Need help-Win mod. 71

[dubber123]

My brother and I are working on a Win Mod 71. I won't be able to get down to help him for a week, and he just called and is having trouble with re-assembly. Does anyone know of an online source that could help? I'm sure it's just a matter of getting all the parts in a certain orientation and it will go together, but right now it's giving him fits.

Much appreciated.

[405]

Seriously, they are a little bit of a bugger! The assembly- disassembly instructions for the model 1886 would also help. The book I refer to sometimes for some guns is Firearms Assembly I, The NRA Guidebook to Shoulder Arms. It's an old compilation published by the NRA from features in the Rifleman Mag. The printing I have is dated 1972. Probably out of print so may need to look around for it. There are others I'm sure.

Tell him to put the gun back together in the reverse order that he took it apart... simple! That'd be mean.

ONE of the most difficult aspects to putting 92s, 86s and 71s back together is the blind receiver along with a major cross pin/bolt that has to be lined up while holding pressure against a strong spring. A punch of proper size with a slight taper will help hold those parts in alignment while the bolt is started from the other direction. Other than that it's just the sequence of re-assembly. Hope you find some printed instruction or someone familiar with those actions who can help in person.

[muskeg13]

Yes!! Just look at the Fieldstripping The Winchester/Miroku 1886 Tutorial Sticky at the top of this topic, and I'll bet it will work, or at least help. There is essentially no difference in internal parts between the late model M1886s and the M71. It's the same basic receiver, except the M71 was made with a pistol grip tang.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=12302

FYI: I'm in the process now of converting a Miroku .45-70 ELW to .348 Win by installing a Browning M71 Barrel.

[BarryinIN]

Yep, follow the 1886 instructions. The biggest difference is that 71s used a coil mainspring in place of the flat spring of most 1886s. The later 86s supposedly had coil springs. I would guess the Browning/Miroku would too.

My circa 1983 copy of the Gun Digest Book of Firearms Disassembly/Reassembly lists the 71. I know a book won't help you if if it's not in hand, but if he is still stuck after looking at the online instructions, give me a PM and I will look at my book or my Browning 71 and try to help sort it out.

[dubber123]

Thank you much fellas! I will send him in to look it over, and if he still can't get it, he will have to wait until the weekend, so we can both be stumped! I'm sure theres a "trick" to it. Alot of people won't touch a S&W revolver, and I find them pretty easy. It's all in knowing the "tricks". I will let you know how we make out. Thanks again.

[dubber123]

Well, it certainly was a pain. It took 2 attempts, as we managed to bind up one of the small springs in the tang area, but it finally went together. The action still felt a little notchy, so we spent 10 minutes cycling the action as fast as we could, and it made a tremendous difference. Thanks you all for your help.

[405]

dubber,
Glad you got that thing put back together. Every time I take one down I swear not to make a habit of it. Hope it shoots ok. The 71 is one of my all time favorite lever guns. I have 4 of them They tend to shoot very well. They also like cast at about 225 grains, .350" and gas checked with mild loads of 5744, 4227 or 4895. The 4895 may have a slight edge for accuracy in my loads.
Good luck