Is there much difference in build quality between the pre and post WWII Winchester Model 71"s?

No.

I have owned several early/late/short tang/long tang 71's and got a 1947 short tang made the same month I was born and it tips elk over just fine.........Does not kick very bad compared to the new zoomshooters and feeds me very well.......these are fine weapons and early or late is not a issue...........buy all the brass you think you will ever need and grab bullets when they come along, cast for fun shooting and shoot a lot......buy a real one rather then a Japanese knock off or bastard safety's on the attorney guns.....you will never look back and think you made a mistake.......Ron Oates/Montana Outfitters

I have an early 71 and have examined several later ones. I don't see any "build quality" difference, although they weren't new in box and were already broke in. I do prefer the pre-war long tang model because it fits my hand better and I really like the bolt peep.

I have a 1941 and a 1952 and both work just fine, I do not see any difference.

Thanks, I have a 1954 model which I like more and more. Have been told the prewar 71's where much better built. My own 71 shoots the 250 Woodleighs with H414 as well as I can shoot open sights. If the pre-wars are much better they'd have to be phenomenal.

If accuracy is a concern I see no difference in my 41 vs 52. Both shoot about the same (about 2" at 100 give or take) which is probably more a reflection on my abilities, or lack thereof, than the rifle.

North-That is a well reasoned question.

I have owned Winchester Model 71s for 30 years and still find them most intriguing and satisfying to hunt with. I guess I am partial to the early
late 1930s long tang pre-War rifles because they are closer in fine finish and design to the 1886. But they are all fine rifles that you can stake your life on. Winchester had many of the finely checkered hammers, and only the very last 71s had the unattractive lined hammer with no checking at all. At last count, I have 6 Model 71 rifles, 3 pre-War long tangs.
Four are wild cats including 2 450 versions mentioned in PO Ackley's
fine Volume 1. Agree that the Winchester name should be on any M-71 you buy. It will hold its value and shoot well.

Thanks, my 1954 model has a very good bore and shoots very well. Someone in the past has added a recoil pad and cut the barrel to 22 inches and added a ramp front sight It also has a few blemishes on the stock.

This lowers the collectors value but not the utility and so I have used it without excessive worry on pretty much every hunt over the last year except for long range Bison. Wonderful kit.