle (Boxer)
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 1200 yd
- Recoil
- 30–45 ft·lb
Introduced by Sharps Rifle Company
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .50-120 Sharps, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 13.01 | 0.512 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 13.44 | 0.529 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 14.28 | 0.562 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 16.56 | 0.652 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 82.55 | 3.250 | · |
| Overall length | 100.33 | 3.950 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .50-120 Sharps is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Connected reference
History
Introduced by the Sharps Rifle Company in the late 1870s as the buffalo herds were already being decimated, the .50-120 arrived near the end of the commercial hunt it was designed for. It survives today among black-powder cartridge rifle (BPCR) silhouette shooters and single-shot enthusiasts.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .50-120 Sharps use?
- .50-120 Sharps typically uses a 1:22 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .50-120 Sharps?
- .50-120 Sharps uses a 0.512″ (13.005 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .50-120 Sharps still in production?
- .50-120 Sharps is obsolete; typical availability is scarce.
- What is .50-120 Sharps used for?
- .50-120 Sharps is primarily used for hunting, target.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →