Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Required rifles for Loony status.

The 50CB wildcat I created was based on 50-56 brass.
It was to make a legal big game rifle with the sound of BB gun.
To do this it has fast powder, a large bore diameter, long barrel, and small compressed powder charge for high peak pressure and maximum expansion ratio.
I made my own dies.
I worked up to the threshold of supersonic gas escapement.
I had a problem of gas leaking around the bullet. I then used two presses in series to swage a bullet into the cartridge in shape that would seal the chamber.
I worked up to the threshold of supersonic escapement gas [when it sounds like a firearm, not a BB gun].
I added an unrifled tube to the muzzle with 0.500" inside diameter. This extension allowed for more gas expansion and higher quiet velocities.

50CB tests today: 6-26-2012
1) 0.9 gr Red Dot 186 gr .500" round soft lead ball squished 184 fps, sounds like a pellet gun
2) 0.5 gr Red Dot, 184 fps, chrono did not trip, sounded like a BB gun, bullet stuck near muzzle.
3) 0.9 gr Red Dot, WLP, 244 fps, Sounds like a pellet gun,
4) 1.2 gr Red Dot WLP, 244 fps, chono did not tip, sounds like a BB gun, bullet stuck near end of tube
5) 1.2 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax on bullet and in bore 343 fps, sounds like a very loud pellet gun. Bullet has been hitting a tree in the bushes, and that is where all that noise is coming from
6) 1.5 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax on bullet, shoot at air 495 fps, sounds like a pellet gun
7) 2.0 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax on bullet, shoot at air 606 fps, sounds like a pellet gun
8) 2.3 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax, air 627 fps, sounds like a pellet gun, gun came unhinged, bent extender tube
9) 2.8 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax, air, extra powder taking up space causing bullet to be over squished 716 fps, sounded like a snappy pellet gun
10) 2.8 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax, air, adjusted doubled ended double press die 798 fps, sounds like a loud pellet gun

This is 264 foot pounds.
Considerably more than the other pellet guns in this house. It is amazing what you can do with a 62" barrel and compressed pistol powder.