Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Turnbull Manufactureing

Does any one here know about the company and about their firearms.

I have been looking at their 45 90 for quite some time now but before I spend the money I would like to know more about them.

Any advice would be appreciated

Funshooter

See above thread on 475 Turnbull, mines a 50-110 WCF built by Turnbull, it's flawless and very accurate, I'll go bring it TTT.

Gunner

Thanks gunner500
I am a little afraid of what I might do to myself with the 50-110. I like the heavy recoil but some times it doesn't like me and I think that the 45-90 would do anything I would ever want to do. I have a 10 Ga. Blunderbuss that I built about 18 years ago and back then I was all Grissel at 120 Lbs.. With 80 grs. of 2FF and (2) .760 patched balls in it it would slide me back a full step wearing moccasins. I am over 200 Lbs. now and I can take the recoil but black powder and smokeless are different animals. I guess I am just a wimp to try the 50-110.

Some day I would like to shoot one just to see how it is

Your pictures on the other post are beautiful one He!! of a nice looking Rifle.

Thanks for the redirection I have read that post before and forgot that it was there.

I think that they may have been mentioned in Rifle and/or Handloader at some point in time.

Your welcome Funshooter, I drug up the old post so you could see a bit of Turnbulls work, the 45-90 your asking about will do all a man could ever wanna do with a lever action rifle.

The 50-110's recoil is a bit brisk but not overly punishing, good luck on your choice.

Gunner

I think a 45/90 is far more practical than 50/110, 475 Turnbull or 450 Alaskan. Originally the 45/90 was an express cartridge and a lot of the 1886's in this caliber had a slow twist for light bullets over heavy doses of BP. Just make sure you get one with a twist fast enough to stabilize the longest bullet you are likely to use. The other factor is to make sure you get it in the right configuration. 1886's came in a wide variety of barrel /magazine/ grip/ buttstock configurations which can affect handling if you intend to hunt with it.

Another Question

I am getting closer in ordering the rifle and Turnbull has been great in answering my questions.
I know that if I load this rifle up hot that it will blast the Bajesus out of my shoulder.
Do any of you guys have any experience with the Mercury recoil reducers.
If so do they work and if they work should I have Turnbull install two of them when they build the rifle.

Any advice?

I have a .475 Turnbull on a Browning 71 conversion. The pad is a Limbsaver, and cuts the recoil down to "managable" from the bench, or berm. If you are going straight steel cresent plate, I think it's going get your attention...

If you are going to carry the rifle, I'd pass on the added weight, and invest in a quality recoil pad.

The shop is 15 minutes away from my in-laws house, if you are ever the area, it's fully worth the time to stop by. They are just helpful and friendly in-person, and you may get to see some really cool projects.

I was already thinking of the shotgun stock with the recoil pad but I am wondering as I get older (I am already in my mid 50s) that it may be nice to have some added help.
Is the added weight that much more.

Not sure which model they use, but most of them start at 8 ounces, and go up to 16 ounces in weight.

So, for two, you are looking at adding one pound minumum, and potentially two additional pounds for a finished rifle.

The rifle comes at ~8.5 pounds as stock, this would push up to ~10 pounds, and more fully loaded. Just sayin...could get a bit tiring at the end of a long day.

I bought my rifle out of a shop in California in GB. The rifle was breaked with a long secondary added break, fiber optic front sight, 2/3 magazine, pistol grip, and listed as having a repaired "chip" in the butt stock. Reality, it was a "chunk" in the wrist that was glued and repaired, done well, but a bigger repair than listed. I didn't want the break, so I had the Turnbull team cut the barrel back and remove it. The barrel is now 24 inches and bit IIRC. The front sling swivel was gone, so I had a one installed by Turnbull, for very reasonable cost.

This is pre-break removal, and the add of the front swivel stud:

That is pretty bad looking

I want a more traditional look and rifle hence the 45-90 and not the 475.

Thanks for the input I have a lot to take in before I take the plunge and order it

I'd say it's a wiser caliber choice than mine...while I like the .475, it's a niche caliber with very limited supplies of components for reloading.

I was in the shop two weeks ago, no .475 bullets, no brass, no prediction of when they would see any.

Regardless of what you choose, the rifle will be a long time quality investment, and a significant treasure to the next generation in your family.

Our local shop had a Turnball 45-90 on the shelf for a couple months. Excellent fit and finish but not quite as well done as a Shiloh. If I had the disposable income handy, I would have taken it home. Given it's heft, I don't think it would be a heavy kicker until one maybe loaded up some 540 to 545 grain slugs. With something like the 405 Gov bullets, it would be quite pleasant to shoot.

I have a 45-90 Sharps, but it weighs around 15 lbs. I'm still working my way through a first firing on a couple hundred rounds of brass, and recoil is not an issue. I'll probably be able to get a bit more powder in though after these cartridges have been blown out to fit the chamber.

A sharps is on my bucket list as well as many others but Right now I really like the cowboy levers and the 45-90 seems to be an all round choice for a big bore.

Load it up , Load it down for what ever the purpose will be.

The 50-110 seems a little much for an all round caliber to me.

I already have a Henry 22LR , Marlin 44Mag and Marlin 30 30 (love shooting them) and I am looking for something with a little more umf behind it as well as the investment in a Quality Firearm I have a safe full the cheap stuff it is time to move up. I have been looking for a while and Turnbull seems to meet the bill.

Well I just ordered a 45-90WCF with a shotgun style stock with the recoil pad. Turnbull told me that they have about a 1 year turn around.
I wimped out on the 50-110 I will have to see how this fires before I get into the big boys.

This will be my first true Big Bore. I already have a 44 mag Marlin but I do not think that it has the true Big Bore punch behind it. The 45-90 should be fun.

how does the 50-110 compare to the 50 Alaskan? in those rifles ?
are the velocities ,are the bullet weights and twist rates used the same, in those rifles.

yes I,m aware the 50 Alaskan wild cat is supposed to provide a significant power upgrade, but it has a shorter and slightly fatter case

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_Alaskan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50-110_Winchester

I just picked up some brass for the 45-90 WCF.
Turnbull told me that their rifles are designed around the 300gr range but they can and do handle the heavy slugs very well

I have been looking at Die sets and I like RCBS dies. they are what I have the most experience. I do not know if Dillon makes the die yet I emailed the question in to them with no reply yet.

If Dillon does not make the dies. What would you guys suggest would be my best bet.

The RCBS dies for the 45-90 WCF are about $179.00 that is a bit steep for my taste

Could I use the 45-90 Sharps Straight dies. They are much cheaper than the WCF dies.

Thanks for all of your help answering questions for everyone on the Fire.

Dillon just got back to me and they said that they do not make the 45-90 dies.

What dies to you guys like the best or should I just bite the bullet and buy the RCBS dies.

Just got a call from Turnbull today.
Put the deposit down and in about 3 months I may have it.

Congrats, I have a 92 in 45 LC and 86 in 45/70 from turnbull. They shoot as good as they look.

I missed out on their run of 38/40s, wish I would've snatched one up to go with my Colt SAA.

The 45/90 WCF and the 45/90 Sharps are dimensionally the same. The Sharps then and now had/has a quicker twist to stabilize long heavy slugs. The leverguns otoh usually used a 300 grain "Express" slug. Heavier slugs in the levergun are more limited by the maximum O.A.L. the rifle will handle to function through the action. Barrels are easy, action length is action length.

Turnbull and others told me that the case dimensions were different between the WCF and the Sharps.
I bought some Redding WCF dies , Starline brass , 3031 powder (recommended by Turnbull)and I already have primers.
I am in a group buy for an hollow base bullet mold with an extra blank plug to make it a solid slug( solid will be in the 400gr range)
I would also like to get a 500gr and a 300gr mold just to experiment with what the rifle will do and how I will be able to handle it.

And I can not weight to get it. Turnbull just started it and we have been emailing back and forth with what I would like and what they can do.
I have asked them to let me know when they get the barrel what the actual twist and bore of the barrel is so that I can get set up proper for the castings.

I have to say at least at this point Turnbull seams like a great company. Their staff has been very helpful with my questions.

Be sure and have em twist that barrel for the heavies too FS, congrats to ya and cant wait to see pics, then dead critter pics this fall.

I am new to customs
How would the faster twist for the heavy hitters affect the lighter slugs?

An 18 or 20 twist will shoot 300 to just over 500 grains with ease, and equal accuracy in both.

I have 18 twist Sharps rifles and can easily stabilize the 540 gr
Creedmoore bullets, although my favoritte weights are 520 gr, in both paper patch and greasers.

Thank You gunner500
I just sent Turnbull an email with the request for an 18 twist.

I asked what their twist in the standard barrel is but they have not told me what it is yet.

They are still trying to get the sights that I want put on it.

I am getting anxiousness.

You're welcome FS, it's gonna be a literal BLAST.

Turnbull just informed me. Tat the 1:18 twist would be an additional $1200 to retool the barrel.
Their standard twist is 1:20.
I will go with the 1:20

20 twist will be fine.

OK I need some help.
I am getting ready to order some slug molds for this rifle 45-90 WCF)
I am on a group buy for a MiHec 45-70 hollow base 392 gr. and with a plain base pin 415gr solid. I may make a Gas Check pin for this after I get the mold. The buy has been going on for 2 1/2 years so I am not holding my breath on this one.

I am looking at Accurate molds and found a 46-325CG and a 46-500BG both with gas checks. I will order them with a .462 dia. and squish them down to a possible .460 with my lubber.

I have asked Turnbull for the bore dia. of the actual rifle and they have not responded as of yet so I will hold of on my sizing Die for now.

Am I going in the right direction or is there something that I should be looking into.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Call Jerry Dean at Powder Inc. and order some 505 gr flat nosed grease groove bullets sized to 458"

You can drive em to an easy 1300 fps and they will kill anything in the US.

My bet is, Turnbull's will give you a quality barrel with a .458 diameter bore.

While not intimately familiar with Turnbulls, I would guess that a mold that throws a .460" diameter bullet will do you just fine. Being .001" - .002" oversize from bore diameter is good, .004 over is getting into risky territory as you will be sizing them down a lot.

I have three rifles with .458 bores, one Marlin 1895, one custom Mauser in .458WM, and a Shiloh 1874 in .45-70. All three prefer nothing larger than .460. The Shiloh, since I'm shooting Holy Black in it, even shoots .456"-.457" plain base bullets well.

I have a Lyman 405gr mold that throws .460" bullets if you would like to try it before you make any final decisions.

Ed

The .460 after sizing was what I was thinking.

do you think that the different weights are a good variety or should I stick with one like Gunner500 suggested.

Whether you're gonna shoot black or a nice clean charge of IMR-3031 either will bump a 458" lead slug up plenty for maximum accuracy, plus, the 505 Dean bullet 'WILL' function through your magazine and action.

I have an 1886 with a curved steel but plate (non shotgun style). I bought a butt stock and fore end to restock it and will be putting on a shotgun style with recoil pad!

I have a 45-90 on a 1885 with shotgun style butt and a good recoil pad. It is more pleasant to shoot than that 1886.
There's two things that come on these rifles that I don't care for one is those miserable butt plates and the other is the buck horn sights. I put a apperature sight on the 86 and have a tang site on the 85.

I'm in my 60's and I prefer the cushion and prefer something that I can easily sight through.

I ordered an adjustable rear barrel mounted ladder sight and an aperture level front sight for the one I ordered.

I did not like the looks of the steel but plate. I hurt just looking at it. So I wimped out for the shotgun padded stock.

I talked to them last week and they told me they were just finishing up an order for Winchester (maybe some limited additions). Mine would be coming up for manufacture soon.

I am getting anxious .

Turn bull and his crew work magic. Unsurpassed quality

Tracy told me it is getting close to being finished.

She will be contacting me soon.

I will ask this question in the optics section as well.

Turnbull informed me that my sight combination is not working out to well.

They are going to order a tang sight and put it on to fix my problem. It is what I wanted and someone there told me they could not get the tang sight.

They directed me to Montana Vintage Arms.
As I looked threw what they offer I noticed the Winchester B Series Scope.

Has anyone here on the Fire seen one of these scopes and if so what are they like.

I would like to keep the rifle as period correct as possible and this scope looks interesting.

Any advise?

Scope won't work too well on a top eject rifle like the '86. How about a receiver sight like a "climbing Lyman"? Providence Tool Co makes a new replica.

I ordered a tang mid range sight to go on it and saw the scopes. Thought they were interesting.

I thought about the brass ejector problem bu I thought I would ask the question to see what others thought.

By the way that lock is gorgeous and Thanks for the advise

The tang sight will stretch one sight plain, which is a good thing.

I have a 1885 45-90 and shoot heavy bullets in it. It is accurate, one of my favorite rifles. I mainly shoot BP in it though. I doubt that it will have a jacketed bullet go down range from that rifle while I'm alive.
I have a 1886 in a 45-70 and have toyed with the idea of rechambering it, but I do shoot jacketed bullets in it at times.

I got the call today.

Ready to ship and the stinkers have not sent me any pictures. I guess they want to surprise me.

The bullets I cast for it turned out to be hard not soft so I guess I need to order some pure lead and mix with the hard stuff I already have.

My lube dies are being reworked so that I can lube the darn things up with out breaking my equipment and my self.

Things are coming together.

Maybe by the end of next week I will be able to see it.
They said our 10 waiting period here in this stupid state is unconstitutional but we still have to wait the 10 days after we do the instant back ground check.

Getting anxious.

I've known Doug's Dad and Doug since he was in diapers. He is honest straight shooter whose team, does wonderful work in all aspects of gun work.

He has done two LC Smiths for me that were both "gray guns" but rare. A single trap and a special order 6 pound 12 bore double grouse gun both made in 1910. When done, they were both as new or better with the correct LC Smith color case pattern, rust blue, recut markings and on and on.

After UPS managed to drop my Browning Wyoming Centennial 25-06 high wall on the butt hard enough to shatter the stock and BEND the prongs on the rifle buttplate (it was bubble wrapped in a hard case and double boxed. The butt prongs were sticking out. they denied my claim for "insufficient packing" until I slapped a lien on their local facility for fraud) They rolled and I found a new stock my my secret source of Browning parts and Doug fixed the buttplate AND color cased it.

The 25-06 is the bottom one.



His premier stock maker, now sadly passed, restored a number of RF Sedgley deluxe models in rare calibers for me as well. Hardly look like 70 year old rifles.
6.5x55 and 22-06



I would trust Doug with any gun, period!

Larry Root (my real name)

I hope the one they did for me looks as good as any of yours.

My FFL must be playing games with them. I did not ship today maybe tomorrow.