Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 348 Bullet tests...moose verified

Lot's of 348 Win bullet testing (see previous threads) time to verify the Winchester 71 on game. Took the old 71 out on a trip this weekend.

Not much time to hunt lately but I managed to take Friday off, study my maps of the Yukon and find a place suited well to the surface drive engine and my big 21 foot Scott Freighter canoe. This rig is very shallow water capable and I also brought a big Tripper canoe to portage into some little hunted further lakes. Didn't need it as 3 hours into the hunt we saw a moose moving out ahead of us in the very shallow connector between two lakes. Loaded up the 71 and followed slowly. Around a bend and there was a small bull with one antler. (Before I go any further In the Yukon a motor boat is the only allowable huntable power vehicle.)

Got as close as I could and shut off the motor for the final glide. The cow vanished up an escape route and as I hoped the bull followed her across the narrow channel. I swung the boat broad side to get my son out of the line of fire and waited for him to hit land...( cleaning a bull in water isn't fun) As he stepped onto dry land I threaded a bullet between two willow thickets and thought I saw hip drop....after that he vanished from sight.

Range was perhaps 125 yards. We edged closer and I landed at a game trail I thought he had used...no bull. I went up the hill and at the hill top it opened into a nice semi-clearing... No bull. No blood trail. My son came up to join me and said he thought he had heard something grown about 20 yards from where I started up the hill. Went down and sure enough there was my bull. He hadn't moved from when hit, I had simply landed to early and picked the wrong trail. 6 hours later he was in my boat and my back was very soar!

Bullet used 200 grain Hornady with 62 grains of 4451 and CCI 250 primers given a crimp with the lee factory crimp die. This is a 2500fps load and groups consistently well under 2" with magnum primers.

Impact velocity 2050 ft sec and 2500 ft sec

Bullet performance... wrecked about 15 pounds of meat, broke front shoulder, and entered into high lung and burried into off shoulder..did not penetrate. Finishing shot to neck-base of skull at three yards completely wrecked spine. Did not exit. Neither bullet recovered.

Bullet showed perfect performance for a deer possibly elk but a bit low on penetration for moose. That said I have never dropped a moose like this before even with the 358 Norma.

Lessons learned: 1) the 200 Hornady might be a bit frangible for something as big as a moose. 2) Moose quarters are heavy, 3) I am really stiff today,,need to hit the weights more consistently. 3) I love the freighter canoe and Louisiana Mud Motor combo..made for each other and this kind of land scape.

Expect a 12 hour day today meat processing but have a video on the go and more pictures. Here are three to get the party started.

1) Loading the beast.


2) The moose following his girl friend across the channel


3) Moose down 5 yards from the waters edge and our canoe can get very close. Put him down instantly.



Video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO1ljh6jF2c

That was a good post!

Very well done!!!!!!!

Hell of a deal North61, well done and CONGRATULATIONS!

Great hunt and story, congratulations and the fact you used a 348 makes all the cooler!

Thanks all..the old 348 did a great job....had to shoot pretty fast and the wonderful balance helped out a great deal.

Pretty cool. Gotta love those old 71's... I believe this is what they were really made for..

Nice moose and an fantastic experience.

I'd love to go on an moose hunt with one of my Browning 71 rifles. It would be an dream come true.

It has been a pretty busy time of meat cutting. Have a wack of hamburger and sausage. Quarters still hanging. Going to Vancouver for work tomorrow so am reluctantly taking the quarters to the butcher. Been a fun project. This was a near perfect hunt and my son really wants to do the shooting next year. The rifle he wants to use...Why the 348 of course. It works for left eyed guys like him!

I think he's a deserving lad!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo9zXoYxq7A

Video back up..I thought the first version was too long.

First and last moose I shot was a number of years ago. Used a Savage 99 in 358 Win. Worked good not, but needed the bull to die instantly. Broad side shot about 80 yards. The bull turned a180 and stood there, so placed a second in the chest again. His head dropped a bit and he walked right out into a pond and died. Always wanted to drop one as North did right next to the boat, but still on the dry. Had a tough time with that one, needless to say, we had a full days and then some after we got that bugger to shore. Not in a boat just a couple mile walk from the house.

The first slug cliped the bottom of the heart and the second was right in the chest also, both good shots, just very tough critters.

Like your writings North. I've had a love hate relationship with the 348 and sold a standard and a delux. Just picked up one last year to give it a second go. A lot older now and think things will be very different this time.

I enjoy your 348 research and this is a fun story to read. Thanks for the video.

Nighthawk: What bullet did you use in your 358? Thanks.

Bobmn.
200 grain Winchester, I want to say silver tips, but I think the silver tips where 250 grain, which I did not have. It's been a few decades now. I'm using my phone as my computer is down. So bare with me.
I wanted to say as this is about 348 model 71's and moose, I did buy a 71 from a fellow here on the Campfire. It had been changed up in that it has a full length mag tube, a Lyman peep and a Monte Carlo stock that was short at 12 1/2". Well I was hunting up a stock and just could not find one. Found 2 on eBay but missed them for $150 - $200, which I would pay for an original. Came across a third one on eBay for $20 buy it now, got that one!!!
Well a Smith friend fitted the stock and added a Decelerator pad.. So long story short I thought I'd give the 348 a try again. Will be starting some loads this winter just as soon as I get laid off..

Picked up a Browning 71 with the sole intent to make a 50 Alaskan. John Taylor rebarreled it for me, all in all a 5 year project. Not Taylor's fault.. Point is the Browning sparked the intreast in a 71 again.

Thanks...it was a labour of love. Since this thread has been brought back from the dead I can give you a part 2. We got the Freighter canoe out again this year and went moose looking. This time my 14 year old son was the hunter and I acted as moose guide. My son really prefers a scope so unfortunately I had the 348 as a back up where he took a Ruger American in 450 Bushmaster topped with a 2.5X Leupold. Funny thing is the 450 shoots bullets of the same weight as the 348 at about the same speed. It also totally anchored the Moose and we were very pleased with it's performance. I was pretty happy with my sons performance as well and appreciated the 348 by our side when cutting up moose in the dark, nothing else I have used comes up quite so nicely as a point and shoot defense rifle. Maybe my son will let me shoot a moose again one of these years and I'll report back on the 348 again...or perhaps I'll get a Bison this winter. If so it will be with 250 Woodleighs as though I appreciate the 200 Hornady I think Bison might be a step too far.

450 Bushmaster Moose


.452, 250 Flextip on off shoulder after penetrating 3 feet of moose. Over 80% weight retention


Video re Bullet performance of 450
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBCurbTQ7Qc

Video re the hunt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vks-OUIeqps

Very nice. Always look forward to the special and the rare times I get with my son, there always treasures. The two of you make a good team. My next step for me will be with my Grandson who just turned 5, my have to wait a couple of years.

This is first rate performance from the 348 WCF and Model 71. I am beginning to assemble research on hunting incidents and experiences comparing the original 348 WCF cartridge with the wildcats.
My initial premise is pretty simple: with today's modern bullets like the Woodleigh-Swift-Alaska Bullet Works-Hawk; re-chambering and wildcatting may not be necessary
against the performance of the original caliber. That being said, the exception would be in hunting or guiding with the large coastal brown bears of Alaska-Canada.
The Kodiak or brown bear is a different beast when aroused or angry, necessitating a tougher bullet and caliber if the bear is charging a hunter.

Appreciate your work and video of the hunt. Stay in touch.

I haven't had any experience with the 348 Improved or big boys like the 450 or 50 Alaskans. However, with the Swift bullets I'd feel pretty good against a Brown Bear. I don't think the extra speed of a 348 Improved would help much and the big Wildcats like the 450 would slow down recovery time and the second shot. That said I would understand anyone who wanted some more power. The big bears are a tad scary!

Elmer Keith said the 200 grainers handicapped the .348. He said it could be a great cartridge with a 250.