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Of the long guns in my safes, my Model 71 Deluxe Winchester has to be my absolute favorite. My father purchased this gun from a PA State Trooper in the 1950's. This was to be Winchesters most advanced lever action rifle replacing both the Model of 1886 and the Model of 1895 and using a brand new cartridge - the .348 Winchester. The .348 ammo was initially available in three bullet weights that were appropriate for any North American game - 150 grain, 200 grain and 250 grain. The case was based on the .50-110 case. Here is a .348 cartridge next to a .45-70 for comparison...

348-45-70.jpg

The Model 71 was first produced in late 1935 - although my research indicates that only six rifles were produced then. The first full year of production was 1936. I bring this up because my Model 71 has a serial number of 8XX - which also means it had some features that later ones did not. It is what they call a long tang / short comb rifle. These features changed around the 12,000 serial range. Being a Deluxe model it had checkering at the wrist and the fore end and came from the factory with sling swivels and a sling. It was also equipped with a bolt-mounted peep-sight with a screw-out apeture, leaving you with a ghost ring. Production ceased in 1958. Here is my original Model 71 Deluxe...

Model-71-Deluxe.jpg

My father, knowing how much I coveted this rifle, gifted it to me one year for Christmas.

Around 1987 Browning decided to reissue the Model 71 in a limited run made by Mirakou in Japan. They made standard versions, with blued receivers and walnut stocks and they also made 3000 High Grade models with engraved, silver receivers and exhibition grade wood. I was at a small gun auction about 5 or 6 years ago when one of the High Grade Model 71's - NIB - came up for bid. I got into it and it came down to me and one other bidder. I was going to drop out when, what I had determined to be my max bid, was topped by the other guy. The auctioneer looked at me to respond. I shook my head and he said, "Are you sure? You'll regret it." I don't know if the other bidder had given some indication that he was through, at his last bid or what, but I went one more increment and won the auction. Here it is...

Mod-71-NIB.jpg

And here they are together...

Mod-71s.jpg

They are the same size - it's just a matter of perspective that makes the High Grade in the foreground appear larger, plus the High Grade used the later long comb / short tang configuration..

The best lever gun Winchester ever made.

Adios,

Pizza Bob
 
Love those rifles! Can you find .348 Win factory ammo still like you can 45-70? I've had two Browning 1886, one a high-grade, and still thinking about getting a 71...thanks for sharing.
 
Can you find .348 Win factory ammo still like you can 45-70?

Thanks! When Browning reintroduced the 71's Winchester made ammo for them. The 200 gr loading was all that was available at the end of the real 71's and the Winchester reintro was also 200 gr. Run across it at gun shows - but you pay salty for it. Some of the boutique ammo makers may still offer it - like Buffalo Bore.

Adios,

Pizza Bob
 
Father gifted me a model 71 today.
I am pretty excited about it.
Manufactured in 1937
Has some mostly surface rust that is coming off pretty well.
Who is the go to gunsmith in Clark County that can clean this treasure up with out re bluing or refinishing the wood?

Thank you in advance.
 
Beautiful rifles, I'm glad you stuck with the auction. Sometimes we set our max price on something and we don't realize until later when we lose on the auction by $100-$200 and as years go by, regret it. Gun values will always go up on collectors, rare or underproduced runs like these. We spend hundreds of dollars on stuff we don't need and wind up having nothing to show for, when we invest on good buys like these, you'll always be winning even though at the time, we might think we are making a bad decision by bidding a little extra. It always pays off. Great guns you got there.
 
Of the long guns in my safes, my Model 71 Deluxe Winchester has to be my absolute favorite. My father purchased this gun from a PA State Trooper in the 1950's. This was to be Winchesters most advanced lever action rifle replacing both the Model of 1886 and the Model of 1895 and using a brand new cartridge - the .348 Winchester. The .348 ammo was initially available in three bullet weights that were appropriate for any North American game - 150 grain, 200 grain and 250 grain. The case was based on the .50-110 case. Here is a .348 cartridge next to a .45-70 for comparison...

View attachment 717178

The Model 71 was first produced in late 1935 - although my research indicates that only six rifles were produced then. The first full year of production was 1936. I bring this up because my Model 71 has a serial number of 8XX - which also means it had some features that later ones did not. It is what they call a long tang / short comb rifle. These features changed around the 12,000 serial range. Being a Deluxe model it had checkering at the wrist and the fore end and came from the factory with sling swivels and a sling. It was also equipped with a bolt-mounted peep-sight with a screw-out apeture, leaving you with a ghost ring. Production ceased in 1958. Here is my original Model 71 Deluxe...

View attachment 717175

My father, knowing how much I coveted this rifle, gifted it to me one year for Christmas.

Around 1987 Browning decided to reissue the Model 71 in a limited run made by Mirakou in Japan. They made standard versions, with blued receivers and walnut stocks and they also made 3000 High Grade models with engraved, silver receivers and exhibition grade wood. I was at a small gun auction about 5 or 6 years ago when one of the High Grade Model 71's - NIB - came up for bid. I got into it and it came down to me and one other bidder. I was going to drop out when, what I had determined to be my max bid, was topped by the other guy. The auctioneer looked at me to respond. I shook my head and he said, "Are you sure? You'll regret it." I don't know if the other bidder had given some indication that he was through, at his last bid or what, but I went one more increment and won the auction. Here it is...

View attachment 717176

And here they are together...

View attachment 717177

They are the same size - it's just a matter of perspective that makes the High Grade in the foreground appear larger, plus the High Grade used the later long comb / short tang configuration..

The best lever gun Winchester ever made.

Adios,

Pizza Bob
I agree Pizza Bob. I have the 1987 Browning Re Issue model..It is awesome. Such a smooth action, and great looks. Ammo is very hard to find in the USA. But Canada has plenty and cheaper..but they won't or can't ship it here. I don't understand that. I just want some Winchester 200 grain factory ammo, or some Factory Hornady FTX Flex Tip ammo, 200 grain I think..Called Hornady, they said it was a back burner item for them. Maybe some will be made in 2023, possibly.
 
I had one of the Grade 1 71's at one time. A fine reproduction it was. In fact at one time I had all the Browning reproduction Winchester's. The 86 and 71 were my favorites.
 
I admire the Miroku reissues of old Winchesters. My only experience of one was with a Model 53, the .32-20. Unfortunately, it had the short leade issue which has been reported with many such. I didn't want to shoot cast bullets in it and the only jacketed bullet in that caliber that was commonly available was made by Hornady. Which were too long for the leade and would jam into the rifling when chambered. The solution was to cut back the .32-20 case to reduce the OAL and keep the bullet out of the rifling. On reflection, I decided this was just too fussy for me and I didn't want embark on sending the rifle off somewhere and have someone ream the lead on it. Sometimes you try to improve a situation and it gets worse. So I let it go to someone who could just look at and admire it without the headaches of reloading for it. It might've worked okay with one design or another cast bullets. Or maybe not. But my goal with it was to shoot jacketed and it wasn't suitable as made to do that.
 
I had a model 71 Deluxe I got from my grandfather. Never shot it.

Years later I bought a NIB Browning/Miroku reproduction. Standard, not Deluxe. Hunted with it a few times, took a nice 3x3 Mulie in 2007.

The rarest of the rare, a model 71 Deluxe carbine. Never even seen one.
 
Very nice. I've always loved the older lever action rifles. Reminds me, I've got some 348 ammo I never found a use for, need to put them up on the classifieds one of these days.
 
My buddy sold a standard and a deluxe but still had ten boxes of Winchester stored at his deceased fathers cabin in Montana. I picked them all up for $40 per box.

Gun is a sweet shooter, kicks way less than a 12 gauge.
 
I remember riding in the back of a pickup truck from the airport at Karluk, Kodiak Island, Alaska and talking to a local who was holding an original, well-worn, 71. I commented, "good bear gun", and he relied, "yes.". The locals don't talk much, so what they do say carries a lot of weight.
 
I remember riding in the back of a pickup truck from the airport at Karluk, Kodiak Island, Alaska and talking to a local who was holding an original, well-worn, 71. I commented, "good bear gun", and he relied, "yes.". The locals don't talk much, so what they do say carries a lot of weight.
It's a big boom, pretty fun to have a lever gun with that much power.
 

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