I need help.
I was readind an article about an old Winchester model 51 rifle which was supposedly chambered in .27, 30-06, and .35 Newton. The problem is what .27 caliber would this be? This rifle was built prior to the development of the Winchester .270.
ps. I believe the model 51 was built by the Lee Enfield company. Any help woud be appreciated.
thanks Steve.

Alaska,

Are you sure it wasn't the Remington Mod 54?

If memory serves me correctley (I wish) the Remington M54 was made on surplus M1917 Enfield actions.. I might be incorrect on the model number tho..


Well... I'm way off base, good work tin can

I found this:

quote:

WINCHESTER BOLT ACTION MILITARY & SPORTING RIFLES - 1877 TO 1937, by Herbert G. Houze

This book tells the exciting story of these Winchester bolt actions, from the famous Hotchkiss through to the popular Models 54 and 70. Covers both civilian and military bolt actions, and other exciting Winchester rifles, like the Murata Year 17 Rifle, the Model 1895 Winchester-Lee, the William Mason Straight Pulls, the T.C. Johnson Model A and B Magazine Rifles, the Pattern 1914 Enfields, the Winchester Model C and D Rifles, the Model 1917 U.S. Rifle, the Model 1918 .50 Caliber Anti-Tank Rifle, the Model 51 Imperial Sporting Rifle, the Winchester Model 54 and the development of the Model 70. Packed with useful technical specifications, historical notes and previously unpublished production details.

maybe the rifle on the book cover, a Winchester that looks like an Enfield, and Winchester built Enfields:



there was a Winchester 54, the model prior to the Model 70.

there were three Remington Enfields, I believe, the last one the Model 720.

the Enfield was initially to be chambered in .276:

quote:

As a result, work began on a suitable replacement which emerged in 1912 as the .276" Enfield cartridge, chambered in the new Pattern 13 bolt-action rifle. The cartridge was impressive and had performance to match; not far short of present-day 7mm Remington Magnum ballistics. Not surprisingly, troop trials in 1913 revealed problems with excessive recoil, muzzle flash and barrel wear. Further trials were interrupted by the events of 1914, so the .303" was retained in service, albeit in the much improved Mark VII loading with a lighter, pointed bullet and a higher muzzle velocity. This remained the standard rifle ammunition until the .303" was replaced by the 7.62mm NATO in the mid-1950s.

maybe the Winchester was, but then there wouldn't be any ammo available... so maybe the .27 caliber mentioned in the first post actually refers to the chambering of the P 14 (what the quote calls the P 13) rifle.


and this, which I just found on a member's web pages:

quote:

In the U. S. A. Charles Newton developed a 7 mm cartridge based an the .30-06 case around 1909-1912, at the very Time he worked an the .25" Special and the .256" Newton. Today we know a virtually identical cartridge as the .280" Remington. After the end of the First World War Germany took the 7 mm development lead. Brenneke used the Newton concept for its 7x64mm Brenneke in 1917. During 1931 Vom Hofe developed the 7 x 73mm Belted Vom Hofe Expreß. A cartridge no more than a short Head behind the currently highly touted 7 mm STW, while the Halber and Gerlich unveiled their .280" Halger.

http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/7-mm/7-mm-Rem-Mag-History.htm

maybe the .276 Newton was an option.

somebody buy the damn book and tell us

perhaps of interest- one rifle pictured appears to have a ladder-type sight on the rear bridge, and both rifles flip Mauser type safeties on Springfield type shrouds rather than an Enfield rocker type safety lever. It's possible I'm delusional.