348 Mold with Gas Check

[RWR]

Just got a Winchester Model 71, so want to get a bullet mold. Bore measured .348 dia. Since no new molds on the market, or have I missed some? Thinking about having Tom, Accurate Molds build a double cavity. Lyman GC listed for the .348 dia. seem to be available. Is that the best choice for the mold design? Any suggestions for best shape, weight and alloy/cast diameter? Have looked at the post for the 348 I could find.

[runfiverun]

tom or the rcbs.

[Bullshop]

If you would like to try a few different designs before you buy a mold I have 4 available.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

One of the more successful mold designs for the 348 was Lyman #350482, a 250 grain round nose that looks like an overgrown Lyman #311291. Long out of production they sometimes turn up...for crazy prices of course. The 348 also works very well with bullets in the 200-225 grain category. Generally bullets, cast or J's can be pushed around 2000 to 2250 fps and are effective in hunting medium to bigger game. LLS

[rintinglen]

I have the RCBS 348-200 and the Accurate 351-220B. The Accurate mold is prettier, in brass, but the boolits aren't any better than the RCBS mold's boolits. I really can't choose between them. They both shoot well from my Winchester 71. The brass Accurate mold costs $4.00 more than the RCBS, but in aluminum, its 19 bucks cheaper for a 2 cavity. I do not recommend the lyman 350-447. It does not shoot well from my gun. I have not tried the heavier weights.

[Bullshop]

I have two from NEI a 230gn and a 250gn and both shoot very well.
I have another 250gn from Rapine and it also shoots well.

[RWR]

Thanks for the ideas, suggestions and help.

[Tim357]

Lyman made a #350447 FPGC. Not sure of the weight, but it looks like it was tailor made for a .348 Win.

[45 2.1]

Send Veral Smith (LBT) a throat slug and get one fit for your rifle.

[451whitworth]

I use the LBT 250gr. LCFN and the Accurate 35-220B. The RCBS is a good mould but doesn't cast large enough for my Winchester and 3 Browning M71's.

[RWR]

I want to add a PM reply from 451whitworth. It has an important fact for mold design for the 348 Winchester rifles. At least the lever guns. They seem to have short or no throats. Also other helpful information for mould design.
From 451whitworth:
no i have never done any chamber casts on anything. That's the reason for my foul up of getting that Rapine mold (good quality mold just too small). That was back when i had little experience with how to fit cast bullets to firearms. The easiest path to success (accuracy with velocity) is fill that chamber throat with enough diameter so the cartridge is in the chamber straight thus the bullet it launched straight. Using the increased bullet diameter to take up the windage of the chamber neck area. If the bullet yaws side to side when leaving the neck i.e. a couple thousands (.002'') too small, accuracy will suffer. The easiest way without chamber casts is to load a dummy round with various diameters to see what chambers. With lever guns that means no hard action closing. You're looking for the max diameter that closes like a jacketed load. The Accurate 35-220B has a crimp groove on it that none of my rifles will accept when used. The full diameter bearing surface must be flush in the case neck to chamber. So i just use the crimp groove as an extra lube groove and crimp with a Lee factory crimp die. regards.

So it seems the diameter in front of the crimp groove needs to be smaller than the land diameter to use the crimp groove.
Thanks for all the help and ideas.

[J..]

Lyman offered three designs specifically for the .348 Win.:#350447, #350457 and #350482. These were specifically for the .348 Win., but there were a couple other moulds that, although not meant for the .348, could be used - most of the various .35 & .351 WSL moulds (#350319, etc.) could be sized down but the bullet would be rather light for the caliber.

#350447


#350457 (typical Loverin-style):


#350482


Most shooters seem to feel that the lighter #350447 is a poor choice and accuracy seems lacking. The longer #350457, with its increased bearing surface, seems to be one of the better choices. Here's a brief write-up on the three Lyman bullets.

Hornady discontinued the .348 gas checks (which are also used for .351 WSL bullets) but seems to have brought them back in the last few years...given the dearth of new guns out there and the seasonal nature of brass production, stocking up on the gas checks is a good idea.

RCBS still offers a 200 gr. FN GC off their Special Order list, and I think the offer the sizer die as well from that same list. The brass is a seasonal production item so if you can't find any you'll have to wait a year or so until they run off another batch.