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January 13, 2010
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I just picked up a beautiful rifle with a whole bunch of special order features…
Rifle1/2 octagon barrel
matted
1 pound extra heavy.
Set trigger
1/2 magazine 5 cartridges
checked stock pistol grip
shotgun butt
oil finish.
Sling and swivel
oval silver name plate in fore-arm 1″ long
Length of stock 14″,
Lyman wind gauge, set screw in front sight
no rear sight seat.
It is in excellent original condition with a bright bore. I got a box of ammunition with it, loaded with jacketed bullets, from Buffalo Arms. I think I will pull the bullets and reload them with cast bullets…
November 19, 2006
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Simply amazing. My gosh but that rifle has so much going for it! Even the unusual sights letter! And in the very best chambering!
The envy I’m feeling at the moment is almost more than I can stand.
July 8, 2012
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Wow, what a beautiful and special rifle. Love all the special order features, and the caliber.
April 15, 2005
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steve004 said
Simply amazing. My gosh but that rifle has so much going for it! Even the unusual sights letter! And in the very best chambering!The envy I’m feeling at the moment is almost more than I can stand.
The sights on that rifle are very nice, but they are not factory original per the factory letter. The front sight on that rifle right now is a Winchester Wind Gauge Globe, and it has a standard Lyman No. 1 tang sight.
The caliber and configuration of that rifle is certainly something very special 
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 19, 2006
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Even the swivels letter!
I’ll bet Clarence will have something to say about the practicality of that front sight 
January 13, 2010
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Bert H. said
steve004 said
Simply amazing. My gosh but that rifle has so much going for it! Even the unusual sights letter! And in the very best chambering!
The envy I’m feeling at the moment is almost more than I can stand.
The sights on that rifle are very nice, but they are not factory original per the factory letter. The front sight on that rifle right now is a Winchester Wind Gauge Globe, and it has a standard Lyman No. 1 tang sight.
The caliber and configuration of that rifle is certainly something very special
The letter said nothing of a rear tang sight at all, whether it is a Lyman or any other tang sight, is of no real consequence. Some type of sight had to be put on it to shoot it without a rear barrel sight.
When have you seen so many special orders on a single rifle? Being 50-100-450 is rare enough without the special orders. How many 1886’s could there be like this? You know a lot about High Walls, I was hoping the same for your knowledge of 1886’s.
I hope it shoots light bullets..
April 15, 2005
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I have not tried to study the Model 1886 in the same detail that I have for the Single Shots. That stated, I do know that there were a very substantial number of Model 1886 rifles made with multiple special order features. John Madl would be the person I would ask about this rifle.
While I cannot accurately answer your question of “how many”, I highly doubt that there are any other Model 1886 rifles configured the same as this rifle… it is very likely to be a true one-of-a-kind. Like I stated before, the caliber and configuration are something quite special.
I suspect that it will shoot lighter bullets just fine… are you considering loading it up for some Prairie Dogs outings 
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 9, 2008
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Congrats! Very Nice! A real Gem
January 13, 2010
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Bert H. said
I have not tried to study the Model 1886 in the same detail that I have for the Single Shots. That stated, I do know that there were a very substantial number of Model 1886 rifles made with multiple special order features. John Madl would be the person I would ask about this rifle.While I cannot accurately answer your question of “how many”, I highly doubt that there are any other Model 1886 rifles configured the same as this rifle… it is very likely to be a true one-of-a-kind. Like I stated before, the caliber and configuration are something quite special.
I suspect that it will shoot lighter bullets just fine… are you considering loading it up for some Prairie Dogs outings
Bert
Gophers by tomorrow afternoon, if all goes well…
November 7, 2015
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You’re my hero, Shrapnel! Score an awesome rifle and take it out hunting.
I must advise against light bullets in the 50-100-450 on gophers, those critters may charge when wounded. If you insist on a light bullet please consider a hollow point and a generous charge of Holy Black. Hold tight, favor the X-ring, and caress that set trigger!
Mike
January 13, 2010
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I got it out, shot the target. First shot low, with a little elevation, second and third shots touching. It will work…
November 19, 2006
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Shrapnel said
I got it out, shot the target. First shot low, with a little elevation, second and third shots touching. It will work…
Well that’s very impressive and satisfying. Either shot will take prairie dog (or gopher) right between the eyes
April 15, 2005
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What weight bullet, and what was your powder charge ?
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 13, 2010
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Bert H. said
What weight bullet, and what was your powder charge ?
315 grain gas check, 40 grains 5744…
April 15, 2005
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Shrapnel said
Bert H. said
What weight bullet, and what was your powder charge ?
315 grain gas check, 40 grains 5744…
Probably not quite “varmint” velocity, but for a .50 Cal, it is close enough.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 19, 2006
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What is the barrel length?
January 13, 2010
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steve004 said
What is the barrel length?
22 inches…
November 19, 2006
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Shrapnel said
steve004 said
What is the barrel length?
22 inches…
Thanks. I thought it looked shorter than standard.
September 16, 2019
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That is an amazing rifle!!! ? ? ? And a great caliber! I recently read a reprint of Kepharts book Sporting firearms and he mentioned that the 50/100/450 was far superior to the 50/110, because of the longer bullet it was more accurate. Yet I still have Mike Venturinos words in my head who wrote that Winchesters in 50 caliber do not have a reputation for accuracy…
Does anybody have any thoughts and experience with either statement? Would be interesting to know…
January 13, 2010
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While I was at the Colorado Collector’s Show in Greeley, Colorado, I met some knowledgeable guys there that helped me with the rifle. I had misread the letter, thinking the sight that was mentioned in the letter was a reference to the front sight as it had the wind adjustable front sight.
Instead, the sight was a Wind adjustable rear sight and a front sight with a set screw, which is common on those rifles with a silver sight blade. Bert had pointed that out in his post, I was still thinking it was referring specifically to the front sight because of the windage sight that was on the gun. I called Brad Dunbar and he was kind enough to send me a picture out of an old Lyman catalogue of what that wind adjustable sight looked like.
After a short search at the show, I found one. It matched the description in the letter and also matched the sight illustrated in Brad’s catalogue. It shows just how the rear of the bolt is squared off to allow the rear sight on the tang to clear when the gun is reloaded.
I ran into Tom Adams, who had researched the 50-100-450 to find out all the variations and total number of guns built in that caliber. He had copy from the original Winchester ledger, that showed the features that were ordered on the gun.
The gun show proved to be well worth my trip to Greeley…
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