The consignor will be donating 100% of their proceeds to the Park County Animal Shelter in Wyoming.
Make: Browning
Model: 71 Carbine, Limited Edition Grade I, 1513 of 4000
Serial Number: 01513PR1C7
Year of Manufacture: 1987 (PR date code) / Modern
Caliber: .348 Winchester
Action Type: Lever Action, Tube-Magazine Fed Rifle
Barrel Length: 20"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a hooded, ramped base which is screwed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square-notch semi-buckhorn leaf and elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The left of the receiver is factory drilled, tapped, and filled.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth wood with capped forend, pistol grip, fluted straight comb, and checkered blued steel buttplate. There are a few light draglines and light handling marks. 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 plate has strong finish and strong checkering. Overall, the stocks are in about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 99% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong and complete throughout. There is little to no handling or operational wear. There are a few minor scratches on the left side of the receiver and on the hammer. The screw heads are sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This is a Browning Model 71 lever action rifle with a 20” barrel chambered in .348 Winchester. The original Model 71 was an improvement on the Model 1886, the designation Winchester gave when they simplified the options offered and consolidated the caliber offerings to just .348 Winchester. The .348 was a new cartridge developed to be a one-shot-does-all, replacing all of the chamberings of the 1886 from .33 to .405. The rifle is a faithful reproduction of the Winchester Model 71, chambered in the original cartridge and made in 1987 as part of a limited edition run with only 4,000 made in Grade I. This rifle is in about Excellent condition with about 99% of its metal finish remaining, a great bore, and a couple minor marks found here and there. The .348 Winchester was most popular with hunters in Canada and Alaska, as it could be used to take down elk and moose as well as dealing with any brown bears which wanted to contest the hunter’s claim to their kill. This rifle would still make a great hunting gun today, and, in its high condition, it would also make a great addition to a Browning or lever-action collection.
