50-110 dies vs 50ak

[hard88cast]

Been looking to purchase some 50-110 dies and havnt had any luck.

Called rcbs this week and was told there custom die shop was not making that caliber any more.
ch4d has none in stock and will be quite a while till they get back to making them.

I did read, maybe on this site that 50 alaskan dies work perfect for 50-110. Is this true?

Am curious if the 50ak die is long enough to allow FULL length resizing of the 50-110 case?(doubtful)

Resize die would be the only one that would really matter.

Any thoughts on this?

Any thoughts on were to purchase(I saw the add in cz land) maybe buy out of Australia dont think euro.

Anyone with a used set they would like to sell in order to keep the 50cal dream alive for another individual :)


thanks

[indian joe]

I would buy a set of Alaskan dies then get your gunsmith to make a straight body size die that will resize the last three quarter inch of the case.
If you dont push it too hard you might get away with just neck sizing - after the neck the next area to need a squeeze will be right where the case walls join the solid head. Run it on blackpowder none of this might matter!

[hard88cast]

Yes, I am thinking about buying the 50alaskan dies, with in a few thousands of being the same.
Both cases have slight taper to them, so not so easy making a full length resize for the 50-110.
I do plan on black powder for easy plinking, it there is such a thing with a50.

[hard88cast]

Actually it just dawned in me what you meant in your post...
I don't need a full length50-110,, use the 50 alaskan and just a small 3/8" home made die for the head of the case,,, little rinky dink but definitely would work. Thanks for that thought Indian Joe.

[hard88cast]

well i just got lucky. A fellow CB subscriber had his eyes peeled for me and located a set of new ch4d dies with shell holder.
Yes I bought them. Now I need to order some 500+- gr bullets and load a few casings without powder and primer for my gunsmith for my conversion.
Thanks so much Rich.

[missionary5155]

Now that brings a smile to my heart !!

[hard88cast]

missionary, brings a smile to my face also. This project of mine has been on my mind for many years. There is a lot of pieces to it especially when converting a browning to a winchester forearm and a browning short mag tube to a full length winchester 86 mag tube and parts. The barrel, the gunsmith etc. The one part of the equation that was holding me up and causing distress, was no dies available anywhere in continental u.s..

I called rcbs and I was told they no longer make the 50-110 even at there custom shop, discontinued!!!
I had called ch4d about 50-110 dies 2 weeks ago and i was told they wont be back to the 50-110 die manufacturing for 2 yrs. I got a little depressed. Then low and behold a CB friend like you found me a set that was just listed on ebay and i grabbed them. Thanks Richard.
So now I have all my parts to change the rifle to a winchester oct barrel forearm and cap, all the mag tube parts for a full length mag tube, dies on the way, cases on the way, looking for boolits(the easy part), now just waiting for my smith to tell me to ship the rifle and parts to him. He is backed up so I know I have to wait my turn, the hardest part :).

Seems like the only part left to do is come up with the sights. I dont want to use the browning ft sights as they are screw in, I want dovetailed ft winchester sights, and some kind of short ladder site rr...Also figure a way to add a peep to a single bolt rear tang. Anyway all is good and it seems as though things are finally coming together.

[missionary5155]

For rear sights we have receiver sights on both. The 71 already had them installed. Our 86 was a simple drill and tap.
That way you have windage and elevation.
But a tang sight is a good idea if you are planning on some distance shooting. Where we hunt in the river bottoms I seldom see a critter past 50 yards so the receiver sights are all we need.
We did put a full buckhorn on the 50-95. going from 100 yards to 200 is a snap once you learn how high up to raise the front sight into the upper horns.

[hard88cast]

would you say those receiver sights are super quick acquisition sights ? As in bear charging from close range quick.

[Rick B]

A good side mounted receiver sight with the aperture removed, would basically provide you with a ghost ring sight picture. A sight system like that, is a really fast acquirable system. A Redfield Model 70 F would be the ticket.

[hard88cast]

Hi Rick, not familiar with these side receiver mount sights, but Will definitely check out the Redfield model 70f .thanks for the tip.

[JFE]

Once you are used to peep sights, they can be the fastest sight to use instinctively.

The older side mounted peep sights were much more robust as they were made of steel, but finding one with a wide aperture arm to suit the width of the 86 / 71 action is not easy. Their main attraction is ease of adjustment, which is useful if you intend to change loads often. Arguably other options, eg XS sights, are even more robust but are best suited to one load as they are less convenient to change sight settings.

[Rick B]

Receiver sights are very fast. An XS sight requires specific drilling and tapping. An then only a XS sight can be mounted in thes holes. An older steel Redfield Model 70 is very adjustable and robust. They are side mounted. Drilled and tapped in the traditional location. The problem with these sights is due to the wider width of the receiver, they have to be the specific sight in order for the aperture to be centered. The standard 92-94 sight crossbar is to short. The sighting aperture ends up hard right with little windage adjustment left.

The Redfield Steel Model 70F is highly sought after. Couple in the fact that the Redfield hasn't been made in over 40 years. Like new sights can run 250-400$.
Rick

[hard88cast]

thanks for the great info folks. This project has been many long years in the savings of $$$$ to do this, Just like the dies I just bought, expensive yes, but I had set aside the correct funds for this part of the project. And I have the funds for the correct sights. I will start doing a search and check these sights out, thanks.
fyi I just recd my 50-110 ch4d dies,,yahoo, im on my way. Exciting.

[indian joe]

thanks for the great info folks. This project has been many long years in the savings of $$$$ to do this, Just like the dies I just bought, expensive yes, but I had set aside the correct funds for this part of the project. And I have the funds for the correct sights. I will start doing a search and check these sights out, thanks.
fyi I just recd my 50-110 ch4d dies,,yahoo, im on my way. Exciting.

I have a Williams 5D on my Browning 71 - (the box is marked 94/336) am absolutely mystified by the story that these wont fit the wider body 71 / 86 rifles - not a problem at my place, its been on there since I bought the rifle (last century sometime) - offhand I can shoot it just as well with the eyepiece removed and its quick.

[Rick B]

Glad your Williams 94 5D slide arm allows you to use it on A 1886/71. The Redfield Model 70 sights for a 94 Winchester have a shorter length slide arm.

The sight for a 1886-71.
Model 1894 Redfield Model 70E
Model 1886/71 Redfield Model 70F
The slide arm is roughly 3/8" longer on the 70F. This allows one to center the windage aperture behind the adjustment scale.
One additional sight is the earlier all steel Lyman 56. It also has a special Model for the 1886/71. The slide arm on it is also longer. Lyman Model 56W71.
Rick

[JFE]

Glad your Williams 94 5D slide arm allows you to use it on A 1886/71. The Redfield Model 70 sights for a 94 Winchester have a shorter length slide arm.

The sight for a 1886-71.
Model 1894 Redfield Model 70E
Model 1886/71 Redfield Model 70F
The slide arm is roughly 3/8" longer on the 70F. This allows one center the windage aperture behind the adjustment scale.
One additional sight is the earlier all steel Lyman 56. It also has a special Model for the 1886/71. The slide arm on it is also longer. Lyman Model 56W71.
Rick

Lyman also made their 66 model for 86/71 receivers. I’m referring to the old steel ones, not the flimsy ones they sell now made out of aluminium. The beauty of these is you could have a spare arm sighted in for a different load and using the push button arm locking feature, allowed you to quickly change sight settings.

There was a party selling repro Redfield peep sights. They also offered a lot of optionality, including longer arms for extended ranges. The copies looked good and his prices reflected that. Unfortunately he’s no longer making them and has since taken his web site down, but he can be contacted via Facebook. There’s a pic of his sight on his FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/DWBattlesight/

If there was enough interest in a robust peep sight for 86/71, he could possibly be convinced to make a job lot for a group buy.