Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 71-Wildcats

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.

I have one of the model 71's in 450 Alaskan,work was done by Harold Johnson at Coopers landing Alaska,i have yet to kill anything with it , maybe try it on a black bear this season.

True Alaskan Classics!

This thread brings a tear to my eye. A number of years back (mid-1970's) a friend took a construction job in Saudi Arabia that required a multi-year employment contract to get some hellacious bonuses. As he couldn't take any firearms to Saudi, he offered me his M71 with the original barrel, a second bored and chambered to a 348/416 wildcat, a third chambered for the 450 Alaskan plus dies, ammo and brass for all three. ALL THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY P.O.ACKLEY HIMSELF. As I recall, he was asking the (at the time) princely sum of $600 to get it sold quickly. Needless to say, I had just gone through a divorce and was trying to put things back together and didn't have the bucks. This HAS to be the gun that I've most regretted passing on in my 80 year lifetime.
yooper

What is the difference in the Fuller vs the Alaskan? powdr

The multi-barrel Ackley M/71 set-up is a real one of one and I would have found the cash to purchase any way I could. The .450 Alaskan was a popular chambering when I was in gunsmithing school in the mid 70's, most were built on Siamese Mausers which while not the rifle the 71 is at least saved originals from being altered. I never shot a .450 but I have a round in my cartridge collection.

You could own one today-

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=512528185#DESC

Gorgeous wood on that baby! The one I passed on had standard wood. In re-reading my post, I may have given the impression that it was a 3-barrel takedown. It wasn't, just 3 separate barrels and switching the barrels required a 'smith. In retrospect, I don't really know how it would have been accomplished as Ackley had beefed up the forearm cap so that it encircled the barrel to combat recoil. Oh well, it was a long time ago and the old rememberer isn't what it once was.

I always thought the 348/375 wildcat or the 348/416 would be fun to own and shoot. Lots of bullets available in both those calibers.

Maybe someday in a Browning 71?

450AK and a 35/348 improved. I don't know who did the work on these rifles, but he was a superb craftsman. They are 22 inch barrels, full magazines and restocked. Accurate and sure killers.

The entire lineup:

MuskegMan thanks for posting that!

Thanks, interesting info..