Winchester Gunsmith

[huntershooter]

Looking for first hand recommendations for some custom work on a Mod. '71 (other than Turnbull).
My '71 is mechanically sound but shoots 8" patterns @ 100 yds. My desire is to rebarrel to .450 Alaskan/.45/70(?) and reblue the receiver. I'd really like to "recycle" this rifle.
Thank you.

[kimwcook]

I'd talk it over with Nate Kiowa Jones, aka Steve Young, he's a member here.

[RIHMFIRE]

Also talk to Rimfire McNutjob...
he has a lot of experience with the 71
and he has a restored 71 in 348 and 450 alaskan

[JerryB]

Contact Mike Hunter.

[Pathfinder09]

Sorry I know it's your gun and your perogative but why on earth would you screw up a 71. Why not find a Borwning 1886, or a USRA Winchester 1886 and rebarrel it. Doing that to a 71 is just wrong. Sorry I don't mean to offend, just my $.02.

[Ray Newman]

Is a .348 liner available?

[huntershooter]

Well Sir; I believe a rifle thst shoots 8" groups @ 100 yds., with tailored handloads is already "screwed up".
My interest is in breathing life in this '71 so it can be used and appreciated. It is not a "safe queen".

[dbateman]

[quote="Pathfinder09"]Sorry I know it's your gun and your perogative but why on earth would you screw up a 71. Why not find a Borwning 1886, or a USRA Winchester 1886 and rebarrel it. Doing that to a 71 is just wrong. Sorry I don't mean to offend, just my $.02.

i do agree with you to point........i have in the past bought guns with the intention of building
something on that action only to relies what iv got is not your run of the mill surplus military rifle
(no4t and k-98with ss markings)and did not go ahead till i found a suitable rifle for the project
however if ether one was in bad condition i would build a custom on it
p.s sold the no4t to an old guy who has a bit of a collection (mostly shooters)
still have the 98
the rifle needs rebareling so why not to a 450

[Griff]

Hey! It's a Mdl 71... Winchester didn't make but a finite number of them. In one caliber... my $.02: Send it to Mike Hunter. If you want a 450M, on that receiver... get an '86 that needs some TLC and have it... they ain't a dime a doz, but... they were built in a large number of calibers.

I'd suggest that you try some standard accurizing tricks for a lever gun before you even do anything else. Ammo ain't the only thing that could be wrong with it. See: Accurizing the Lever Action Rifle by Paco.

[Mike D.]

Do what others have suggested. Don't even THINK of ruining an original Winchester 71, unless someone has already buggered it up.

[Pathfinder09]

AMEN Mike AMEN!

[Mike Hunter]

Another option would be to find a shot out Lightweight 86 or 71 barrel, have it rebored & rechambered to 45-70... thus preserving the original bbl

Mike Hunter

[Modoc ED]

Why is it shooting 8" patterns? Find out what's wrong with it as Griff touched on when he referenced the article by Paco. Could be many things. Could be it needs to be re-crownded. I'd sure as heck try to fix it before messing with it further.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I don't know if I'd go 450 Alaskan unless you want a 45 specifically. And I'm not sure if a 45/70 conversion would be appropriate for a 71. I only say this because the case head is smaller on the 45/70 versus the 348 and may slosh a bit in the carrier. Of course, it might work just fine ... I'm just pointing out the difference. Obviously, the 450 Alaskan doesn't have that problem as it's got that same 50-110 case head as the 348. Perhaps the carrier could be worked to allow a 45/70 to nestle in better.

If you do go 450 Alaskan, Huntington's has the dies in-stock and always on special (for the last few years anyway) at $190 ... their part #56569. You can use most any of the 45/70 bullets in the 450 Alaskan but you give up some performance when used in the 71. The canellure on most 45/70 bullets is up so high that you end up seating the bullet there and getting a COAL around 2.55" with the loss of some powder space and with that stumpy 45/70 ogive on the slug. For general loading, I'm using the Speer #2478 which doesn't have this issue and I have a COAL of 2.75".

I've got a Browning HG (my shooter), a Win Std, and a "butchered" Win Std.

Obviously, you can just get a couple of '86 takedown rings and build a multi-purpose gun. How cool would a 284-348 be with a 26" tube with a second barrel in 50-110 at 22"?

[Mike D.]

Obviously, you can just get a couple of '86 takedown rings and build a multi-purpose gun. How cool would a 284-348 be with a 26" tube with a second barrel in 50-110 at 22"?

I believe that the takedown barrels have completely different threads that the solid frame rifles do. You'd have to find two barrels and the rings, plus modify the frame. Finding a buggered up .33 cal '86TD will be lots easier, then go from there.

[Kansas Ed]

Just my thoughts, but I like Mike Hunter's idea. Pull the original barrel and rebarrel to something more interesting...not that the 348 isn't interesting enough. But since it's based on the 50-110, why not rebarrel to a 50-100/50-110? Mike Hunter could probably give you a rundown on that conversion and what would need to be changed. I'm sure that you could save all the original parts and come up with replacements for anything that would need to be modified. I personally wouldn't go with the 450 because of the severe recoil of that round. Snooky claimed that the rifle had to be modified anyway to keep from shooting loose the magazine tube. Not that I have studied that cartridge much. To me, a 50 caliber would be much more agreeable and interesting.

As for the issue of modifying an original 71, they aren't that difficult to find that I wouldn't change it if it isn't salvageable as a shooter. Unless it was a early short tang version with 90% + finish...and then I would just trade it off for something which shot well. But the option is there to rebarrel for a reasonable expense with the ability to keep original parts for a change of heart some day.

Ed

[Travis Morgan]

Hey! It's a Mdl 71... Winchester didn't make but a finite number of them.

Actually..... they did.