I Sold My M71

[Homer]

I recently sold my M71. I could no longer see the sights very well and carrying it up and down the mountains and through the draws was becoming a chore. Stay young and stay healthy - the alternative stinks. Anyway, it is gone and has been replaced by a lightweight Ruger American carbine. I can see everything with its scope and it is light enough to carry all day - like I used to carry the M71. However, it is an interim rifle until I scrounge up enough bones to trade on a Browning lightweight BLR and get back in the levergun business. The animals ain't safe yet and my frying pan is not ready for retirement or nothing but bland beef.

Have any of you hunted with the lightweight Browning's? Are they as sturdy as the old steel ones? Any advise regarding these guns would be appreciated.

BTW, the ammo I collected over the years to feed my M71 is now posted for sale in classified. Thanks.

[tman]

Sorry to hear that. Big fan of the 71. The Browning.308lightweight is the same length and weight as a model 94 Winchester. An excellent replacement.The .356WCF is the 348's ballistic twin, when both are fired thru 20" barrels. The Bigbore 94.356 is another option , scoped or peep sighted.

[Homer]

The elusive 358 Winchester is what I'm considering.

[cas]

This makes me sad.

Because I'm finding myself in the same boat. Unless I can learn to shoot cross eye dominant.

[Tycer]

The elusive 358 Winchester is what I'm considering.

That's my go-to gun. Straight stock takedown 358. 200 grain Rem CoreLoks for deer out to 200 yards is my standard round. The Sierra 225 GameKing is the most accurate at 2400 fps is moa out to 300 and mpb range is 250 with a 200 yard zero (3" high @ 100). The straight stock seem to kick more than the curved but I prefer the look of the straight.

[tman]

Excellent alternative.

[Blaine]

I wonder (uhoh) if I had a rifle I love enough to take to the grave if I would just go ahead and D/T for a scope, and shoot the heck out of it for as long as I could.

[Homer]

I wonder (uhoh) if I had a rifle I love enough to take to the grave if I would just go ahead and D/T for a scope, and shoot the heck out of it for as long as I could.

I own only one rifle like that, my Marlin 1894 357 Magnum. It has decent enough peep sights on it that I can still use it. One of my grandkids will get that one. All the rest of my rifles are shovels, and when they no longer serve the purpose for which they were obtained, they will be discarded.

I was too stingy and waited too long to buy my M71. I should have shelled out the additional 200 or 300 bones twenty years prior to the time I bought it. Then I could have spent more time hunting with it before I began to breakdown. Here's my advise to you younger guys; if you really like it and really want it, buy now while you can enjoy it. The money you spend will be replaced and completely forgotten in a short matter of time. The curse words "I always wanted one of those" should never echo in your thoughts or leave your mouth.

[Rusty]

Homer, you might want to look at Henry's offerings. DPris posted here a while back about a Henry that looks to be a copy of a BLR.

[Homer]

Homer, you might want to look at Henry's offerings. DPris posted here a while back about a Henry that looks to be a copy of a BLR.

That's right. They do have a BLR type rifle. Thanks for reminding me.

[Dave B]

Homer, sorry to hear about your choice to get rid of your '71, but I respect your reasons. Best of luck on the Browning.

Dave B

[t.r.]

My 71 was sold in 1977 because of the heavy recoil and scarce pricy ammo. I bought a Marlin in 35 Remington. This rifle is accurate with it's 2-7X scope and until recently, ammo has not been an issue. The middle bores have never been as popular as other hunting cartridges but they're deadly within reasonable distances.

My son-in-law hunts with a fairly new BLR in .308 and it is a joy to shoot. It's even quite accurate with cheap steel cased ammo. He bought his carbine second hand in used but not abused condition for about $500.

TR

[coyote nose]

Funny I should read this today. Yesterday I took my 71 to the range to blow thru some ammo. I couldn't shoot it.... I couldn't pick up the sights! How depressing but it does beat the alternative. So now its decision time.....a tang/receiver sight will buy some time. I also am now REALLY regretting passing by a savage 99 in .284 for $700 last year since I can scope the savage. I can actually scope the 71 as it is already drilled/tapped for a mount and I have the mount, but Winchester slab sides just don't look right to me scoped. The Savage does. Good luck Homer, you are not alone.

[M. M. Wright]

I opted for the tang sight many years ago. I don't even know how many I have now but they are what I shoot the most although I have numerous BLRs with scopes on them. I am giving all my Grandkids a BLR and a couple have wanted the light weight one which they like very much. I still sometimes use my personal BLR which is an old Belgian in 308. Still very accurate and a joy to carry and shoot. It wears an old Redfield 2.5X with a post.

[Silent Sam]

A 358 BLR LW is a joy to carry and shoot. They are easily as tough as the old steel ones. They'll take any animal the 348 will and do it farther out and still work at bayonet range. I still have a few 200gr loads that are fine for deer but anymore I just use one load with either 225gr Sierra or the 225gr Partition. You don't gain enough velocity with 200s and you lose too much with the 250s to gain anything. I've wacked moose & elk from 20 to 200yds and never needed a second shot and there is more reach than that holding on hair. Deer drop like a bag of hammers. Mine is scoped with a Weaver K4 in low Talleys, simple, tough, light and the sight picture never changes.

[Silent Sam]

Get one. You won't regret it.