86 Win. Caliber change

[Jed Cooper]

I made this post on the gunsmithing forum also. Does anyone know who has the parts available, or would do the conversion on an 86 winchester fron 40-82 to 50-110?I know how some of us feel about altering original guns, but this one has been relined already. I don't really have a use for the 40-82,but i would love to have in 50 cal. as i could hunt about any thing out there with that. It is a nice old gun, And iI have another one just like it in 45-70. I know the barrel is the easy part. Hard part is the internals. Any help welcome.    Jed

[French Jack]

Check with John King, Kila, MT, 406-755-5352..

[Jed Cooper]

Check with John King, Kila, MT, 406-755-5352..

Thanks Bob,     Jed

[Joe Lansing]

    There is no need to change any internals. The only difference to consider is the rim diameter, and maybe not even that. According to "Cartridges of the World" the 40-82 rim is .604 and the 50-110 rim is .607. Personally, I think Winchester used the same bolt for all its '86 chamberings.

                                                                J.L.

[Jed Cooper]

Thanks Joe, This is starting to look doable.   Jed

[French Jack]

Jed, I happen to have a new, tapered #3 octagon barrel for an 86 Winchester.  It happens to be in .50 cal., with cut rifling.
Sound interesting?

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pard,
While you are at it, you might look to having the breachblock and locking lugs from a M71 fitted to the '86 action.  The bolt face of the '86 has the ejector surrounding the lower half of the firing pin.  Should the ejector break from the pounding of heavy recoil, the primer will back out of the cartridge case, possibly sprinkling your forehead with a bit of hot gas. (The cuts in the front sides of the block deflect the gases upward, but WEAR SHOOTING GLASSES ANYWAY.  If you can locate the M71 parts (you need BOTH the block AND the locking lugs, as the contact surfaces of the M71 lockup are angled, as opposed to being straight vertical as on the '86.  The M71 bolt face has the firing pin (which is also smaller in diameter) completely surrounded by metal.  A good 'smith can fit the parts to the '86 action.  The M71, BTW, is simply a slightly modified '86!  I've had this done to two '86's, and they work fine!  The M71 was chambered for the .348 Winchester, which is nothing but the .50-110 case tapered and bottlenecked to .348". (Why they chose that goofy diameter, I'll never figure! They could have gone to .338 WCF Improved or .358"!  )

Of course, I would hope that the receiver is a higher numbered one, so you have a bit better metal, but most '86's made after 1895 should be okay if you don't overdo it!

Good luck!