Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers A good 50 cal for 1886 Win.

What is a good caliber for the 1816 Winchester? 50-90? 50-100? I was thinking a 50-70 is lacking a bit? Be Well, RZ.

The .50-110 WCF was an original chambering along with the .50-100-450 (same case, heavier bullet)

Seems I read somewhere the .50-70/90 wouldn't work through the 1886 due to the rim diameter of .663" vs the .607" rim of the Winchester .50-110 (the parent case for the .50 Alaskan and .348 WCF)

My 86 is beat up, buttstock and tang bent up. Looks like new barrel, loading gate and action has been pried on. I think I bought it right through some trading. As a33WCF it has killed deer but I have wanted a bigger fifty on the 86 for a long time. I'm not sure about going to a Turnbull but would be nice for sure. I'll do some looking. Thanks for steering me in a good direction. Be Well, RZ.

If it's an octagon barrel, a rebore may be possible and much cheaper, but I don't think there's enough meat on the lightweight barrels some .33s came with. JES's website shows the .50 Alaskan (shortened .50-110) as an option for the 1886.

Yes, as tmitch said, the 50's on the Sharps case have too large a rim, I had a 50-110 WCF built on a pre safety/pre rebounding hammer Browning 1886 action, Turnbull did a hell of a job, the 20 twist 28 inch McGowen barrel shoots everything from 525gr Cast Performance bullets with RL-15 all the way up to 700gr cast lead bullets over black powder, my shoulder wants NO more with that crescent steel butt stock, it's a hell of a cartridge on a hell of an action, I love all 1886's.

So Gunner500 recommends a 50-110 WCF? That's good enough for me. And by the serial number it was built in the smokeless powder era around '03. My memory isn't picking up what year for sure. Thanks G500. Be Well, RZ.

Enjoying the conversation. Who would be able to convert the rifle too a 50-110?

Turnbull is the first one that comes to mind. Expensive but nice work. I'm sure there's other lesser known shops that can do the job also. Montana Rifleman was one I've heard did it, but Remington bought them and promptly closed the doors.

Well immediate smokeless choices for tube feed lever guns are 50-110 WCF, 50 Alaskan, 500 B&M Alaskan and the rare 510 Kodiak Express (KE). All are .510” bullet takers except the more modern 500 B&M Alaskan, which uses the .500” modern bullets found in use for the 500 S&W(ranging from 325 gr-500gr. Obviously the .510” bullets come in heavier weights. I think it depends on nostalgia (50-110 WCF). To operate smokeless and pressures in 38K psi - 43K psi range you would want to make sure your barrel steel would support the pressures generated before considering a rebore/chambering on an older specimen barrel vs. new barrel/chambering. The 510 KE was being built several years back by Mic McPherson but typically on Marlin actions. It is a Mic McPherson creation and according to his writings produces the greatest power achievable in a tube feed lever gun. I think in a modern built 86 or 71 the smokeless 50-110 WCF would match it as its case is slightly longer than the KE, the KE displays a slight bottleneck. Both would push smokeless 450 gr bullets at around 2,200 fps and 500 gr bullets at 2,100 fps. Essentially a 500 NE in a tube feed lever. A 50 Alaskan would be an easy feed at 2.5” with power that is only slightly lacking from the other two with 450 gr at 2,050 fps and 500 gr around 1,900 fps. Plus 50 Alaskan brass is readily available and less in cost than the 50-110 WCF. BTW a smokeless 50-110 WCF and 510 KE produce around 65 ft-lbs of recoil on typical 20-22 inch barreled lever guns, that’s about what a 458 Win Mag produces on a 9 lbs gun. Best of luck with your build.

Turnbull is way out of my Tax bracket!

But it sounds like you need a lot more than a barrel. Do you know a gunsmith That works on old Winchester’s. You might post in the gunsmithing forum.

Reagan Nonneman used to be in the NW corner of the state of Misery. Be Well, RZ.

You're most welcome Rustyzipper, if your rifle is in need of checking, repair, then building, I highly recommend:

Bill Schwarz in Elijay Ga..........706-276-7668, no website or e-mail, leave him a message and he'll call back...........had him weld up then re-cut the notches for the hammer on my original '86 in 45-70, the old rifle was worn, the thing now sounds and functions as well as the day it left Winchester in 1892, the guy is a master of all things old lever action rifle, he's reasonable, and he's fast, turnaround time was a month or so.

I'd order a 50 cal 20 twist octagon barrel from McGowen and send it all to Bill for the repair/build, Buffaloarms has/had brass and dies, you wont be sorry.

I have a 50-110 barrel set that Turnbull made for my TD rifle that they restocked and restored. With heavy, hard cast boolits there probably arent too many animals walking around that it couldnt take.

I've often been intrigued with the possibility of building a lever gun in 500 Linebaugh. Its an amazing cartridge, powering 450gr bullets to over 1300fps out of a 5.5" barrel and pressures only in the low 30k. It also uses the same bullets (.511-.512) as the 50-110 WCF.

Reagan Nonneman is in Grant City. When in High School we used to play his school. But I might get a guesstimate of the charges. I won't discount your suggestion G500. Be Well, RZ.