Winchester mod. 1886!

[Hombre]

Winchester mod. 1886 .45-90 WCF Mfg 1890
Winchester mod. 1886 .45-90 WCF Mfg 1909
Winchester mod. 1886 .50-110 WCF Mfg 1894
Winchester mod. 1886 .50-110 WCF Mfg 1902

When reloading to those rifles shall I only use lead bullets or can I use jacketed bullets also?
No one of them have nickel steel barrels.
I should really appreciate any opinions at all. Thank you!

/Stefan
Sweden

[M. M. Wright]

You can use either jacketed or lead bullets but the lead is much easier on those old barrels. Both of those calibers were what Winchester considered express calibers and are most likely rifled with a rather slow twist so they will not handle heavy bullets. You don't want the punishment they can deliver from recoil anyway. I own a 45-90 manufactured in 1916 and it really likes 300 grain bullets with gas checks loaded over 34 or so grains of 5744. Easy on the shoulder but nothing in the contiguous 48 needs more. I had a 50-110 which I loaded for but could never get the kind of groups I wanted so traded it off. Let us hear how it goes when you get them shooting.

[Hombre]

M.M. Wright, thank you very much for taking the time to answer my question.
I really appreciate it!
I will be back.

/Stefan