Winchester Model 50 - Marked "Proof Steel". Can I shoot steel through the full choke?

blasted_saber

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Winchester Model 50 - Marked "Proof Steel". Can I shoot steel through the full choke?

As the thread title states, can one shoot steel shot through a Winchester Model 50 autoloader, which is clearly marked both "proof steel" and "full". Conventional wisdom says this is a no no, yet why would Winchester clearly mark the receiver "steel" if the barrel is full choke? Im assuming when this gun was manufactured back the 50/60s interchangeable barrels were pretty rare.
 
Proof steel just means it was made out of the newest type of steel at the time and can withstand the pressures of the loads at the time. It is not fluid steel or damascus etc. It will not be designed for steel shot. Many people just open the choke up to modified or improved cylinder and fire away. Some say steel will scratch the barrel if it wasn't designed for steel. I say so what, let it scratch. At least you are still using the gun.
 
Just review some of the many treads re: steel through older guns. All holds true. If it were an absolutely mint new out of the box condition M50 I would leave it alone. One with some miles on it IMO can have the choke and or forcing cone worked on to make it somewhat steel shot compatable. It's your call.
 
Model 50 Winchester

blasted_saber said:
As the thread title states, can one shoot steel shot through a Winchester Model 50 autoloader, which is clearly marked both "proof steel" and "full". Conventional wisdom says this is a no no, yet why would Winchester clearly mark the receiver "steel" if the barrel is full choke? Im assuming when this gun was manufactured back the 50/60s interchangeable barrels were pretty rare.
Click to expand...

You are assuming wrong. Interchangeable barrels were quite common and available for the Model 50 (and the later twin brother Model 59) shotguns. Plain and vent rib barrels in full, modified, improved cylinder, and even Skeet barrels marked WS-1 and WS-2.

Proof steel means Winchester Proof Steel, a type of steel used for the barrel. It does not mean that the barrel is proofed for use of steel shot. When the Model 50 was made, steel shot was not in general use.

If you insist on using it for Duck hunting, then I would have it bored out to modified choke, just to be safe. Personally, I still use mine, but more for upland birds than waterfowl.
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I would be careful feeding the gun heavy steel loads, the 50 and 59 (or maybe just the 59) would split their receivers due to excessive recoil stress. Not likely to happen but a good idea to take it easy.

SX-1's with older worn buffers split too, just something to keep an eye on.
 
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