Working the Winchester Model 50 and 59 Shotguns

The Winchester Model 50 (1954- 1961) and its successor, the Model 59 (1960-1965) replaced the older Winchester Model 40 (1940- 1941) in an attempt to gain a share in the ever-increasing semi-auto shotgun market. Moderately successful, it reached production figures of almost 200,000 guns by the time of its demise, and the Model 59 added another 82,000 units to the total for this design. The introduction of the gasoperated Model 1400 in 1964 marked the end of Winchester’s recoil-operated designs.

The Model 40 was a longrecoil-operated action, like all the competition’s shotguns at the time of its design, but had a more modernlooking rounded receiver rather than the bulged-back ungainly look of the Winchester Model 11 (1911-1915) or the "humpback" of the Browning A- 5/Remington Model 11/Savage- Stevens 720/745/750 Series.

However, the Model 40 suffered from serious design problems similar to ones which had plagued the Model and by 1954, Winchester was almost desperate to market a successful self-loader to compete with the Browning A-5, the Savage-Stevens versions of the A-5, Remington’s Model 11 (1907-1948) and the new Remington 11-48, a sleeklooking modern design that set anew standard for semi-autos. Unlike the Browning long-recoil design and its derivatives that dominated the market, the M50"s barrel does not move.

Instead, it employs a floating chamber, similar to the Colt "Ace’ .22 pistol. Expensive to manufacture, it was doomed by the introduction of the gas-operated Remington 11-58 in 1956 and the swift evolution of Remington gas operated self- As you can see, it doesn’t take a crowbar; too much push is worse than none. loading shotguns that were cheaper to manufacture, extremely reliable with a wider range of shells, and much less punishing to shoot.

The Model 50 and the Model 59 share all parts except the barrel, forearm, trigger guard, carrier lock, takedown screw, and magazine plug. The Model 59 is noted as one of the lightest self-loading shotguns of its day (around 6-1/2 pounds), as it had not only an alloy receiver but the barrel was a thin steel tube wound with layers of fiberglass and epoxy resin. The Model 59 was also the first shotgun offered with screw-in changeable choke tubes in 1961.

The Winchester "change-up" in 1964 saw the introduction of the Model 1400, a rotating-bolt gas-operated shotgun. Basic Disassembly Ensure the shotgun is unloaded by using the handle on the right slide (#50) to open the bolt until it locks and examining the chamber and magazine. After you are certain that it is not loaded, depress the carrier-lock button (#9) under the ejection port to

When reassembling, insert the carrier first, then the spring. Put the spring’s hook in the small hole in the pawl, and push the pawl into position to insert the pawl pin. Also be advised that the trigger pin comes out this side. It should push out easily. close the bolt. Engage the safety (#47). The safety is engaged when the safety button is projecting an equal amount from both sides of the guard. If there’s no red paint left in the safety’s groove, make a note to repaint it after cleaning.

Oil-based model paints work well. Unscrew the take-down screw (#55) and slide the forearm (#16) forward off the magazine tube (#42). Rotate the barrel (#1) one-quarter turn in either direction.

It may help to place the buttstock (#7) on the floor or bench and lightly press the barrel toward the receiver (#45) while turning. (It might appear that the barrel has interrupted threads, but the ridges and grooves have no pitch; they area series of locking rings or very fine locking lugs.) Withdraw the barrel away from the receiver, and note the odd-looking item sticking out of the receiver. This is the chamber (#13).

Holding the chamber in one hand, open the bolt with the right slide handle until the handle is about even with the back of the ejection port. This unlocks the bolt from the chamber and the chamber is pulled from the receiver, taking care not to lose the chamber plunger (#14) and chamber-plunger spring (#15). These two small parts are usually not loose enough to fall out unless the spring is broken, so pull them out for cleaning. Close the bolt in a controlled manner’d on’t just let it slam home.

Using a suitable drift punch, push the guard pin (#29) out in either direction. Hold the carrier-lock button depressed and lift the guard (#28) out by moving it to the rear and simultaneously pulling it away from the receiver. Hold the carrier lock (#9) in place inside the receiver and remove the carrier lock screw (#10). The carrier lock and carrier-lock spring (#11) can now be separated from the receiver. The carrier-lock spring is taperwound with the large end wedged inside its pocket in the carrier lock.

Open the bolt again, using the right slide handle, until the slide pin (#52) is aligned with the semicircular notch in the handle’s raceway. It may be necessary to rattle the receiver around a bit to get the bolt’s locking lug past the chamber-stop shoulder in the receiver. With a small punch through the hole in the left side of the receiver, push the slide pin out through the notch until it protrudes about 1/2 inch.

Using a screwdriver or similar object, apply moderate force to the link (#36) toward the buttstock to neutralize any strain on the slide pin. Pull the slide pin out, maintaining control over the link. When the slide pin is clear, grasp the link and carefully release the spring tension while lifting the free end of the link out of the receiver. Slide the bolt assembly to the rear of the receiver and remove the right slide through the ejection port.

The bolt assembly and left slide (#51) can now be withdrawn from the receiver. This constitutes basic field stripping and should be all the disassembly required for normal cleaning. Detail Disassembly Remove the magazine-plug pin (#40) with a suitable punch. Retain control over the magazine plug (#39) when you remove the punch, although the plug will usually be stuck on a burr or rust inside the magazine tube (#42) and must be pushed out from the receiver end with a 5/16-inch dowel or by using three dummy shells.

The magazine spring (#41) and magazine follower (#38) are now free. Clamp the buttstock in a well-padded vise and remove the buttplate (#5) or recoil pad. You’re now looking at the buffer plug (#3) and buffer lock (#4). Using a screwdriver or long-nose pliers, slide the buffer lock to one side until the opposite leg clears the hole in the closing-spring tube (#16). Remove the buffer lock and unscrew the buffer plug. Caution: The buffer plug is under considerable spring tension.

Take care to control it or risk losing the plug in the deep dark corners or even possibly losing an eye. (Always wear eye protection when working

Figure 1. Trigger/Hammer/Hammer Catch Modifications with springs.) Remove the closing spring (#17). Using the link, push the inertia rod (#35) out of the tube. If necessary, the link pin (#37) can be driven out, separating the inertia rod from the link. This pin is staked, so be sure to restake it after replacement. It’s now time to make or buy a simple tool to remove the closingspring tube. If you have a Menck Mark 3 Shotgun forearm T. W.

Menck, Ralston, NB 68 wnells as part #590-016-008), you’ll find that one of the wrench sections fits the end of the closingspring tube well enough to allow removal and replacement. Otherwise, you’ll need a 1/2-inch pipe nipple or rigid conduit nipple, 6 inches long; a 3/16-inch roll or solid pin (or 3/16- to 1/4-inch square key stock) about 1- 1/8 inches long; and a drill to match the pin. Drill squarely through the nipple about 2 inches from one end and insert the pin through the hole.

It doesn’t have to be a press-fit operation; the hole needs to be just large enough to allow the cross-pin to pass. Slide the long part of the nipple into the closing-spring tube as a pilot, and engage the notches in the end of the Trigger is released. With hammer held such that points "D" and "E" are at closest proximity, the gap MUST be between 0.003 inch to actual contact between the points. If the points touch, the hammer catch MUST release the hammer when pressure on the hammer is removed.

Gap adjustment is made at point "F" on the hammer catch. Remove spur "A" as shown, taking care to leave material at point "B." This material is necessary to prevent safety engagement if the hammer is down in the fired position. Remove the last bit of the spur carefully and test-fit often. The job is finished when the spur is gone to the point that it no longer catches the trigger, but the safety cannot be applied unless the hammer is cocked. closing spring tube with the pin.

You can turn the nipple with Vise Grips or with a handle welded to the end, or you can drill another hole through and use apiece of drill rod or a screwdriver as a handle. Once the closing-spring tube is off, the buttstock (#7) is removed from the receiver extension tube (#46). Watch for the spacer washers (#16a and 16b) between the closing-spring tube and the buttstock. The shotgun may or may not have spacers. For all practical purposes, the extension tube and magazine tube are not removable.

They are staked or pressed and brazed into the receiver. This completes major disassembly. Trigger Group Begin by ensuring that the hammer (#30) is still cocked and the safety ison. Move the carrier (#8) up until the arch clears the guard, and pull the carrier out directly toward you. Remove the carrier spring and use the long straight leg to push the pawl pin (#44) out, separating the pawl (#43) from the carrier. Keep the carrier spring handy.

Now disengage the safety and, while maintaining control over the hammer, pull the trigger (#57) to allow the hammer to swing as far forward as it will go. In this gun, the hammer spring (#34) also acts as a trigger-return spring, trigger-pin retainer, and guard-pin retainer. Note how it is wedged in a slot at the rear of the guard, maintaining tension against a groove on the trigger pin (#58).

Use the long leg of the carrier spring to pry the hammer-spring leg out of the groove, and allow the leg to clear the trigger pin. Pull the end out from the guard and swing the spring leg clockwise until the spring and hammer are in the position depicted in the photo on page 17. At this point, the hammer spring is pulled straight out toward you. It may be necessary to wiggle the spring and/or hammer to allow removal.

The hammer spring’s short leg comes out of its slot in the hammer and through the slot in the guard. The hammer pin (#33) may require the use of long-nosed pliers to remove, depending on the level of crud and wear. The carrier spring is again employed to push the trigger pin out. This pin comes out the side where the hammer spring catches the pin’s groove. The trigger, hammer catch (#31), and hammer-catch spring (#32) are now free.

The hammer-catch spring has a wide coil on one end to wedge it into its pocket in the trigger, and should be twisted clockwise during removal and installation. Reengage the safety and use the long leg of the carrier spring yet again to poke through the hole in the safety button and depress the safety plunger (#48). Pull the safety button toward the guard with the carrier spring and the safety button will clear the plunger, allowing the carrier spring to snap over against the guard.

Remove the carrier spring and push the safety button out, taking care to cover the plunger with your thumb to prevent its escape. The safety plunger and safety-plunger spring (#49) can now be removed. Should they be stuck, the carrier spring can be used to poke the pin and spring out, using the hole in the end of the plunger/spring pocket. If the shotgun is having problems

with weak or no primer indent when the user tries to fire it, see Figure 1 on trigger/hammer/ hammer catch modifications before reassembling the trigger group. Bolt and Component Parts Begin the bolt-group disassembly by working with the ejector (#18) until it comes out along with the ejector spring (#19). This can require patience (and the use of some old Navy language) to get the silly thing in position to be removed.

Basically, the ejector tail is pulled out a bit and up a bit until the lug on its bottom is clear of the bolt, and then pull it straight back. The firing-pin stop pin (#24) is poked out using" yes, you guessed it" the carrier spring, pushing the end of the stop pin just visible under the bolt’s locking lug while maintaining control of the firing pin. Remove the firing pin (#23) and firing-pin spring (#25).

Using the all-purpose carrier spring, push the extractor pin (#21) out from bottom to top and pull the extractor (#20) out. Contain the extractor spring (#22) or it may launch itself into the nether regions of your work area, never to be seen again. Note: The firing-pin spring and ejector spring should be tested for kinking or collapse by rolling each across a flat surface.

If either is kinked or warped, Winchester Model 50 and 59 Semi-Auto Shotgun 1 Barrel 2 Bolt 3 Buffer Plug 4 Buffer Lock 5 Butt Plate 6 Butt Plate Screw (2) 7 Buttstock 8 Carrier 9 Carrier Lock 10 Carrier Lock Screw 11 Carrier Lock Spring 12 Carrier Spring 13 Chamber 14 Chamber Plunger 15 Chamber Plunger Spring 16 Closing Spring Tube 16a Wave Washer Spacer* 16b Flat Washer Spacer* 17 Closing Spring it will be very obvious and the spring should be replaced. The proper length of both springs is about 2-1/8 inches.

Reassembly Generally, the shotgun goes back together very much the reverse of its disassembly.

However, when you are 18 Ejector 19 Ejector Spring 20 Extractor 21 Extractor Pin 22 Extractor Spring 23 Firing Pin 24 Firing Pin Stop Pin 25 Firing Pin Spring 26 Forearm 27 Front Sight 28 Guard 29 Guard Pin 30 Hammer 31 Hammer Catch 32 Hammer Catch Spring 33 Hammer Pin 34 Hammer Spring 35 Inertia Rod 36 Link 37 Link Pin 38 Magazine Follower 39 Magazine Plug 40 Magazine Plug Pin 41 Magazine Spring 42 Magazine Tube** 43 Pawl 44 Pawl Pin 45 Receiver w/Magazine Tube & Extension Tube 46 Extension Tube** 47 Safety 48 Safety Plunger 49 Safety Plunger Spring 50 Slide, Right 51 Slide, Left 52 Slide Pin 53 Take-Down Screw Bushing 54 Take-Down Retaining Ring 55 Take-Down Screw 56 Take-Down Screw Lock Washer 57 Trigger 58 Trigger Pin *May or may not be present. ** Factory installation only; not available separately. putting all the pieces back, there are a few items that require adjustment, attention, or care.

When reassembling the receiver, slide the buttstock on and install the closing-spring tube (and washers, if present). Tighten the closing spring tube (just short of splitting the stock).

Now the assembled bolt, right and left slides, and inertia rod/link can be dropped in, aligned carefully, and the slide pin installed. Also replace the carrier-lock assembly at this time. Install the closing-spring buffer plug and the buffer-plug lock last. The receiver’s guts go in a lot easier if you aren’t fighting the spring. It’s also necessary to adjust the buffer plug properly before installing the lock. The factory adjustment procedure is: 1.

With the bolt closed, install the closing spring and screw the buffer plug in several turns. Take care to control the spring. 2. Open the bolt until it locks. 3. Screw the plug in until it is against the inertia rod (right slide handle has no free play). 4. Back the plug out 2-1/2 turns. Continue until the slot aligns with the first pair of holes in the spring tube to allow installation of the lock. 5. Check that the bolt handle now has 3/32 to 1/8 inch of rearward movement from the locked-open position. 6.

Install the lock, using a small screwdriver or long-nosed pliers. 7. Install the buttplate or recoil pad. It won’t go out the other way. Note that the pin is pointed on one end to facilitate reinsertion. When reinstalling the magazine plug, the blind hole in the flat side must point forward and must be toward the barrel. When replacing the magazineplug pin, ensure that the clearance notch is facing the hole in the magazine plug. If either of these is installed wrong, you won’t be able to attach the forearm.

The Operating Cycle The Winchester Model 50/59 operating cycle is considerably different from conventional long-recoil designs. As stated before, the barrel is stationary; recoil forces the floating chamber and bolt assembly (which are locked together) to move approximately 1/8 inch rearward. The chamber’s motion is arrested by a shoulder in the receiver. Attached to the bolt (via the link) is the inertia rod, which is simply a mass large enough that its momentum continues to pull the bolt back.

As the bolt/link/inertia-rod assembly continues its travel, the right and left slides are stopped at the end of their tracks in the receiver, causing the slide pin to cam the bolt out of lockup with the chamber. The chamber springs forward to its resting position in the barrel as soon as the bolt unlocks, propelled by the chamber plunger and spring. The bolt/link/ inertia rod’s rearward motion also cocks the hammer and compresses the closing spring.

As the bolt/link/ inertia-rod assembly reaches the end of its travel, the ejector strikes the rear of the receiver, ejecting the spent shell. If another shell is present in the magazine, it has followed the bolt as it opened and its rim now has the carrier lock depressed, trapping the next shell in the magazine. The bolt/link/inertia-rod assembly is now run forward by the closing spring.

The pawl, which has been tipped back by the bolt, now catches on the bolt and tips the carrier up, presenting the next shell to be fed into the chamber. As the bolt nears its closed position, it clears the pawl and the carrier snaps back down, releasing the carrier lock, which liberates the next shell in the magazine. This shell is caught between the carrier and the protruding lug on the bottom of the bolt. As the bolt cams up into battery, the shotgun is ready to fire again (after releasing the trigger).

This cycle won’t happen in slow motion, as the shell coming out of the magazine needs some velocity to wedge the carrier lock aside. This power comes from the momentum the shell acquires following the bolt opening, pushed by the magazine spring. Troubleshooting Loose buttstocks can be caused by a loose closing-spring tube or by wear and tear on the stock. If you can’t tighten the closing-spring tube enough to tighten the stock, you’ll need to

shim the area between the small end of the closing-spring tube and the corresponding shoulder in the stock. Winchester supplied shim washers to aid in correcting this, but they are scarce and difficult to find nowadays. You can make your own spacer from a washer.

The approximate finished dimensions are 3/4 inch ID by 1-1/16 inches OD. (Try a 3/4-inch machined washer, not a hardware-store cut flat washer.) The thickness is adjusted to enable the closing-spring tube to be tight and yet be able to properly install and adjust the buffer plug and lock. It may be easier facing off the small end of the closing-spring tube than trying to thin a washer to adjust overall length and allow proper buffer plug/lock adjustment and installation.

The vast majority of function problems encountered can be solved with a thorough cleaning (just like almost every other gun made). Disassemble the shotgun to the "basic field-strip" level, disassemble the bolt, and clean everything thoroughly. Clean the trigger group and inside the receiver with mineral spirits or other mild solvent and the dry it thoroughly. Good gun oil is all that is necessary on reassembly’no grease!

Winchester’s technical circulars of the time specifically note that over-lubrication of this action design can cause sluggish operation and undesirable trapping of debris that can lead to malfunctions. Other function problems including erratic firing due to a weak or inconsistent firing-pin strike can be Figure 2. Carrier Revision caused by several different and otherwise unrelated problems.

Early production M50 shotguns were equipped with a secondary notch on the hammer to prevent doubling, and this notch can cause hammer-fall interruption. Winchester’s factory solution was to modify the hammer, hammer catch, and trigger to improve hammer-catch performance and eliminate the second notch. See Figure 2 for the procedure.

It’s also possible that the hammer is striking an improperly made or repaired link. (The hammer travels through the link, and it is the link that actually cocks the hammer and keeps the hammer depressed until the bolt is back in battery.) Check to see that the link pin and both slides are returning to the complete forward position after firing. If the link/pin/slide assembly does not return completely forward, the hammer will strike the link, reducing or eliminating the transfer of energy to the firing pin.

In this case, clean the receiver, bolt, and link assemblies thoroughly. Break the sharp edges and corners of both slides with a fine stone. Disassemble the The extension on the take-down screw goes into this pocket, and if the plug or pin is out of position you can’t tighten the forearm. File approximately 1/4 inch wide and approximately 1/32 inch deep below carrier-locking surface, breaking corner of the shell-stopping shoulder at approximately 45 degrees.

Note: File as illustrated above to prevent shell from locking under the face of the bolt, to keep shell from cocking at top or side, and to prevent shell from failing to trip carrier lock by overriding same. magazine and examine the tube and follower for rust. Since the bolt’s run into battery is somewhat cushioned by pushing any rounds in the magazine forward (trapped between the bottom lug on the bolt and the carrier), anything that interferes with magazine-follower movement can also prevent full bolt closure.

Of course, the firing pin could also be broken, bent, or binding. Live shells being ejected or dropped through the bottom of the action when the shotgun is fired is caused by a worn or malformed carrier lock. Replacement of the lock is recommended, but if the lock is not too worn or broken, it’s possible to clamp the flat end of the carrier lock in a vise and carefully tap the button end with a hammer, adding some curvature to the lock.

This is best done in small increments, testing the shotgun after each adjustment. If no replacement carrier lock is available, you can also silver-solder a shim to the small tail of the carrier lock on the side opposite the button (the worn part where the shell rim engages the lock). A bolt that fails to lock open on the last shot can be traced to lack of cleaning or other maintenance, faulty ammunition, or a maladjusted buffer plug. Clean the receiver’s components and adjust the plug properly when replacing.

Early production M50s also had trouble with shells jamming in the carrier area due to improper carri-

er and/or carrier-lock handling of the shell. To correct this, a small cutout was machined in the carrier and one edge of the cut beveled. Figure 2 details the proper dimensions for the cut. Final Notes and Observations The Model 50/59 shotguns are generally smooth-operating repeaters and don’t have the "bang-chunk-clunk" feeling of long-recoil designs. The particular Model 50 that was in my shop was brought in to have a dented barrel fixed.

After repair, it was reassembled without cleaning and testfired with more than 200 assorted shotshells of questionable quality. (We were cutting down scrub cedar with the shells’quite a noble endeavor.) It had two failures to eject and two shortcycles where the bolt didn’t make it open far enough to begin ejection. I can’t rule out ammo in any of the malfunctions. As far as handling goes, it was well-balanced and not nearly as rough on the shoulder as my old Remington M11 or my 11-48.

All of these designs represent the passing of an era in gunmaking; the old tried-and-true but expensive method of forging, machining, and handfitting steel giving way to high-strength aluminum alloys and increased use of castings, stampings, extrusions, and numerical-controlled machinery making parts that require no fitting.

Paradoxically, it is the evolution of these very CNC machines that now makes it practical to manufacture things even better and cheaper than "the Good Old Days""witness the rebirth of the Pre-64 Model 70, among others. I