Winchester Model 71 Deluxe Like 1886 Long Tang 348 WCF Lever Rifle 1936 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2,975.00
LSB# LSB260418WS004
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 71
Serial Number: 3756
Year of Manufacture: 1936 / C&R
Caliber: .348 Winchester Center Fire
Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a two thirds length tubular magazine.
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-WINCHESTER / PROOF STEEL-“, “MODEL 71”, “-WINCHESTER- / -TRADE MARK-“, “-348 W.C.F.”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / -NEW HAVEN. CONN.-“. The top of the barrel and receiver are marked with Winchester WP proofs. The bottom of the receiver is marked “3756”.
Barrel Length: 24″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a textured, hooded, ramped base integral to the front of the barrel. The rear sight dovetail is filled with a blank. There is a Winchester 98-A bolt mounted peep sight installed.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece checkered walnut with a capped pistol grip, fluted straight comb, semi-beavertail forend with steel cap, and checkered steel buttplate. There is a sling platelet and ring in the belly of the buttstock. There is a sling ring in the bottom of the forend cap. The checkering is defined with light peak wear. There is intermittent finish loss. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 1/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks rate in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong throughout. There is intermittent finish loss on the lever and forend cap. There is faint thinning on the leading edges. There is faint operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked but retain strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 71 represents the swan song of John Browning’s legendary 1886 action — refined, modernized, and chambered exclusively in the purpose-built .348 Winchester Center Fire cartridge. Introduced in 1936, the Model 71 answered the call for a hard-hitting lever gun capable of taking the largest North American game at hunting distances, and its Deluxe configuration elevated it to the top of Winchester’s sporting rifle catalog. The long-tang receiver, a hallmark of the early production run, is a feature highly sought by collectors and distinguishes these first-year guns from later examples.
Serial number 3756 places this rifle firmly in the inaugural year of production, making it among the earliest Model 71s ever shipped. It presents in Fine overall condition retaining approximately 95% original blue, with bright bore and sharp rifling that speak to careful ownership over its nine decades. The factory Deluxe stocks are intact — no cracks, no chips — with honest checkering wear consistent with a rifle that was carried but respected. The period-correct Winchester 98-A peep sight is a practical addition that doesn’t compromise originality. For the Winchester collector chasing a first-year, long-tang Deluxe in honest, shootable condition, this rifle offers exactly the combination of early provenance and preserved integrity that rarely surfaces together. – L.S.