winchester/miroku model 71

Johnn Peterson, having had and used an original M71 for hunting for years, I found the 200 gr Silvertips to be a rather fragile bullet, fine for deer but lacking in bone breaking and penetrating power on elk and moose. The 250 was much more reliable for the big stuff. Note: on any original that I have seen the front sight ramp, which is integral with the barrel, is canted a little to one side, the barrel not quite fully screwed home. This puts the front sight slightly to one side of center and leaning a tad. The rear sight can be drifted over to match but the bolt peep has no windage adjustment so you must move the front sight over to sight in. The reproductions don't have this problem because the front sight mount is normal.
 
Somebody thought it was a good idea and would sell. At the time, the only commercial .35's were the 35 Winchester and the 35 Remington. One was dead, the other one dying, they probably wanted a fresh start. Why did they introduce the .338 when the .333 already existed? It's called marketing.
 
Ashcroft said:
Johnn Peterson, having had and used an original M71 for hunting for years, I found the 200 gr Silvertips to be a rather fragile bullet, fine for deer but lacking in bone breaking and penetrating power on elk and moose. The 250 was much more reliable for the big stuff. Note: on any original that I have seen the front sight ramp, which is integral with the barrel, is canted a little to one side, the barrel not quite fully screwed home. This puts the front sight slightly to one side of center and leaning a tad. The rear sight can be drifted over to match but the bolt peep has no windage adjustment so you must move the front sight over to sight in. The reproductions don't have this problem because the front sight mount is normal.
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The 250gr Silvertips would be :) my primary go to. However, here on the 'wet coast' of Vancouver Island, on our giant Blacktail, the 200gr would likely work very well. With the sights, to start with, I don't have the optional bolt peep. And, checking and re-checking, I can't detect any cant. Front and rear appear to be square with the surfaces of the action. The first 71 I had was a standard grade that I:( foolishly parted with and as close as I can recall, I never noticed any cant there either.
In the Barnes originals, I have 220gr and 250gr, and in addition, I have a couple boxes of Hornady
200gr Interlock. ;)Should keep occupied for a while:d.
Thanks for your input.
 
Ashcroft said:
Somebody thought it was a good idea and would sell. At the time, the only commercial .35's were the 35 Winchester and the 35 Remington. One was dead, the other one dying, they probably wanted a fresh start. Why did they introduce the .338 when the .333 already existed? It's called marketing.
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So you believe the main reason for the .348 bullet instead of a .358 bullet .was marketing .You could very well be right.:)
 
Now just imagine adding a Doug Turnbull modified model 71 to your collection.
.475 Turnbull with his case colour hardening.
The man and the smiths he has working with him are a true craftsmen.
Prophet River had one on their website a few years back and as tempted as I was, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on the transaction as I want to be able to retire one day.
 
It took a few years to find a Model 71 I liked. Tempted on a few but held out for this pre-war M71 Deluxe.

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You are a very lucky man Rod.
That is a fantastic find. I hope you got a reasonable deal.
Too many of these pieces are falling into the hands of guys that have no interest in collecting anything other than profits
 
Rod said:
It took a few years to find a Model 71 I liked. Tempted on a few but held out for this pre-war M71 Deluxe.

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Nice,:cool: VERY nice. The deluxe I picked up a while back is great and yours looks to be a step above that. Congrats on super find:). Oh, and mine doesn't have the bolt peep option.
 
That is a beautiful long tang deluxe Rod. 98a bolt peep not raided off! Some 71's left the factory with the bolt machined to accept the peep but no peep installed.
Somewhere here in central Ontario is a 71 with a 2 or 3 digit serial. I hope to see it one day.
 
Ashcroft said:
Somebody thought it was a good idea and would sell. At the time, the only commercial .35's were the 35 Winchester and the 35 Remington. One was dead, the other one dying, they probably wanted a fresh start. Why did they introduce the .338 when the .333 already existed? It's called marketing.
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I reckon Winchester could've marketed the 358 version as the .35 Express easy enough. Hell, they sold plenty of 1886's in .33 Win which used the same, necked down 45-70 case to launch a .338" 200 gr bullet at 2200 fps. Lot's of big game hunters were happy with it back in the days. By the time the Model 71 came along, they could've chambered it in .33 Express (A +P .33 Win version) as well as the 35 Express.

Corporate decisions piss me off most times. f:P:
 
My goodness! Those 71's are sweet rifles. There are certain rifles that ring my bell, and the ones pictured here are among them.

Thanks for sharing those pics and thoughts! :)
 
Ashcroft said:
Johnn Peterson, having had and used an original M71 for hunting for years, I found the 200 gr Silvertips to be a rather fragile bullet, fine for deer but lacking in bone breaking and penetrating power on elk and moose. The 250 was much more reliable for the big stuff. Note: on any original that I have seen the front sight ramp, which is integral with the barrel, is canted a little to one side, the barrel not quite fully screwed home. This puts the front sight slightly to one side of center and leaning a tad. The rear sight can be drifted over to match but the bolt peep has no windage adjustment so you must move the front sight over to sight in. The reproductions don't have this problem because the front sight mount is normal.
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True fer sure. Quite happy with me Pedersoli 86/71 in 45-70. :d I don't need no stinking 348's! :stirthepot2:

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Johnn Peterson said:
Ahhhh,;) think I've found your problem.
TRY shooting one, instead of 'sniffing' one.:stirthepot2::stirthepot2:
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I've shot a few over the years and they were pleasant to shoot and nicely accurate at woods ranges. I've just never cottoned up to the 348 due to poor bullet selection.

I do the shootin' & Sherman does the sniffin'. ;)
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SHELL SHUCKER said:
I've shot a few over the years and they were pleasant to shoot and nicely accurate at woods ranges. I've just never cottoned up to the 348 due to poor bullet selection.

I do the shootin' & Sherman does the sniffin'. ;)
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I've got a small selection of bullets to ;) 'play with' in my 348. Admittedly :redface: I haven't used mine in the field, ;) yet but considering most ranges we run into here on the island, it should more than fill the 'needs'.
Oh, nice dog. I have a six year old female, Tessa, same breed :d .
 
The .33 Winchester was based on the .45-70 necked down to .33.The .348 was based on the .50-110 Winchester shortened and necked down to .348. The .50-110 is a much larger case than the .45-70.
 
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