New old hunter-member

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Welcome to AH!

 

[fte45]

Welcome to AH and the posting side! Have fun planning!

 

[Velo Dog]

Velo:

The AZ-NM area is S. of the Blue and Alpine, about 35 crow miles W. from Mule Creek, NM.
Cherry Lodge, AZ off AZ 191 a few miles. Elk and mule deer with Coues Wtails and bear-mtn lion..

Last moose was shot near Wien Lake, AK. in the deep interior 45 miles SW of Nenana.
Cabin is 10 miles S. of Wien Lake, near Ose Mtn., AK. Rifle was a 1940s Model 71 Winchester
chambered in 348 Ackley Improved with a 270 gr Hawk bullet. 71s and 1886 Winchesters still
hanging on in Canada and Alaska. Reliable repeat shots may be necessary for cantankerous or
irritated bears.

The shotgun is a 1920s AH Fox-XE Grade. These are getting rarer as is the Super Fox 3in for geese and turkey. Lucky to own both and a boat full of pre-war Model 71 .348s. And a pre-war 71-in 450 Alaskan.

Hi again 450 Fuller,

Thanks for that, I’m a little slow but now I get it.

As for the Winchester Model 71, yours truly bought one here in Anchorage, about 35 or so years ago.
The deal included several boxes of Winchester live factory ammunition (200 grain “Silver Tip” bullet)….
My rifle was in the original .348 Winchester caliber and had a Williams brand peep sight on it.
Right away I sold off the aluminum sight and installed a Lyman brand steel one .
It was the rifle that I shot my first Alaska black tail deer with (near Chief Cove, Kodiak Island).

Unfortunately, myself being only a middle class worker, I cannot afford to own a huge inventory of expensive rifles.
So eventually, I sold the .348 rifle, in order that I could afford to buy something else.
Can’t remember what that was anymore but no doubt I got cheated as usual, LoL.

Speaking of rifles, I definitely prefer bolt action ones, such as the Model 1898 Mauser and reasonable descendants of same (BRNO Model 600 and 602 come to mind).
Nonetheless, many rifle designs are interesting and as such, I still enjoy shooting lever actioned rifles as well.

In the lever action category, I am a bit more interested in the Winchester Model 1895 and the Savage Model 1899 these days than the earlier Winchester models, such as the 1892, 1894, 1886 / Model 71 types
If I were to buy a lever gun now, likely it’d be a ‘95 Winchester or a ‘99 Savage.
If they were not so expensive, (when you can even find one that is not worn out and sometimes rusted), by now I would’ve owned a ‘95 Winchester in .303 British.
Oh well, wish for perfect guns in one hand and pile fish heads in the other hand.
Then see which hand fills up first.

Anyway, the old Model 71’s are quite fine lever action rifles and carbines.
And, I have very fond memories of the hunting trips I carried mine on, several years in a row.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[450 Fuller]

Velo:

The original . 1895 in 405 WCF was quite a cartridge. I have owned a few of them over the years in trades. First one had express sights AND a Lyman 21. It put the lights out of a bull elk in Colorado in the 1970s. A 325 gr Hawk bullet might really work on that caliber.

But the M71 is a real work horse and I prefer them in 348 or 450.

RM

 

[Shootist43]

450 Fuller, congrats on your boatload of pre-war Model 71(s). I only have one, from what Info I have it was built in 1936. The serial number is 14,XXX. She still sees the woods once in a while.

 

[topoccxx]

Welcome to AH

 

[450 Fuller]

Shootist:

Your M-71 probably has a long tang and the fit/finish is superb. The balance on these
is amazing and mine shoot well. They are a comfort to have in the North country
where there may be a contest as to who is on top of the food chain. Hawk, Swift
make excellent 348 bullets-when they are available. Thanks-

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Welcome to AH. Good luck.

 

[Velo Dog]

Velo:

The original . 1895 in 405 WCF was quite a cartridge. I have owned a few of them over the years in trades. First one had express sights AND a Lyman 21. It put the lights out of a bull elk in Colorado in the 1970s. A 325 gr Hawk bullet might really work on that caliber.

But the M71 is a real work horse and I prefer them in 348 or 450.

RM

Ya, the .405 was / is a grand cartridge, keeping in mind the size of critters and hunting conditions for which it was designed.
Same goes for the .348 cartridge, likewise a very fine one.
Great minds think alike.

 

[VertigoBE]

Welcome to AH @450 Fuller ! I’d love to hear about your Alaskan hunting adventures!

Any sight on a trip to Africa?

 

[jpr792]

This is an excellent site for African hunting. Have been impressed with the level
of articles and PH experience.
Have homestead land in Alaska, with a cabin on the NM-AZ border area.
Alaska is challenging as one may be hunting caribou or moose,
and bump into Mr. Grizzly. Both hunting and fishing are superb.
African DG and plains game is unmatched. Prefer pre-64 Model 70s
in 375 H&H or 338 Winchester M-but also use a 35 Whelen and 338-06;
all in older Winchesters. Hunting might be too demanding for any other
rifles, based on my experience. Reliability is critical.

450 Fuller

Welcome to a great Forum.