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I have an old family friend who passed and have been offered the chance to buy a gun from his collection before it is sold.
He has many very nice guns that are beyond my mwans, but there are 3 1886s that are possibilities and peak my interest.
1. A 1907 33wcf that is round barrel with probably 80 percent condition for 1300.
2. An 1889 45-90 octagon that is restored and now a 50-110 with a lyman peep sight for 3 grand.
3. An 1895 that has been rebarreled to 50-100 and nicely restored with buckhorn sight and 28″ octagon barrel for 4200. It also has had deluxe checkering added.
The 33 is more the collector, but the 50s are actually at a price I could afford a shooter 50?
It all depends on what kind of gun you’re looking for. If you really like one of those and would be happy with it, I’d go ahead and buy it. If you’re looking for something that will hold its value or appreciate, I don’t know if any of them are great buys. The 33 seems like it may be priced a little below the market. Restored guns are difficult for me to think about a price without seeing them. I have seen some people buy very nice restorations and then have a hard time selling them when they decide to part with them. Again, I’d buy what you like and want to own. Especially if there was a close relationship between you and the owner.
It would be a no-brainer for me: No. 1 because it is an 1886, all original, and an absolute steal at that price
Get the original 33, the others converted to 50’s may not feed right since it takes a lot of modifications to the receiver to feed the bigger shell and the receivers can crack if fired from being ground thin.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob’s got a point, most converted 50’s do not feed properly. A 50 has seven machine cuts in the reciever and mag tube, unless the person that restored it is a magician it doesn’t work right. T/R
Thanks, that is part of what I was worried about. Forgot to add the 33 is a takedown model. I will probably get it.
Any reccomendations for buying 33 ammo? I will get setup for reloading it eventually but just want some ammo to try. I know buffalo bore sells somd.
Since, as my wife says, have gone nuts collecting and shooting antique 1886s. Have all the calibers except the 50 EX. The 33 is the hardest one to make brass. The best luck has been with Starline 40-65 brass. IMR 3031 powder works well, used Hodgdon starting loads. I have tried Hornaday poly tipped bullets. I was lucky enough to find some old stock 200 gr Hornaday bullets that feed better. Had a bad experience with Lee dies. The vent hole hangs the case mouth. CH dies do not have a vent hole, found very reasonable on Ebay. Found that it really helps to carefully chamfer the case and polish the chamfer with 3M cloth. Imperial sizing wax is used in forming. No, do not have forming dies, figure some brass can be lost rather than bigger costs. One can still have problems forming the brass, moving lots of material, expect some rejects. The 1903 vintage 33 is the most accurate 1886 I have. It is time to take it feral hog hunting. Have taken hogs with a 40-82, 35 WCF 1895 Winchester, and yes a modern black gun.
If you can’t find 33 or 40-65 brass use the following.
Donnelly’s book says to use 45-70 brass. Anneal the case, run the brass through a 40-65 f/l sizing die, full length size in a 33 f/l sizing die, trim to length and chamfer. Using a 348″diameter 200 gr. bullet with 32 grains of 4198 it should shoot at about 1,925 fps.
Buffalo Bore does not currently list the 33 WCF ammo.
I don’t know anything about this business but they list the ammo.
https://www.venturamunitions.com/ventura-heritage-33-winchester-240gr-fp-ammo-20-rounds/
Hmm that’s interesting, guess I bought their last two boxes last night.
Nevermind, its buffalo arms not buffalo bore.
Also seen it at Old Western Scrounger and Ventura, though theirs is a 240 gr bullet.
I only searched the site you mentioned first, Buffalo Bore. I see now that Buffalo Arms has the ammo. If you are going to shoot this gun much I would start looking for some loading dies and maybe some more boxes of ammo for the brass.
Chuck said
If you can’t find 33 or 40-65 brass use the following.Donnelly’s book says to use 45-70 brass. Anneal the case, run the brass through a 40-65 f/l sizing die, full length size in a 33 f/l sizing die, trim to length and chamfer. Using a 348″diameter 200 gr. bullet with 32 grains of 4198 it should shoot at about 1,925 fps.
This is how I feed my .33 WCF 1886. I haven’t spent enough time to work out an optimal load or chrono yet but anecdotally I’m getting good results.
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
TR said
Bob’s got a point, most converted 50’s do not feed properly. A 50 has seven machine cuts in the reciever and mag tube, unless the person that restored it is a magician it doesn’t work right. T/R
Where would I find more information on the required modifications needed to get 50 cal cartridges to feed? I’m familiar with the diagrams and descriptions in A. Pirkle’s book used to help identify factory 50’s but would love to find additional info on what it takes to successfully modify a .33 to a .50.
Thanks
Tim
Tim,
I doubt you will not find any useful information unless you find a guy that has successfully done it or take a working one apart and copy it. Even factory 50’s can crack. They took a receiver that was not designed to handle the 50 and made it feed them so your at the edge of failure.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Chuck, and others,
Sure hope you do NOT USE .348 diameter bullets! Please use .338 diameter bullets!
I know, just seeing if we read what your wrote!?
Tim Tomlinson
tim tomlinson said
Chuck, and others,Sure hope you do NOT USE .348 diameter bullets! Please use .338 diameter bullets!
I know, just seeing if we read what your wrote!?
Tim Tomlinson
All, I’m sorry. Tim is right. My brain and fingers weren’t working together.
Chuck and others,
By no means am I exempt from a disconnect between what I MEANT to type and what happens in reality! And it is often easier for someone else to catch the mistakes because I read what I intended and not what really happened. That is why we all read this forum and try to help out-after all, we are in this together!
Tim
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