Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 50-110

I’ve kicked the idea of getting a 50-110 around for a few years. I’m looking for recommendations, other than Turnbull, who can do a Model 71 conversion to 50-110. I appreciate all advice and opinions.

You might check with Tyler Gun Works. I don’t know if he would do that but he does work on lever guns and his work is excellent.

When I was a kid, I read a fiction novel where this gun played a big role in the book…..I’ve always been intrigued by them!

Good luck in your venture……I wish you great success! memtb

I’ll try them, thank you.

Still looking

tag

Bugger

Here’s a few possibilities:

https://leverguns.com/leverguns/leversmiths.htm

I think you might find the following thread of interest.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sh...nfo-for-browning-71-to-50-100-450-wanted

I’d be inclined to talk to John Taylor, mentioned in the above thread, and see if he would take on the project.

I appreciate the advice, although it appears that the gunsmith list from Leverguns is outdated, as I’ve been unable to make contact with the listed smiths. I will try my luck at getting in touch with Taylor. Thank you for the information.

To all-- So far, This post reminds me of a couple others in the recent past.

I went through all the calibers from .45-90 on up and chose the .45-90 for two reasons:
The 1886 45-90 is still available from Winchester and many of the larger lever calibers are rare and hard to find.
And there is little performance to be gained with a larger caliber over the .45-90.

My 1886 45-90 has performed well in Africa and America so there seems to be no practical advantage to a larger caliber.

Plus, the 45-90 also shoots the 45-70 well!

All……Very valid points! However, the paths of want and practical seldom intersect…..at least among shooters! 😁 memtb

Absolutely legitimate take. I’ve read some of your posts concerning the 45-90 and I am intrigued. If it continues to be difficult finding a reputable gunsmith, I will take a more serious look into the 45-90.

I need to shoot my 45-90 more! I’ve been wanting to use it on something like a bison or Water Buffalo.

I’d like to convert a 43 Spanish to 50-348 or maybe a 50-110.

If you do not mind me asking
What is the issue with not wanting a Turnbull Rifle.

I purchased a 45 90 from them and it has got to be the finest Mechanically feeling Firearm I own.

I have Marlins and Henrys in Lever guns and I have other types of Semi Auto's

I have a 70'S Wheatherby 30 06 Bolt Gun.

None of them feel the way that my Turnbull does when you cycle a round.

It may just be me but Turnbull is the tightest and smoothest Cycling Firearm I own.

I am very happy with spending the money on it and wish that I could afford another one.

If you do not mind me asking
What is the issue with not wanting a Turnbull Rifle."

Nothing against Turnbull. Especially the ones based on a Winchester rifle.
BUT, most of my rifles are well made, no frills hunting rifles that see some rough treatment and show it over time.

That is not the way I treat my nicer /fancy firearms. My Parker shotguns for example all look new even though they have been out of production for some time--
,

Very Nice.

I try and keep my Firearms in good shape.

My dad gave me his Kit Gun 30 06 that he hunted with. If I remember right it was a Smith Corona A101

It was in real need of some attention.

I rubbed in about 20 coats of Tongue Oil on it before it stopped drinking the stuff and about 2 hours scrubbing the Barrel.

When my dad came back for a visit. I handed him his rifle and he told me that it was a Beautiful Rifle.
Where did I get it?
I told him that it was his Rifle. The one he gave me and he did not believe that it was his Rifle.

It looked as if it was just purchased from a dealer.

The Rifle was not Valuable money wise but it was purchased by an Uncle for the build.
He traded it to my Dad to finish the build. My brother Carved part of the Stock. I gave it some very valuable attention and now my Bothers Daughters Husband has it.
It went to him at my dads request before he passed that when I passed on it would to them.
After he passed on I thought it was the right time to hand it up to the next generation.
The Kid had to barrow a Rifle to go hunting with his family and now he has his own.

I'm trying to find the original pressure limit on the 50-110. Maybe it was never set by SAAMI??

Long obsolete by the time SAAMI came around. Same thing with the .219 Zipper. It came out in 1937 and has never had an official pressure spec. I have an 1886 Browning repro converted to 50-110 WCF and I have used Hodgdon .50 Alaskan data as my guideline for pressure and velocity. They keep the pressure around 35,000 CUP which seems reasonable considering the case head size and the corresponding case head thrust. There's a lot of area on that head to push on back on.

I picked up a Browning 71, knowing I was getting it for a conversion, to 50-110. The new Starline brass is almost identical to 50 Alaskan, just .30 longer. So it cycles 50AH with long bullets or 50-110 with a short nose. I took the rifle to Wayne York, at “Oregunsmithing” he rebored and rechambered it, cut the barrel back to a handy 16.5” added a recoil pad and NECG front fiber optic sight system. A very nice 34.5” OAL. I’ll attempt a few pics

Very nice work, done quickly, at a great price.

It is possible to convert a Marlin 1895 to 50-90, with a lighter bullet it can hold 110gn of black powder.
The bolt face needs to be cut back and the lever arm modified, iirc.

My Winchester .45-90 which is also a 45-70. Plain but well broken in and slick to operate.
It has picked up some dents and scratches but still shoots well with .45-70 and 45-90. It weighs 9.5 pounds but holds steady and kills all.
African .45-90 loads are 450 grain NF at 2150 fps.

That has nicer wood than my model 71 Browning. Did your rifle come with that wood?

The nice wood was reserved for the high grade models. Though the one pictured has really nice wood. The standard models generally had very plain wood stocks.

Bearskinner - you have a really nice looking rifle. It’s probably quite lively with such a short barrel.

The wood is quite figured, and the main reason I purchased the high grade over a plain version.
It looks like no snow n slush today, so I can cycle a few medium (500 grain HP’s) loads thru it at a 100’ gong, even though the ranges are covered in snow.

The moderate loaded 440 grainers loaded long in 50AK cases are pretty lively, but very manageable. Until some snow clears, I’ll wait to shoot groups for pattern. Trudging thru knee deep icy, melting snow, isn’t conducive for serious target work.

I have a Miroku 1886 45-70 that I've asked Turnbull to give me a price on. I wanted it to have a pre- Jap hammer or a Browning style hammer, delete the safety and give the metal finish the Turnbull finish. I think that I asked them to chamber it 45-90. It was more $'s than I could spare at the time. Still tempted to have them do their magic. My 1886 is a "1 or 500" but I don't think that means much. The metal finish looks to be sand blasted, and the rifle is heavy. The wood is nice, but the metal finish is not - a flat dull finish it is. The barrel is octagon. It looks like new, but not impressive. Maybe having it bored and chambered to 50-110 the weight would be less and maybe I'd appreciate the weight more with it 50-110.

Turnbull built my 50-110. It is very accurate and has proven to be a hammer on the 2 cape buffalo bulls that I've shot with it. The performance is almost identical to my 50 AK which is also a hammer.

Good luck with your project!