Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
BenT
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2716
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Northern Wisconsin

Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by BenT »

Just finished the whitetail deer season here in Wisconsin. This year I used a Model 71 made in 1954. I had an opportunity to shoot some small deer at about 15 yards. I thought the 348 a little overkill for such little deer. Plus if I am going spend some time butchering deer, I better have meat to put in the freezer. So basically the only adult deer I seen were already on the run and didn't give any shots.

As far the model 71 goes, I sat in the stand with in it, did some deer drives, and a little stilll hunting. What I learned is that the 71 is a BEAST! You have to be a real man to drag this thing through the woods. The weight is one thing but it is more front heavy than the 1895 Win. A little more work to come to target, you definetly can tell you are not carrying a 94.

Real men carried these for big game hunting for years. I have realized that I must not be a real man because I am not going hunt with mine any more. It was too much of a work out for my style of hunting, I like to walk more than sit. Sure I will sit in a tree stand with it but no more deer drives through the creek bottoms. I will probably use it mostly for shooting cast bullets at steel plates.

Now if only I could get Jack to give me his 348 cast bullet load that wins him all the awards and the envy of his friends.
User avatar
Sixgun
Posting leader...
Posts: 18565
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Sixgun »

Howdy Ben......I just rolled in from upstate Pa. for the season opener of buck season. My buddy Gunny carried a 444 Marlin with 325 grain cast at 1600......his brother George used a 1950's Savage 99 in 300 with factory ammo and two other guys used 243 boltguns. Me, knowing better that a 125 lb deer don't need such high velocity ordnance used a manufactured in 1888 Colt Lightning 38-40 with 100 % confidence that I could drop a little thin skinned deer easily out to 75 yards....about as far as you could see.

So....that bring us to your question on a load for the 348. I shoot a couple of thousand rounds a year using a 210 grain gas checked with 22 grains of 5744 for 1600 in metallic silhouette competition. This load will easily drop anything in the deer class and probably elk at 100 yards.

I used to win awards at the local matches...seldom at the state championships......I don't care to do well anymore as winning takes discipline and focus......I'd rather play, laugh and fanny burp on my friends. :D Envy??? Not gonna happen as I'm just a slightly "better than average" shooter.

No, nobody got nothing at deer camp. Some bucks were sighted but no connections.
Last edited by Sixgun on Wed Nov 29, 2017 4:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Model A Uzi’s
Image
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8963
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by OldWin »

Man, bro. You do paint a picture! :shock:

But yeah, even up here, the 71 is just too much to lug around. Unless you're after bear or moose.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Ben, just consider yourself fortunate to even have a 71, even if it might be too much of a good thing for some applications. I always thought the 71's "little brother," the Model 64, was an elegant woods rifle for deer.
User avatar
Ray
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2824
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:45 am

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Ray »

Deleted.
Last edited by Ray on Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
m.A.g.a. !
BenT
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2716
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Northern Wisconsin

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by BenT »

Sixgun,
Sounds like one heck of a deer camp! And you wonder why the wife doesn't like to leave you unsupervised. :P

Just to verify this was last week not 40 years ago....... some things never change.
User avatar
Pitchy
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 13136
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:15 am
Location: Minnesooooota

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Pitchy »

I`m pretty much a 45-70 man and used to carry a Browning 1886 but now use my Marlin Cowboy because it is lighter.
I`ve took a few walks with my Quigley Sharps, now that gets real heavy in a hurry.
For me it all comes down to the terrain and how far, if going for a long hike I`ll strap on the Ruger SA in 44 mag. :)
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
cshold
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 5372
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:09 am

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by cshold »

Lightning 8)

Image
User avatar
Rimfire McNutjob
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:51 pm
Location: Sanford, FL.

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

Sixgun wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:48 amSo....that bring us to your question on a load for the 348. I shoot a couple of thousand rounds a year using a 210 grain gas checked with 22 grains of 5744 for 1600 in metallic silhouette competition. This load will easily drop anything in the deer class and probably elk at 100 yards.
What kind of case fill is that with 5744 ... about 60%? Just curious. Seems like a nice load with a reasonable push on the shoulder for extended shooting sessions.
... I love poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with a stick.
User avatar
Sixgun
Posting leader...
Posts: 18565
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Sixgun »

Rimfire McNutjob wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 1:50 pm
Sixgun wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:48 amSo....that bring us to your question on a load for the 348. I shoot a couple of thousand rounds a year using a 210 grain gas checked with 22 grains of 5744 for 1600 in metallic silhouette competition. This load will easily drop anything in the deer class and probably elk at 100 yards.
What kind of case fill is that with 5744 ... about 60%? Just curious. Seems like a nice load with a reasonable push on the shoulder for extended shooting sessions.

McNutJob,
It's a very pleasant load to where you can shoot 100 rounds of this on a day if you should so choose. But.....it's still powerful. As you know, the 71 is a weighty gun so recoil is about the equal to a slow push...with no sharpness as to the kick. Even the 30-30 out of a 6-7 pound rifle will wear ya down more than this 348 load.

As the better informed of us know, 348 brass is not cheap. The best thing, unknown to most casual shooters, is that this cast bullet load can be shot out of your favorite 71 until the cows come home with little to no growth on the brass. Most of my brass has 10-30 loadings and I have yet to trim them. (For the non-farmers here, when cows get out from the fencing, they don't come home.). You also have to know how to adjust your sizing die.

I've been advocating cast from the Model 71 for years here but I have yet to get any responses...except from my very good friend in Maine, Jay. (Old Win.). That tells me that 99% of 71 shooters either don't shoot them, shoot with factory ammo, or heavy handloads, what, 20 rds a year? :D )

My shooter 71 has 4500 rds out of it with little to no wear on the bluing or the mechanical parts. Like a car engine, dirt, along with stupidity of handling is what causes wear...so....you keep your gun clean..inside and out.....and use....preferably, a synthetic grease on the contact parts...set your sizing die properly and shoot until the cows come home.....all at about $7 for a box of FIFTY........not including elbow grease, electricity, or dedication....yea.....a few hundred for GOOD moulds and related equipment.--------6

I size to 351.

My favorite 71 moulds.....on left...four cavity NEI with 215 grain gas check on two cavities and 2 cavities cut for the 150 gr. plain base.....mould on right is a pre war Hensley and Gibbs 4 cavity with four different bullets...400 grain 45-70, 8mm Mauser, 405 Win. and a wicked looking 230 grain flat point for the 348 that would make a fine bear or elk bullet. I use it on Rams.....the steel kind.....
Image

Close up on the NEI..on left...with H&G on right.
Image



Capacity?....probably closer to 30%
Model A Uzi’s
Image
guido4198
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1040
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:08 am
Location: S. E. Florida

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by guido4198 »

Did Somebody say "CAST"...??????? :wink:
Here's my experience. I'm shooting an original, 1952 manufacture M71.
The only mold I have for it is the one I inherited from my Father. It's an IDEAL gas check design # 350447 HP.
Using 50/50 lead/WW I get bullets that grade out 178.5 +/- 0.5 gns. "naked"...(without gas check or lube).
I use a "surplus" powder I bought in bulk...WC846 with a Winchester magnum primer (WLRM).
This is a VERY mild, shoot all day load that I enjoy just because it's so darn much fun to shoot that old rifle. She has a Lyman 56 peep sight on the back and original front. I still shoot some of the brass my Father first loaded in the 50's.
My chrono says it's running 1800 fps and gives great groups. It's plenty accurate to hunt with but the hollow point is quite deep on this bullet which causes me some concern using it to hunt our deer and hogs down here (South Georgia/Florida). I'm a little afraid that deep HP might just collapse and cause the bullet to veer off track rather than open and penetrate.
For hunting, I've just gone ahead an used a relatively mild load of IMR 3031 behind a Hornady 200. Close shots and medium/small critters..LOADS of fun and great results.
:D :D
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15188
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by piller »

I can just imagine the guffaws from the gun writers. Why, even the thought of a moderate load with a lead bullet being able to be accurate, much less put meat on the table, is worthy of ridicule and scorn. Only the latest laser accurate light speed projectile will kill. Deer are much bigger and tougher than they were even 5 years ago. Next year, or so it has been reported, white tail deer will be genetically modified to grow kevlar.

It is just a myth that Daniel Boone had a rifle which could kill a deer using black powder. Our ancestors were all Prius driving vegans. :lol:

Mild loads sure make it more comfortable to get the job done while giving plenty of power. Most modern loads are much more than is really needed for the distances at which most game is actually harvested.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
User avatar
Rimfire McNutjob
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:51 pm
Location: Sanford, FL.

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

Wow ... no shortage of meplat on that H&G bullet. That'll land with a thud. I need to get a mould for .348, I don't shoot much because I only have a couple of cases of factory left. I've got brass and some of the Barnes jacketed but that still is going to run me far more than cast w/ GC.
... I love poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with a stick.
.45colt
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4720
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:00 am
Location: North Coast of America-Ohio

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by .45colt »

What's all this talk about walking around carrying a gun that is too heavy or having to be a "real" man ???? real men today take a 4x4 quad within 100 yards of their tree stand. they then sit in full scent lock camo doused in cover scent 20' in the air, using a lazer range finder between cups of coffee...... :lol: :lol: :lol:
User avatar
Rimfire McNutjob
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:51 pm
Location: Sanford, FL.

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

Ok, I'll admit to having the Taj Mahal of tree stands for fat guys. It's just about big enough to take a walk around on while 20' up in the tree. I've certainly fallen asleep in it ... comfortably.

I made the mistake of jacking myself up in a large palm tree once. We get some pretty big palms out in the woods here in FL. The problem is, as I have learned, they have really shallow root systems. Once you get a fat guy up about 20' in a palm, it may start to list to one side and may come down. Live and learn I guess.
... I love poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with a stick.
guido4198
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1040
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:08 am
Location: S. E. Florida

Re: Real Men hunt with a Model 71 Win

Post by guido4198 »

.45colt wrote: Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:44 am What's all this talk about walking around carrying a gun that is too heavy or having to be a "real" man ???? real men today take a 4x4 quad within 100 yards of their tree stand. they then sit in full scent lock camo doused in cover scent 20' in the air, using a lazer range finder between cups of coffee...... :lol: :lol: :lol:
You must have hunted in S.Georgia ..!!!
Didn't need a quad... we just ran back the 2-path in a golf cart and never had to walk any -
100 yds. !! It's not a " wilderness experience " by a LONG SHOT, but kept the freezer full.
Post Reply