Does anyone currently make a mold for the 348 Whinchester?

[jlchucker]

Does anyone nowadays make a mold for use in 348 Winchester leverguns? If so, who? Don't tell me Miha, because his delivery times appear to be, based upon the backlogs in the group buy forum, beyond the lifespand of the average human. I'm looking for a flatnose boolit, 200-250 grains, gascheck version, for use in an old Winchester that my cousin came to own. He's looking for data for gummy-tip j-words, but it's my feeling that a fine old gun like that one needs to be fed real genuine boolits, for use in deer and bear hunting down on the old family farm. I don't see either RCBS or Lyman listing these, nor do they appear to be in the NOE catalog either.

[CBH]

Accurate Molds may have what you need. Mountain Molds, also.

[Duckiller]

RCBS makes a 200 gr boolit mold. Midway sells it.

[Bullshop]

I think that RCBS mold is a 200gn FNGC but is 338 cal not 348.
NEI has several designs for the 348 Win. I have several of them and they have all worked very well. I have sold a lot of bullets for 348 in Alaska. Folks have used them to take about all species of game accept exotics like polar bear and musk ox.
My molds were all made by Walt Melander when he ran the show. I find no fault with them whatever.
I also have some discontinued Ideal molds and one from Rapine.
The Rapine is also a nice design for a 250gn fngc. and shoots very well. I am not sure if they are still cutting molds or not.

[jmort]

Just have Accurate make one for you. No problem.

[Bob Busetti]

Strange, I got my 348 mold from RCBS including a .350 sizing/lubing die.
Bob

[dragon813gt]

Accurate and Mountain Molds will make what you want.

[Eutectic]

I think that RCBS mold is a 200gn FNGC but is 338 cal not 348.


Actually, RCBS makes a 200gr mold for both .338 and .348....

Here's a link to look at the .348 mold.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/182924/rcbs-2-cavity-bullet-mold-348-200-fn-348-caliber-349-diameter-200-grain-flat-nose-gas-check?cm_vc=ProductFinding

Eutectic

[fouronesix]

The M71 is one slick lever gun- based on the great M1886. It may be the most ergonomic of all the big levers. Being a smokeless era redesign of the older M1886, chances are very good the bore and groove dimensions are going to be pretty close to "on spec". That should allow for good cast performance from the RCBS 200 gr FNGC.

I've had five original 71s and they've all shot extremely well with the 200 grain Hornady FP jacketed, the 200 gr RCBS FNGC and a custom Mountain Molds 220 gr FNGC. Have thinned the herd the last few years, so now down to two- a pre-War long tang standard rifle and a post-War deluxe rifle. Both carry a bolt peep.

[LIMPINGJ]

Add Cast Bullet Engineering in Australia to the list.

[Bullshop]

It appease I was wrong about the RCBS mold. My apologies for that!
I have fired probably a couple thousand rounds of 348s in several original 71s and several Browning replicas. Since you can shoot cast to original factory velocity with equal accuracy I never saw the need for a jacketed bullet in this caliber and I have never fired even one jacketed bullet.
I did once have several boxes of Winchester 250gn silver tip ammo but wasn't about to shoot that up.
Of the designs I have my favorite is from NEI. Its a 230gn FNGC that has been the easiest design to get to shoot good. By good I mean 3" 100 yard groups. Occasionally better but consistently 3" 100 yard groups with factory iron sights.

[jlchucker]

Thanks a lot, guys. I should have looked at some of those websites a little closer. A couple of the others I couldn't find at all. I'll approach my cousin with a few of these choices. It's his late brother's hunting rifle, and he's keeping it--but since it's family I don't mind casting some boolits for him. I've already told him to start looking at guys selling molds at local gun shows, to see if he can't find a vintage Lyman or something else. That gun of his needs some BOOLITS, not gummy-tips.

[Bullshop]

I do sell boolits ya know!

[451whitworth]

I use the Accurate 35-220B and LBT 250gr. LCFN

[KirkD]

Looks like Bullshop can supply you with cast bullets for the 348. If, however, you want a mould to cast your own, I would highly recommend Accurate Moulds. I see he has at least five different moulds listed for the 348 http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=3 . If you don't see what you want, pick the closest bullet to what you think you would like, and then email him with your desired modifications. In a few days (usually), you will receive an email back with a catalogue number for the custom bullet he just designed according to your specs. There is no charge for this. Then, you can order the mould in brass, iron or aluminum and in the number of cavities you want. I've got several moulds from Tom and have been so happy with them that I don't even think about getting some from anywhere else (though I'm sure there are other custom mould makers that are just as good).

[rintinglen]

98764

I have one of the excellent accurate molds, the 35-220B, I think. I also have the RCBS--you can't go wrong with either. But lately I have been shooting a lot of 358-429 boolits sized .351 over 13 grains of Red Dot. Takes a ton of elevation to get on the mark but surprisingly fun to shoot, saves a lot of wear and tear on the old back. Out to one hundred yards, it's just about as accurate as anything else. Beyond that, not so good--I start getting weird flyers at the turkey line, and it's too puny for rams.

[jlchucker]

Thanks, KirkD. I've saved Accurate's page in my Bookmarks. I was trying to find the link the other day but couldn't locate it.

[beagle]

I have an RCBS as well so they do make them and it shoots pretty well./beagle

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Once upon a time a long time ago, I bought a single cavity mold made by Lyman...#350482, a round nose weighing around 250 grains. it looks like an overgrown 311291. Lyman stated that it was designed for the 348. It uses a gas check. It has always shot well for me. I doubt that it would be findable nowadays, but you never know. LLS

[Bullshop]

The problem with that design is that it is a round nose. I personally would not be comfortable using hard round nose in a tube magazine.