I know there appears to be a lot of interest in the 44-77 and 44-49BN cartridges around here, honestly a lot more than I would have ever expected. I'm looking to go with a #3 Sporter in either 45-2 7/8, or 50-2.5. I know neither was produced in large numbers. also haven't decided entirely between the shotgun butt on the crescent style butt. I had a 45-2 7/8 several years ago that I made the mistake of letting go. This will be taking position as my primary hunting rifle, and will also spend a fair amount of time banging steel. I know the 45-70 would do just fine for these uses as well, but I just like something a bit different. I shoot a pair of 7 1/2" 44-40's loaded as close to original loads as I can, just because I can, even though I would likely be faster shooting the mouse fart .38spl that is more popular.


SO which would you choose and why?


45-2 7/8


50- 2 1/2


Something else?

I'ld go with the 2 7/8 mostly because it just works, and isn't a short fat ugly cartridge like the 50

I resemble the 50 in that case........

Get the 2 7/8 and a shotgun butt plate. No contest. The big 45 looks better, shoots better, especially at distance, and even the original Sharps factory said that it did better work at 1000 yards than the fifty did at 600. The shotgun butt plate is a lot more comfortable to shoot than the curved one. BTDT. Shoot straight, rdnck.

If hunting and gong shooting are the reason for your caliber choice, I'd recommend a 45-70,45-90 or my favorite...50-70 in a Hartford model with a shotgun butt and a 30" standard octagon barrel. 12 + pound guns get real old in the field while hunting all day. !0 pound rifles will not tire you out nearly as much. My primary hunter is a Military rifle in 50-70 and I can hit at 400 yards. (Still need to work out my sights for 500). I use the open barrel sights with a blade front and the long staff Lawrence for the rear. Good sight picture and it works well. My 45-70 #1 Sporting Rifle with a standard 30 inch barrel has given great results with excellent performance using both greaser's and paper patch bullets to over 600 yards. I have used it for Creedmoor but now use a heavy barrel #1 in 45-90. 78 to 80 grains of 1.5 for the 45-70 and 97 to 100 grains for the 45-90 using a paper patched bullet has plenty of reach. Paper patch 50 caliber with 70 grains of 1.5 or 2 fg powder is an excellent hunter and usually my first choice. The big cases and heavy rifles are really great fun but...they get to be a bit too much fun and weight for the hunting fields and the smaller rounds and lighter rifles perform well on steel.

(09-19-2018, 07:48 AM)rdnck Wrote: Get the 2 7/8 and a shotgun butt plate. No contest. The big 45 looks better, shoots better, especially at distance, and even the original Sharps factory said that it did better work at 1000 yards than the fifty did at 600. The shotgun butt plate is a lot more comfortable to shoot than the curved one. BTDT. Shoot straight, rdnck.

What rdnck said. I believe the standard load was a 500 grain bullet over 100 grains of powder. I shoot a Shiloh 45 2-7/8 with a PP chamber and love it but I’m getting old and use a slip-on recoil pad. But I think an even better choice is the 45-70 with a tight PP chamber. Load 80 grains or so of powder. Much easier on one’s body and wallet.

I'm going to put my thought into this. I don't have a .45-2-7/8 but I had a .45-3-1/4 about the same just a little more powder and it shot very well. and I have shot the 7/8 that friends have asked me to shoot many times and they all shot well.
I also have a .50-2.5 and out of all the Shiloh's I have in different calibers I favored the .50 above all for many years and the rifle shows use. A few dents in the wood and most of the bluing is wore down to bare metal. The wash board tool marks in the bore are all wore off and the bore looks like it was hand lapped after more then 20K rounds shot through that rifle and it still shoots. I will say it shoots better now then when it was new.
But it's not a caliber for the recoil sensitive shooter. Neither is a 2-7/8.
In my opinion for a all around rifle like hunting or clanging iron both calibers are more then needed other then the wow factor if one likes to impress the .22 and .308 caliber shooters at the range.
As I age I have been down sizing my calibers even to a .40-65 for the last rifle and it sure is a lot of fun to shoot and the .44-77 for a hunting rifle that gets the job done also in fine shape.
I think the .45-90 is about as good a caliber for all long range shooting iron or paper as well as for hunting, but all of this is the choice of the shooter.
I think at my age of 78 that I may be getting a little wimpy and going to the fun calibers but I still like my .50 and still like shooting it.
Down the line you will have both the .50 and the 2-7/8

Kurt is correct about the 44-77 and I truly love my Hartford but with brass really hard to find now I would not advise that cartridge. Do not overlook the 50-70 for hunting and steel banging.

Don stop making fun of the fat 50! Haha

(09-19-2018, 07:07 PM)Stephen Borud Wrote: Don stop making fun of the fat 50! Haha

It's just an ugly cartridge now matter how you try to dress it up.