348 Win.

[Wilbe Lead]

Howdy Everyone,
I have been reloading now for about 33 years and casting bullets for about 15 years.
I started will a lee 158gr wadcut that is a gascheck mould.And have cast bullets up to 50 cal for my 50 Alaskan.
The 50 Alaskan is what got me in to the 348 Win model 71.
I still make my 50 Alaskans from 348 shells.
Anyway I have a model 71 in the low 17000 serial.
The other day I stopped  in the local gun shop for a look at what ever.
In the back in a  tray I seen some moulds.
Ah I think Lyman 350482,350447 that sounds like ? I check a lyman book out.
I walk out of the shop with both moulds for 15 each.After I paid for them I told the owner what he had sold me,he thought the where 357 moulds.
Snooze you looze.
Do any of you have any loads data for the 350482 mould you would been willing to pm on to me.All I have is a old lyman manuel and there top load seems a little light.
If everything works out I would like to put my old vintage gun back to work.The 71 is one gun that should of not of died out.
Later
Wilbe Lead

[flintman]

I think it is a fine rifle and cartridge.

[talon]

It seems to me that the loads given for both of your cited molds in the 1980 Lyman Cast bullet handbook are very satisfactory for cast bullets. A maximum velocity of 2217 for the 255 gr slug and 2338 for the 187 one are about all you want to make those bullets do.

[Yodar]

Howdy,

Sorry for the delayed response but I just recently joined the chat room.

I have used the Lyman # 350482 bullet in my Model 71 with some success.

This bullet works pretty well if muzzle velocity is kept down to around 1600 fps.  It is my experience that if you try to push it much faster, the accuracy goes to hell.

Here is my load: Winchester cases, CCI#200 primers, 24 1/2 grains of IMR-4198, Lyman #350482 bullet, OAL=2.785 inches.  The average muzzle velocity was 1592 fps, standard deviation was 10.2 fps, and the extreme spread was 25 fps.  The five shot group measured 1 9/16 inch at 50 yards.

Question:  Would you be willing to sell some Lyman#350482 slugs?  My supplier died and I do not have an alternate source at present.

Good luck.

[stocker]

Yodar: Wayne Doudna (wdoudna@hotmail.com) makes a very nice 255 gr.
FNGC , comes lubed and checked to your choice of size. Price for 500 was quite reasonable. They are long but function fine through Win. 71's , not sure about Browning 71's.

[Dand]

I've had pretty good luck with cast bullets in the 348.  I can attest to Doudna's good bullets.  I've also used some from Old Western Scrounger in the 185-190 grain size - likely cast in the 350447 mould.

If Brushbuster sees this he has taken a deer with cast and a moose with jacketed factory loads.

here is a little bit of data from some work I did a year or more ago. Please approach with caution as your gun may be different.
***********
Test day was March 5 afternoon about  3 pm to 5:30 pm.  Temps about 25-30 F,  very light breeze that died by about 4:30.
Bright sunny with high sparse clouds.  The chrono screens were set so the instrumental velocity is about 15 feet from the muzzle.  I ran 2 fouling shots with 190 gr cast gc bullets through the gun to warm up the barrel and clear out the oil etc.  
BTW my gun is the Win 71,  24 in barrel.  All testing today 3-5-04 was at 75 yard target, using a new Williams aperture of .05?? whatever the smallest opening is - shot at standard 25 yd slow fire pistol target.
 
load 1, test order 1  
    3-5-04 (loaded date)  59 gr H 4831 std not short cut,  250  gc Custom Cast Douda, CCI 200,  WW case trimmed to min, Lee crimp 4 rounds only - one bullet shaved a little on loading - didn't have expander die adjusted deep enough.
chron 3-5-04, 4 shots, 2013-2028, 15 es, 2021 avg, 6 SD
3 shots TOUCHING  4th shot spread to 4+ inches.  easily  able to increase - High accuracy potential if I can keep consistent sight picture.  I'll enclose a scan of this test target.  Could be good hunting load too. I doubt I could do this regularly but I might try.
 
load 2, test order 2
  3-5-04 (loaded date)  60 gr H 4831 std not short cut,  250  gc Custom Cast Douda, CCI 200,  WW case trimmed to min, Lee crimp 4rounds only.
chron 3-5-04, 4 shots, 2035-2095, 60 es, 2061 avg, 25 SD   not as consistent as 59 gr,
I think I was flinching badly - horizontal stringing of 8-9 inches but vertical dispersion of only 3 inches and slightly higher than test 1 on target.  Work up from 59 by .25 gr if seek more vel.  
 
************

here are some other notes from my 348 work:  

Chrono 3 Ancient Win factory 150 gr loads  on 7-26-92  (likely 50-60+ degrees)  2559-2640,  81 es, 2610 avg, 44 sd  
 
F  
As I am getting back in touch with this gun and cartridge I come up with some thoughts, that I think I had when I was first busy with it in the early 90's.   For fun shooting with this, a light kicking cast bullet load in the 1650-1800 fps range might be nice. Even the heavy hunting cast loads whack pretty hard.  Lighter loads would be much easier on the gun as well.  I think that's where Ken Waters was going with his mild cast bullet loads.  A 200-220 cast bullet, while having more whomp on the shoulder than a 180-190, might be better on the target and better for light big game with those sub 1800 velocities.
 
G
 Also, the different bullet weights hit way different on the target with one sight setting. So its real tempting to find one bullet weight and one load if you don't like all the work resighting your gun.
 
H
Cases stretch a lot especially with full power loads.  I think  I'll try to be more careful to record the number of trims and use new brass for hunting.  Another argument for using mild loads if you want to plink with this gun.  Also plan to discard brass after 4-5 ?? trims or at least keep a very close eye on the case stretch and potential head separation.
 
I
A new butt stock with recoil pad would be real nice.
 
J
Its not too hard to nearly match jacketed velocities with same weight cast bullets, especially in the heavy bullets - and my barrel doesn't seem to be leading up much.
**********************
I might be able to dredge up more stuff later.

I encourage you to use those moulds - you can have a lot of fun and be easier on your fine old rifle.

[Dand]

348 win Test data from 2-24-04

PLEASE APPROACH WITH CAUTION. THESE LOADS WORKED IN MY GUN BUT NOTE IT WAS PRETTY CHILLY.

I haven't found my data for the 180-200 gr cast bullets - but I recall 4895 doing pretty well and much milder on my shoulder than the 250 gr loads.  

OVERALL AVOID TRYING TO HOT ROD THE 348 GIVEN THE RIFLE DESIGN AND REAR LOCK UP OF THE BOLT.  AS I note below I was getting quite a bit of case stretch with some loads.

 

28 to 32 degrees F bright sunny sky but the sun sinking and at a pretty low angle from behind me. I had to prop up a shade so I didn't get glare off my rear disk. Also, I took a black felt tip to the front bead - helped from the glaring silver bead but it was hard to see as shadows fell on the target.

light variable breeze (5-10) mph mainly from straight behind me. The target was set at 75 yards.

 
Set up the chrono for about a 12 foot instrumental distance from the muzzle. Fired some test shots with a .22 then fouled the 348 bore with 2 shots of 190 gr gc cast. After each batch of 5 I walked down to the target, estimated group, pasted holes and trotted back. Left action open and barrel where breeze could cool it.

Note these Doudna (I called them Canada below)  cast bullets are not quite as blunt at the big Lyman mould.  I think Doudna uses an NEI mould .

Approach loads with caution.

Load 1.
58 gr AA 3100, Canada 250 gc cast CCI 200, old rem case, 5 shots - lee crimp
2018-2036 fps, 18 extreme spread, 2029 avg, 7 std. dev. - trouble sighting accuracy inconsistent - hold?? 7 inch plus , like last time some primers backed out a tiny bit.
 
2.
59 gr AA 3100, (Doudna)  250 gc cast, CCI 200, old rem case, 5 shots- lee crimp
2055-2072, 17 es, 2064 avg, 7 sd. good and accurate. Total group 2.5 to 3 inches first 3 shots 1.5 inch. Interestingly the first 3 shots clocked 2055 - 2063 but last 2 were faster. I saw this repeatedly through the rest of the tests, first 3 shots very close last two often much faster - maybe the barrel and chamber heats up to make a difference. Tempting to go to 3 shot strings for accuracy but I like the 5 shots for velocity. I wonder how these would perform at 70 F in the summer? Might be wise to drop down a grain and test if the temps are way up.
like last time some primers backed out a tiny bit.
Case necks for all cast loads really cruddy. I see more cracks developing. I think these Rem cases are too old. Maybe I should retire them to fouler shots and really light loads.

3.
58.5 IMR 4831, (Doudna)  250 gc cast, CCI 200, old rem case, 5 shots - lee crimp
2113-2178, 65 es, 2138 avg, 27 sd first 3 shots 2113- 2126 then last 2 way up - hot chamber? Group 2.5 inches - nice. Seems to kick less than AA3100 but faster, hardly any primer projection but more velocity. I like this load.

4.
52 IMR 4350,(Doudna)  250 gc cast, CCI 200, old rem case, 5 shots - lee crimp
weird stuff - maybe bad case necks? I wished I'd looked at the case necks but I was rushing.
3 shots 2031-2058, 27 es, 2041 avg, 14 sd. 2 shots (3rd and 5 th) 1980 fps and 1978 fps - BAD accuracy at 6+ "   darn always something but this convinced me the brass needs to be tossed. Or could the gas checks have come off - lube? Other ejecta? 2 shots were real low and 3 more in about a 3 inch group and higher on target


I'd say Doudnas cast bullets shoot pretty well in my gun. At least as well as any others and about as well as I can hold.