.50 Alaskan
Wildcat rifle cartridge
title: ".50 Alaskan" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["pistol-and-rifle-cartridges", "wildcat-cartridges"] description: "Wildcat rifle cartridge" topic_path: "general/pistol-and-rifle-cartridges" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_Alaskan" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Wildcat rifle cartridge ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox firearm cartridge"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | .50 Alaskan |
| image | Cartridge comparison.jpg |
| caption | Left to Right (line by line) |
| .44 Magnum, .445 Super Magnum, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, | |
| .480 Ruger, .475 Maximum, .50 Action Express, .500 Linebaugh, .500 Maximum, .500 S&W Magnum, .50 Beowulf, .50 Alaskan | |
| origin | United States |
| type | Rifle, Large game |
| designer | Harold Johnson |
| design_date | early 1950s |
| production_date | 1952–present |
| parent | .348 Winchester |
| case_type | Rimmed |
| bullet | .510 |
| neck | .536 |
| base | .553 |
| rim_dia | .610 |
| rim_thick | .070 |
| case_length | 2.10 |
| is_SI_ballistics | true |
| bw1 | 450 |
| btype1 | BAR FP |
| vel1 | 1718 |
| en1 | 2950 |
| bw2 | 500 |
| btype2 | JFP |
| vel2 | 1674 |
| en2 | 3112 |
| bw3 | 525 |
| btype3 | LFN GC |
| vel3 | 1694 |
| en3 | 3346 |
| balsrc | Hodgdon |
| :: |
| name = .50 Alaskan | image = Cartridge comparison.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = Left to Right (line by line) .44 Magnum, .445 Super Magnum, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .475 Maximum, .50 Action Express, .500 Linebaugh, .500 Maximum, .500 S&W Magnum, .50 Beowulf, .50 Alaskan | origin = United States | type = Rifle, Large game | designer = Harold Johnson | design_date = early 1950s | manufacturer = | production_date = 1952–present | number = | variants = | parent = .348 Winchester | case_type = Rimmed | bullet = .510 | neck = .536 | base = .553 | rim_dia = .610 | rim_thick = .070 | case_length = 2.10 | is_SI_ballistics = true | bwunit = | bw1 = 450 | btype1 = BAR FP | vel1 = 1718 | en1 = 2950 | bw2 = 500 | btype2 = JFP | vel2 = 1674 | en2 = 3112 | bw3 = 525 | btype3 = LFN GC | vel3 = 1694 | en3 = 3346 | bw4 = | btype4 = | vel4 = | en4 = | bw5 = | btype5 = | vel5 = | en5 = | test_barrel_length = | balsrc = Hodgdon
The .50 Alaskan / 13x53mmR is a wildcat cartridge developed by Harold Johnson and Harold Fuller of the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska in the 1950s. Johnson based the cartridge on the .348 Winchester in order to create a rifle capable of handling the large bears in Alaska.
Design
Harold Johnson necked out the .348 Winchester case to accept a .510" diameter bullet, and Harold Fuller developed the barrel, marrying a .50 caliber barrel to an old Winchester Model 1886 rifle.
Harold Johnson made the first 450 Alaskan in 1952, and continued to make them in the 1950s and 60s. The rifle was based on the Winchester Model 71 in .348 caliber. Bill Fuller made the reamers. John Buhmiller made the barrel. Frank Barnes made the bullets. The "50" came later.
Since the rifle was designed for use on Alaska's great bears, Johnson cut 720 gr boat-tail .50 BMG bullets in half, seating the 450 gr rear half upside down in the fireformed .50-caliber case. It didn't take Johnson long to find out that the truncated-shaped "solid" would shoot through a big brown bear from any direction, claiming in 1988, "I never recovered a slug from a bear or moose, no matter what angle the animal was shot at."
Performance
Harold's favorite load in the .50 Alaskan was 51.5 gr of IMR-4198 with a Barnes 400 gr flatnose, jacketed bullet for about 2100 ft/s and just under 4000 ftlbf of muzzle energy.
The Alaskan is shorter than the .510 Kodiak Express and produces about 10% less energy or 33% less energy than the 50-110, out of a 71 Winchester re-barreled to chamber the 50-110 WCF 6,000 foot-pounds.
Availability
Rifles for .50 BMF Bullet are available from some specialty gunsmiths and also conversions from Marlin and Winchester lever-action rifles. Reloading dies are available from Hornady. Brass is available from Starline Brass. Although it is considered a wildcat cartridge, loaded ammunition is available from Buffalo Bore.
References
References
- [http://www.leverguns.com/articles/anderson/50_alaskan.htm The .50 Alaskan Built on a Marlin Levergun] by Al Anderson
- Taffin, John. (March 2004). "Big Bore Hunting Rifles". Guns Magazine.
- McPherson, M.L.. (November 2008). "The .510 Kodiak Express the 5,000 foot-pound Marlin". Guns Magazine.
- Taylor, Jim. "The Model 71 Winchester and the .348 WCF Cartridge". Leverguns.com.
- "Available conversions".
- Cassell, Jay. (2009). "Shooter's Bible: The World's Bestselling Firearms Reference". Skyhorse Publishing.
- ".50 Alaskan 3 Die set".
- "50 Alaskan Brass – Large Rifle – Brass Cases".
- ".50 Alaskan Ammunition".
- Taffin, John. (March 2004). "Serious ammunition: heavy duty factory loads for the big-bore levergun". Guns Magazine.
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