Return of the Winchester 71

[btmj]

I picked up a winchester catalog at the NRA meeting/show last weekend, and I noticed a new rifle... well new to me.

The model 71. A lever action rifle originally produced in the 1930s. It is very similar to the Model 94, but it is bigger and has a pistol grip stock (like a Marlin). Discontinued in 1958, but Browning re-introduced it in the 1980s...

According to wikipedia, the 71 was only offered in 348 Win, and this was the only rifle ever chambered in 348 Win. Interesting cartridge, with a 200 - 250 grain bullet it is in the 2800 - 3000 ft-lb energy class. There aren't too many other cartridges that use a 0.348 diameter bullet.

Is there some kind of resurgent interest in this cartridge?

 

[Jim Watson]

Model 71 is a development of the 1886, not the 1894.
I can't imagine the .348 is a high demand caliber, but it has been 25 years since the last small batch. I guess they figure to stir up some nostalgia in another generation.

There will be a lot of them used as bases for .450 and .500 Alaskans.

 

[btmj]

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?mid=534187

winchester's website....

by the way... has there ever been another .348 caliber rifle cartridge?

 

[Mike Irwin]

" has there ever been another .348 caliber rifle cartridge?"

Not that I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Slamfire]

New Model 71s at $1500.00!. Ouch!.

Drilled and tapped for irons, no mention of scopes.

I guess if you really want one, then you buy one.

 

[Scorch]

$1500 for a new Model 71 isn't bad, I have seen used ones sell for that much. Supposedly, it was the Alaska guides associations vote for the #1 bear guide's rifle a few decades ago. Lots of power, fast delivery.

And no, there has never been another .348" cartridge made.

 

[Buzzcook]

Where any design changes made between the 1886 and the M 71?

 

[thallub]

The new Winchester gun is well made. Unlike Miroku reproductions of the 1980s, it has that awful tang safety.

 

[natman]

Where any design changes made between the 1886 and the M 71?

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/model71_info.htm

 

[Slamfire]

$1500 for a new Model 71 isn't bad, I have seen used ones sell for that much

.

Pre 64 M70's go for more than the latest FN produced M70. Collectable older stuff is not cheap, but then this M71 is not cheap either.

The market will figure out what it is worth.

If I really wanted a M71 to shoot, I would go with the latest, as the machining and metal would be better.

 

[btmj]

Warning: somewhat off topic tangent...

It seems to me that a person could start with the 308 Marlin Express cartridge (or 307 winchester), and neck it up to accept .338 bullets. The result would be very similar to the 338 Federal cartridge, but in a rimmed cartridge suitable for use in a lever action.

The 338 federal has similar performance to the 348 Win, but with a bit more energy and a much greater selection of bullets.

 

[mete]

In the past they were often bored out to .45 which makes a very potent bear stopper !

 

[Shotgun693]

If I wanted such a gun I'd just get one of the several '86 replicas now being made and get it in a different round.

 

[dgludwig]

For the money they're asking, you'd think sling swivel studs would have been included...

 

[gyvel]

Thank God for the .348, as it is the basis for many old and obsolete European military cartridges. Without .348 brass, I would never have been able to shoot my old Vetterli-Vitali 10.4mm rifle...

 

[carpooler]

Ammo availability

Would anyone on this forum want to guess about how much, if any, 348 Ammo will be available in Alaska? This rifle has got to be as long as my old 1970 Marlin 444, Centennial Model, with the 24 inch barrel. That rifle didn't fit in a Pickup rear window gun rack. So, until they get around to doing a short rifle, or carbine, I'd think the Browning 71 carbine would be a better proposition. This new pricing is only about a C-Note more than the smaller M-94 in 38-55. But it's quite a bit longer and less handier.

But I'm a southpaw, and this rifle is a classic top ejector. No undercut side walls to look right down at the brass cartridge heads. I just hope the so called "collectors" will keep their hands off these newbies. I note that this 24 inch barrel job is in the 2012 Winchester catalogs, along with the Japanese made 30-30's.

 

[natman]

Warning: somewhat off topic tangent...

It seems to me that a person could start with the 308 Marlin Express cartridge (or 307 winchester), and neck it up to accept .338 bullets. The result would be very similar to the 338 Federal cartridge, but in a rimmed cartridge suitable for use in a lever action.

The 338 federal has similar performance to the 348 Win, but with a bit more energy and a much greater selection of bullets.

Apparently Marlin agrees with you:

http://www.hornady.com/store/338-Marlin-Express/
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/308MarlinExpress/338MX.asp

 

[Scorch]

The 338 federal has similar performance to the 348 Win, but with a bit more energy and a much greater selection of bullets.

The 338 Marlin Express is neat, but it has 3/4 of the energy of the 348 Winchester, and a limited selection of bullets considering you have to use them in a tubular magazine.

 

[btmj]

The 338 Marlin Express is neat, but it has 3/4 of the energy of the 348 Winchester

Hi Scorch, you may have access to information that I am not aware of. My data shows that the 338 Federal is somewhat more powerful than the 348 Win, and the 338 Marlin Express is about equal to the 348 Win.

338 Fed, 210 grain, 2630 fps, 3230 ft-lb at the muzzle

338 Marlin Exp 200 grain, 2560 fps, 2920 ft-lb at the muzzle

348 Win, 200 grain, 2530 fps, 2840 ft-lb at the muzzle
348 Win, 250 grain, 2350 fps, 3060 ft-lb at the muzzle

 

[thallub]

BTW: This new Winchester Model 71 has the hideous tang safety.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/library/articles/detail.asp?id=292