Best smith to build 40/348 from low # 71 Carbine

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24 March 2015, 00:27

Cold Trigger Finger

Best smith to build 40/348 from low # 71 Carbine

A very good friend that is a Winchester collector has wanted a Model 71 in 40/348 since the mid 60s . He has several low # model 71s his deer rifle is a 2 digit
He already has a 450 Alaskan. But it has a rifle length barrel. He has a carbine barrel that he wants to have rebored. Who would be the best smith to do this work?
I know there is one smith that has hunted with 458 Win that does georgous work. But I can't remember who it is.
Thank you
Glen.

P.S. he is totally different than me in that he likes fine Winchester's but is not on any forums.

Phil Shoemaker : "I went to a .30-06 on a fine old Mauser action. That worked successfully for a few years until a wounded, vindictive brown bear taught me that precise bullet placement is not always possible in thick alders, at spitting distances and when time is measured in split seconds. Lucky to come out of that lesson alive, I decided to look for a more suitable rifle."

24 March 2015, 02:02

Bill73

I just sent an early win 71 to SSK industries,check out their website,seems like they do good work,I want mine to be converted to 416/348.

24 March 2015, 07:28

Cold Trigger Finger

I'll check them out. He was wondering whether he should go with the 416 instead of the 410.
My opinion is to find the bullet he wants to shoot. Buy at least 500 of them and at least 300 rounds of brass. Then he would know which.one he wants. Fortunately his son is a southpaw and will be able to use the rifle to its fullest ability. When it gets passed down.

24 March 2015, 21:10

buckeyeshooter

I would contact Mike Hunter and Doug Turnbull. I am positive they would do and outstanding job.

07 May 2015, 16:46

FireCaptain

I can speak highly of Turnbull.

07 May 2015, 18:39

Bill73

Turnbull does really good work,my last conversion is a 450 Alaskan done by him,gun works perfect,I am using SSK this time because they have a reamer on hand,& they also have done some really good work on levers for michael458.

07 May 2015, 21:31

Cold Trigger Finger

I have passed the information along to my friend. Sometimes his gun building moves at a glacial pace.

08 May 2015, 08:20

.366torque

quote:
Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
I have passed the information along to my friend. Sometimes his gun building moves at a glacial pace.

I can relate to that.

09 May 2015, 00:28

OLBIKER

JES Reboring.Top Notch work.

http://35caliber.com/8.html

09 May 2015, 01:27

Bill73

quote:
Originally posted by OLBIKER:
JES Reboring.Top Notch work.
http://35caliber.com/8.html

Sounds like a pretty inexpensive way to get a conversion done without replacing the barrel,
I have thought about sending a 71 to them & have it re-bored out to the 375-348 improved,but am wondering if the rifle would be too light when finished for the caliber?

09 May 2015, 05:16

Cold Trigger Finger

My friend wants to have an original Model 71 barrel rebored to 410 for his. Its a carbine length barrel so I think it would have enough meat in it ???

10 May 2015, 03:07

Bill73

quote:
Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
My friend wants to have an original Model 71 barrel rebored to 410 for his. Its a carbine length barrel so I think it would have enough meat in it ???

Quite a few of the orignals have been rebored to the 450 Alaskan,which is .458,so the barrel would be ok for .410,my concern is the weight of the gun,it would fall below 8 lbs & with full house loads the recoil would be pretty stiff,from what I have heard some of the 450 Alaskan conversions kick pretty hard & had problems with the forend wood coming off under recoil,these conversions will generate upwards of 4000 ftlbs energy.

10 May 2015, 08:18

Cold Trigger Finger

The mag tube was the worst part. Sometimes they would take off like 90 in recoil. Leaving the ammo to tumble down onto your feet. The tube spring and follower taking off to parts unknown. . Recoil is temporary, gravity is forever.

That's good to know that the factory barrel is fat enough to bore out. His 450/348,450 Fuller, 450 Alaskan weighs around 8 lbs empty. Its not bad with a 400 gr bullet at 2200 fps. It has an aftermarket 22" barrel.

10 May 2015, 18:33

Bill73

My 450 is at 9.6 lbs empty,very comfortable shooting 400@2200,I am aiming for 9 lbs on the new gun as well.

06 July 2015, 02:22

Atkinson

I love the win. mod. 71 and the .348 Win. caliber, and the 40-348 should be a humdinger, but whatcha gonna do when no more brass is available, and its almost impossible to find today!! Just a thought before you invest a pile of hard earned cash...I was told the 50-110 could be reformed to .348 but RCBS told me no for whatever reason I don't recall..Its a sad day unless some outfit jumps in and makes brass..

I'm already making 25-35s from 30-30 and 250 Savage from 22-250s for the first time in my life..

10 July 2015, 22:00

cal pappas

I seem to recall .50-110 used for .348 and also .348 used for .50-110 in the 1980s when brass was not readily available as it is today.

When I wrote my book on Jim Watts, he showed me (and I later owned) the first .450 AK he made up and also the first .40-348 he made up as well as his first .450 Watts. The rifles are long gone and the book is sold out but I have some pics in the book and the story of his first inventions if anyone is interested.
Cal

_______________________________

Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
www.CalPappas.com
www.CalPappas.blogspot.com
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15 September 2015, 22:46

Atkinson

But 50 caliber cases are probably pretty hard to find, things are in a mess right now, what does the future hold..

The other thing about this thread is why on earth would anyone ruin a low numbered 20" carbine mod. 71, 348 WCF, they are rare and worth a ton of money. I hope the one he has is a junker, otherwise the man needs a shrink!

16 September 2015, 13:45

buckeyeshooter

quote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
I love the win. mod. 71 and the .348 Win. caliber, and the 40-348 should be a humdinger, but whatcha gonna do when no more brass is available, and its almost impossible to find today!! Just a thought before you invest a pile of hard earned cash...I was told the 50-110 could be reformed to .348 but RCBS told me no for whatever reason I don't recall..Its a sad day unless some outfit jumps in and makes brass..

I'm already making 25-35s from 30-30 and 250 Savage from 22-250s for the first time in my life..

50-110 and .50 Alaskan IS Readily available from Starline brass company. .348 can be formed from 50-110 or 50 Alaskan, as 50-110 was how it was designed by Winchester in the beginning. Now if I just had a 71, I would have a reason to make some up.

17 September 2015, 16:16

Instructor

For some reason the 71/348 combo has become a subject on "the net" more than ever these days and took mine out recently just to bring back memories and glad I did for it is one fine combo. Fortunately I have a large supply of components/ammo and reload so can shoot without huge expense and I for one would not alter the rifle in any way. With some of the modern bullets available today the round would be more than adequate for most creatures you are likely to encounter. Be it an original or a Browning, would just leave it as it is.

24 February 2016, 02:38

kenr

quote:
Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
My friend wants to have an original Model 71 barrel rebored to 410 for his. Its a carbine length barrel so I think it would have enough meat in it ???

If your friend has an original model 71 carbine barrel and not a cut down rifle barrel, he would be well advised NOT to alter that barrel, they are way to hard to find.

24 February 2016, 06:30

N E 450 No2

Random thoughts. IF I wanted a Mod 71 in calibre larger than 348, I would have Doug Turnbull build me one in 475 Turnbull.
I have shot his Personal Mod 71 in 475 T, and must say I was most impressed.
It was a MARVELOUS RIFLE.

24 February 2016, 19:21

Bill73

Re-the brass being hard to find,
I think all the following wildcats are based on the 50-110 case,the 50 Alaskan,450 Alaskan,475 Turnbull,I am now shooting a 416-348,I have so far made cases from the 50 Alaskan,450 Alaskan,475 Turnbull & 348 win,they can all be made to work,so brass is really not a problem.

01 March 2016, 03:05

Cold Trigger Finger

Thats good to know. I do think one would be a very good rifle to have handy all summer and fall. Or for a winter bison or moose hunt.

01 March 2016, 03:10

Cold Trigger Finger

quote:
Originally posted by kenr:
quote:
Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
My friend wants to have an original Model 71 barrel rebored to 410 for his. Its a carbine length barrel so I think it would have enough meat in it ???
If your friend has an original model 71 carbine barrel and not a cut down rifle barrel, he would be well advised NOT to alter that barrel, they are way to hard to find.

He wants the original barrel but in a bear thumper cart. And he has wanted a 40/348 since the 60s . He has a bunch of Model 71s . His deer rifle is a 71 in 348 that has a sub 100 serial #

03 March 2016, 07:10

N E 450 No2

Random thoughts, IF you want a 40 cal. lever action, then just get a Winchester Mod 1895 in 405 WCF. IMHO IT IS THE BEST LEVER ACTION RIFLE ON THE PLANET. ... BAR NONE.

06 March 2016, 04:57

JFE

If it were me I would try to find a takeoff barrel from a Win 71 (Miroku 71 bbls have a different shank and thread) and have that one rebored and rechambered. That way you keep the original barrel and preserve the rifle's value.

There's plenty of meat in the barrel to bore it out to a 40 cal. I'd bore it out to 412, same as the 405, so you have the ability to use readily available factory bullets.

13 April 2016, 04:54

Atkinson

Jamison, Starline and Hornady are probably going to market .348 brass in the near future it is rumored..Im bett'en on Jamison to be the first.

I would suggest you get the barrel rebored by High Plains Reboring and relining, nrjonsn@westriv.com 701-448-912 and leave a message.. 243 14th ave. N. W. Turtle Creek, N.D. 58575-9410

He has done 4 or 5 barrels for me and they all shot minute of angle at 100 yards, that's damn good..Cost runs about $200.

14 April 2016, 08:46

Atkinson

Talk about timing..I got a email today from Kathy at Jamison, and they now have .348 and 250-3000 in stock. Check thee list, they have a lot of stuff on the market now..Still no 25-35s out there but I have a lifetime supply of loaded 25-35..including 18 boxes of factory stuff.