Win M71 348

[sleeper78]

Any one here cast boolits for the .348? If so, what molds are available out there? My buddy has one and we are always tinkering with loads for it and I'd like to have a cast load for it due to the unavailability of bullets most of the time.
Thanks

[Duckiller]

Midway sells a 200gr mold for the .348. It is over $100.00. Lee suggested using their .338 mold and paper patching up to .348+/-. I have a .348 that is for lions and tigers and bears and paper targets. Haven't shot any cast in it yet but I am ready for lions and tigers and bears.

[870TC]

RCBS makes a nice 200 grain flat nose mold for .348.

[jtaylor1960]

The RCBS is a good mold but might be a little undersized for some guns.If you want to paper patch it would be easier to find .338 molds.There is a fairly good range of weights in .338.LBT or Mountain Molds will make molds to any diameter as will Accurate Molds.

[JFE]

You might find these useful.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=40743&highlight=348
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=58401&highlight=348

[Le Loup Solitaire]

One of the best cast bullets for the 71/348 is the Lyman #350482 which has been out of production for a long time. You might find one on E-Bay as it comes up every now and then. It is a 250 grain round nose that resembles the 211291 which is for the 30-30. It can be loaded to factory spec and is a potent number for hunting. LLS

[OBXPilgrim]

I was playing around with .358 cast boolits one day and paper patched a 358627 215gr SWC. I didn't quite get the wrap how I wanted and it didn't look good on the twisted tail after I pushed it through the .358" sizer (Lee), so I took the paper off. I just happened to measure it for some reason, and got .350" diameter. Hmm - well, that would work for a 348 Win, if I were ever lucky enough to get one, I thought - without having to buy a bunch of other diameter molds. Not sure how the nose would fit for some other .358 molds, but for a plinker, the SWC would probably work ok.

Not sure if that would help you, but I thought I'd share an observation I'd made once for what might work. Might help if you can't find any 350- molds.

[W.R.Buchanan]

You can always buy cast boolits from Beartooth or Buffalo Bore or some of the other ones.

IF you aren't going to shoot that gun more than a few times a year? It might be a more economical.

I have a friend who has a .348 and he wants me to load ammo for it. He has the dies, I have everything else except the boolits. He'd never shoot 100 of them so there is no need for a dedicated mould.

Randy

[sleeper78]

You can always buy cast boolits from Beartooth or Buffalo Bore or some of the other ones.

IF you aren't going to shoot that gun more than a few times a year? It might be a more economical.

I have a friend who has a .348 and he wants me to load ammo for it. He has the dies, I have everything else except the boolits. He'd never shoot 100 of them so there is no need for a dedicated mould.

Randy

I just went to Bearthooth's site and found the bullets for the .348. Thanks a lot for the heads up, I've never heard of them. I pretty sure that we're going to try these bullets out. They look like they'll do good for pigs and bears.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Glad to help,,, Beartooth is a good outfit to do business with.

100 of those bullets will give you an opportunity to really wring out the gun, and by then you'll know if you want to cast for it, or just buy another 100 bullets from him. 100 rounds is alot of ammo for a "Hunting Rifle".

Randy

[Krfresno]

I have the RCBS 200 gr mold that I bought about 15 years ago. It shoots great. Very accurate. Was using imr 4320 with good success. Fun to shoot.

[Chill Wills]

The New NEI is not my cup of tea But when Walt had it I got a 235gr mould that worked out great. This, about 25 years ago. The Winchester M-71 and western Elk are a combo made for each other. You might try that new guy running NEI... the son-in-law... you might have better luck than I did.

[Beau Cassidy]

I whacked my first elk a few years with an original model 71 using my cast Lyman bullets. One shot at 75 yards DRT.