Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 71 Carbine
Serial Number: 3686
Year of Manufacture: 1936
Caliber: .348 Winchester Center Fire (WCF)
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle fed by a two thirds length Tubular Magazine
Barrel Length: 20" Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed to a hooded, textured, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel. There is a dovetail at the rear of the barrel currently filled with a blank. The top of the bolt is cut for an installed Winchester 98-A peep sight, adjustable for windage and elevation.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a semi-beavertail forend with steel cap, capped pistol grip, fluted comb, and checkered steel shotgun-style buttplate. This carbine has the longer tang and shorter comb of early production models. The stocks have some scattered light nicks and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 1/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has minor wear with a little bit of faint oxidation in the well defined checkering. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good to Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: The barrel has been Refinished. The remainder of the finish is Original.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion and some stubborn copper fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about a 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This carbine retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. Most of the balance is in scattered spots of minor surface oxidation, mostly on the receiver, lever, and bolt. There are a few minor nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this carbine is in Very Good Plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. The lever lock-up is tight and the trigger is crisp. We did not fire this carbine. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 71 was introduced in 1935 and continued the lineage of the John Browning designed Model 1886, but in a mechanically strengthened rifle chambered for the powerful .348 Winchester. This was the only chambering of the Model 71, and was in fact developed specifically for this rifle. The cartridge is ideal for North American big game hunting in brush where shorter shots are taken, and with modern projectiles such as Hornady’s Lever-evolution, the round can now perform well at longer ranges as well. The Model 71 incorporated a pistol grip, shorter magazine tube, and a round barrel (in only two lengths, 24” or 20”), and a bit over 47,000 were built over its 22 year production run from 1935-1957. The carbines are not only distinguished by their shorter barrel length of 20” (4” shorter than the rifle), but the front sight ramp was concomitantly shorter as well, measuring 2 ½” (¼” shorter than the rifle).
This Winchester Model 71 Carbine was made in 1936, quite early in production, and is a 4-digit serial number gun. It’s in Very Good Plus condition, chambered in .348 Winchester, and features a 20” barrel with a 2 ½” front sight ramp, the combination of which distinguishes it as a scarce, correct Model 71 Carbine, 90% of its blued finish (the barrel has been refinished, while the remainder is original), elegant two-piece smooth walnut stocks, a capped pistol grip, a Winchester 98-A peep sight, good mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling. This is a wonderful example of a pre-war Winchester Model 71 Carbine.
RIFLE