browning mod 71 348

[elroy]

I just bought a mod 71 browning. I love my bolt rifles, but I bought a mod 99 savage in 250 sav last year, and been having too much fun. The model 71 was just too sexy to resist. How does this round perform on elk/ moose size game? Any good loads? Is this rifle action strong enough for stepped up loads? I chronographed some w-w 200 grainers and the velocity varied from 2378 to 2600. I probably don't need much of a step up from 2600 fps. and I'm sure I can tighten up that velocity spread. It seemed to shoot pretty well in spite of itself.lol.

[coug2wolfs]

The Model 71 is a FINE rifle, had me two of em, a rifle and a carbine. The rifle I did not like as much as I did the carbine. The carbine fit me like a bird gun and it was a wicked combination for digging out bucks in the swamps and thick stuff.

The 348 is NOT a 300 yard gun, but if you use it at woods ranges where most stuff is knocked off anyway, it is plenty for moose and elk.  That I know of, or at least when I was loading for mine, the 200 Hornady was the ONLY pill available.  Now that I think on it, believe I got some 250 grainers from Barnes.  I think those that use the 348 serious will pretty much agree that the 348 is at its best with the 250 grain bullet.

I liked mine, but found them a tad on the heavy side to carry.  They were built though. Good rugged rliable rifles.

Have fun with yours and keep us posted on what you lite up with it

[dclark]

The .348 is a fine 200 yard rifle.  Handloads are not a problem, with quite a bit of information available.  Steve Gish wrote an article in Handlaoder No. 214, December 2001.  It gives a goodly number of loads for three bullets and several powders.  You may want to try Wolfe Publishing on the net.  They may have the article available.

I found the 250 gr Barnes and 59 gr. Rx-19 to my liking, and that of my Browning 71.  I plan to hunt elk with it again this year.  I was unsuccessful last year, except for a grouse at about 15 yds.  One head shot and good eatin'.

dclark

[elroy]

I have been playing with loads for my 71. IMR4350 is the powder of choice in the data I've read, but I can't get the velocity out of it. IMR4895 @55 grains averages 2476fps with the Hornady 200 gr. That's in the ball park, but actually 1 grain over max according to the data. 63 grains of IMR 4350 averages 2396 fps. Varget powder listed max is 58 grains , 56 grains averages 2610. I tried up to 57 and averaged over 2700 fps, But I didn't like the looks of my primers. The ejector plunger is so large that it covers part of the primer, and on the heavier loads it begins to flow into the cutout creating a ridge on the primer. I used Rem 9 1/2 M primers. I contacted Hawk bullets and Barnes Bullets  and they both offer a good selection of weights. I think I'll stay with the Hornadys for normal shooting though because of the cost. If I can ever swing a western hunt I'll spring for the better bullets, maybe in 220 or 250 grain weights.

[Enforcer]

I like IMR 4350 for the 348Win 200grs  with 62-63.0grs average 2500fps+ or 220grs 59-60.0grs of IMR 4350 for 2400fps+.All velocities are out of 24in barrels and chronoed at 12ft.If you use a 20in barel,expect to lose 100fps+ in velocity.

Check out Conley for hot handloads.They are expensive,but so what he did all your work for you.What he quotes you will get out of 24in barrels with his rounds.

200gr XFN 2560fps-2909fpe
220gr Barnes O 2470fps-2979fps


Enforcer

[paulm60]

I just ran into this thread and had to put my story in too.  I have been using the past weekends to get ready for all the upcoming hunting.  In particular, I wrung out my brother's and my Browning 71 carbines with a 265 grain bonded bullet I make.

First I re-read the two stories in Handloader, poured through Cartridges of the World and all my reloading manuals (Barnes was most helpful), used my Powley load calculator, and started a little lower with Steve Gash's recommended loads.  Understand the heaviest bullets he tried were 250's, so I was careful w/my heavier 265s.  I live in interior Alaska, so light bullets don't make much sense.

I then shot different powders (IMR4895, IMR4320, IMR4064, Reloder 19, WW760, IMR and H4350s, and Accurate 3100) for groups, extreme spreads and standard deviations.  Once I found the three most promising, I started working them up til I found their limits in our carbines.  My 71 seemed to be the more pressure sensitive, so all the loads were cut off to accomodate it.

In the end I settled on 56.0 grains of WW760 and CCI200 primers.  All of the shooting was done with what started as new W-W Super brass.  Out of my 20" carbine, I am averaging 2255 fps 12 feet from the muzzle, extreme spread of 32 fps, and a standard deviation of 14.1 fps; these are for 10-shot strings.  During development I did all my shooting out behind the shop at 50 yards; after selecting the best load we went to a longer range.  For 5-shot groups I was averaging 1 3/8" groups at 50 yards every time; at 100 yards they grew to 2 3/4", and a few went 3" as I got tired.   Ken's carbine shoots about  18 fps slower with the same load and his groups are a smidgen smaller.

But the best part of all was when Ken nailed a 6 foot griz just a couple weeks ago.  It was a broadside shot and broke both shoulders.  The sow went down in the creek, then tried like hell to vacate the area!  Ken put a finishing shot through her neck and the show was over.  The first bullet was recovered on the far shoulder weighing 218 grains; the second bullet was lost, but left a 3" hole after blowing out the spine.  We were both pretty happy with how well the bullets tore so deep and held up so well!

Runners-up for good loads were Accurate 3100 (I couldn't get enough powder into the case to keep going, but boy it was accurate every time) and H4350.  The Hodgdon 4350 runs a little slower than IMR, but doesn't lose as much velocity when the weather starts getting cold.  Also, the H4350 was almost as accurate as the 3100.  My second best load is 54.0 grains of H4350 with CCI200s; they are running 2094 fps, but gave groups of 1 5/16" and 2"(?).

I developed all these loads in 60 - 75 degree weather and at 412 feet above sea level.  I plan to check them again when we get down below zero for a comparison.  

If you want to try them, please put the same effort I put into safety - back off, then work up.  I only take responsibility for my face, not yours!

To sum up, I love the models 86 and 71!  I hope this info inspires you to enjoy yours as much as I do.


Paul W. Tappen
Badger Bullets
2235 Blackstone Rd
North Pole, Alaska  99703
(888) 840-4937