Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers .348 Winchester loads

I'll have to try it, but I must say, it's hard to argue with what I'm getting with my 250s and H-4350.

So far in my 1942 vintage 71 the 200gr bullet worked best with imr3031 and the 250gr with imr4895.Imr4350 I had high hopes for the results were just so so.I did just find some Varget to try out as soon as the weather improves.

Interesting to me folks get such different results with the same powder. Course, my baby is Browning 71, not the venerable Winny.

I have not tried anything BUT IMR 4350, but I shot again yesterday at 50 yards. With just the buck horns, I put 3-shots on a 1 1/2" center with two of them touching (mostly unheard of me cause I am a terrible shot). The load is 59gr of 4350 behind the Hornady 200 gr flat point #3410.

Have to admit I'm curious what 3031 and Varget might do, but it just does not seem worth the expense to find out. At least not now, maybe later.

As noted in a few of my other posts, I'm just getting started n rifle reloading. Got the 71 shooting pretty decent. On to the 94 Trapper in 44 mag.

My brother has bought some lead bullets for his Model 71 and needs to keep velocity down to about 2100 fps.

Anybody got a good load to start at? He already has some IMR-4350.

Check the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual, follow their published info using 3031

My Experience and $.02
Kevin

Beretz: What primer are you using?

j

Not beretzs Jorge, but, I'm using RL-17 under the old heavy jacket Barnes 250 gr fnsp's in my '71, I use the hard faced CCI-250 mag primers, my '71 is a 1937 year model I got it from BSA here at the 'fire, and has a hell of a heavy hammer blow/strike on firing.

Thanks, Gunner. Mine shoots pretty well with 58gr H-4350 and WLR primers, but I need to give that RL-17 a go.

CCIBR2’s.

Thanks very much.

No problem. 17 shoots real well in my 71 with 250 Woodleighs and Hornady 200’s.

My 200 gr load. This from a few weeks ago after mounting my FF3.

Each of our Model 71s is a law unto itself as to accuracy and pressure. With the Hornady -Hawk 200 grs and Hawk 180s IMR-4895 and 4064
produced the best results. Dave Scovill in Handloader tried RL-15 and RL-19. Keep in mind that if you are using almost 60 grs of 4350 to produce the same velocity that
IMR 4895, 4320 or 4064 does with 51-53 grs for the 200 grain bullets-maybe time to re-think or experiment.

For the 250 gr bullets, powder selection is more critical to obtain optimum velocity. With Alaska Bullet Works, Barnes, and Hawk 250s-4350 has been consistent.
Some have tried the mid-range powders but most return to 4350 as the consistent standby. Tends to discourage bullet shift with full caseloads of powder.
The Lee factory crimp die really helps.

I have had interesting results with the Hawk-Barnes-North Fork bullets in 220-230 weight range. I personally think this is the best all-round weight for
the standard 348 WCF cartridge. A bit of extra weight but not too much. IMR 4895 and 4064 do well with these weights.
North Fork puts out a tough bonded core bullet at 230 grs. I have some and they work well with a little less powder, producing velocity in the 2375 FPS range.

Another factor to consider is barrel length. If you have a Browning or original Winchester carbine barrel of 20 inches, think the faster mid-range powders to
fully push the bullet under short barrel limitations. That being said, the Model 71s are lever actions and pressure needs to remain close to factory levels.

Fuller: I'm getting around 2250 FPS with 58gr of H4350 with either Barnes Originals or Woodleighs. Max load in the Woodleigh book for their 250 is 59.5gr. No pressure signs (that I can tell) and no out of the norm case life issues.

The Woodleighs are bonded core and first rate bullets. My 348 cave is full of the original Barnes 250's loaded with about that same load in 4350.
If you get close to 60 grs of 4350, your rifle will let you know. Those tapered lugs on the finger lever will drop if it gets a bit too warm. My shoulder
and the felt recoil usually tell me its time to lock in the powder weight for a particular bullet. Your 4350 loadings should do fine.

The Alaska Bullet Works folks make a nice 250 gr bullet that I think is every bit the equal of the Woodleighs. Really wish they made a 225-230 like North Fork does.
The NFork folks in Oregon are starting to get my attention with their 1- 230 gr bullet offering. It was developed by the owner and the NF people promised that they would not change the design. It splits the weight difference in other makers bullets. I want to try out some Swift A-frame 200 grain bullets. Most deer can be handled by the Hornady 200 grain. Elk, particularly-need more gun. The moose I killed in Alaska fell to a 270 gr Hawk behind a stiff charge of 4350. Hawk covers the waterfront as to bullet weight.

Tried to buy more Alaska bullet works bullets for my 356win and couldn't find them online, are they still in business? Settled on IMR4895 in my 348 with woodleighs, best accuracy off all bullets tested. Have taken 3 moose with that combo so far, perfect mushrooms on all!

I think they are still in business, but the last time I ordered I just called him and placed the order.

450 Fuller, I am with you on the 200 grain A-Frame and the NF 230.. Both of those should be terrors in the 348. I am having a hard time using anything but that big Woody, that sucker shoots darned good and it's performance for the folks around here is really darned good.

Beretz: I'm with you on the Woodleighs as well (or the Barnes, simply because I have a lot of them), if for no other reason that as an iron sighted rifle, I don't see me shooting much past say 150 yards or so. I do use North Forks and they are superb, but I just don't seen them improving on what I'm getting out of the Woodleighs. My rifle shoots the 200gr Hornadys well also, but I'm sticking with the 250s.

Same here, they launch at 2300 from my rifle and I can shoot it adequately out to 200, so I don't see much making it better... Plus, like you said, I have a pile of Woodleighs on the rack, so I might as well try to use em...

My best loads All 2' or less in an original 71 but with the barrel cut to 22" (by previous owner)

H414 and the 250 Woodleigh. I'd stop adding powder at 2225fps or so. Best accuracy in my gun and this is a great bullet on really big game.
IMR 4451 and the 200 Hornady FN. Stop adding powder at 2520 fps. Need to use magnum primers (CC 250's) with this one or groups open up quite a bit. Took my moose with this load last year. It died...and I mean right away!
H414 and 200 Flextips...stop at 2520 again. This is quite a caribou load.

So far can't find a load for the A-Frames that shoots as well as the above three.