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WHY IS THE BARREL LENGTH OF THE 50-95 ONLY 26 INCHES
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October 16, 2018 - 7:18 pm
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The standard barrel length of the Model 1876 is 28 inches. Why was the Cal. 50-95 barrel length 26 inches? Ballistics?

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Kirk

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October 16, 2018 - 9:46 pm
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Kirk Fitzgerald said
Why was the Cal. 50-95 barrel length 26 inches? Ballistics?

Cheers

Kirk  

Yes, ballistics.  The extremely slow rifling twist rate use for the 50-95 Express cartridge does not benefit from lengthening the barrel.

Bert

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October 17, 2018 - 1:17 am
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Kirk Fitzgerald said
The standard barrel length of the Model 1876 is 28 inches. Why was the Cal. 50-95 barrel length 26 inches? Ballistics?

Cheers

Kirk  

They made quite a few with 22 inches barrels, and by quite a few, I mean a lot. I’ve personally never been able to compare a 22inch & 26inch barrel 50 Express 76, but I do wonder if the rate of twist is different between the two barrel lengths?

Anybody out there got such a pair of 50EXs in their collection that they’d care to share such details with us?

Sincerely,

Maverick

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October 17, 2018 - 2:20 pm
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Maverick and others,

  I don’t think Winchester changed the rate of twist on the 50-95 rifles regardless of length of barrel.  Going on memory alone right now, and that is proving ever more dangerous, but pretty sure I am correct on that.  Rather the barrel length was determined to fit the handling qualities desired for the expected application.  Generally the caliber was considered a short range (relatively speaking) with massive energy transfer to the target type of number.  Some collectors do talk about “cat rifle” versions, usually a shorter length than the standard 26 inch, as it was often used on things that bite as they charged at close range.  With the bullet being almost as wide as long, it was not a ballistic long range number under best of conditions.  I can only wonder what its ballistic coefficient would be, but not a head turner for sure.  Currently I have but one in the caliber on hand, and it is not a 22 inch version.  

Tim

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October 17, 2018 - 4:26 pm
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Merz has a 50-95 in the 22-inch version, but no mention of the barrel length in the Cody letter.  Think it’s an original short rifle?

http://www.merzantiques.com/product/w2449-1876-special-order-short-rifle-in-50-caliber/

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October 17, 2018 - 4:47 pm
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Bert and Tim thank you for your answers. I both enjoyed and was educated. Never fail to learn something new for you guys.

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Kirk

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October 18, 2018 - 4:17 am
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Tim is correct.  Twist rate was 1 in 60″ in all 1876 Express guns, no matter what the barrel length.

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October 18, 2018 - 4:24 am
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Hmmm. my sources say that it was 1:56, and that is what it is in my 30-inch high-wall barrel.

Bert

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October 18, 2018 - 2:25 pm
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In the research material I have, the .50-95 Express had a 1:60″ twist.  The .50-100 and .50-110 had a 1:54″ twist.  I show nothing in .50 caliber with a 1:56″ twist.

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