WINCHESTER Model 71 45/70

Gordon · Sep 30, 2018

I had Cliff La Bounty rebore a few of my rifles over the years, he restamped the barrel very professionally . Cliff sold out and retired in 2005 to Jim Dubell of Clearwater reboring who has passed now . To rebore to preserve a vintage arm was never cheap. Now adays it it mostly resleeve back to origal caliber with new rifling , which isn't cheap either. But either process done well cane breath new life into worn or obsolete caliber fire arms
http://riflingmachinemethods.com/

falmike · Sep 30, 2018

Nay sayers be darned. Roll mark, patina seems same, I always root for the underdog. I say Unicorn and a very lovely one at that.

I hope you don’t change anything until you have a definative answer; wood, peep sight, etc. may be original for this.

Either way, enjoy your prize!

Mike

Jim Watson · Sep 30, 2018

Reboring and rerifling is an established specialty gunsmithing operation.

The problem here is that .348 has a LARGER head diameter than .45-70. Can't ream a hole smaller. Set back so it would clean up? Might look funny.

Gordon · Oct 1, 2018

I remembered the .348 was a bit larger, so, as suggested, an 1886 barrel swap would not be out of the question as likely

SwampWolf · Oct 2, 2018

Scooter22 said:
I wouldn'r mind it in 45-70.

For those wanting a Model 71 chambered in .45-70, Miroku (and probably others) made Winchester Model 1886 (the action the Model 71 is based on and differs little from) repo rifles chambered for the old .45 caliber, "Government" cartridge. Mine is the "Extra Light Weight" 1886 variant, weighing 7.25 pounds and having a 22" long barrel. Typical for Miroku, the rifle exhibits very fine workmanship and finish.

Scooter22 · Oct 2, 2018

SwampWolf said:
For those wanting a Model 71 chambered in .45-70, Miroku (and probably others) made Winchester Model 1886 (the action the Model 71 is based on and differs little from) repo rifles chambered for the old .45 caliber, "Government" cartridge. Mine is the "Extra Light Weight" 1886 variant, weighing 7.25 pounds and having a 22" long barrel. Typical for Miroku, the rifle exhibits very fine workmanship and finish.

Yeah I know but I don't want to spend the current prices on them. I'll keep my .348 and continue shooting cast bullets. My big regrets were the Browning copies of the 1886 and 1895 LA they came out with after. A 45-70 and .405 would have been a cool set of triplets. Plus the prices seemed better back then compared to today. Now with bad shoulders I don't need those even for fun.

Charlie98 · Oct 2, 2018

The Browning/Mirokus were made in the '80's (I had a 1886, and I still have my 71...) and now there are the Winchester/Mirokus. They have added a safety on the Winchester versions, but I think they also case colored the receivers, which the Brownings don't have. Uberti makes an 1886, as does Pedersoli; Pedersoli also makes a 86/71 which is a .45-70 with the short magazine of the 71, and a pistol grip.

gubowner · Oct 3, 2018

Gordon said:
I remembered the .348 was a bit larger, so, as suggested, an 1886 barrel swap would not be out of the question as likely

That's what I thought until I looked at the barrel. It is rolled marked "MODEL 71" with no sign of removing .348 or over stamping the caliber.(see pics). I have a Browning 1886 and barrel profiles are different. I can't find anything from the Cody museum or the Winchester collector forum and I understand that Winchester inc. will not have records. So I will probably never know how it came to be. It is still a cool gun regaudless and I will pass down the mystery to my kids.

natman · Oct 3, 2018

gubowner said:
How do you rebore a barrel to larger caliber and add rifling? Rifling requires expensive equipment and is done early in the barrel manufacturing. I'm requesting a letter from Center of the West to find out more info. Update- Center of the West can't letter my 71. Waiting on Winchester collecting forum for information. We may never know how it left the factory

It's entirely possible to rebore a barrel to a larger caliber. Several firms have the expensive equipment:

http://www.35caliber.com/
https://www.redmansrifling.com/

However, it's NOT possible to rebore a 348 Winchester barrel to 45-70; the existing 348 chamber is far larger in diameter than a 45-70 chamber.

WINCHESTER Model 71 45/70

Gordon

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falmike

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Jim Watson

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Gordon

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SwampWolf

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Scooter22

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Charlie98

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gubowner

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natman

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