Cartridge comparison
.500 Black Powder Express vs .500 Nitro Express 3 1/4"
.500 Black Powder Express and .500 Nitro Express 3 1/4" are both in the reference; see the full spec comparison below.
Side by side
| .500 Black Powder Express | .500 Nitro Express 3 1/4" | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Rifle | Rifle |
| Introduced | 1860 | 1890 |
| Bullet diameter | 0.51″ | 0.5118″ |
| Case length | 3.0098″ | 3.2677″ |
| Max pressure | 18,000 psi | 18,000 psi |
| Recoil | 76.5 ft·lb | 91.9–93.5 ft·lb |
| Effective range | 100 yd | 250 yd |
| SAAMI | Not SAAMI standardized | Not SAAMI standardized |
| CIP | Not standardized | Not standardized |
| Obsolete | 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.
