.500 Black Powder Express

The .500 BPE or Black Powder Express was first used in a Purdey Double Express rifle in the 1860s. It is very similar to the .50-140 Sharps cartridge.

The cartridge usually fires a 440 grain bullet with a speed of 1900 ft/s and a muzzle energy in the current Kynoch factory load of 3530 ftlbf.

The round was originally used as a tiger hunting caliber, although it also saw use on elephants in some cases.