50 alaskan

[Papabear55]

Anyone here have experience with this caliber? Currently have one getting built and I'm planning to use it for big bears and moose. Maybe africa in a few years

 

[Certus]

More details please

 

[Papabear55]

More details please

What details do you want?

 

[AustinM]

Got to play around with a Ben Forkin built 50 Alaskan on a Marlin with a 23.5" barrel. Believe it was shooting a 525 gr lead bullet, that was somewhere around 2,000 fps; needless to say, it was more than adequate for most jobs. It will handle anything on the North American continent and I would go so far to say anything in Africa with a properly solid bullet.
Ultimately, enjoy the gun and have some fun with it, you won't regret it.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Following...

I am considering this route myself. My hopes and dreams are Africa. I have plenty of guns to deal with the moose and bears here.

 

[Red Leg]

The 50 Alaskan would be fine for thin skin dangerous game like a bear. It might be illegal some places for DG in Africa and would not be my choice where it was legal. The 425 gr bullet moves along a bit over 1700 fps, develops only 2900 ft lbs at the muzzle, and has the SD of an ashtray. The 525 gr bullet can be pushed to nearly 1700 but only develops just over 3300 ft lbs at the muzzle. In contrast, the .500 NE pushes a 570 gr bullet at 2150 fps generating 5850 ft lbs at the muzzle. The .375 with a 300 gr bullet moving at 2500 fps generates over 4600 ft lbs at the muzzle.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Buffalo Bore has 2 .50 Alaskan loads on their websites that top 2000 fps and 4000 foot pounds. One clocks - according to what he has published - 4400 foot pounds.

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Weighing this option for a Browning 71. Why 50 over 450? Component availability seems roughly the same. Just extra horsepower for DG?

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Weighing this option for a Browning 71. Why 50 over 450? Component availability seems roughly the same. Just extra horsepower for DG?

Not sure? I guess I have seen a little more online for one over the other, so as I have started to consider it, I have gone down that particular rabbit hole just a bit. The OP might have other motivations, whereas his is actually being built.

 

[Rafiki]

I do not have any experience with the 50 Alaskan but I do have quite a bit with the 50-90 Sharps. I assume that you are considering going against DG, probably buffalo. I took my 4th buffalo with a 575gr monolith that topped out at 2064fps, that's all I could get out of the 2.5" case with that bullet and I have to say I would have liked a bit more. That said the handloads did do the job quite handily. The 50 Alasken has a 2.1" case so in my opinion you don't have a lot of volume to work with.

I took a quick look at the Buffalo Bore 50 Alasken offerings. Nothing looks all that stellar to me as far as bullet selection which means, and again if it were me, I would be looking into handloading a traditional DG bullet from say Woodleigh or something similar. You likely would have trouble with monoliths since the are longer and would take up too much case capacity as well as being constrained by other factors.

Anyway, that's my opinion. Could it be done? sure.

Good hunting.

 

[457121]

The .50 Alaskan can drive a 525gr. bullet at 1850 fps from a 22" barrel at less than 35,000 CUP. I have a Browning 1886 converted to 50-110 WCF with a 26" barrel that using .50 Alaskan load data will easily break 2000 fps with that load.

 

[Certus]

What details do you want?

What you’re building it on, what’s your intended use, pics, barrel length etc!

it’s on my list for something to get one day

 

[Certus]

The 50 Alaskan would be fine for thin skin dangerous game like a bear. It might be illegal some places for DG in Africa and would not be my choice where it was legal. The 425 gr bullet moves along a bit over 1700 fps, develops only 2900 ft lbs at the muzzle, and has the SD of an ashtray. The 525 gr bullet can be pushed to nearly 1700 but only develops just over 3300 ft lbs at the muzzle. In contrast, the .500 NE pushes a 570 gr bullet at 2150 fps generating 5850 ft lbs at the muzzle. The .375 with a 300 gr bullet moving at 2500 fps generates over 4600 ft lbs at the muzzle.

I’d use mono bullets in the 450gr weight on buff no hesitation out of an Alaskan
Also your numbers are quite low on the velocities. There’s loads listed at 2100fps for 450gr.

 

[Papabear55]

What you’re building it on, what’s your intended use, pics, barrel length etc!

it’s on my list for something to get one day

Marlin Sbl, 18" barrel with engravings. Ill be mostly using it for bear and moose up here in alaska.

 

[Certus]

Marlin Sbl, 18" barrel with engravings. Ill be mostly using it for bear and moose up here in alaska.

Classic.

 

[Red Leg]

I’d use mono bullets in the 450gr weight on buff no hesitation out of an Alaskan
Also your numbers are quite low on the velocities. There’s loads listed at 2100fps for 450gr.

Based on my admittedly limited experience taking four buffalo bulls and being around the taking of perhaps half a dozen others, I would not. A .375. much less a .500 NE would be much more effective.

It would be great on moose, wild boar, and black bear. It frankly would not be a first choice for grizzly or coastal brown.

 

[Certus]

Based on my admittedly limited experience taking four buffalo bulls and being around the taking of perhaps half a dozen others, I would not. A .375. much less a .500 NE would be much more effective.

It would be great on moose, wild boar, and black bear. It frankly would not be a first choice for grizzly or coastal brown.

You’re 4 up on me. Never have. Maybe it’s the lack of experience that says why I’d be happy to use it, but I know there’s a few slaying Water Buffalo up in the NT here and driving through those. But they’re routinely hunted with .308 and those guys don’t seem to question that.
It seems people are thinking they need more and more firepower on larger game. Maybe that’s a financial thing (worried about paying for lost game?) but then the .375 H&H is well regarded as a fine choice despite being minimum legal. Yet with other situations minimum cartridges are usually frowned upon (take that .243 thread recently as an example).
Odd, hey?
Apples to oranges, I know, but penetration and performance on similar sized animals is why I’d be comfortable with the .50 Alaskan.
.50-110 even better.
I’m pretty sure the chap who took an ele cow with a .50 Alaskan is on this forum too.
Actually, for the OP, enjoy:

Elephant With A

 

[Henry McCann]

Loved the elephant story! One has to be in good shape to cover that much ground on foot.

 

[1dirthawker]

Anyone here have experience with this caliber? Currently have one getting built and I'm planning to use it for big bears and moose. Maybe africa in a few years

I've used a 45-70 on moose, caribou and 3 brown bear. it did a fine job with a 350 gr bullet at 2150 fps. the 50 alaskan is more of everything, i suspect it will do a fine job regardless of what the naysayers think.

with a CEB solid and maybe raptor i suspect it would do a great job on a buffalo as well.

there would be some range/distance restrictions (dangerous game is shot relatively close) but i bet a 50 alaskan would not bounce off a buffalo.

 

[BlueFlyer]

Attached is the print of the chamber reamer for the 416/348 Ackley Improved I am building on a Martini action. I am sure it will be capable of duplicating the ballistics of the 450/400 3", which has a solid reputation. The dimensions from the shoulder back are basically the same, with the right projectiles I can't see why the 50 Alaskan would not be potent enough to get the job done.