If you have a properly bedded Winchester 71 you might be surprised how well they shoot. Mine shoots as well as I can with aperture sights which is about 1.5 MOA with tuned loads. Fed an un-tuned load and that can quickly turn into 3MOA. I get ever so slightly worse as range opens up, (probably 58 year old eyes syndrome). With 200 Flextips and H414 I can get 6" groups at 300 yards which will put caribou on the table. I have a Savage 99 in 284 with a 2-7X scope and it will go 1MOA with the correct loads. The MOA count stays constant and I can put 3 into 3" at 300 yards with the scope set at 7X. Fed un-tuned loads it can go into 2 or 2.5MOA.
However, handling and ergonomics goes to the 71 and so do style points. The balance and ergonomics have allowed me to take quick but precise shots that took game that I might have had trouble taking with another rifle. This has imbued my own 71 with special memories that comes from success on dangerous rivers in deep wilderness with a trusted friend. When I scare up a bear the fast handling and solid 8 pounds of John M Browning ingenuity paired with an effective cartridge gives me immense confidence. So far the bears have not tested that confidence.
I like a lot of rifles including my 99 but the 71 is my last rifle to go. It's hard to get brass and when loaded heavy the brass will not last that long, it's really not suitable for a scope without ruining it's best qualities and yet....it's just a beautiful, classic and effective firearm and well worth the trouble. It's my dedicated moose rifle and has provided my family and I with many a steak!
When my eyes can no longer see the front sight I have a Turnbull mount for a Fastfire II, and the dot sight will help me use this rifle into my 70's. After that it will hang on the wall or be gifted to my son who hopefully can take more moose with it for his family. It will have even more mojo by then. In 2052 my rifle will turn 100. It still might be the best thing in the woods! Not bad!
