Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers First of many for this old dog.. Browning Model 71

Being a lifelong, sans Navy, Illinois resident I haven’t hunted with any rifle larger than a .22LR! I have been collecting several rifle calibers for my Thompson Center Encores (7mm Rem, 338 Win Mag, 300 Win mag, 223 Wylde, 204 Ruger, 223, etc.) in hopes of spending some considerable time out west (New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, etc) over the next 10 years or so. My oldest is off to play collect football in 2016 and my youngest boy is a freshman in HS. Lots of free time is on the horizon.

With all this said I stumbled into an estate sale recently and bought a bunch of old Colt 1911’s and picked out a couple rifles. Namely a Ruger Mini-14 (yawn) and a beautiful early to mid-eighties Browning Model 71 in 348 Winchester along with 1200 rounds of factory and reload ammo. Basically I paid about $1.25 per round for the ammo and the Model 71 was free.

What are some of the things to know about hunting with the M71? Any gunsmith modifications recommended? Re-chambering an option? Right now I have more questions than answers as I don’t know where or what I will be hunting.

Looking forward to learning more.

Thanks.

Two things, DO NOT re-chamber!!!! and consider a Lyman peep sight. Your rifle is already drilled and tapped for this.

I'm in idaho's big woods and just walked in the door back from shooting that exact rifle you have there. Also had the old Marlin 30/30 and an old Brno 22F 8x57 Mauser. Exquisite location with beautiful examples of firearms, and I was shooting some old vintage Winchester silvertips.

You got one heck of an deal. I'm thinking your rifle was produced in 86-87 and there's no tang safety or rebounding hammer. Made the way they should be. And 1200 rnds of 348 win!!!!!! Wow is all I can say.

My 348 will be smoking an bear come this spring and hopefully I draw for moose.

I envy you ammo situation

This, and I would possibly consider adding a sling.

I had a plain rifle version, and foolishly sold it. It was a little heavy and unwieldy compared to my M94, but I felt confidence in that the big ol' fat tapered cartridge would do it's job if I did mine, regardless of what I ran into.

And it could reach further than either my .444 or .45-70 with a simple peep sight.

There isn't a more pleasing-to-my-eye configuration for a lever rifle than the M71 or M64 with a pistol grip and short magazine

Very nice acquisition! Congrats!!!

Bingo. Though mine is a carbine.

Back in the 80's re-chambered a mod 71 to 35-348 because there were so few .348 bullets that i could find. Now with all the bullets out there for the .348 I see no reason to re-chamber personally. Beautiful carbine!

Beautiful rifle. Add the peep and enjoy!