Converting from 45-70 to 348 Winchester

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:52 pm

If a guy wanted to convert his gun from 45-70 to 348 Winchester could he have it done by lining chamber and bore or best to re-barrel?

I'd bet big on the latter.

Don McCullough

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:08 pm

ummm. May I ask why?

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:13 pm

I believe that rebarreling is best in that instance. I've heard of problems relining with high power rounds, and the barrel and liner each wouldn't be very thick either.

If you're talking Browning gun, then there should be some take-off 71 barrels floating around from guns that were converted to other calibers. I'd bet they would be reasonably priced.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:16 pm

A better idea might be to just locate a Browing model 71, then you can have both.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:52 pm

Tycer wrote:ummm. May I ask why?

Yes.

Don McCullough

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:54 pm

Lastmohecken wrote:A better idea might be to just locate a Browing model 71, then you can have both.

Lastmohecken,

I have the Browning model 71 carbine. Just wished it looked more like my Browning 1886 SRC.

I might be in pretty good shape as is.

Don McCullough

WinM71 · Post by **WinM71** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:01 pm

You can't get there by "lining chamber and barrel" - the .348 uses a larger diameter case than the .45-70. The .33 WCF was based on the .45-70 case, but the .348 was based on the .50-110. The .348 has a nominal head diameter (right in front of the rim) of .553, the .45-70 is about .495

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:59 pm

getitdone1 wrote:
Lastmohecken wrote:A better idea might be to just locate a Browing model 71, then you can have both.
Lastmohecken,

I have the Browning model 71 carbine. Just wished it looked more like my Browning 1886 SRC.

I might be in pretty good shape as is.

Don McCullough

You can probably get there, one way or another. I have almost what you want, and I can understand the disire to want it. I have a Winchester Model 71, made in 1938 (long Tang) that was converted to 450 Alaskan and also had the barrel shortened, with a full length mag added. and converted to a straight Grip.

If you purchased an original 71 with a long tang, it could be done, but it would be expensive starting with an original long tang 71.[im

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Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:28 pm

I wonder if the best way to go, might be to take a Browning 71 and a Browning 86 and swap barrels, and bolts. Then sell the 45/70 with the pistol grip, and keep the converted 86. That way if there are any differences in bolt faces, you would solve that problem also.

But who knows, you may run into headspace issues, among other things. Maybe just a new barrel, and possibly working on the bolt face if needed would solve the probem. I think the Brownings have metric threads, so you can't use an original Winchester 71 barrel.

To be honest, I have considered finding an orignal 71 barrel or a new barrel, and converting mine back to 348Win but leaving it in the shorter carbine form, just like it is now. I like the .348 round that much, but I havn't really given the 450 a good run for the money yet, and I have a 348 already but I love the straight grip also.

B-lever · Post by **B-lever** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:33 pm

There are probably some differences in the manufacturing and parts between the B 71 and 1886.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:35 pm

B-lever wrote:There are probably some differences in the manufacturing and parts between the B 71 and 1886.

You're probably right, but it seems like it would have made good sense to have kept things the same if possible.