Ray
Stories like this are the reason I bought a short
Friday, October 04, 2019, 10:19

tang Model 71 about 13 years ago. Over the years I've also put aside several boxes of factory ammo for it. My rifle had a bent stock screw when I bought it and showed wear on the outside and worse, inside of the bore but it is a genuine Winchester Model 71 from about 1952. I was fortunate that it also has the original steel buttplate. My Mother in Law's brother is a machinist and gun nut from Minnesota and when he learned about my rifle he sent me a factory new 24" barrel that he hadn't gotten around to putting on one of his Winchester 1886s. He wanted a Model 71 of his own but had never found one that he could buy. His barrel had nice bluing when he got it but the humidity got to it so he had it reblued, but other than that it is as new. So, thanks for the story Jim! It is both educational and motivational as good stories should be.