Cartridge comparison
.500/450 Magnum Black Powder Express vs .500/450 Magnum Nitro Express
.500/450 Magnum Black Powder Express and .500/450 Magnum Nitro Express are both in the reference; see the full spec comparison below.
Side by side
| .500/450 Magnum Black Powder Express | .500/450 Magnum Nitro Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Rifle | Rifle |
| Introduced | 1870 | 1898 |
| Bullet diameter | 0.458″ | 0.458″ |
| Case length | 3.25″ | 3.25″ |
| Max pressure | 18,000 psi | 40,500 psi |
| Recoil | 54.5–59.7 ft·lb | 102 ft·lb |
| Effective range | 150 yd | 100 yd |
| SAAMI | Not SAAMI standardized | Not SAAMI standardized |
| CIP | Not standardized | Not standardized |
| Obsolete | Obsolete | — |
Highlighted cells hold the clear edge where both sides have a number. Every figure is a range maximum from the reference; typical loads run lower.
Case profiles, to scale
Drawn to the same scale, so the proportions are true. Physical size varies with your screen.
