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October 27, 2025
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Picked this up a local shop. Winchester 71 Special Rifle it is a good honest rifle with what I call normal wear and none of the screws have been buggered up. I ran my bore scope through it and the bore is great
November 6, 2025
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What considerations designate this as a “Special” rifle?
January 20, 2023
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KevinOnTheBeach said
What considerations designate this as a “Special” rifle?
The “Special” style of the Model 71 has a checkered stock in the pattern illustrated by the OP, a set of “Super Grade” swivel bases and QC swivels, a Bakelite or later blue steel pistol grip cap, and a leather sling.
The Standard style lacks these features.
Interestingly, the upgraded style of the Model 64, which has the same extra features as the 71 Special, was called the Model 64 “Deer Rifle”. Both terms were assigned by Winchester and the models were so catalogued.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
April 15, 2005
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KevinOnTheBeach said
What considerations designate this as a “Special” rifle?
Model 71 Special –
Model 71 Standard –
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
October 27, 2025
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I guess I should have said “deluxe” which is what blue book and most others call it which is incorrect.
October 27, 2025
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Bert did you have this one already in your list?
October 27, 2025
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Zebulon said
KevinOnTheBeach said
What considerations designate this as a “Special” rifle?
The “Special” style of the Model 71 has a checkered stock in the pattern illustrated by the OP, a set of “Super Grade” swivel bases and QC swivels, a Bakelite or later blue steel pistol grip cap, and a leather sling.
The Standard style lacks these features.
Interestingly, the upgraded style of the Model 64, which has the same extra features as the 71 Special, was called the Model 64 “Deer Rifle”. Both terms were assigned by Winchester and the models were so catalogued.
It had a boyt sling on it when I bought it but took it off because I when it wasn’t correct.
April 15, 2005
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Rusty85 said
I guess I should have said “deluxe” which is what blue book and most others call it which is incorrect.
Special is the correct name, and it is what Winchester used in all of the literature. The Blue Book (and other documents) are incorrect.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 15, 2005
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Rusty85 said
Bert did you have this one already in your list?
No, I did not, but I do now. As of today, I have 3,536 (7.483%) of the total production documented in my research survey. At my current pace I will reach the 10% goal in the year 2030.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
October 27, 2025
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Bert H. said
Rusty85 said
I guess I should have said “deluxe” which is what blue book and most others call it which is incorrect.
Special is the correct name, and it is what Winchester used in all of the literature. The Blue Book (and other documents) are incorrect.
Bert
Glad I could help out. Hopefully you can reach your goal sooner.
April 15, 2005
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Rusty85 said
Bert H. said
Rusty85 said
I guess I should have said “deluxe” which is what blue book and most others call it which is incorrect.
Special is the correct name, and it is what Winchester used in all of the literature. The Blue Book (and other documents) are incorrect.
Bert
Glad I could help out. Hopefully you can reach your goal sooner.
It would be really nice to reach my goal sooner but based the first 15-years that the survey has been in progress, I am averaging just (236) new entries per year. At that pace I will reach 4,725 (10%) by the end of the year 2030. I actually created a table in my survey document to track how many new entries I have made each year.
And Yes, I am a numbers geek!
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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