475

[Znewby]

Hello all
so has anyone used a 475 turnbull for the big 5 or is it even legal to hunt with ?

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Boddington apparently killed Cape Buffalo with it according to Petersons hunting, but the link that they had attached to their article about his hunt report doesn’t exist anymore

 

[BlueFlyer]

Really depends on what rifle you are planning to use. If it is a lever action then you will be more limited. If you use a Ruger #1 or a Siamese Mauser then you should be able to get legal energy from it. The 475 Turnbull is another 348Win based wildcat, similar to the Alaskan series of wildcats. Unless you are restricted by the length of the cartridge there are undoubtedly better choices.

 

[Andrew NOLA]

.475 400 grain TSX going 2100 ft./s

What’s not to love?

If you search you’ll see, there’s a lot of people who hunt with lever action rifles. 475 Turnbulls are mentioned. Some people use 348 Winchester‘s for planes game, some people use 4570s for Buffalo. Some people use 4590s for Buffalo. I personally would not be comfortable with a 4570 but I think a 4590 would be more than adequate and the 475 Turnbull a step above that. And you can always go 50 - 110

I’m having a 475 Turnbull and a 50–110 Winchester being built by Turnbull on 2 Winchester 45 –90s that I bought for donor rifles. The 475 is supposed to be ready in January.. if it is, I may use it for a buffalo Hunt in June 2026. That’s the reason that I was having it built. The only reason I wouldn’t is that I have a 416 that is shooting incredibly well.

If you want, they can even mount a Picatinny rail on the barrel that they developed for me so that I can use a long eye relief scope

They also have mounts that will go at the rear of the action that you can put a red dot on the rifle. And yeah, I know oh the horror, decent sights on a lever action rifle.

I have a couple of 45-90 turnbull already and they do gorgeous work. All you need is money and patience.

Are there better choices? Sure. However, I believe that this will certainly get the job done.

You can drive a ford or a Chevy to the grocery store - once you’re out of the car you’re where you wanna be

Fwiw

 

[Znewby]

Andrew that is exactly what I am thinking about doing I just prefer the lever over bolt guns and am try to decide about trying to find one or go with a 375-416

 

[Andrew NOLA]

I know - I love lever actions - have 25-20, 25-35, 357, 44, 22, 32-20, 30-30, 38-55, 348, 360, 4570, 4590 etc to soon 475 & 50-110's. Nothing else has the feel. Followup shots if needed are much faster. And they are just more fun.

Beware - it is possible that you can not use a lever action everywhere in Africa. Check.

Brand new 45-90 winchesters on GB and Guns.com for a short rifle (24 inch barrel) are about $1400-1500. This is a good time to buy one - they are frequently very, very hard to find. Winchester must have made a production run of them recently. The short rifle is already drilled on the left side of the receiver so you can mount a turnbull base for a red dot sight. Saddle ring carbines are not pre-drilled so I would avoid those. I would prefer the 45-90 as a minimum for buffalo. Just my opinion. I would use a new winchester so you know you have good steel for higher pressure loads. The new ones are made by Miroku in Japan. And you can use it for a donor rifle later if you want a 475 or a 50-110 built (or buy another one)

Other gunsmiths will do a 50-110 conversion at less cost than turnbull and likely a faster turn around. Perhaps they would do a 475 turnbull as well or a 50 Alaskan. Starline has 50-110 brass and 50 Alaskan right now. However, Turnbull will return to you a lethal work of art - for which you will pay out of the nose.

If you dont reload, buffalo bore sells 45-90 350 gr. BARNES TSX-FN @ 2,350 fps

I just looked and see a 475 Turnbull on GB for $5,000. That is far less than having one built. And this one has a flat butt on the butt stock so it appears that it would be easy to install a recoil pad. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1121334792

However - Ruger guide guns or Africans in 375 or 416 can be had for ballpark $1200 new. I have both and they shoot great. They may not be as sexy as some, but the buffalo will not care.

groups from 375 and 416 ruger guide guns below at 100 yards. Lever action groups like the below are rare, partially due to iron or red dot sights with no scope magnification.




FWIW