WINCHESTER Model 71 45/70

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gubowner

gubowner

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I just picked up Winchester model 71 manufactured in 1946 chambered in 45-70. As far as I can tell this is a very rare rifle due to it's chambering. Apparently this was a very limited special order along with .35 Remington. Can I get a letter from Winchester to authenticate it's origin? It's in 95 to 98% condition and I paid $725.00 for it. Does anybody know approximately what it might be worth? I will try to post pics later.
 
I never knew they were ever available in anything but 348 but apparently a few were made in 45-70. That has to be extremely rare if factory. It is possible, but unlikely, that it wasn't originally chambered in 45-70. I'd call Winchester for sure. Let us know. If original you stole it.
 
Stocks don't match,forearm is checkered deluxe type and the butt stock is from a standard model. Also the 45-70 marking doesn't match anything Winchester did. Win. did make a very few in 45-70 and at least 1 in 33win. but they were early 1st year production rifles. I would say yours is a gunsmith conversion. Pricewise you still did good.I would like a 71 in 45-70.
 
Well maybe not a unicorn but at least a jackalope. I knew the stocks were miss matched. I will be changing that. Thanks for the information. I still like the rifle and will be shooting it soon along with my Browning 1886.
 
It's obvious the cartridge mark is hand stamped, on a 71 barrel... even more interesting. Dumb question, where is the serial number? The wood and finish of the stock and receiver almost look like a Browning 71 mated to the odd Winchester barrel (although I think that unlikely, I think the Miroku barrels were metric.)

Good sight, though... that's the same Williams I have on my Browning 71...

Let us know what you find!
 
gubowner said:
Can I get a letter from Winchester to authenticate it's origin?
Click to expand...

I would say so. Pictures are not enough to authenticate something rare, and it has to start at the manufacturer. Did that leave the factory as a 45/70 or a 348 Winchester? If it left as a 45/70, we may be looking at a unicorn

rJhFDjh.jpg
 
I'm in the process of contacting Winchester to find out more information. If it has been rebarreled whoever did it must be a top tier smith. It's still a very nice gun.
 
I'm finding this information very interesting. Many years ago, I attended an Ohio Gun Collector's gun show when they were still having them in Cleveland and spotted a matched pair of Winchester Model 71 rifles chambered in .45-70. They were in a custom-made display case and the seller claimed that everything was from the factory. As I recall, he wanted $50,000 for the set.
You don't have to be an expert on Winchester firearms to know as fact that the Model 71 was never made in any chambering other than for the .348 cartridge. Friends of mine have always made me a focus of ridicule whenever I claimed to have seen any Model 71, let alone two of them, in any caliber other than .348. This thread kind of helps to vindicate my unicorn sighting. o_O
 
SwampWolf said:
I'm finding this information very interesting. Many years ago, I attended an Ohio Gun Collector's gun show when they were still having them in Cleveland and spotted a matched pair of Winchester Model 71 rifles chambered in .45-70. They were in a custom-made display case and the seller claimed that everything was from the factory. As I recall, he wanted $50,000 for the set.
You don't have to be an expert on Winchester firearms to know as fact that the Model 71 was never made in any chambering other than for the .348 cartridge. Friends of mine have always made me a focus of ridicule whenever I claimed to have seen any Model 71, let alone two of them, in any caliber other than .348. This thread kind of helps to vindicate my unicorn sighting. o_O
Click to expand...
The stamp font could different simply BECAUSE it was such a rare chambering. It's not unusual at all to see factory customs or limited editions with unique or mismatched stamps and different fonts.
 
SwampWolf said:
Friends of mine have always made me a focus of ridicule whenever I claimed to have seen any Model 71, let alone two of them, in any caliber other than .348.
Click to expand...

I saw a picture of one. That is about as close as I have ever been to a Model 71, they are rare.
 
SwampWolf said:
You don't have to be an expert on Winchester firearms to know as fact that the Model 71 was never made in any chambering other than for the .348 cartridge. Friends of mine have always made me a focus of ridicule whenever I claimed to have seen any Model 71, let alone two of them, in any caliber other than .348. This thread kind of helps to vindicate my unicorn sighting. o_O
Click to expand...

Wikipedia claims there were some 71's chambered in 45-70 and 33 WCF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_71

So it could be the real deal.
 
I plan to shoot it next week. I'm looking for a smooth forend so the wood is matching. As far as a bored out barrel I have only heard of replacing them from a 1886 and changing the lifter. I really don't know. I might join Winchester Collector Forum to try to find out how it left the factory in 1946. There is not a lot of information on this rebarrel/factory option and most of it is conflicting. It's probably not the real deal, but it's a nice rifle. I will post on what I find out. Thanks for all your help.
 
Don't care how or why, that is a steal at the price you paid for it! And 45-70 ammunition is everywhere, whereas 348 Win is pretty much "find it on the net when and where you can." And expensive!

Shoot the snot out of that rifle, and enjoy !!!!!!
 
On the one hand, the 45-70 marking was done manually, so it's not a production gun. OTOH, I don't see any trace of a 348 marking, which would be present if it were a 348 barrel that had been rebored. Pictures of the entire barrel markings on both sides would be nice.

Possibly a prototype / tool room exercise?

I'd contact the Cody Firearms Museum. They are Winchester experts. https://centerofthewest.org/explore/firearms/firearms-records/
 
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:(
 
How ever it came to be you got a great rifle and deal there! I have a Browning M71. I wouldn'r mind it in 45-70. Sure would be easier and cheaper to feed. Too bad Winchester decided to go the oddball route of .34 cal and expensive hard to find bullets. If it was .338 or .358 I think it would still be a top lever gun cartridge.jmo
 
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