A very good friend of mine just purchased his dream rifle, a model 71 Winchester in mint condition. He is a straight up hunter and reloading is not in his vocabulary.
That said, I will be doing the reloading for his rifle. Can anyone point me in the right direction, I need ,brass, bullets, reloading data. Any help would be fantastic. He actually tracked down some dies for it, but I have not seen there condition.
Great rifle and cartridge. The 200 grain Hornady flat nose is a really good bullet for general use on deer and such. Barnes makes good 200 and 250 grain copper jacketed bullets. I'm sure a few of the custom makers make some also. Most use a slow powder like IMR4831 to keep pressures down. If you PM me I can send you data I have worked up over the years. Love my 71s.
Sam
Posts: 2837 | Location: NC | Registered: 08 July 2006
Definitely pick up a Lee factory crimp die. You'll have to crimp the bullets pretty well to keep them from moving in the magazine under recoil. I found the Lee collet crimper worked the best. Other than that, I used mostly Barnes originals in the lighter weight as I mostly used it to hunt deer in northern WI. Great rifle, mine shoots very well (under 2" at 100 with open sights), and I made some great shots with it that I'll remember for a lifetime. One was a head shot grouse at 40 yards offhand, and the other was a running buck at last light. I brought the rifle up to acquire the sights, opened both eyes and pass shot him at 50 yards through a 10 foot opening in some small pines. One shot right behind the shoulder.
Shoot straight, shoot often. Matt
Posts: 1187 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 19 July 2001
Another vote for the 200 gn. Hornady flat nose. You might also consider acquiring some cast bullets if he's interested in milder practice rounds. That's pretty much all I'm shooting out of mine these days.
Posts: 953 | Location: Florida | Registered: 17 March 2005
Northfork makes excellent bullets for the 348 Winchester. The Barnes originals are no longer made, but are occasionally available from folks that no longer need them.
Bob Nisbet DRSS & 348 Lever Winchester Lover Temporarily Displaced Texan If there's no food on your plate when dinner is done, you didn't get enough to eat.
Posts: 830 | Location: Texas and Alabama | Registered: 07 January 2009
Alaska bullet works also makes good bullets for .348. For dear, the hornady is great.
Matt FISH!!
Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984:
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
I shoot the Barnes Originals, both the 220's and 250's, in my Browning M71 Carbine. They are still made and Midway, Grafs and the like should have them. Best powder so far is H4350. Fun gun.
Posts: 1577 | Location: Either far north Idaho or Hill Country Texas depending upon the weather | Registered: 26 March 2005
The Hornady is the budget minded jacketed bullet choice. They also now make a flex tip pointed version for safe use in the tube mag.
Woodleigh and Swift also currently make .348 bullets.
Here's the link for Midway's current selection from 5 manufacturers: Midway .348 bullets
Years ago Barnes made all copper X bullets for the .348, but have discontinued them. We're required to shoot nonlead in this area. Thank goodness a few people helped me collect several boxes of the discontinued X bullets so hopefully I have a lifetime supply so I can still occasionally pack my grandfathers 71 to hunt locally.
I too have had good results with 4350 & 4064 powders.
That would be terrific if they'd bring out a TSX. Over the last couple years I've pestered them a few times about bringing back a copper .348 and they said they didn't have any plans for one, but I haven't asked for a year or more. Hopefully the rumor was correct.
