Model 71 Win. Browning .348 Win.

[Kentucky Colonel]

This bear was taken in Nome, Alaska with a 1950's Model 71 and a 250 grain bullet. 
(You can use smaller loads)

Boys, I just got my hands on this new one. I will review it in action... later.

I had intended to show you pretty pictures of my new baby. But, 
photobucket is down for maintenance. So, let me tell you instead.

I ordered from gunsamerica from a gut instinct. I knew the second 
I saw it that I wanted it. It was not intellectual at all. It was pure gut. 
I did not even research it to confirm. I just acted.

Boddington with his Nilgai taken with the .348 in Texas

This is SO out of character for me. I am SO cautious with purchases. 
I normally move in years, not days... maybe decades. I bought a range 
box after two years- (Thanks Hilljack!) I bought a Colt after decades. I 
bought a Kentucky long rifle after decades. My last major gun purchase 
before these? Five years ago.

I snap moved on this rifle... seconds after seeing the pics. 
Granted, I am fairly knowledgable now, but not THAT knowledgable.

A happy hog hunter with his Model 71 .348 in Texas

It was like a divine intervention! Especially after I learned that even 
Jesus was partial to lever actions. (Wink)

Jesus sporting what I am certain is a Model 71 .348!

Normally, I would worry like crazy. I did not. I SHOULD have. 
I normally would have.

The calibre... .348 Win. is now considered an 'exotic calibre.' AFTER I 
placed the order, I learned I would need to learn to reload before I 
even fired this rifle. I have resisted loading for decades. YOU guys 
convinced me to re-load and that I would need to. I would never 
have bought if I had known.

That would have been a mistake. Rifle Shooter Magazine calls this 
"The Lovable Lever."

Hey! I can dream can't I?

I read like crazy and learned that I had a real legend on my hands. 
This gun had a tradition spreading over decades and was uniquely 
American. Alaskan guides of the past are known to have been fond 
of the Winchester Model 71. The .348 Win is the largest cartridge 
available in a lever action. It can take down anything in North 
America while remaining an easy, balanced carry with open, 
semi-buck horn sights. (Actually, the sights did vary. I believe the 
originals were full buckhorns.

[A friendly amendment has been offered to my post: In 1899 the 50-110 was the most powerful cartridge in a lever gun but was considered obsolete when the 348 came out. Now most guides use a Marlin 45-70 for backup on dangerous game. That is what all my hunting friends use in Alaska. This cartridge eclipsed the .348 and became the largest lever action cartridge. The Alaskan .50 is also made today.]

Larry Potterfield with friend and two guides in the Yukon 

"The Model 71 began as the John Browning-designed Model 1886, but 
the beefy big-game rifle was updated and reintroduced as the Model 71 
in 1935."- American Rifleman 

Winchester ended Model 71 production in 1958. Only 47,254 were made.

POST EDIT NOTE: patocazador HAS POINTED OUT QUITE ACCURATELY THAT THE FOLLOWING WINCHESTER '73 INFORMATION IS ABOUT A DIFFERENT RIFLE. BELOW, HE SPELLS OUT THE MISTAKE AND PROVIDES NEW, GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISIDENTIFIED RIFLE IN QUESTION. 

I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO DELIVER THE BEST MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION. HOWEVER, I WELCOME ACCURATE CORRECTIONS BASED ON FACT AND NOT OPINION. 

AS IT IS INTERESTING, I INTEND TO LEAVE IT ALL.

I BELIEVE IN A PERSON WHO WILL OWN UP TO A MISTAKE. I HOPE YOU WILL, TOO. AND, ON THIS SITE? (LOL) AN ACCURATE CORRECTION WILL COME.

THANKS!

PS. JESUS IS LIKELY HOLDING A HENRY! :geek:

Winchester '73 was shot with Jimmy Stewart in 1950. It features 
the Model 71 Winchester and an epic shooting match. The cast signed 
a rifle and had one of the target coins embedded in the stock to give to 
the expert marksman on the film: Herb Parsons.

Jimmy Stewart's Model 71 rifle from the film, signed and gifted to the shooting expert, Herb Parsons

It is fitting that Browning-so key to the Model 71's origins- would take up 
production again in 1987. My rifle was built in 1987- in Japan. Morgan, 
Utah and Montreal is stamped on my barrel. But, it was made in Japan. 

Field & Stream calls the Model 71, "Winchester's Wonderful Model 71." 
But, you need to love open sights? A scope mount is awkward. Ugly. Unholy. 
With it's open sights and flat nosed bullets needed for tube-loading, the 
Model 71 is only accurate to between 200-250 yards. This is Winchester's 
last big bore lever rifle.

Today, I walked into my local FFL dealer and saw my new rifle for the first time. 
I had worries for the first time. Not big ones, oddly. But, I was excited.

My rifle engraving up close. Yes, I intend to shoot it. I do not believe they should be virginal, just well cared for.

And, oh, my... The engraving I had seen in fairly blurry pics? Gold. No... real gold. And, 
beautiful wood; heavily grained and rich walnut. True blue steel. The lever action 
moved like music. It was SO beautiful that the guys in the shop gathered to gawk. 
I do not blame them. They told me to say, 'Hi!' and want me to invite you to see them 
in Florida.  

The Armories boys in Oviedo, Fl. drooling over my Model 71 .348 Win. by Browning. They said for you to come by and visit!
(They are all modern, but friendly! http://www.thearmories.com)

(Now overt your eyes now if you offend easily!) 

This young fella had a true reaction to the history he was holding in his hands. He might be one of us!


Handling this rifle for the first time was like handling a wet dream.

Goodwin's The Surprise hangs in the National Museum of Wildlife Art

My Lone Ranger, Rifleman, John Wayne, White Fang, adventurer, and cowboy dreams 
all seem to be vested in this rifle. And, it is, by itself, an exquisite beauty. I can't wait 
for you to see it in person.

Oh, and as for my gut? I paid less than 15% of what Cabela's Library says I should have. 
This turned out to be a 1 of 3,000 in the world rifle. I believe the seller confused the value. 
That store posted an assortment of unique rifles at the same time; I am guessing an estate 
liquidation.

There are a LOT of different models to keep track of... :twisted:

I think I am done now. Please, let me know if you liked it. Please, let me know if I missed anything. 
Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

I had an original Win 71. The .348 is an old but unfortunately discontinued cartridge. In its day it was a powerhouse of a round. A couple other good old round that is hard to find is the .358 and .405.
You can still buy brass and bullets and dies for loading the .348. I always loaded my own so I'm not sure about factory ammo. I'm sure someone still makes it if you do some searching.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Winchester will makle a HIGHLY limited run once a year or so. 
Factory ammo is extremely difficult and pricey to obtain. Brass 
is even difficult to find, but I have done so. 

With the help of my friends here on the forum, I will be reloading for 
this gun for the first time. I am setting up my reload bench as we speak! 
I will keep you posted. 

But, I will get to fire this gun AFTER I have loaded my first rifle cartridge 
on my own bench. I am convinced it is going to be fun and worth it!

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Please delete

 

[Old Smoke]

Got to love the Model 71!!

I load my own since, as noted, factory ammo is pricey and rare as hens teeth, too.  I have some Win brass, but Captech has the Jamison brass in stock most of the time  I try to do business with them since they keep my brass and are responsive to requrests.  Good brass, no problems.  

Hornady 200 gr SP bullets are only once a year.  Stock up if that's what you shoot.  They do have the 200 FTX that I don't care for.  I am told that the Browning 71's chambers are too short for 250 gr bullets.  DOn't know, never tried any.  Montana Bullet Works has gazillions of lead bullets in stock all the time.

Lots of loads out there.  Load em up!  You're going to love that lever.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Got to love the Model 71!!

Lots of loads out there.  Load em up!  You're going to love that lever.

I already do and I will! Thanks!

I am done editing and adding pics now on the original post.

 

[patocazador]

"Winchester '73 was shot with Jimmy Stewart in 1950. It features 
the Model 71 Winchester and an epic shooting match. The cast signed 
a rifle and had one of the target coins embedded in the stock to give to 
the expert marksman on the film: Herb Parsons.


Jimmy Stewart's Model 71 rifle from the film, signed and gifted to the shooting expert, Herb Parsons





I hate to burst your bubble Colonel but "Winchester 73" was NOT about a Winchester 71. It was about a Winchester 73, hence its name.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_rifle#Model_1873


"Winchester 73 toggle-link action


<h3 class="post-content">Model 1873</h3>

The Model 1873 was one of the most successful Winchester rifles of its day, gaining the reputation as "The Gun that Won the West". Still an icon almost a century and a half later, it was manufactured between 1873 and 1919. Originally chambered for the .44-40 cartridge, it was later produced in .38-40 and .32-20, all of which were also popular handgun cartridges of the day, allowing users to conveniently carry just one type of ammunition. The Model 1873 was produced in three variations: a 24" barrel rifle, 20" barrel carbine, and a "musket" (a term that, at the time, denoted a full length military-style stock, not to be confused with a true smoothbore musket). The easy to transport and handle carbine was the most popular, while the musket accounted for less than 5–10 percent of total production.

Due to feeding problems, the original Model 1873 was never offered in the military standard .45 Colt cartridge, although a number of modern reproductions are chambered for the round. The popularity of the original Model 1873 led Colt to manufacture .44-40 a version of the Single Action Army revolver called the "Frontier Six Shooter".^[4]

To both celebrate and enhance the Model 1873's prestige, Winchester established a coveted One of One Thousand grade in 1875. Barrels producing unusually small groupings during test-firing were fitted to rifles with set triggers and a special finish. Marked One of One Thousand, they sold for a then princely $100. A popular 1950 Western starring Jimmy Stewart, "Winchester '73", was based on the coveted gun. Promotions included a search for One of One Thousand rifles by Universal Studios, with advertisements in sporting magazines and posters in sporting goods stores.^[5]

A second grade of Model 1873 barrels producing above average accuracy were fitted to rifles marked One of One Hundred, and sold for $20 over list. Approximately 136 One of One Thousand Model 1873s were sold, and only eight One of One Hundreds.^[5]

In all, over 720,000 Model 1873s were produced. Long unavailable, the rifle returned to production under license from the Olin company in 2013, joining the Model 1892 and the Model 1894 being manufactured in Japan by the Miroku Corporation for FN/Browning. The new ten shot Model 1873 is only available with a 20" round barrel chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special. Nearly faithful in design to the original, including the trigger disconnect safety, sliding dustcover, and crescent shaped buttplate, it incorporates two safety improvements: a firing pin block preventing it from moving forward unless the trigger is pulled, and a cartridge carrier modification to eject used casings away from the shooter.^[6]"

^</a>
^{<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_rifle#cite_note-6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">}

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Ouch. Well, I will go back and see where I made my mistake. 
Thanks!

(I found my mistake. You are 100% correct.)

I have edited an acknowledgment of the error and suggested readers refer to your post for interesting information about the misidentified rifle.

How was the hunting?