 |
This unusual and obscure cartridge is the .50 North
Experimental. Little is know about this cartridge, who designed it and why. The cartridge
seems to have been a British development from about 1901 through 1919 and has
characteristics of British manufacture. It is known by a number of names which seems to
add to the confusion as to who developed it. Some of these names are .50 Kings Norton
Experimental, .500 inch Kings Norton Colt, .500 inch Colt Kynoch M 1901, .50 Kynoch and
the 12.7 x 109SR. A Mr. T.K. North, a senior employee of Colt was working in London during
1901 when the cartridge was developed. It is believed that Mr. North had something to do
with the cartridge's development. Some specimens are headstamped with a T. Unfortunately,
there are no known British manufacturers using a T headstamp. Only Tula in Russia, Toledo
in Spain and Thun in Switzerland use a T headstamp. There was a semi-rimmed and rimless
version of the .50 Colt Kynoch cartridge The .50 Colt Kynoch cartridge uses a round
nosed 982 grain cupro-nickel jacketed bullet backed by 200 grains of Cordite. Cartridge
dimensions follow below.
| |
inches |
mm |
| Caliber/Bullet |
0.510 |
13.0 |
| Base |
0.945 |
24.0 |
| Rim |
0.950 |
24.1 |
| Neck |
0.561 |
14.2 |
| Case Shoulder |
0.885 |
22.5 |
| Case Length |
4.312 |
109.5 |
The .500 Kings Norton Colt has slightly
different dimensions. It was loaded with a 977 grain bullet and 185 grains of Cordite.
| |
inches |
mm |
| Caliber/Bullet |
0.507 |
12.87 |
| Base |
- |
- |
| Rim |
0.939 |
23.85 |
| Neck |
- |
- |
| Case Shoulder |
- |
- |
| Case Length |
3.5 |
88.9 |
Sources:
Labbett, P., British Small Arms Ammunition 1864-1938, 1993
Huon, Jean, Military Rifle and Machine Gun Cartridges, 1988
Cartridge Courtesy of George Hoyem
If you have any information on the .50 North Experimental that you would like to share,
please contact either George or myself. |
