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Winchester 1860 50-110
- Thread starter sendero72
- Start date
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It would be a hoot to shoot
Winchester Model 71 perfect lever gun and cartridge, from back in the 30's,40's 50's and still great today.
Last edited:
Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
I think Bertram brass is still available if it is the same as the Sharp's 50 in case head.
Just out of curiosity, which Winchester rifle is this actually in. A model 1860 would be a Henry and the 50-110 WCF was developed by Winchester in 1898. It was chambered in the 1886 model lever and 1885 single shot. The 50-110 WCF is not the same case as a 50-110 Sharps.
.50-100 and .50-110 Sharps are loading variations of the .50-90 Sharps, all using the same 2½" Case; while the .50-110 headstamped U.M.C. is the .50-110 Winchester, using the same straight 2 4/10" case as the .50-105 and .50-100 Winchester. The remaining dimensions of these two cases are not alike. Rim on the Sharps is .660, WCF .606, as well as length difference.
Also, the .50-90 Sharps 2½" was made with a noticeably tapered case, .o63 from base to shoulder, so it can't be defined as a "straight" or "necked" type like other Sharps calibers. It seems that this was the only Sharps cartridge made this way.
| .50-110 WCF ( Winchester Center Fire ) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production history | |||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | |||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Rifle | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | United States | ||||||||||||||||||
| Designer | Winchester | ||||||||||||||||||
| Designed | 1898 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Winchester | ||||||||||||||||||
| Produced | 1899–1935 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimmed, straight | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | .512 in (13.0 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | .534 in (13.6 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | .551 in (14.0 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | .607 in (15.4 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Case length | 2.40 in (61 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 2.75 in (70 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Primer type | Large rifle | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972 |
| .50-90 Sharps | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service history | |||||||||||||
| Production history | |||||||||||||
| Specifications | |||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | |||||||||||||
 .50-90 Sharps cartridges | |||||||||||||
| Type | Black-powder rifle | ||||||||||||
| Place of origin | United States | ||||||||||||
| Used by | United States | ||||||||||||
| Designer | Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company | ||||||||||||
| Designed | 1872 | ||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company | ||||||||||||
| Produced | 1875 | ||||||||||||
| Variants | .50-100, .50-110 | ||||||||||||
| Parent case | .50 Basic | ||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimmed, straight | ||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | .512 in (13.0 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | .528 in (13.4 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Shoulder diameter | .528 in (13.4 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Base diameter | .585 in (14.9 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | .663 in (16.8 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Case length | 2.50 in (64 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Overall length | 3.20 in (81 mm) | ||||||||||||
| Primer type | Large rifle | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Source(s): Accurate black powder[1] |
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My google-fu was strong this time grasshopper
epoletna
Well-Known Member
I own a Winchester Model 1886 marked 50-100-450 on the barrel. Beautiful old rifle. I found some new, primed .348 brass that I fire-formed to make .50-100 brass, but the fire-forming process was not very satisfactory. I still have a box of the brass that was never fire-formed, and I'm thinking I might try neck annealing before fire-forming it. Or I might buy some Starline brass if I can find it. Don't need much -- it's not the kind of rifle you shoot a lot at a single sitting. I have never used it with black powder -- worked up a load with 3031 starting with .45-70 load info, since when I started developing the load (late sixties) there was no load date available for the .50.
The only game it has taken was one jack rabbit at about 50 yards. Explosive results!
To OP: I would be interested in more info and photos of your rifle when you get a chance. I'm guessing you have a Winchester 1886, because I don't think earlier models were manufactured in .50 caliber. That had to wait for the strength of the 1886. Possibly an 1885 single-shot, but I kind of doubt that. Please let us know what you find out!
The only game it has taken was one jack rabbit at about 50 yards. Explosive results!
To OP: I would be interested in more info and photos of your rifle when you get a chance. I'm guessing you have a Winchester 1886, because I don't think earlier models were manufactured in .50 caliber. That had to wait for the strength of the 1886. Possibly an 1885 single-shot, but I kind of doubt that. Please let us know what you find out!
At the time of my 1st post Starline did have brass in stock.
epoletna
Well-Known Member
I check Starline occasionally and have not seen any available on the random times I have checked.
There is (or was?) a company called B.E.L.L. that make brass for obsolete cartridges. I bought one box of their generic straight-walled brass, but the rim thickness wasn't right.
Truth to tell, reloading for this old rifle is not a high priority for me ever since massive herds of buffalo disappeared from the prairies.
There is (or was?) a company called B.E.L.L. that make brass for obsolete cartridges. I bought one box of their generic straight-walled brass, but the rim thickness wasn't right.
Truth to tell, reloading for this old rifle is not a high priority for me ever since massive herds of buffalo disappeared from the prairies.
