Down Range Velocity ?

[Harve Curry]

Has anyone figured the down range velocity for a 56-50 Spencer? With a 350gr bullet at black powder velocities.
I have a chronograph but don't trust myself at ranges over 15 feet

[Fox Creek Kid]

Taking a rudimentary # such as 1200 fps for point of reference I would hazard a guess that velocity loss is rapid, say 1050 or less at 100 yds. & then plummeting thereafter. Merely a guess Harve as I don't have software to run it and you need to know the sectional density of said bullet. If it's still 900 fps at 200 yds. that would be amazing.

[Harve Curry]

Found a website to calculate data here:   http://www.uslink.com/~tom1/calcbc/calcbc.htm

Rapine 520350 mold:
WW cast 350gr. flat base, diameter .521" , bullet length .782"  , ogive length.300" , metplate diameter(flat tip)  .275" ,
ogive base width .465" .

Calculated this information:
Ogive radius in Nose Diameter  1.12
Sectional Density                   0.1842
Form Factor                          0.752
Ballistic Coefficient                 0.245

My original M1865 carbine rear sight is marked from 200 to 900 yards with the ladder up.
No yardage mark in the down position notch. Most of us know those extreme distances markings were meant for volley fire at a line of the enemy. But what is the velocity? I suspect it's more then we think as heavy subsonic bullets initially loose speed quickly, then slow down gradually.
Does anyone have an up to date reloading manual with data on the 500 S&W? Any 500 S&W light lead loads listed?
(As an aside note, I read along time ago that it takes a blunt object 200 FPS to penetrate human skin.)

[Fox Creek Kid]

...I read along time ago that it takes a blunt object 200 FPS to penetrate human skin.)

About 375 fps is considered the minimum to penetrate into a body.

[Harve Curry]

Thanks FoxCreek.
I'll venture to guess then, that will be the approximate velocity at 800-900 yards of a decending Spencer bullet.

[Harve Curry]

This is interesting. Found it here:
http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx
just type in the known data and click calculate, should be useful to all shooters.

Max Point blank range is 109 yds when zeroed at 90 yds.
(it got jumbled up, 4th column is fps.
yds Path
in ComeUp
clicks Velocity
Energyfps
ft/lbs Momentum
lb ft/s ToF
sec Windage
in Windage
clicks Optimal

Range        FPS                                       Game Wgt
0.5 Infinity 1100 940 55.00 0.000 0.0 NaN 245
25 2.6 -39 1073 895 53.66 0.069 0.0 0 227
50 3.7 -28 1049 855 52.43 0.140 0.0 0 212
75 2.9 -15 1026 818 51.31 0.212 0.0 0 199
100 0.0 0 1006 786 50.28 0.286 0.0 0 187
125 -5.1 15 987 757 49.33 0.361 0.0 0 176
150 -12.3 31 969 730 48.46 0.438 0.0 0 167
175 -21.9 48 953 706 47.64 0.516 0.0 0 159
200 -33.9 65 938 683 46.89 0.596 0.0 0 152
225 -48.3 82 924 663 46.19 0.676 0.0 0 145
250 -65.3 100 910 644 45.52 0.758 0.0 0 139
275 -85.0 118 898 626 44.88 0.841 0.0 0 133
300 -107.3 137 885 609 44.27 0.925 0.0 0 128
325 -132.4 156 873 593 43.67 1.011 0.0 0 122
350 -160.3 175 862 577 43.10 1.097 0.0 0 118
375 -191.2 195 851 563 42.55 1.185 0.0 0 113
400 -225.0 215 840 549 42.01 1.273 0.0 0 109
425 -262.0 235 830 535 41.49 1.363 0.0 0 105
450 -302.1 256 820 522 40.99 1.454 0.0 0 101
475 -345.5 278 810 510 40.50 1.547 0.0 0 98
500 -392.1 299 801 498 40.03 1.640 0.0 0 94
525 -442.2 322 791 487 39.56 1.734 0.0 0 91
550 -495.7 344 782 476 39.11 1.830 0.0 0 88
575 -552.8 367 773 465 38.67 1.926 0.0 0 85
600 -613.6 390 765 455 38.24 2.024 0.0 0 82
625 -678.1 414 756 445 37.82 2.123 0.0 0 80
650 -746.4 438 748 435 37.41 2.223 0.0 0 77
675 -818.6 463 740 426 37.01 2.324 0.0 0 74
700 -894.8 488 732 417 36.61 2.426 0.0 0 72
725 -975.1 514 724 408 36.22 2.530 0.0 0 70
750 -1059.5 539 717 399 35.85 2.634 0.0 0 68
775 -1148.3 566 709 391 35.47 2.740 0.0 0 66
800 -1241.4 592 702 383 35.11 2.847 0.0 0 64
825 -1338.9 620 695 375 34.75 2.955 0.0 0 62
850 -1441.0 647 688 368 34.39 3.064 0.0 0 60
875 -1547.7 675 681 360 34.05 3.175 0.0 0 58
900 -1659.2 704 674 353 33.71 3.286 0.0 0 56

So  over 1/2" wide & 350gr still going 674 FPS at 900 yards! Still powerful enough for a 56 pound coyote standing online 4 columns deep.

[Gimpy Gus]

Harve Curry,
According to the folks at Ten-X their 56-50 round for the Armisport Spencer stoked with 777 and a 350 gr .513 bullet (.19 BC) leaves the muzzle at 1123 fps and at 100yds its  velocity is 990fps.    GG

[Harve Curry]

Gimpy Gus,
Thanks, I didn't know that. BC 19 is lower then the Rapine's BC 245, TenX 23 fps faster MV, then is 16 fps slower at 100 yards.
I thought the Rapine BC came out high, I expected 20 - 22. I measured it carefully with a micrometer as I typed it in. It would be interesting to pull and check a Ten-X bullet on the same link above.
The original rimfire versions were pointed, so they probably held their velocity better.
I have one original 56-56 cartridge,it looks like the bullet might be a inch long.
Has anyone here ever pulled an original and measured it?

[Dakota Widowmaker]

I did check my modified lee bullets (345gr) with 777 down range at 50 yards. I saw a drop from 1158fps to 1020fps. That matches almost exactly like what Gus was told by Ten-X.

At 100yds, I was down another 100fps. I have not tested it with FFFg GOEX or my new 320-330gr bullets yet. I am guessing the muzzle is higher and the downrange is about the same. About 640 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards is pretty good for taking just about any 4 leg'd beast in the lower 48. (black bear, bison, and elk would be a stretch w/o really good proper shot placement)

A 500S&W 400gr monster at 1500fps at muzzle is still doing well over 1200fps at 100 yards. Thats over 1200ft-lbs of force... just imagine the felt recoil on that!!! (My spencer is a very reasonable kitty cat with 45gr of FFFg and a 320gr slug)