Cast loads for my 348

[Glaciers]

Well I want to break in my Winchester 71 - 348. It’s a short tang, 20 inch carbine length barrel with a Lyman receiver sight. Really like the 20” barrel compared to the 24” 71’s I’ve owned in the past. Just feels right.


I have 50 new Winchester case and 50 once fired. I picked up a LEE 6 cavity from a old group buy, and a .350 diameter Lyman die. The mold is new never been used yet, I’ve just cleaned it and smoked the cavities. It’s a 225 grain gas check.

For starters I’m looking for 1000 to 1400 fps to use for punching paper and plinking around. Powders I have are red dot, unique, 2400, 4198, R7, and some others, but these are probably more appropriate for starters. Leaning towards 17 to 20 grains of 2400 to get going. Unique and red dot could be good for low and slow though, just unsure because of the case size.
I’m not sure where to start as this is a big case and I can’t seem to find the volume of the 348. Knowing that would give me a little idea so I could compare to other cartridges.
For heavier loads around 2000 fps I would be looking to 3031, 4350, and 4831 especially when I save my money up for a 280 grain from Tom.

 

[fiver]

not sure of your bullet weight John.
if it's a heavier 225-250gr bullet 19grs of 2400 will get you your 1400 fps.
if it's like 190 then the red-dot and unique will be your better bets.

 

[Ian]

Got any Lighting or No. 80? LoL!

Yeah, 19-20 of 2400 covers your starting loads with 190- to 250-grain cast bullets.

 

[Matt]

In my M71 I use the RCBS 200 grain FP with a gas check. I have a rifle with a 24” barrel and 20 grains of 2400 is good for 1450 fps and decent accuracy. I have very little 2400 and better uses for it than practice loads. My go to load is 10 grains of Red Dot for 1150 fps and good accuracy. I’ve found that jacketed 200 gr starting loads reduced by 10% using medium burn rate powsers like 3031, 4064, and 4895 work pretty well with my cast bullets giving 1900 to 2,000 fps. 90+% of my shooting is with the Red Dot load at 100 yards or less. If you feed through the magazine and crimp your bullets you’ll need to anneal every 3-5 loadings. If you do it seems that .348 brass will last forever.

 

[Glaciers]

Well the LEE mold is a 225 so with my mix it will probably drop at close to 240. Will find out in the morning. I have 50/50 in one pot and COWW in the other, I’m leaning to the 50/50, also powder coating may happen.
I like the idea of red dot at 11 grains I’ll definitely give that one a try. I pretty good on 2400 so some mid range 1400 to 1500 fps should be fun. After this, at some point I’ll find some time for slower powder and more velocity.

 

[Missionary]

A 280 grain FN should drive through any big Beasty that you could encounter even way up north there.

 

[fiver]

chuckle, your not gonna be gettin a whole lot of velocity no matter which powder you use.
2300 is pretty much topped out [with a 24] no matter whether you use 4895 or 4831.
the good thing is you CAN use pretty much anything from red-dot to 4831 and get something that works.
the sucky thing is finding gas checks.

 

[Glaciers]

Got Hornady checks that came in the round tin so I’m good on checks.
Cast up 80 of the LEE 350-225’s today. They weighed out at 233 grains, and .351 diameter. Going to try a dummy with the as cast diameter. Going to start with the light Red Dot loads and 16 to 18 grains of 2400 for starters.

 

[Glaciers]

Here’s a picture of the LEE 348 bullet.




Hoping to get these loaded up in the next day or two

 

[Missionary]

These big old bottlenecks are a pleasure to get shooting right.
Our 33 Win TD 1886 was a trial at first even with up to .003 over groove. But as soon as we tried "coating" everything worked out fine.

 

[Michael]

I like that bullet!!
Do you have the specs on it by chance? Eager to see how it shoots.
So many 348 Win cast bullets seem to have nose sections that are very short compared to their jacketed counterparts. I have a 225gr NEI flat nose that when seated to the crimp groove the gas check is below the case neck.

 

[Rockydoc]

Here’s a picture of the LEE 348 bullet.
View attachment 26934

View attachment 26935

Hoping to get these loaded up in the next day or two

That is some good looking bullets, John. They should stop anything you encounter.

 

[Glaciers]

I like that bullet!!
Do you have the specs on it by chance? Eager to see how it shoots.
So many 348 Win cast bullets seem to have nose sections that are very short compared to their jacketed counterparts. I have a 225gr NEI flat nose that when seated to the crimp groove the gas check is below the case neck.

Over all length.975
Flat to crimp groove .520
All three bands .351
Gas check shank .320
Flat nose.245
Yeah I’m thinking it’s a good looking bullet as well. But, we will see how it shoots.

 

[Michael]

Hi John,
Thank you very much.
What is the diameter of the nose/bore ride portion?
I once had a 350482 some 30 years ago that rattled down the barrel due to a very undersized nose, someone wanted it more than I felt the effort of fighting with it was worth. Fast forward to the present day, maybe I should of kept the damn thing and PC'd a couple of times.

Thanks again.

 

[Glaciers]

I’ll check in the morning

 

[L Ross]

I like the photo of the rifle, the table cloth and the tack hammer. The picture of that Lee bullet looks promising as well.

I killed a couple of deer with a Model 71 with jacketed loads. Much like the .35 Whelen, and frankly a lot of calibers we more commonly use such as the .30-06. More rifle than necessary. Either we need more Moose and Elk or smaller rifles. Now as an Alaskan that rifle fits the bill perfectly.

 

[Glaciers]

Michael the small band forward to the crimp groove is full diameter, the drops to .342..

Hope this helps

John

 

[fiver]

i vote for more moose and elk.

 

[Ian]

Me too. Almost none here and of those that are they're expensive pets.

 

[Michael]

Hi John,
Excellent. thank you.