Tell me about your hunting successes(this season) with the big lever gun. I loaded a bunch of Barnes 250's, but didn't get a chance to use 'em, a bummer eh?

i have found bowling balls to be a good relief of pent up frustration. if you have a video camera, bring it
woofer

I hunted with one of those beatifull old guns some years back when the still made 250 gr. Silvertip ammo..Shot quite a few deer with it and one bull elk, it always served me well..That one was super accurate, and I have had 3 or 4 others since then but none of them shot well IMO....If I ever get a chance at one that is accurate, say 2" at 100 or better, I will buy it and this time I'll keep it, but most don't shoot for beans...

I'm working on collecting at least one of each of Winchesters big lever actions. I'm looking to get a 71 shortly.
What seems to be the problem with the accuracy with this rifle?
Is there a way to accurize this rifle?
Are there gunsmiths out there who know how to improve the accuracy?
Maybe rebarreling to a different caliber?
Jim

My 71 was not a particularly accurate rifle from the time I got it. 3" or larger groups were the norm. I bedded the front inch and rear inch of the forend with glass. Also bedded the forend tenon that the forend cap slips over so that it was a hard push fit to get the forend cap screws lined up with the holes in the dovetailed block. Attempting to get a little upward pressure with the forend was the intent. I also slightly shortened the screw that holds the magazine cap in so that it did not bottom on the barrel as it originally did. Basically distrusted the small contact area of the screw to provide consistently even upward pressure on the barrel. I don't know but suspect it never should have bottomed on the barrel to begin with.
The rifle shoots about 2 - 2 1/2 now with either cast or jacketed and that's as good as I can see. I did all these little kinks simultaneously so can't tell you if only one of them might have done the same thing. I recall Ken Waters referring to a gunsmith , possibly Seeley Masker???, who tuned a 71 for him with similar improvement. Ken didn't provide any details of what was done though. I think the gunsmith was qouted as saying he "didn't do much".

I never could figure out why the .348s didn't generally shoot well especially considering the fact that the old 1886 Win. in 45-70 adn 45-90 mostly shot under two inches, they are really accurate as a rule...who knows?

71s were made with two types of rear aperture sights. One rode on the bolt and it frequently rattled and banged loose. They could be shimmed only to bang loose again. A second (later?) sight attached to the side of the receiver and it works much better. Perhaps that was your problem. My two 71 friends do well with theirs anyway.
Brent

I have used my Win 71 for years, even have one in 450 Alaskan. I have 3 young boys and each have a early 50 vintage 71. My favorite load is the 250 Barnes Orginal FN (not the all copper bullet) and Reloader 19 powder at 60.0 grains in WW cases with Fed GM 210M primers and crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp Die. This load has accounted for many Moose and Bear over the years. Excellent Load!

I've had a M71 standard rifle for about 5 years now, and mostly shoot the Hornady 200gr bullet as I use it for WI whitetails. Tried the 220gr Barnes original but never got very good accuraccy with it. The Hornady's seem to shoot just fine, although I don't think it is 2" at 100 yards. Of course I don't think I can hold that well with those open sights. I'd say the groups go about 3-4" although I never measured them. That said, I've never missed an animal with that gun, it always brings home the bacon (3 deer so far) and hits 'em right where it should.

So far it's done in one buck running by me at 30 yards, one shot in the heart. One doe standing through the timber at about 100 yards, dead...that one actually had two holes in it, one in the chest and one in the flank where the bullet impacted a tree just in front of it. The other doe was walking along about 60 yards and got one just above the heart. That is one rifle that just 'fits' in the northern woods of WI. Makes hunting more enjoyable many times.

Wow did I find a deal on a Browning M71 yesterday.

I was looking for a M70 SA for a project rifle at a local shop(didn't find one), but came across a Browning Gr.1 M71 Rifle unfired for $425. The gun is mint except for a couple gun safe dings and a swivel stud added to buttstock. I had long given up hope of finding a reasonable priced M71 rifle, as all I had seen for sale were carbine versions priced at more $$$ than I wanted to spend. Now for the tough decision, should I shoot it or just give it a nice home in the back of the safe. I have 336 30-30, Pre-64 M88 308, and a pair of 375W(one Marlin, one Win); so on one hand it's hard to say that I needed the rifle. On the other hand, M71 are a good pointing well machined piece of hardware.

My favorite are my Winchester 71 in 348 Win and a 71 in 450 Alaskan.

The most accurate lever are my 1895 Marlin's and a BLR in 358.

Looking for a Finnwolf in 308 Win.