348 Win accuracy

[Tatume]

Hi Folks,

This is a cartridge that has interested me for a long time. Although I have dies, the RCBS 348-200-FN mold, and 200 new cases, I've never owned a rifle chambered for the 348 Win. I'm going to change that, with a barrel for my CPA Stevens 44-1/2 rifle. Besides any constructive feedback you care to offer, I also have a question.

The 348 Win is an old fashioned cartridge, with lots of body taper, and I've heard that brass tends to be short lived. I also know that the Winchester Model 71 was sufficiently accurate for its purpose, but was not a match rifle by any stretch of the imagination. Is there any evidence to indicate that the 348 Win itself is an inherently inaccurate cartridge?

Thanks.

Take care, Tom

[Mk42gunner]

Tom,
I don't know from personal experience, but I kind of look at it like the .30-30. The average neglected .30-30 that is carried around behind the seat of a farm truck is expected to be MOD (minute of deer) accurate with whatever ammo is on sale when a new box of ammo is needed every four or five years. Put that same round in a good bolt action and suddenly you have a cult rifle (priced any Remington 788's lately?) that people even convinced Federal to make with a small primer pocket and rename .30 American.

I do think that unless you build a very heavy rifle; recoil with full potential loads will be invigorating to say the least.

Sounds like a very fun project.

Robert

[Tatume]

Hi Robert,

My 44-1/2 is currently chambered for the 45-70 cartridge and has a 28" half & half barrel. I consider it too heavy for a hunting gun, and intend to ask for a 24" or 26" tapered round barrel to cut weight. So, while I expect recoil to be stiff, it should be comfortable to carry all day. My gun also has a checkered steel butt plate, and the plate is smaller than the standard hard rubber Stevens plate. However, so far I haven't found it uncomfortable.

As the barrel will already be rather untraditional, I'm strongly considering fitting it with a Skinner rear sight and an XS Sights front blade. This would result in a true take-down rifle, which for reasons I can't fully explain appeals to me.

Thanks for your thoughts and the conversation.

Take care, Tom

[Bent Ramrod]

If you can get a hold of Ken Waters' Pet Loads, there is an article in Vol II on how Waters sent his 71 to famed accuracy gunsmith Seely Masker to work his magic on it. By trying every kink he could think of, and in conjunction with Waters' own load development, the group size was shrunk from a ho-hum 4-5" at 100 yards to a tack-drivin' 3" average. (The added word "dramatically" did not exist back then, being invented by McPherson a decade or so later.) :mrgreen:

I've always thought the look on old Seely's face as he holds the rifle in the picture says about all there is to say about how worthwhile and fulfilling he found the effort.

That said, miracles have happened. And what is life without challenges? I've seen a Model 94 rifle in .30-30 that shot amazingly well. I would think the main problem would be a lack of boolit designs in the caliber.

[Tatume]

Hi Ramrod,

I've read the article several times. You're right, that's a nice photo. From a Douglas premium barrel blank on my CPA rifle, I'm hoping for MOA, but we'll see when it gets here. I'll shoot mostly cast, but if I get a chance I'll stock up on Hornady #3410 200 grain soft nose bullets too. Right now nobody has any.

Take care, Tom

[44man]

Boy, I wish I had kept my old data. I had an original 71 that shot the Lyman 200 gr so good I shot chucks in the head at 100 yards. It is a wonderful cast boolit shooter and easy to work with.

[rintinglen]

I have a 1950 M-71 that shoots 3-4 inches at 100 yards with it's best loads, but 4-5 inches was quite common. I have used the Lyman 187 grain boolit (Which I do not recommend), the RCBS 200 grain and an Accurate 220 grain boolit. WW-760 is the best powder for warmer loads. I lube with Ben's Red and size .350 with GC.

What I have had fun with is the 358-429 sized .351, and loaded over 13 grains of Red Dot--very accurate at 50 yards and it doesn't bump you at all. I have shot more of these than the other three combined.
130320

[softpoint]

I like the SEQUENCE! Get dies, a boolit mold, some brass. Then there is NO excuse to not have another rifle in said caliber....:bigsmyl2:

[Tatume]

Hey! I knew I wanted the rifle, and when was the last time you saw 348 Winchester components for sale? When I had a chance to buy I bought. :-)

[Mk42gunner]

Tom,

I think my negativity in my first post was from a misconception that you were going to build this as a range queen. As a hunting rifle, I think it will be a blast.

As a matter of fact I still have several bags of new WW .348 brass that I bought to try to convert to .43 Spanish. They are patiently waiting for another project to come along that they can become parent brass for. Who knows? It just may be a .348.

Robert

[fouronesix]

I don't think there is anything inherently accurate nor inaccurate about the cartridge. I've owned several 71s in 348. They all seemed to be very accurate relative to comparable other med bore calibers in most all lever actions- Win 94s, Win 95s, Win 86s (older cousin to the 71). Standard Jbullet loads with the Hornady 200gr FP shoot well as do the cast RCBS 200 gr GC FP.

Same holds true for the 33 Win- a cartridge of similar design.

[Duckiller]

I bought 348 gas checks before I bought the rifle, brass or mold. Still don't have a mold that casts GC boolits. It is a fun gun to shoot but it is made to kill animals in North America that want to kill you. It is reasonably accurate but it will bounce you around a bit.

[Tatume]

This is the mold I bought, but I see they are out of stock now.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=348-200-fn

That's the reason I bought it when I did; nowadays you have to get stuff when you can, not necessarily when you actually need it.

[303Guy]

The question of inherent accuracy is an interesting one. It's come up regarding the Brit (cartridge and rifle) and the thing is, while most agree the 'accuracy' is not stellar, occasionally a rifle will shoot amazing groups. So is the cartridge inherently accurate? I'd say so (I mean the 348) in a good barrel.