Winchester Model 50 Semi-Automatic Shotgun (Great, but Late to the Market!)
The Winchester Model 50 Semi-Automatic Shotgun was late to the party, dominated by the Browning Auto 5. Historic Winchester Model 50 Semi-Automatic Shotgun is very well made, using machined milled parts. Carbine Williams, of M1 Carbine fame, was the key inventor of the Vintage Winchester Model 50 Semi-Automatic Shotgun. Using a floating chamber, instead having the entire barrel/chamber move backwards to load/unloads shells like the Browning A5. Very interesting gun!
The Winchester Model 50 Semi-Automatic Shotgun was only around from 1954 until 1961, but during that time if had a 30% market share compared to the Browning Auto 5 shotgun. If this was release earlier, it would probably been neck and neck with the Browning A5, in my estimation. Winchester tried with their 1911 (Widowmaker) and Model 40 semi automatic shotguns, but they were dangerous and wonky given they had to work around Browning's patents. Until Browning's patent expired, the semi-auto shotgun market for every other company was pretty much non-existent. Which is why Remington, Savage and FN all used Browning's patents and created their own Auto5 shotguns.
The Model 50 was a semi-automatic shotgun using a short recoil action. Unlike most other short recoil designs, the barrel on the Model 50 is completely static. Instead, the weapon uses a floating breech system consisting of a chamber and forcing cone patented by David Marshall Williams; when the weapon fires, this breech moves back about 0.1 inches (0.25 centimetres), causing the bolt to move backwards. A return spring pushes the bolt back forwards. The Winchester Model 50 is a fabulous shotgun and Winchester's first successful auto loading shotgun. Available in 12 gauge 2¾" Shells
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