This subject could have been put in the wildcat column, but most of those lads just stare at anything involving
a lever action vintage rifle or cartridge. So it belongs here:
I try to research my topics, as its more enjoyable to speak from knowledge and experience.
The .348 WCF cartridge is a balanced and powerful cartridge. For most-it is enough gun-as Robert Ruark used to say in Africa.
But for some applications, bigger may be better. I own a 348 Ackley Improved and two (2) of the 450's: a 450 Alaskan and 450 Fuller in original early pre-war long tang Model 71
Winchester rifles.
The 348 Ackley Imp is akin to the 35 Whelen in ballistics. PO Ackley considered it a favorite, as it DELIVERED on velocity. As much as 200 FPS with 250 gr bullets
over factory WW silvertips.John Kronfeld did more research and articles on the 348 wildcats then most any published Wolfe Pub writer. Some of his data is
in old Rifle-Handloader magazines. His load development with 4350 powder is good but other powders work.
The real utility of the wildcat 450s and even the 348 AI begins and ends in the inter-mountain states, Alaska and Canada. I think Elmer Keith may have carried
his 450 Alaskan to Africa.
The real practicality of the 450s and 50 Alaskan is bear stopping when in bear country. The 450 Fuller is a rare chambering, developed by Bill Fuller in Cooper Landing,
Alaska by Bill Fuller. Fuller was Harold Johnson's riflesmith. Mine came from Alaska and was made by JKR. After Johnson developed the 450 Alaskan, it was Bill Fuller who cut the reamers for all of the JKR-Johnson-Kenai Rifles at Cooper Landing. PO Ackley followed with the 458-348 chambering. This wild cat eliminates all of the slope angle
in the case and requires some modification of the action and anchoring the magazine tube due to tremendous recoil.
The 50 Alaskan was developed by Johnson and known originally in the 1950s as "the 50".The barrel came from a surplus 50 BMG. For those requiring maximum power for bears from the 348 WCF case-this is the way to go with 50 caliber bullets. Recoil limits repeat shots somewhat.
Interestingly, my 450 Fuller cartridges may be fired in the 450 Alaskan but not conversely. This is due to the 16 degree shoulder angle in the Fuller compared to the Alaskan
shoulder of 30-40 degrees. Both are capable of driving a 400 gr FP bonded core bullet to 1900-2000 FPS. This is plenty enough
energy and velocity for any brown or grizzly. The heavy wildcats were developed to STOP bears generally close or charging the hunter or bear guide.
Finishing shots may be needed with any caliber, but a heavy wildcat will stop the bear before he starts clawing or biting you or yours. Johnson killed
a few grizzly and Alaskan coastal brown bears during his lifetime with the Alaskans in 1886 and Winchester Model 71 rifles. He developed these cartridges
due to questionable performance of a 30-06 rifle and cartridge performance on a grizzly.
My 348 Ackley Imp has stopped a large Alaskan moose in the interior in 2007. This rifle was also around when smaller black bears visited the gut pile.
With today's bullets such as the Woodleigh, Swift, Hawk and Alaska Bullet Works-- and rare grizzly encounters, one may not need a 348 wildcat all the time when fly fishing Canadian or Alaskan streams. But in salmon streams infested with brown bear and-grizzlies, its nice to pack a heavier rifle for insurance-and know its there if needed.
