I just inherited a 12-gauge Winchester Model 50 and an extra barrel came with the shotgun. The shotgun is in very good condition and was used primarily as a duck gun several years ago. It is my intention to give the gun to my grandson, who will use it mostly for targets. I know very little about Model 50 shotguns and would appreciate any information.
wyobirds
The "Carbine" Williams designed recoiling chamber Model 50 was introduced in January 2, 1954, in 12-gauge, while the 20-gauge first appears on the May 7, 1954, price list. While beautifully made in the Winchester style of the time, they were butt heavy, ill balanced guns and never achieved any popularity. A lighter weight vewrsion was added to the line in 1958, but still didn't help the poor balance of the gun. In 1960 Winchester introduced the Model 59 with a light alloy receiver and the revolutionary Win-Lite barrel made with a thin steel liner wound with 500 miles of glass fiber. The Model 50s last appear in the 1961 Winchester catalogue, while the Model 59 lasted until 1965. Together they represent Winchester's third failure in the autoloading shotgun business.
Wyo, take the above post with a grain of salt. Balance is in the feel to the user. I don't fine them to handle badly.
The Model 50 is a strong autoloader. It should serve your Grandson well if it is taken care of. It is very important to remove the barrel and clean the floating chamber after each use and lightly oil. Be careful not to lose the small spring loaded pin in the back of the floating chamber (the part the slides inside the receiver). It does not normally fall out, but be aware of it.
The Model 50 is a strong autoloader. It should serve your Grandson well if it is taken care of. It is very important to remove the barrel and clean the floating chamber after each use and lightly oil. Be careful not to lose the small spring loaded pin in the back of the floating chamber (the part the slides inside the receiver). It does not normally fall out, but be aware of it.
A Model 50 Winchester is a superb self loading shotgun. I bought a used one when I was 12 years old with money I made from deliverying papers, scrounging for lead batteries, copper wire, brass radiators and pop and beer bottles. My Dad took off the recoil pad and it fit perfectly. The following year I'd saved enough money and bought a used Model 12. The recoil pad was put back on when I hit around 14 years old and the pheasants, grouse and ducks just kept on folding.
I used that Model 50 along with my Model 12, year after year. Hell, I still got it and I still use it. My son's been using it as well. It still performs like the gem it is. Never have any problem at all with my Model 50. To me it balances just fine and comes up on target everytime. Anyone who is recoil shy, the Model 50 is the gun for them.
Quite a few of my friends swear by their Remington 1100's, but they can have'em. They deafen my left ear and bruise my Californie Howdy finger.
My Model 12's are my all time favorites by a long stretch, but my Model 50 is right in there, tied at second, with my Browning Superposed.
Merry Christmas everyone:
Rod
I used that Model 50 along with my Model 12, year after year. Hell, I still got it and I still use it. My son's been using it as well. It still performs like the gem it is. Never have any problem at all with my Model 50. To me it balances just fine and comes up on target everytime. Anyone who is recoil shy, the Model 50 is the gun for them.
Quite a few of my friends swear by their Remington 1100's, but they can have'em. They deafen my left ear and bruise my Californie Howdy finger.
My Model 12's are my all time favorites by a long stretch, but my Model 50 is right in there, tied at second, with my Browning Superposed.
Merry Christmas everyone:
Rod
I think the model 50 is a great autoloader period!!!! Hell I've been around them longer that most sinse my Dad bought one new in 1954 when I was a very young teenager, I inherited it and It's still working great and never been into the shop that I am aware of. Also a very sleek looking gun compared to most. Only gun I like better in my model 12... I don't think they were a failure, just kind of pushed aside by the gas autoloader craze, the model 1400/1500
which replaced it was not nearly as good IMHO ! A'
which replaced it was not nearly as good IMHO ! A'
"3rd failure at making semi auto shotguns"........hmmm, 190,000 were made. doesnt sound like a failure to me. :lol:
bar none....you will find that the 50 has the less lick of any shotgun around. limit your ammo to standard loads. steer clear of those magnum loads for respect to the age of the gun. they will handle it, but why.
M50's were butt heavy? where would you rather have it? in the forearm? butt heavy swings faster. and with a vent rib bbl, the butt heavy goes away.
gun was designed not to be taken apart behind the bolt. it takes special tools and talent to take a stock off, or even to tighten it.
describe the two bbls you have with it? :?:
and if you havent read this thread yet, do so. enjoy.
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=194578
bar none....you will find that the 50 has the less lick of any shotgun around. limit your ammo to standard loads. steer clear of those magnum loads for respect to the age of the gun. they will handle it, but why.
M50's were butt heavy? where would you rather have it? in the forearm? butt heavy swings faster. and with a vent rib bbl, the butt heavy goes away.
gun was designed not to be taken apart behind the bolt. it takes special tools and talent to take a stock off, or even to tighten it.
describe the two bbls you have with it? :?:
and if you havent read this thread yet, do so. enjoy.
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=194578
your gun will balance just fine. do they have ribs on them?
click my icon for any in depth questions, modifications, and updates you may need on this gun.
click my icon for any in depth questions, modifications, and updates you may need on this gun.
I'm pretty sure an Olin Corporation cost accountant would tell you the Model 50 was a failure. Just to prove I'm not totally anti Model 50, here is a picture of mine --
![Image]()
i shoot with an old new haven accountant. :wink:
the gun was discontinued for the 59 and when blueprints started getting tested on the 1400. when automation took over the plant assy line, the 1400 was the new hot toddy. the 50 and 59 were made to go away in prep for the time needed to re-tool the line. winchester bought off on 3 hot items of the time, alloy receivers, gas operation, and mass production assy line.
now, i'd agree the 59 may have been a failure/flop, but NOT the 50 or the 50 featherweight, since it incorporated old steel bbls from the 50 standard grade production.
the gun was discontinued for the 59 and when blueprints started getting tested on the 1400. when automation took over the plant assy line, the 1400 was the new hot toddy. the 50 and 59 were made to go away in prep for the time needed to re-tool the line. winchester bought off on 3 hot items of the time, alloy receivers, gas operation, and mass production assy line.
now, i'd agree the 59 may have been a failure/flop, but NOT the 50 or the 50 featherweight, since it incorporated old steel bbls from the 50 standard grade production.
The Model 11 was a bad gun that lost money. Killed so many users they had the nickname of widowmaker. Wow, what a flop!
The Model 40 was an underdeveloped gun that lost money. They never really got started. It was a failure.
The Model 50 was a good working autoloader, that must have lost money. That makes it a commercial failure.
The Model 1400 was a complete POS. Counterfit. Not worthy of the Winchester name. The same design ethics as a Chevrolet Vega or a Bic lighter. But it was, by Winchester standards, a complete success. It made lots of money and was in production about thirty years. I think they sold two million or more of them.
Now, if you want to talk Winchester commercial disaster, not just a mere failure, let's consider the Super X Model One. They only made about 90,000 of them, which was a good thing for Winchester as they lost money on every one of them, in fact they lost millions and millions of dollars, but it was a helluva gun. I think the best gas operated target gun ever made. But the guy in charge of the SX1 program, whoever he was, deserved to be fired. For Winchester, it was their greatest failure ever.
Any gun is a failure that fails to make money for the manufacturer. That's the reason they make the guns, you know? :wink:
The Model 40 was an underdeveloped gun that lost money. They never really got started. It was a failure.
The Model 50 was a good working autoloader, that must have lost money. That makes it a commercial failure.
The Model 1400 was a complete POS. Counterfit. Not worthy of the Winchester name. The same design ethics as a Chevrolet Vega or a Bic lighter. But it was, by Winchester standards, a complete success. It made lots of money and was in production about thirty years. I think they sold two million or more of them.
Now, if you want to talk Winchester commercial disaster, not just a mere failure, let's consider the Super X Model One. They only made about 90,000 of them, which was a good thing for Winchester as they lost money on every one of them, in fact they lost millions and millions of dollars, but it was a helluva gun. I think the best gas operated target gun ever made. But the guy in charge of the SX1 program, whoever he was, deserved to be fired. For Winchester, it was their greatest failure ever.
Any gun is a failure that fails to make money for the manufacturer. That's the reason they make the guns, you know? :wink:
1. What documentation do you have of this?SuperXOne said:
2. The Model 21 lose money on every one made. So, I guess they were a total failure.
uhhh, last time i checked, didnt winchester go bankrupt a few times?
doesnt mean they made bad guns. they just had bad businessmen in charge.
considering they made some of best guns in the world during ww1, the depression, ww2, korea...(sxm1 - gas crisis, pull out of nam)....id say they had a fine product, it was just a bad time in history when fine guns came around.
doesnt mean they made bad guns. they just had bad businessmen in charge.
considering they made some of best guns in the world during ww1, the depression, ww2, korea...(sxm1 - gas crisis, pull out of nam)....id say they had a fine product, it was just a bad time in history when fine guns came around.
As for the M11, I'd say their nickname of "widowmaker" was probably not completely deserved. The user would have had to do something very stupid, cocking the gun while it was pointed at himself, and have the hammer slip at the same time. But still, it was referred to as the widowmaker and the old gun writers universally trashed the gun. Dunlap and Kieth come ummediately to mind.
On the other hand, the old writers were pretty kind to the Model 40, but Winchester changed it's mind about them after the war. They sold something like 80,000 of them the two years they were made, so Winchester had to have some reason to exchange brand new Model 12's every time a Model 40 came back after the war.
On the other hand, the old writers were pretty kind to the Model 40, but Winchester changed it's mind about them after the war. They sold something like 80,000 of them the two years they were made, so Winchester had to have some reason to exchange brand new Model 12's every time a Model 40 came back after the war.
From what I've read over the years, the main reason Winchester gave us the great guns they did for as long as they did, was that Winchester Repeating Arms Co. was virtually a hobbie for the Olin brothers while their real income was from the chemical corporation and ammunition.
winchester was a high dollar pink elephant. and i agree, it only lasted as long as the ammo and chemical side stayed afloat.
the 40 was a poor design and IT was the only shotgun RECALLED by the winchester factory. it had a weak link in the receiver design. in order to take a potentially dangerous gun out of service, they exchanged them for M12's. now i can agree that the 40 was a flop, not the 50. sadly, like ive always said, some last, some dont. and of the 40's ive seen, most are worn white from hard FAITHFUL use. odd indeed.
keeping in mind the W-11 was a gun w/o a cocking handle, people by nature are lazy or creative in making life easier. thus many would:
1. push bbl down in the ground to cock the bbl., boom.
2. put the stock on the ground and push down on the bbl. to cock, boom.
3. hold bbl with hand at the muzzle end and while finishing the action....boom, gun goes off sending the front bead thru your palm.
4. while gun is going boom from above a.d., hand is now in front of the recoiling bbl. gun reloads and misfires again.....boom, hand blows off.
5. in order to unload gun with multiple rounds in the mag tube, you have to cycle them thru the loaded postion using your hand on the bbl.
women didnt like men without hands or heads. :lol:
widowmaker was an appropriate name.
1. push bbl down in the ground to cock the bbl., boom.
2. put the stock on the ground and push down on the bbl. to cock, boom.
3. hold bbl with hand at the muzzle end and while finishing the action....boom, gun goes off sending the front bead thru your palm.
4. while gun is going boom from above a.d., hand is now in front of the recoiling bbl. gun reloads and misfires again.....boom, hand blows off.
5. in order to unload gun with multiple rounds in the mag tube, you have to cycle them thru the loaded postion using your hand on the bbl.
women didnt like men without hands or heads. :lol:
widowmaker was an appropriate name.
How stupid! :roll: Your just blowing smoke! The sear would had to have been defective for any of that to happen.bobski said:
BTW. Do you know how to use a shift key?
Hey you guys! Life's too short for ya'll to throw your toys out of the cot!Ole Cowboy said:
Getting back to the Winchester Model 50/59. Although I use my left-hand Remington 1100 more than the above two, I really do enjoy shooting them.
Balance? Being a bit butt-heavy is no big deal for me.
I love 'em also because I had the privilige to be acquainted with the Author of the 'Carbine' Williams book and also with members of Marsh's family. All nice folk.
Now then; all you folk with a 50/59. How many of you have had the bolt out of the piece and had a good look at the shape? Especially the nose and underside? Also, the triggerplate assembly with the feed removed. Pop the plate back in and look at that gaping hole!!!
Do you reckon with Marsh Williams' favouring (English spelling) of box magazines, he was thinking of a military use for the gun?
'Cos I reckon that hole and bolt-shape are both crying out for a stick magazine.
What do you think?
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