Winchester 1886 .45-70 to .50-110?

[EG73]

Well, with the huge prices commanded for an original .50-110 (or .50-100), anyone have experience in taking a new .45-70 Winchester 1886 and having it converted to .50-110? Simple process or a loooot of work involved?

I’ve seen loads for a 500-525gr bullet at 2000-2200fps, yikes! (For modern guns, not originals!)

[crs]

I have read of a Miroku/Winchester 1886 being converted from .45-70 to .45-90, but have no knowledge of 50 cal 1886 rifles.
My stock/factory Miroku 1886 .45-90 DG loads are 450 grain Kodiak FMJ at 2150 fps and they are very effective on Cape buff, bison, etc. The 450 grain NF FPS and 450 GRAIN Punch bullets are death on elephants.


DO YOU NEED A 50 CAL TO HUNT LARGER DANGEROUS GAME, OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO KNOCK OVER BULLDOZERS?

[EG73]

In today’s age does anyone “need” a .50?
Technically a BHA in .500 S&W is more powerful than an original .50-110. (Which is also on the wish list!)

It’s more just a want

Though ideally I’d rather an original 1886 with the express sites in .50-110.

[Bronco]

To answer your question without an opinion on where it is a good idea or not

About 10 to 15 years ago I had Turnbull convert a Brownchester 71 to a 50-110. Was not a need but a want since I was a young'un. I think the price about $3500m not including the donor rifle, I have no idea about what it would cost now. It is a thumper on both ends with hot loads and I have a thick recoil pad on it. Beside the obvious barrel change, I think they reworked the lifter. Turnbull's work is first rate but pricey. There may be other smiths that will do the work that others here might recommend

[crs]

EG73,
Understood. I was just trying to point out a simple path to a Big-Boomer for taking BIG game.

Enjoy your quest.

[M. M. Wright]

Like Bronco, I too had a Browning 71 that had been converted to 50 Express using an original Winchester barrel. Slow twist intended for little bitty bullets that look like shoe buttons. I never got it to shoot the kind of groups I wanted so traded it off. I think the cartridge guides had to be changed but it worked just fine except just not accurate. I had no trouble at all finding someone who wanted it.

[Bronco]

I had a 1-16 twist barrel put on. With a lead sled off the bench it will do 3" groups a 150 yards

[EG73]

EG73,
Understood. I was just trying to point out a simple path to a Big-Boomer for taking BIG game.

Enjoy your quest.

We do have water buffalo over here though, and camel, wild cattle, horses, donkeys. But they’re all a fair hike from me.

Just got bored with firearms, and then I remembered lever guns, and am looking at some day getting back into shooting and figured levers are an interesting and different way to go, since most everyone just uses turn bolt guns.

A .50-110 would fill the roll of very big animals. Or just hammering smaller ones harder

[crs]

Since you live "down under", you should make it a point to meet Peter Richards, one of our members.
Peter has a world class collection of lever guns and hunts big stuff with his 1895 Winchester .405. He was over here a few times and I enjoyed hunting with him back then.

[Thunder50]

If you were here in the U.S.A., I would say contact Jesse Uncompaugh at JES reboring. He would tell you if its feasable, I suspect. If it is, he probably has done a few.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

It's easier to convert a Model 71 to 50-110 in all likelihood. The .348 WCF and the 50-110 share the same case head dimensions. A 45-70 gun may need the cartridge stop and lifter modified, etc. Obviously the barrel but may also need a different mag tube given the case head diameter increase.

I haven't look at anything like that in a couple of decades at least so my memory may be imperfect on some points. Just stuff that comes to mind.

I've got a 71 barrel that had a wide dovetail cut for the NECG two leaf express sight to slide into. Works well.

[EG73]

Since you live "down under", you should make it a point to meet Peter Richards, one of our members.
Peter has a world class collection of lever guns and hunts big stuff with his 1895 Winchester .405. He was over here a few times and I enjoyed hunting with him back then.

What’s his handle here? Depends what state he’s in but if he was willing to meet up with an amateur I’d love to view his collection.

[crs]

PETER'S HANDLE APPEARS TO - PETER RICHARDS

He has done some hunt report posts, so you should be able to find them. Possibly a post search for author?

Does a Port McQuarrie sound familiar? Some where on the south east coast.

Enjoy.

[buckeyeshooter]

I have a Turnbull manufactured 1886 in 50-110. It has the case finish, 32 inch barrel and shotgun butt. I also have a marlin cowboy 1895 rebarrelled to 50 Alaskan by Turnbull. It has a 26 inch octogon barrel and I also had a decelerator pad added.

I shoot the 535 grain Woodleigh. I run it at 1900 fps in the marlin. It has a much greater effect on game in my opinion than a 45/70. I have several of them (45/70's) in both marlin and winchesters. For those who say it is not much superior.... I would say the increase in frontal area and diameter yield about the same difference as a 35 remington compared to a 45/70.

[EG73]

PETER'S HANDLE APPEARS TO - PETER RICHARDS

He has done some hunt report posts, so you should be able to find them. Possibly a post search for author?

Does a Port McQuarrie sound familiar? Some where on the south east coast.

Enjoy.

I’ll definitely search out those reports.

Port Macquarie is a bit far for me, ah well. Still loooking forward to reading the hunt reports