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I recently received my Browning Model 71 conversion to 50-110 back from Turnbull and I absolutely love it! It's got a 26" rust blued octagonal barrel and I added the extended tube magazine. I added checkering to the factory buttstock and installed a Pachmayr decelerator pad. I also had them install an aluminum pillar around the screw that holds the buttstock to the frame for added strength. We replaced the factory forend with a custom checkered forend in order to accommodate the octagonal barrel. It's got a Marble's silver bead front sight along with a Marble's bullseye rear sight. I also had them color case harden the receiver, hammer, lever, and forend cap. All other metal finishes were blued and the wood received a nice red oil finish.

It's shooting great with everything that I have loaded for it so far. I plan to carry it on a cape buffalo hunt that I have scheduled for July. The load that I plan to use is a 450 grain Swift A Frame over a Starline case full of RL15, ignited by a Fed 215 LRM primer.











DJH

Damn 'beautiful hammer' i love mine, hope you fill the freezers with it for many seasons to come.

Thanks bud, I appreciate the load development help!

DJH

You're most welcome 8Point, you're gonna have a blast with that rifle.

Saw one of his units, I think it was a 45-90, on a local rack years back. I sure wish I had bought it. I suspect it would have been a very fine investment.

PM sent....

Beautiful rifle. My neighbor has a Winchester 1886 in 45-70 by Turnbull, it looks and shoots great!

Beautiful rifle!

The 45-90 cartridge has piqued my interest as of late. I'm currently struggling with the desire to build a rifle that will shoot this cartridge.

Thank you Mrhp! After reading your post about your desire to build a 50-110 I decided to create this post since I just recently received my conversion back from Turnbull Mfg. Best of luck should you decide to move forward with your project!

50 years from now, some fellow will be paying $40k for that rifle...

Meanwhile, chances are the car you bought last year that cost 5X this rifle will be razor blades.

Very nice!

Was up at 3 a.m CST waiting on a cc cold reading the campfire, i showed Wife your post as she was sitting me a mug of coffee down............AWE, she said, do you need to buy another rifle sweetheart? well yes i do Dear! ; ] LOL!

I am so glad I could help!!

Wowzer , that's a beautiful 71.

That is a great looking conversion.

Looking forward to reading about your Cape Buffalo hunt.

Beautiful for sure. Another "Oh my !" moment when I saw that.

Is 2.85" the longest COL that will work through an M71 or 1886 ?
That would apply to either .50-110 WCF or .45-90, both having 2.4" cases and allowing 0.45" of FN bullet projection forward of case mouth ?

Very nice

I have often seen a max of 2.88” quoted. It is harder to achieve that with the 50/110. The max OAL is also a function of the meplat width and how much work has been done to get the loaded shell through the loading gate and into the magazine. When Marlin shoehorned the 45/70 into the 336 action they had to make a few changes. One of them was to put a bulge in the mag tube opposite the loading gate. This was to allow the fat 45/70 case enough room to swing around and fit in the mag tube.

If you look at original 50/110 factory loadings, most bullets have a short nose and a narrow meplat. I’m guessing they would be around 2.7-2.75” in OAL.

I have 50/110 and a 45/90 conversions built on 1886 and 71 (Miroku) actions respectively. I try to keep OAL down to 2.80” in the 50/110 and 2.85” in the 45/90. That gives me a small margin of safety if I need crank out shells quickly. There’s no point having a levergun that has feeding issues.

JFE,
That was good info on the meplat size and the COL being important in feeding those lever actions.
I tried my Brownining/Miroku 1886 .45-70 and 2.800" is the longest I can work through the loading gate and lever up to start chambering.
Yes, the narrower meplat of the 400-gr Swift A-Frame loads easier than the broader meplat of the 400-gr Barnes Buster, both at 2.800" COL
even though both are too long to fit in the no-throat .45-70 chamber with .457"-grooved barrel.
Amazingly the Hornady 480-grain DGX-Bonded at 2.780" COL will feed through loading gate and chamber without resistance in the SAAMI .45-70 Govt. chamber.
It is only .455" diameter above the cannelure, tapering to FN meplat of about 0.250" diameter. Might be safe ?

8point said "The 45-90 cartridge has piqued my interest as of late. I'm currently struggling with the desire to build a rifle that will shoot this cartridge."

The Miroku/Winchester 1886 45-90 TD handles 45-70 and 45-90 ammo just fine. Mine is very plain externally, but all standard internally.

From 300 grain light game loads to 450 grain DG loads at 2150 fps, it has proven to be an accurate and effective hunting rifle.

I recently returned from a buffalo hunt on the Klaserie Nature Preserve, a free-range area adjacent to Kruger, and I couldn't be happier with the performance of the Turnbull 50-110. My first shot was around 40-50 yards with a 400 grain Cutting Edge lever gun safari solid and he dropped in his tracks. My PH and I swung around to the right and I put a follow up 450 grain A Frame and another 400 grain solid in him for insurance.

Very similar to mine. I did a receiver sight, a mercury cylinder in the buttstock, added an S-hook to the action, and different cosmetics.


I've been messing with fairly similar load options - 535gr A-frames with the tips tapped on a sander down to about 520, and the 510gr Cutting Edge safari solid. Starline .50-110 cases for the solids, and .50AK cases for the softs. AR-COMP or H4895 for the powder.

Did your 400gr cutting edge solid exit the buffalo? If so I might switch to that rather than the 510gr.

Very cool!

I always enjoy reading about big bore lever guns in action. I only have one, a Marlin 45/70, that I use here in Michigan on deer. Love seeing lever guns take big game!

What are the ballistics on your 400gr cutting edge?

8Point, man what a deal, beautiful buffalo and rifle, i knew that 50-110 wouldn't leave you lacking, fine job Sir!

Nice to hear it all worked out and you had a successful hunt. Well done.

Did you manage to recover any of the bullets you used ?

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll try to answer a few of your questions.

I took an Alaskan moose last year with the 50 Alaskan shooting .510 lever gun safari solids from Cutting Edge Bullets. Those 400 grain CEB's were traveling a little over 2000 fps from the 20" barrel of my Marlin 1895. I shot the bull twice in his left shoulder and both bullets exited. The bull turned to face me and I shot him in his left shoulder again at a steep "quartering to" angle and that CEB penetrated about 8-9' of moose and lodged just under the hide of the bull's right hind quarter. The bullet was recovered and showed no signs of deformity other than rifling marks; it looked like it could be loaded and shot again. If you're interested in reading more about that hunt it is featured in the September-21 issue of GUNS magazine.

I received the 50-110 from Turnbull in February of this year. With the need to obtain pre-approved gun permits just a few months away, I had little time for load development before deciding on a load and practicing extensively in an effort to become proficient with my new rifle. Based on my experience with the 400 grain CEB solid in the 50 Alaskan, I felt confident in the bullet's ability to effectively take a cape buffalo if fired from similar velocities from the 50-110. I also wanted to try the 450 grain Swift A Frame based on my prior large animal experience shooting A Frames in the .348 Winchester, 454 Casull, and 44 Mag.

My 50-110 was built on a Miroku Browning 71 action and I felt that it could be loaded to higher pressures than the older antique rifles. However, I wasn't trying to push the envelope with the rifle / cartridge combination. My goal was to drive a 450 grain A Frame to 2000 FPS which would make it legal for dangerous game in African countries such as Zimbabwe. I did a google search on modern 50-110 loads since and I stumbled across an old post from gunner500 here on 24hourcampfire. I sent him a PM and he informed me that he had had great results with RL15 in his modern 50-110 conversion. I started with 75 grains of RL15 and worked my way up slowly until I was pushing the 450 grain A Frame to a little over 2000 FPS. Being a monolithic solid, the 400 grain CEB is actually significantly longer than the heavier A Frame and the same powder charge completely fills the case. Shooting both loads over the chronograph revealed that the heavier A Frame left the barrel about 30 FPS faster than the lighter CEB solid. I suspect that this has something to do with the fact that the A Frame is .509" and the CEB is .510? At any rate, both loads provided great accuracy and shot to the same point of impact so I was set.

My PH was unsure about the penetrating ability of the lever gun so he asked me to load up completely with solids; suggesting that we do a penetration test with the 450 grain A Frame "softs" post mortem. My first shot on the buffalo was at a steep "quartering to" angle with the 400 grain CEB. The bull collapsed at the shot, fell over on his right side and immediately started bellowing. The bullet broke the left shoulder, penetrated the lungs, stomach, and intestines, coming to rest just under the skin in front of his right hind quarter making a golf ball sized lump. That bullet was later recovered and (as expected) looked like it could have been loaded up and fired again.

After the first shot, I worked the lever and and my PH and I ran forward. He stopped and asked me to put a "soft" in the chamber so with trembling fingers I extracted the CEB load and somehow managed to get a 450 grain Swift load in the chamber. I shot him from the front hitting him high in the chest. That bullet penetrated the chest cavity and made it into the stomach / intestines where it was not recovered. With the bull still lying on his right side, we swung around to the bull's left and I put another solid low through the left leg, penetrating the heart, lungs, and lodging in the spine.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions, thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings.

DJH

Man that's some good stuff 8Point, many congrats again Sir, i really need to take my 50-110 hunting, shooting 700 grain 12 to 1 alloy cast lead greasers over blackpowder right now, but, there was a day when that rifle fired 525gr Cast Performance hard cast gas check bullets to 2150 fps over RL-15, it was not much fun with the steel crescent butt plate.

Your idea, along with newer bullet technology using the mono solids and sawed off A-Frames puts it in the class on many other dangerous game cartridges.

Turnbull and his crew are artisans as much as gunsmiths.

It does help. Thank you for the information.

I think I'm going to pursue loading the heavier weights. I believe 2000 ft/s with both the shortened 535 A-Frame and the 510gr CEB solid should be possible within the .348Win pressure envelope.

When I have information (either success or failure) I'll post here.

Sounds good LB, I'm looking forward to your report. The nose to crimp groove measurement appears to be greater on the the 510 grain CEB solid than the 400 grain version so its good to know that that bullet will feed with no issues. I've got 1,000 400 grain CEB's and 500 450 grain A Frames on hand so I'm gonna stick with those. I do want to experiment with faster powders in the 50-110 with those bullets now that I've got some time. I use RL7 and IMR 4198 in the 50 Alaskan so will probably start with those.

Based on both simulation and some experimentation, I believe the highest speeds for the lowest pressures will be in the 4895 burn rate. H4895 and AR-COMP are the temp stable powders in that neighborhood. It's hard to tell which will be better, but my money is on AR-COMP.

Due to crimp grooves being in the wrong places, I've been using a Lee FCD on everything, and .50 AK cases for the softs. Seems to work OK.

Maybe those momafrickers on July 14, 1789 had a point. It is past time.

Lol...wrong thread.

I very much enjoyed reading through this thread. Cool guns and hunts. I have a Marlin 1895 SBL 45/70 and have killed 5 Whitetail does with it when I was living in Michigan. Where I was hunting I had to shorten the case back to a maximum of 1.8" so I had a local machine shop shorten my sizing die accordingly and I bought a custom Lee Factory Crimp Die. I used 48 grains of H4198 and the 325 FTX Hornady bullet seated out to 2.56" so no real powder capacity loss. I was getting 1900 fps. Obviously much more than I needed for those deer but that is what I had to use. I did use my 45 Colt Ruger Bisley on a Whitetail doe my first year in Michigan before I realized I could use the 45/70 as long as I shortened the brass.

I hope to take a Roosevelt elk and/or black bear with it now that I live in Roseburg Oregon. I will likely use full length cases and the Cast Performance 405 grain bullet though. I have a Leupold 2-7x scope with additional aim points below the reticle which helps for shots at 150 and 200 yards.

Congratulations on the buff and that rifle is beautiful.

I just came across this excellent old post/thread. Well done to all!

and I want to tell you that I too have had great success with my 50-110 in my TC Encore on three Cape buffalo. ( Mine is necked down to a true .500 caliber so I could use the CEB 410 grain Raptor bullet at 1,950fps.) All three buffalo were standing broadside and each bullet was placed in the centre of the shoulder. The result was three one shot, DRT, kills. I will load them to 2,100 fps muzzle velocity next time I use it on Cape buffalo.

A couple years ago I got a quote from Turnbull to redo a new Miroku 45-70. I wanted the rebounding hammer gone, the octagon barrel and the action refinished. I didn’t do it. Think I might now. I am selling my rifles but keeping a few. A Turnbull 1886 would be one that I’d keep.

A few years go, I researched the big bore rifle market carefully and settled on a new Winchester 1886 45-90 as all I would need to shoot both 45-70 and 45-90 ammo. I had concluded that a .458 big bore would be as big as I would ever need for both the US and African game. In the years following, that conclusion as proved to be correct. With the taking of a bull Ele, several Cape buffalo, leopard and such with the 45-90 and lots of American game with the 45-70, I am very pleased with my choice.

I agree with crshelton. When I get through testing some bullets in .500, on cape buffalo, I am going to try some CEB Raptors in my 45-70 TC Encore barrel. (I should ream it out to 45-90 actually) I think that the 45-70 loaded to safe maximum will out perform the 450-400. on cape buffalo.

Could you explain the "S Hook" ,added to the action ? Thanks.

I see that my old thread has made it back to the top. I used that rifle successfully on a Zimbabwe bull in 2022 as well.


I have another trip to Klaserie lined up for the end of May-24. This time, I plan to use another Turnbull rifle...a 45-90 shooting 400 grain, .458 CEB lever gun solids over a case full of N133. This rifle is a "twin" to the 50-110 and it shoots really well also.

What kind of loads/velocity/bullet type & weight were you using for the cape.

Hey Bugger, I am shooting the .510, 400 grain CEB lever gun solid and the 450 grain Swift A Frame in the 50-110. Velocities are in the 2000+ FPS range, the heavier A Frames actually shoot a little faster. I have taken a buffalo with each bullet.

The 45-90 is shooting the .458, 400 grain CEB solid at speeds up to 2100 FPS. That is one loooonng bullet and it takes up a lot of case capacity.

I’m a cast bullet fan in the large lever rifle calibers! Those bullets are pre-expanded and just keep moving.

I have a 1886 that has fired less than a hundred rounds. I’d like to send it to Turnbull….

Thanks for the thread 8point.

Great thread revival.

8Point - I missed your reply 3 years ago. A belated thank you for the detail you provided.

I have a 45/90 on a Winoku 71. I’ve taken the 45/90 up to NT to use on our Asiatic buffalo and I was determined to my own cast bullets.

The mould used was a RCBS 45-500 FNGC and bullets cast of Lyman no.2 weighed in at 520gr, lubed and GC fitted. These bullets have the crimp groove in the right location for leverguns in 45/70 and 45/90.

We had stalked in to within 70meters and the bull was about to move into thicker bush where I would likely lose him. He wasn’t aware of our presence as he was concentrating on a younger bull in his general vicinity.

Taking careful aim I placed the first shot just behind the shoulder. The bullet exited and bull immediately swivelled around to deal with what had caused him pain. I then did my best impression of Chuck Connors in Rifleman and emptied the rifle. The bull was hit hard and was swaying on its feet. I wasted no time, I fed a fresh cartridge into the now empty chamber, closed the lever and ran towards the bull continuing to feed shells into the tube mag as I ran. This is one of the advantages of a levergun - you can still be in a position to take a shot while still feeding cartridges into the mag. The bull was now down but still not out and I administered a couple of finishers into the spine at point blank range.

Buffalo hide is really thick and strong. The cast pills expanded considerably. After that experience I think I’d still load a cast pill first up and then follow up with solids. Once the shooting starts you don’t know what sort of shots will be presented, so a decent solid as a follow up is good insurance for any difficult shots that may be presented.

That's good stuff JFE, thanks for taking us along on that hunt! I've taken a couple of water buffalo in the Northern Territory and I agree, they can require a lot of killing!

Great looking rifle and I love the caliber.

It couldn't be in a better gun!

HS 58