Browning Model 71?

N

Nightcrawler

New member
I saw a picture of this rechambered for .50 Alaskan. I haven't heard of this lever rifle before, so I'm guessing Browning no longer makes it.

Can anybody fill me in on it? Chamberings, performance, capacity, etc?
 
I had one, it was only chambered in .348 Winchester. I don't remember who was offering the conversions, but I do remember seeing an ad in "Rifle" a number of years ago. Mine was accurate for a lever gun, it would do about an inch at 50 yards. They (Browning) produced a rifle and a carbine version. I still see them around at reasonable prices. It's a nice woods rifle, and in .50 Alaskan would be a real "boomer".
 
Browning still makes the Model 71 in .348 (or at least they are still available) - it's a reproduction of the old Winchester rifle which have become too collectable to do conversions on.
There are a number of Alaskan gunsmiths who convert these to .450 and .500 Alaskan. They are quite popular among fishing and hunting guides here.

They probably don't make much sense outside Alaska though. The original .348 chambering is a good thumper by itself and quite capable of taking anything short of a charging brown bear.
 
The Winchester Model 71 was the last in the line in Model 1886 evolution. It was introduced in 1936 as a 24" barreled rifle or 20" carbine and production ceased in 1958. Browning came out with Japanese made clones in the late 80's. All Model 71s were chambered in .348 Winchester, a cartridge specifically developed for the 71 and as far as I know no other factory rifle has ever been available in .348 Winchester. Brass is readily available but I doubt you'll ever find the loaded ammo at Walmart. It's very common to see these rifles chambered in various wildcat chamberings, the rifle itself is very popular in Alaska where it's practically the official Guide's backup gun.

The 71 is on my list of gotta have rifles. I had the bug pretty bad a few years back, haunting gunshows for them. It's possible to find Good to Very Good Winchesters under $650 for the Rifle, Carbines are more. A Winchester in Excellent condition will list around $1,000. Engraved guns even higher. The Brownings clones are nicely done, LNIB somewhere around $550. -- Kernel
 
I have one of the Browning High Grades purchased NIB for $675. The most recent Winchester factory ammo chronos about 2400fps with a 200gr Silvertip bullet.Brass is available and Hornady and Barnes make bullets from 200 to 250 grains. 220gr handloads can exceed 2400fps without straining anything. The guns are bargains; very high quality thumpers. One caveat, if you convert to .416,.45 or50calibres the stock MUST be glass bedded by someone who knows what he is doing or the stock will fracture. Been there, done that. Best, Rob
 
I've owned a Browning Model 71 rifle for about 10 years and love it. I agree with the other poster in that, in the standard .348 caliber, it's very accurate for a lever action rifle. I also think that with the usual 200 grain factory loading the recoil is tolerable, even without a "sissy" pad. About capacity, the most I've ever been able to slip into the tubular magazine is 4 rounds. IMHO this is plenty.
 
If anyone is considering converting a model 71 to .450 or 500 Alaskan, a good smith who has done many of these conversions here on Kodiak Island is Phil Chiaravalle. Phil is a perfectionist and will do a great job for you at very reasonable cost - just don't expect to get it done in a hurry because he's always backlogged. He insists on doing everything himself despite always having a few assistants running around. - just the way he is. He's a great guy and as honest as they come. Figure 3 to 6 months for such a job.

Anyway, he can be contacted at this email address: gunsmith@ptialaska.net
 
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