Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 71
Serial Number: 9276
Year of Manufacture: 1936 / C&R
Caliber: .348 Winchester Center Fire
Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a two thirds length tubular magazine.
Barrel Length: 24"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a textured, hooded, ramped base integral to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch elevator sight, dovetailed to the barrel. The notch is fine adjustable for elevation. There is a Winchester 98-A bolt mounted peep sight installed.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece checkered walnut with a capped pistol grip, fluted straight comb, semi-beavertail forend with steel cap, and checkered steel buttplate. There is a sling platelet in the belly of the buttstock. There is a sling attachment point in the bottom of the forend cap. The checkering is defined with light peak wear. There are no chips or cracks. There are scattered handling marks and compressions. There is intermittent finish loss on the buttstock. The LOP measures 13 1/8" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has scuffs at the heel and toe. Overall, the stocks rate in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
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 85% of its metal finish. There is finish loss on the bottom of the receiver and along the leading edges. There is a spot of corrosion on the muzzle. There is operational wear and light intermittent oxidation. The screw heads are tool marked but retain strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 71 represents the swan song of John Browning's legendary 1886 action — refined, modernized, and chambered exclusively in the purpose-built .348 Winchester Center Fire cartridge. Introduced in 1936, the Model 71 answered the call for a hard-hitting lever gun capable of taking the largest North American game at hunting distances, and its Deluxe configuration elevated it to the top of Winchester's sporting rifle catalog. The long-tang receiver, a hallmark of the early production run, is a feature highly sought by collectors and distinguishes these first-year guns from later examples.
Serial number 9276 places this rifle firmly in the inaugural year of production, making it among the earliest Model 71s ever shipped. It presents in Fine overall condition retaining approximately 85% original blue, with bright bore and sharp rifling that speak to careful ownership over its nine decades. The factory Deluxe stocks are intact — no cracks, no chips — with honest checkering wear consistent with a rifle that was carried but respected. For the Winchester collector chasing an early, long-tang Deluxe in well-preserved, shootable condition, this rifle offers exactly the combination of early provenance and preserved integrity that rarely surfaces together.
