Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Browning 71 conversion to 50-110

I am looking for some feedback on this endeavor. 24 inch barrel mostly used for punching paper, but when I retire, hopefully some hunting. I will most likely be reloading this caliber, although I have never reloaded before. Just looking for any recommendations, do’s or dont’s with whole idea. Can this be loaded down for Whitetail deer? Any and all responses appreciated. Thank you!

What will the .50-110 do for you that the .348 doesn't?

Yes, it can be loaded down.

-Chris

Give me the thrill of shooting a hot 50-110. That’s about it. I don’t NEED a 50-110, I just WANT one.

Will the 50-110 feed? Is it limited to bullets that don't protrude to far from the case? Have you considered 50 Alaskan?

The 450 Alaskan is a much better all around field cartridge shooting very flat when using open sights and 300 grain projectiles. As a stopper lever gun shooting heavies it doesn’t get any better. Plus there are a multitude of .458” projectiles to choose from and brass is available from many outlets.

The gunsmith I contacted said he has made them before, and preferred to start with a Browning. It may not be the most practical cartridge, but I like old timey calibers.

Fair enough, perfectly good reasoning.

-Chris

I agree! If you want a 50-110, make one!

There are bullet limitations. And that large case will be a little bit more challenging in working up your gopher load, but as a handloader you can do all sorts of things to increase the utility of the cartridge.

Have at it!

Thanks! I have never reloaded before, but when I get this rifle, I will learn.

Doug Turnbull can do that conversion on a Browning 71. I explored that very conversion a couple of years ago. They could do it on either a Winchester or Browning 71.

As far as bullet limitations, there really are none if you cast your own. The 50-110 would be well suited for cast bullets. As such you are only limited by your own imagination. Accurate Molds will work with you on just about any design you can come up with and MP Molds and NOE have a few options. I have a few molds for my 500 Linebaugh, one an MP 525 grain with hollow point options. Cast hard in the solid option and driven to the rifle and cartridge's potential, that 525 ought to make a serious thumper. Toned down a bit with a softer alloy and in hollow point form and you'd have a good deer, elk and moose bullet.

Original 50/110 rifles had a slow twist and, judging by the short ogive bullets, typical of factory rounds back in the day, the factory did not optimise the chamber and feeding for longer bullets. This is understandable given that original rifles fired light for calibre bullets at relatively high speeds. However you can get WFN bullets loaded to 2.8” LOA that feed and cycle in a levergun, if the smith knows what he’s doing.

For starters I’d suggest you use a barrel twist that will stabilise heavier bullets. The norm these days for 50/110 conversions is around 500gr. A 1 in 20-24” twist will work with a wide range of bulllets, including the lighter ones. A 50/110 has substantial powder capacity and full power loads in a strong rifle will be in 458 Win Mag territory, ie stout recoil.

The other area to pay attention to is the method of retaining the magazine to the barrel. This is particularly important if you use heavy loads.

There are jacketed bullets suited to levergun use made by Barnes and Woodleigh. When you choose your smith I would suggest you supply him with a few dummy rounds to make sure the conversion feeds and cycles bullets you intend to use.

Plan your conversion carefully and work out what weight you want to end up at. If you’re going to hunt with it, you really don’t want a 10-11lb rifle that is muzzle heavy.

I have looked at a few of the big notes on the Winchester levers. Reach out to 450fuller on here and pick his brain. If I were to go down the road again I’d be looking at the 50 Alaskan of 50 B&M alaskan. Starline makes brass. You can get all any sane person can handle.

Seems to me there were maybe two versions on the same case: .50-100 with heavier bullet, and .50-110 with lighter "express" bullet. If I'm remembering that correctly... it might also follow that the twist rate for each may have been different in original barrels.

Maybe.

-Chris

There was the more common 50/110 (50 Ex) and, as you mention, the faster twist 50/100, the latter being loaded with a 450gr bullet - both used the same 2.40” length case. There is some evidence that Winchester dabbled with an intermediate 105gr BP loading using the same length case, but that one seems to be more a prototype / experimental loading.

The original 50/110 had a twist rate of 1 in 54” but I’m not sure about the 50/100 twist rate.

All good info fellas, thank you! I want to go into this educated a bit, so the end result is a fine shooting rifle .Any smiths here done this work on a 71 before? With the short mag tube, how many rounds does it hold? I prefer the short mag for looks, balance, and weight.

I had a Browning 71 converted to 45/90 and I could not get 4 in the tube mag until I swapped in a shorter magazine plug. If you’re rebarrelling anyway, you might look to install a slightly longer mag tube to avoid any problem.

I agree that the shorter mag tube is more desirable for the reasons you mentioned. The other issue with heavy loads is that under recoil, the remaining shells in the mag act like a slide hammer, putting additional stress on the parts holding the magazine in place. Obviously, a full length mag tube filled with cartridges only makes matters worse.

I hope you realise that for someone who hasn’t reloaded previously going straight to reloading for a 50/110 is a tall order. Instead of a Browning 71 you might want to consider buying a Browning 1886 in 45/70 instead. This model can also be converted to 50/110 but before doing so you can use it and familiarise yourself with the rifle and with reloading. By comparison the 45/70 is easy to find components for and load data is plentiful. I’d suggest the rifle version with the octagonal barrel. When and if you decide to move forward with the conversion you can have the barrel bored and re-rifled to 50 cal, shortened etc etc. This would reduce the conversion cost and look like the original. You would need to replace the buttstock for a shotgun style buttstock - those steel crescent buttplates are no fun at all.

I had an 86 in 45-70 for a few years. Took a whitetail with it easily. I had not reloaded for it. Just used factory ammo. Nice gun, but this time I want a 71. The old man had a 71 years ago and I always liked it. I would really like it in a thumper caliber like 50-110. I do appreciate and respect your insight, I have a lee single press and some odds and ends, but I will get into the reloading portion after I get the rifle. If I have to buy all new equipment, so be it. There are worse things I can do with my time I suppose.

Send your rifle to Turnbull with a 20 twist octagon barrel from McGowen, cut to your preferred length on barrel and mag tube, with the 50-110 WCF and Starline brass you can load Cast Performance 475 to 525gr bullets over RL-15 powder, I took the 525's with RL-15 to a safe and accurate 2150 fps, a horrendously powerful load, order a Smith Ladder Barrel Sight from Buffalo Arms, with that, you can drill 400 yard steel gongs.

I do that very thing with my Turnbull '86 in 50-110 WCF, even with blackpowder and 700 grain cast lead bullets, it's a hell of a cartridge.

I have a Browning 1886 that I had converted to 50-110 WCF because like you I wanted one. I have owned mine for 19 years now. I only shoot cast bullets out of it because like a 45-70, jacketed bullets offer no real advantage. My barrel is 1-20" twist. I have two Accurate Molds for it, one is 325gr., the other a 475gr., both gas checked. When I first had it built Starline was not making brass yet.

That’s good to hear that you are happy with yours. I am looking for a rifle to convert. It should be a fun exercise.