.577 Black Powder Express

.577 Black Powder Express (3-inch)
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Production history
Designed	1870s
Specifications
Case type	Rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter	.584 in (14.8 mm)
Neck diameter	.608 in (15.4 mm)
Base diameter	.660 in (16.8 mm)
Rim diameter	.728 in (18.5 mm)
Rim thickness	.052 in (1.3 mm)
Case length	3 in (76 mm)
Primer type	Kynoch # 40
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 610 gr (40 g) 1,650 ft/s (500 m/s) 3,690 ft⋅lbf (5,000 J)
Test barrel length: 28 Source(s): Barnes & Amber and Kynoch

The .577 Black Powder Express is actually a series of black powder cartridges of varying lengths including 2½-inch, 2¾-inch, 3-inch and 3¼-inch.

Development

The .577 BPE originated around 1870 with the 2½-inch variant.

The 3-inch cartridge has survived to the current day as the .577 Nitro for Black, the same cartridge loaded with mild loadings of modern smokeless powder, carefully balanced through trial to replicate the ballistics of the Black powder version.

The 2¾-inch, 3-inch and 3¼-inch cartridges were later loaded with smokeless cordite to create the .577 Nitro Express, with the 3-inch version becoming the most popular.

Use

These cartridges were used for heavier non-dangerous and occasionally dangerous game including lions and tigers.

See also

• Express (weaponry)
• List of rifle cartridges
• 13 mm caliber

References

Bibliography

• Barnes, Frank C. & Amber, John T., Cartridges of the World, DBI Books, Northfield, 1972, ISBN 0-695-80326-3.
• Kynoch Ammunition, Big Game Cartridges kynochammunition.co.uk