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Winchester 71 question

weddy2002
I just purchased a Winchester 71 in very good shape. The only thing that didn't look correct is the Butt Plate. It is black plastic with a Winchester logo on it. All the other 71's that I have seen are the steel Butt Plate. Is this a aftermarket or could the Butt Plate still be original? It was made in 1955

Thanks
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • Bert H.
    Being that it is a very late production Model 71, the black composition butt plate is most likely factory original.

    Edit: A very clear close-up picture of the plate from several angles would help to solve the mystery.
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  • Old-Colts
    I don't know about the Model 71, but the Model 70 used a steel butt plate until about 1959 when it was changed to a hard rubber type. I'm not sure if other Model Winchesters that came standard with a steel butt plate transitioned to a hard rubber type in about that same timeframe. Since your Model 71 sounds like it is a very late production gun; a possible indicator of the originality of the butt plate is how well it fits.
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  • ranisbet
    Winchester used the same steel butt plate for the model 71 and model 70.
    It is unlikely that the plastic butt plate was factory installed.
    Unfortunately, all the records on model 71s were lost in a 1960s fire, so you can't even get a Cody reading on that.
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  • Mike D.
    For whatever it is worth, I have never seen a plastic butt plate on a 71. All examples personally examined had the serrated steel plate. Although not impossible, it is improbable that a plastic plate was installed by Winchester.
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