Browning 71-mold and load

[ejh69]

Just got a Browning 71. Can anyboby recommend a good mold and load?

[beagle]

As I recall, RCBS make the only "production" mould for the .348 Win. Then, you'll need a .350" sizing die.

Loads are plentiful. Check castpics for loads on the .348. I latched on to about all the moulds that Lyman made in that caliber several years ago from one fellow. The lighter bullets shoot better in mine but I suppose if I was hunting bears, the 350482 would come in handy./beagle

[Bullshop]

We have several designs available for the 348 Win.

[Tatume]

I have an RCBS 348-200-FN and find it to be a high quality mold. They are a bit pricy though.

Take care, Tom

[rintinglen]

I have two molds for the my Winchester 71, the afore mentioned RCBS and a 220 grain Accurate design. Both seem to exhibit about the same level of accuracy, and ease of use--excellent in each case--with perhaps a slight nod going to the brass Accurate mold. I have not really striven to test them for accuracy, though either will certainly deliver minute of deer.
I have loaded WW-760, H-4895, IMR 4350, H-414 and WW 748, with the nod going to the first two. As an aside, I had read that H 414 And WW 760 were the same powder in different cans, but the Winchester powder certainly worked better in limited testing than the Hogdon labeled product. The load I have taken afield is the Accurate boolit over 53 grains of WW-760.
However, the powder I use the most is Red Dot and the boolit I shoot the most is the 358-429 SWC. Sized .350 and tumble lubed in 45/45/10 Recluse Formula, those are plenty accurate at 50 yards and fun to shoot, though they will hit much lower than the full charge loads. It is a fun plinker and at 6-8 cents a round, far more economical than factory loads at 2 bucks a pop. prolongs the life of the brass as well.

[451whitworth]

I use the Accurate 35-220B, LBT 225gr. LFN, and the LBT 250gr. LCFN in my 3 Browning 71's. None of mine have any throat what so ever and any part of the bullet sticking out of the case better be .340"or smaller or the levers close hard. Diameters of the bullets I shoot run from .352"-.354" depending on the individual rifle. A bullet .350" would shoot patterns in any of my rifles, ask me how I know. I like RL-15 for powder. Once I got the bullets fit to the rifles they became the most accurate cast shooters I've worked with using full power loads.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have been using the Lyman #350482, an original single cavity from back in the day. It is out of production now but is easy to copy. It runs about 250 grains and looks like an overgrown 311291. When loaded to around 2000fps which is around factory spec it packs a lot of hitting power and is ideal for large game. I have always used 3031, but other medium to slower powders will work fine. LLS