Maybe a little contest. The Finnwolf is slick, but the feel of a Winchester 71 closing is not just slick, but "substantial" sorta like a Percheron vs an Arabian horse, or closing a big ol'timey vault door. End of the day my hunting 71 , (restocked after the stock was broken by a horse wreck )puts three 200gr bullets in 1.5" and I pack it anywhere, anyway with no worries. My Finnwolfs are treated like museum pieces and I would never put one on a quad or in a horse scabbard.
Slickest lever action?
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Winchester should do the 71 as a re-release by Miroku (aware of the Browning 71s), and introduce a new chambering or two in it too. Keep the spirit; fast for a lever gun, useful all round chamberings, and avoid wading into the .45-70 market with everyone else. Top of my mind for options would be the 30-40 Krag, .307, perhaps .375 Win, and .444.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Some time back, I had a standard grade Winchester model 71, in 348 WCF of course. Sold that when I lucked out and acquired a
near mint model 71 Deluxe. The Winchester model 71 deluxe in,
in 348 WCF is my favorite lever gun & calibre combo.Any reason to make more 71s is a good idea. With regard to calibers to consider, the 348Winchester cartridge is part of the magic of the 71. The "wedge" shaped profile of the 348 Winchester supposedly contributes to the stellar reliability of the 71.The 348 Winchester has one of the most rapidly tapering bodies of any cartridge made.the cartridge is almost funnel shaped , and thje chamber is a mirror image of that. As a result the case goes into the chamber easily, and comes out easily.
Viva the Winchester 71,viva 348Winchester!
Winchester did a re-release by Miroku with the tang safety some years back as a SHOT show special. I picked one up when they came into the country and, other than the unremarkable wood, it is very nice. Every bit the match of my Browning. I even like the tang safety, if one must have a safety, although many hate it. You could almost certainly find one out of the states at a reasonable price.
amen!!! 100%
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The 71 speaks to me, but I just can’t add a new chambering to the cabinet as odd ball as the .348- ballistically as wonderful of a middle ground for a coastal and northern BC exploring fella as she is. I was never a 94 Big Bore fan, but could be swayed by a 71 in a more ubiquitous chambering and bore.
Love the idea of a .348, and had my twenty years of adopting and specializing in oddballs, but I’m at the stage I want it to share components at the very least with my others. A .307, .375, or even perhaps .444 ‘71 would open my wallet right quick.
Love the idea of a .348, and had my twenty years of adopting and specializing in oddballs, but I’m at the stage I want it to share components at the very least with my others. A .307, .375, or even perhaps .444 ‘71 would open my wallet right quick.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I still have my Marlin 444S in 444. It has proven itself a 'number' of times in the field when it counted. I have no wish to part with it and I'm sure it will 'get the call' again in future. With the model 71, I'd prefer to keep it only in the original chambering of 348 WCF only. It is an 'odd ball' but my preference is to keep my model 71 Deluxe as 'the odd ball'.
I hear you on the odd ball caliber deal. Especially as components continue to get more pricey and difficult to source. Just wait until you run a few rounds through a 71 though. Such a handsome cartridge to boot. I keep hoping there will be a resurgence and Hornady will resume production of the affordable 200 gr FP. Or anyone for that matter. Maybe a 200 gr interbond FP… Or a Nosler Partition in 348…
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I can imagine, as a very heavy user and adherent of .375 H&H. It feeds like a wood chipper, almost gives the impression in a good action tilting the muzzle down slope and letting go of the open bolt would chamber a round. That same funneling slickness in a lever would be quite a treat, just man… that bore is too hard for me to adopt these days. Fifteen years ago I would have been all about it, if I had the lever bug at the time.
"Fifteen years ago..." I bought my first Winchester 71 in 2005....19 years ago
, damn I'm old.. I started immediately gathering up 348Winchester components enthusiastically. I found a case of Winchester 348 ammo at a gun store in Burnaby on sale 25% off! Never did figure why they had a whole case of it, evidently they couldn't figure it out either. I then called every small gun store in Canada to see if they had any 348Win components on the shelves, covered in dust in some back room. Snagged a bunch of stuff. You are right though, with the discontinuation of the great Hornady bullet awhile back 348Winchester became a boutique caliber. Sad, but true.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Oh I’m likely behind you, but beginning to have my first chronological concerns. Got my first Winchester lever posted above thirty years ago now, and my eldest son’s the age it’s time to give it to him.
Fifteen years ago I was heavily into my wildcat and oddball phase and hunting non stop, a .348 is the sort of curio & relic that would have been right up my alley had I opened my mind to levers. Still have a .318 Westley Richards barrel, reamer, dies, and mold from then…. But all I was shooting in that era was bolts, falling block singles, and doubles- had quite a distaste for levers except for my very first.
These days I’m simplifying, I want the guns to at the very least share components, and am eliminating duplicates and oddballs, it’s why I mention a .307 or .375 if that imaginary 71 existed. The .348 to me will remain like a classic car that is a hobby unto itself finding the parts for it, just not sure that’s for me anymore, sticking to Mustangs and stuff you can build around a rad cap at Lordco. Doesn’t mean the .348 isn’t interesting as hell.
Fifteen years ago I was heavily into my wildcat and oddball phase and hunting non stop, a .348 is the sort of curio & relic that would have been right up my alley had I opened my mind to levers. Still have a .318 Westley Richards barrel, reamer, dies, and mold from then…. But all I was shooting in that era was bolts, falling block singles, and doubles- had quite a distaste for levers except for my very first.
These days I’m simplifying, I want the guns to at the very least share components, and am eliminating duplicates and oddballs, it’s why I mention a .307 or .375 if that imaginary 71 existed. The .348 to me will remain like a classic car that is a hobby unto itself finding the parts for it, just not sure that’s for me anymore, sticking to Mustangs and stuff you can build around a rad cap at Lordco. Doesn’t mean the .348 isn’t interesting as hell.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
My Rossi R95 Trapper in 30-30 is slick operator and well made fer the coin. Folks can get these now in 45-70, but I'm hoping they bring 'em out in
360 Buckhammer as I have lots of .357/.358 boolits to use up.
360 Buckhammer as I have lots of .357/.358 boolits to use up.
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I’ll run it beside the 19th century 1886, 1920s 1892, and 1950s 1894 tomorrow. But first impressions are excellent. I really like the ergos, and grip profile.
This one’s the Browning version, and is impeccable in construction. Serial number even ends in 7, always a good omen.
This one’s the Browning version, and is impeccable in construction. Serial number even ends in 7, always a good omen.
