Before the Winchester Model 71 became really popular-(after 1957-the last ones made)these rifles were not just collector rifles-but were valued by hunters in Alaska-Canada-and the northern U.S.
PO Ackley developed the .348 Ackley Improved-and it works. Not many today will re-chamber or re-barrel an original Model 71, with good reason.
I have two pre-war M-71s in 450 Alaskan and an original 450 Fuller-which is a deluxe rifle. Surprisingly-as Fuller was the original gunsmith who helped design and make the 450 Alaskan-Fuller cartridges/rifles-that rifle has held and exceeded its value against an original pre-War Deluxe.
These rifles filled a niche in Alaska because of the speed of the lever action in bear country. The .348 Ackley is ballistically the equivalent of a 35 Whelen; even better with modern Hawk or Alaska Bullet Works bonded bullets.
My last moose was shot with an early Mod 71-in 348 Ackley with 270 gr Hawk bullet, and no problems with bears at the leftovers two days later. They still deliver for hunters today-accounting for popularity of the modernized version of the Model 1886.
