.348 Winchester

[Spooksar]

How did your 348 AI shoot?

It shoots really well, no loss of accuracy and at least 150 fps gain in velocity

 

[DBateman]

Thanks FWB. I like it a lot. The Mod 71 just seems to fit me real well.

I have an eye out for another one but I'm in no hurry to get one.

I will have to check out the Hawk Precision line of .348 bullets, especially the 270gr.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello DBateman,

If my tattered memory serves me correctly for once, it seems like read somewhere that the .348 was dreamed up by Winchester, primarily with Alaska/Canada in mind - moose, bear, elk, deer in thick foliage.

I had an original one made in the 1950s, according to the serial number and I put a Lyman peep / receiver sight on it, then just used the factory front bead sight with it.

The only two loads I ever shot any game with were the Winchester factory loaded 200 grain Silver Tip, and my hand loaded equivalent velocity, with the Hornady 200 grain flat nose "Interlock" JSP.

And, I never shot an animal larger than our black tail deer on Kodiak Island but, contrary to popular legend, they can get up to about 300 lb.

The guy who was running Mack's Sporting Goods in Kodiak town, looked at a photo I showed him and estimated the biggest one I took with my .348 to have been around 240 pound live weight.

At any rate, when I was "going through my lever action phase" (LOL), that was my favorite one

Sold 'em all to help pay off a Safari.

Anywhooo, my limited experiences with this cartridge were all good and no bad.

The relatively few deer I shot with it never required a 2nd shot and it was much easier on the edible meat than some other cartridges I have shot deer with, such as the .270 / 130 gr bullets and 7 MM Remington / 150 gr bullets.

As lever actions go, the Model 86 Winchester and Model 71, also the Browning 71, are quite strong, reliable and accurate, according to their reputations.

I think possibly the 71 was heat treated differently to withstand higher pressures, because the '86, (although basically the same action) was only rated for black powder cartridges at first.

Here in AK, it was once very popular to re-barrel the Model 71 to .450 Alaskan and .50 Alaskan but, I always felt this was nothing more than vandalism.

The .348 hunting cartridge is a beauty with no modifications IMO.

If a hunter wants more bullet weight in a lever action, he should just get a .45-70.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Great Thread!! I've been toying with the idea of taking my .30/30 (Winchester 94) or my .35 Remington (Marlin 336) to Africa and using it on impala, blesbok, warthog, and similar critters.......would like to use open sights, but the old eyes just ain't what they used to be.

Just one other thought with some of these older calibers: it's my understanding that your ammo won't be allowed into the country if the headstamp doesn't match the caliber marked on the firearm; could be a bit tricky if using reformed or modified cases with a different headstamp......guess if I had to, I'd save those rounds were the cartridge matches the rifle, and use up the other cases for target practice, sighting in, etc.

FWIW...............

 

[DBateman]

Hello DBateman,


Here in AK, it was once very popular to re-barrel the Model 71 to .450 Alaskan and .50 Alaskan but, I always felt this was nothing more than vandalism.

The .348 hunting cartridge is a beauty with no modifications IMO.

If a hunter wants more bullet weight in a lever action, he should just get a .45-70.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Velo I almost bought a Mod 71 in 450 Alaskan a few years ago, it was a beautifully done rifle.
But two things stopped me 1. It's another odd ball round I'd need to load for, and I think the 348 does just fine the way it is.

To be honest I think the 348win is as powerful a round I'll ever need in a lever.

 

[Velo Dog]

Velo I almost bought a Mod 71 in 450 Alaskan a few years ago, it was a beautifully done rifle.
But two things stopped me 1. It's another odd ball round I'd need to load for, and I think the 348 does just fine the way it is.

To be honest I think the 348win is as powerful a round I'll ever need in a lever.

Thanks DBateman,

I agree that the .348 is just peachy the way it is.
Mine was amazingly accurate with only a Lyman rear peep sight and factory bead front sight but, I will admit my eyes were young then.

Besides ruining the value of a Model 71 by converting it to some wildcat, everything I have read about the .450 and .500 Alaskan both, (briefly there was also a .375 Alaskan and a .416 Alaskan based on the .348 brass necked up) indicates recoil is fierce to brutal, due to the stock shape of that particular rifle.

The .348 had plenty enough recoil for me as it was, and it surely was super effective, yet without wrecking much meat at all, on the several deer I shot with it.
It is not what I'd select for grizzly but I have no real valid argument to support my opinion, since plenty of large bears have been cleanly taken with this cartridge, in Alaska/Canada during it's many years of popularity up here in the frozen north.
I just feel a bit safer around these pre-ice age brutes when I am carrying a bit more gun, personally.
If you think a lion is impressive to see in the bush (and they are), think of something over twice that size, but is still so lightening fast that it can catch deer, birds and fish with it's knife-studded hands.
However, I do like this cartridge and always thought Ruger should chamber their excellent #1 Single Shot in .348 Winchester.

I'm not sure if the base/rim might not be a tic too large around to fit this action/breach but I suspect it would fit.
There were a few double rifles made for it back during its years of popularity and if I had one, I sure would not be embarrassed to use it for things like plains game, large and small.
In fact, what a great warthog getter a well balanced double .348 would be for hunting them in thick riverine forest or similar conditions.

Blah, blah, blah,
Velo Dog.

 

[sestoppelman]

Rim on the .348 is .610, but the No. 1 is chambered for the .450-400 whose rim is .625 inch, so that would not be a problem. Likely they never did simply because there aren't enough .348 shooters out there and the ones that are likely prefer the lever platform.

 

[DBateman]

Bit of reloading for the 348 today. Load is 60gr of RL19 behind a 250gr Woodleigh snfp.

However as anyone who has loaded the 348 know I damaged one round. Seems the shoulder creases very esaly. I have a Lee FCD that I use to crimp with.

Has anyone recovered brass like the above one ? I've always just scraped them.

 

[Velo Dog]

Bit of reloading for the 348 today. Load is 60gr of RL19 behind a 250gr Woodleigh snfp.View attachment 36726

However as anyone who has loaded the 348 know I damaged one round. Seems the shoulder creases very esaly. I have a Lee FCD that I use to crimp with.View attachment 36724

Has anyone recovered brass like the above one ? I've always just scraped them.

G'day DBateman,

Yes, I have rumpled the shoulder on .348 brass (and .416 Rigby as well).
The .348 has a large rim and fast body taper so, it is very difficult if not nearly impossible to use the following method but, I mention it, in case you wanted to try it.
Even the Rigby case tapers a bit fast to make this work very easy.
It works best with straighter, rimless, beltless cartridges, such as the .30-06 and similar shaped ones.

Also, the specific damaged cartridge you show looks too far gone, and so this likely will not work in any event.
But for brass damaged in the same fashion but less so than this, pull the bullet and empty the powder.
Lay the cartridge on a very flat, very hard surface.
Then use a piece of equally hard/flat and heavy material to roll the cartridge back and forth, while applying just enough pressure to evenly mash the bulge far enough in so that it will again fit into your sizing die.
Then size it and start over to load it once more.
Tapered/rimmed cartridges (or belted) must be positioned so the rim or belt hangs out of your "steel sandwich" as you carefully roll it about.

The material I use are two pieces of steel plate, about 12" square and 3/8" thick.
This method is very tedious and not worth buying two pieces of plate steel but if you already have the scrap metal, it might be worth a try.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[shuter]

This was a favorite of my dads for years, killed elk and deer with it. It does hit hard and is well respected. Never had a reputation for stellar accuracy but if it hits vitals its all over. I have owned a couple myself and sort of looking for one again. Yours a Win or a Browning?

sestoppelman, I know you posted this a couple years ago but if you're still looking I have a beautiful Browning 71 in .348 set up with a receiver sight as Velo described, along with a nicely fitted Decelerator pad and mag tube sling swivel that I will sell. Also have over 500 pieces of new, unfired .348 brass. Any of you guys interested can PM me. I haven't listed it anywhere else for sale at this point. Just throwing it out there. Very nice rifle.

 

[DBateman]

Looks like a sweet rifle. What are the velocities with the 200gr'ers?

I know you asked this a while ago but I ran my loads thru the chronograph today.

Both loads are using RL-19 distance to chronograph was 13'
Temp this morning was 30c/86f

My 200gr Hornady Interlock load is doing 2430fps

My 250gr Woodleigh FnSn are doing 2185fps

Both loads don't seem hot, I wouldn't mind getting the 250gr load a little faster...

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Any of you fellows using a 348win ?

I have a Mod 71 and its one of my favourite rifles I only have 500 or so rounds thru it and thus far have only loaded 200gr Hornady interlocks I have ordered 100 Woodleigh 250gr to try.

I've only shot half a dozen or so pigs with it but all have dropped like the've been hit with the hammer of Thor.

I'd like to use it on larger game once I get a load worked out for the 250gr.

Here she is, not the best pic I'll try and get a better one with something it's shot in it.



So what do you guys think of the 348 round ?

@DBateman
The 358 is what inspired me to build a 35 Whelen.
The 348 was / is virtually impossible to get in Australia so I went the Whelen.
Bob

 

[crs]

As for the original post question - yes.
My 1886 45-90 (ele, buff, leopard, etc) and 1895 .405 (buff) have had fun in RSA.

Go for it!

 

[fourfive8]

I've owned and shot at least 6 original 71s in 348- both long tang and short tang versions. They all shot reasonably well and the cartridge, with good bullets, is perfectly adequate for all but largest game. The action is plenty strong and is Winchester's last iteration of the Model 1886 design... and probably their best. The 71 is easy to shoot and cycle and is very ergonomic... aka tends to fit well. And yes Hawk was (is?) the go-to FP bullet, in thicker jacket, for the somewhat odd 348 size.

Johnson at Cooper Landing AK wildcatted the 348/71 and upped the horse power quite a bit. He had to re-design the attachment of the end of the magazine onto the barrel because the increased recoil tended to separate the magazine from the barrel. Last time I was in Cooper Landing the old Johnson storefront was still there, under some other business name?? kind of across the main drag from Gwennies IIRC.