What is the best caliber 50 for the '86 on a rebarrel. Mine needs bent tang fixed, new butt stock, and some repairs to the loading gate area. It is a 33 Winchester from 1903 and someone has pried around on the loading gate thus making it look really ragged. It has had at least one reblue and probably a new barrel. I found if you work the lever really slowly it will hang up. But run it like you mean it and no problem. I don't want museum quality but I want solid work with very plain wood, no engraving. Which is the best 50 caliber cases for this action? Be Well, Packy.

I have one in 50-110 and another in 50 Alaskan. Both work fine and without issue.

I like the 50-110 or as big as I could find that had components available..I know the 50 Sharps is a a real killer, but doesn't come in the 86, but I think one could put together a 50-140 that fit in an 86. I think that was the largest of the 86 rounds, but wouldn't swear to it..

All my actuall experience with the 86 has been with the 45-70 and the 45-90 and the 45-90 was much more impressive, didn't care for the 45-70, in a Ruger no. 1 had and recorded on film its use on elk. the 45-70 failed killing 101, elk made a lot of tracks everytime..I know I just pooped on the holy ghost of lever actions kingdowm but like I said I got it on film with nosler partitions at high velocity...so thats all I have to go by..

Given it’s an original I’d be inclined to rebarrel to 50/110 but use a fast twist barrel.

Ray - I think you’re thinking about the Winchester single shot, the 1885 Hi Wall. That model was chambered in many different cartridges, including the 50/90 and 50/140. Both of those have rims that are too large and case lengths too long to fit an 1886 levergun.

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Originally posted by JFE:
Given it’s an original I’d be inclined to rebarrel to 50/110 but use a fast twist barrel.

Ray - I think you’re thinking about the Winchester single shot, the 1885 Hi Wall. That model was chambered in many different cartridges, including the 50/90 and 50/140. Both of those have rims that are too large and case lengths too long to fit an 1886 levergun.

I like the Barnes originals in 300 or 450 grains for smaller stuff and the 535 or 500 Woodleigh for big stuff.

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I like the Barnes originals in 300 or 450 grains for smaller stuff and the 535 or 500 Woodleigh for big stuff.

Buckeyeshooter,
Agreed that Barnes and Woodleigh make good bullets for big game and for large and dangerous game.

My 1886 .45-90 has taken elephant and Cape buff with appropriate 450 grain bullets at 2150 fps muzzle velocity. Knowing that, what "big stuff" requires the 500 + grain bullets?

Tyrannosaurus Rex?

Or a modern flair...
https://www.rifleshootermag.co...50-b-m-alaskan/84437

You are quite limited in bullet selection with the 50-110. Not much bullet sticking out of the case. A 50 Alaskan, properly throated, will allow longer ogive bullets to be seated out and not lose case capacity over the 50-110. That old 86, being a 33Wcf is a smokeless era gun, but I wouldn’t push it too hard. The modern Japanese guns are bomb proof, and I would choose one of those for a higher pressure conversion. Call up Turnbull and ask him about it. He has said the same in an AR post.

I would use one of the Browning or Winchester repo Model 71s. They can be restocked to 86 appearance or stocked like the British pattern 86s that went to India.

The .50-140 came on the scene well after the buffalo were about gone. Only a few of the single shot model 1885 were chambered. The case is 3 1/4" long as was the .45-125, .40-110, and the .38-90.

For the 1886 I would suggesst the .50-100-450. With a heavier bullet than the .50-110-300 with far better sectional density and a quicker rifling twist I think it would be just the ticket for the '86 without getting into new-fangled garbage invented just because the owner wanted to reinvent the wheel.

Are the cases the same in the two 50 calibers you mentioned Cal? Just a different loading? I'm wondering about access and thinking Starline. Be Well, Packy.

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Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
Are the cases the same in the two 50 calibers you mentioned Cal? Just a different loading? I'm wondering about access and thinking Starline. Be Well, Packy.

The 50-110 case is the basis for most wildcats that I know of in Lever actions such as the Win 71 or the Win 1886.

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Originally posted by LHeym500:
I would use one of the Browning or Winchester repo Model 71s. They can be restocked to 86 appearance or stocked like the British pattern 86s that went to India.

I would love to see those rifles.

I found a 95 that had Brit proofs and was marked for a gunshop in Calcutta. Was a 405, this was in Afghanistan. But, there was no way it was 100 years old, and that was the requirement to bring them back. The guy in the Bazaar even got on gunbroker on his phone to convince me that I could make money on it.

quote:

Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
Are the cases the same in the two 50 calibers you mentioned Cal? Just a different loading? I'm wondering about access and thinking Starline. Be Well, Packy.

the .50-110-300 and the .50-100-450 are the same cases. The .50-100 barrels have a quicker twist to stabilize the heavier bullet. Old Winchester catalogs state the special barrel is needed for the .50-100 and the ammo for one won't shoot accurately on a barrel rifled for the other.

quote:

Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
Are the cases the same in the two 50 calibers you mentioned Cal? Just a different loading? I'm wondering about access and thinking Starline. Be Well, Packy.

The Starline cases are the same with the exception that that the 50-110's are longer.
crsheldon, I will use a lever gun for elk, moose and brown bear because I like them. I would have no fear to use one in Africa with any game that did not require solids and was shot 100 yards of less. I'd give it a go on T. Rex.

CFE and all, thinks for the heads up, I assumed that any 50 would work in an 8s or 71, based on that wrong assumption, I think Id go with a 50-100-450, but the 50-90 sounds more practical..Were I to build such a beast Id have to sit down with Cal and talk about the pros and cons of caliber..but in reality Ive had such good luck with the 45-90s ive owned and hunted with, Id probably just stick with it...

I've had a Browning 1886 converted to 50-110 WCF for 20 years now. It's the classic original chambering. Every modern big .50 conversion I've ever seen or heard about uses a 1-20" twist barrel so it works with any loading you choose. Bullet selection is only limited if you don't cast. You don't gain anything shooting jacketed except in very small specialized applications. For 99.9% of shooting cast bullets are the way to go. My rifle loads and feeds LBT profile bullets just fine.

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Originally posted by admiral:
I've had a Browning 1886 converted to 50-110 WCF for 20 years now. It's the classic original chambering. Every modern big .50 conversion I've ever seen or heard about uses a 1-20" twist barrel so it works with any loading you choose. Bullet selection is only limited if you don't cast. You don't gain anything shooting jacketed except in very small specialized applications. For 99.9% of shooting cast bullets are the way to go. My rifle loads and feeds LBT profile bullets just fine.

What game have you hunted with your rifle ? If I may ask?I am kinda on the fence to get one ,I have an extra barrel laying around for one of my Browning 71's.

Bill73,
Only hogs. I hunt deer, elk, bears, etc. with a bow 98% of the time. The remaining 2% is with muzzleloaders. In between hunting seasons I play with guns.

quote:

Originally posted by admiral:
Bill73,
Only hogs. I hunt deer, elk, bears, etc. with a bow 98% of the time. The remaining 2% is with muzzleloaders. In between hunting seasons I play with guns.

Appreciate the response,thanks.

So the 50-110 brass on the Starline Brass site is the one to go for? Just trying to verify. That is the only place I usually look, Midway USA might be second. Thanks Cal. Be Well, Packy.

quote:

Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
So the 50-110 brass on the Starline Brass site is the one to go for? Just trying to verify. That is the only place I usually look, Midway USA might be second. Thanks Cal. Be Well, Packy.

Yes, the Starline brass is what I use. Back when I first had my 1886 Browning converted to 50-110 Starline didn't make brass. People were using blown out .348 WCF brass. It came up a little short and thin in the case mouth. It was fall of '02 (I think) when I bought Starline brass. The neck tension and ballistics were so much better and uniform with the proper brass. Same thing happened when Hornady started making .405 WCF brass. Back in the '90's I had been using reformed 30-40 Krag brass. It was so nice to the new proper factory brass.