I have wanted one of these awesome rifles since I was a teenager in the 70's, had a couple of them but had to re sell them soon after due to financial crisis of one sort or another. I finally have one - a long tang Deluxe no less - that is in wonderful conditions, shoots nice tight (2 icnes at 100 yards, tight by my standards for peep sights) groups and I am in a position to KEEP it and hunt with it.
I bought it for hunting Elk or large bodied whitetail deer in the timber as well as Coastal Black bear which can get pretty big. Roosevelt Elk in addition to the other game. I have on hand three possible loadings to use, seeking intel from persons who have actually used the 348 on big game and their impressions. My load number 1 is 4 boxes of late manufacture 200gr Silvertip ammo. I am thinking this to be a pretty good deer load, but a deer load only. Moving up the scale a bit, I own a good supply of Barnes Original style bullets with the pure copper .032 jacket and pure lead core flat nosed cannelured bullets for this cartridge in both 220gr and 250gr flavors. My gut feeling is to load and use primarily the 250gr Barnes Originals for anything that is not a deer. BUT, maybe I am selling those 220's a bit short? What say ya'll?
Thanks in advance,
MARK
