Who's hunting with a lever-action this year?

[Blkram]

I've got to go hunt caribou someday!

You'll be glad you did, once you get one!

And that will just be the first!

They are so unique, and each one is unique in itself, from the color and mane of their cape, to the configuration of their antlers. Then there is the differences in the various species.

I know I have the caribou bug! And I have only harvested the woodland species to date. Still trying to find a mountain caribou. Would like to hunt all 5 subspecies in Canada.

 

[Europe]

At Cheyennes request I deleted my original post to Gil on where to get 348 bullets, although she did not say who, it was suggested to her that Gil has far more knowledge than her and she concurs.

Secondly, you are also correct several U.S. companies make the 348 bullet ( Barnes, Hornady, Hawk, Swift, Alaska Bullet works, North fork ), so she does not need to buy Australian made bullets.

Since I am speaking for someone else I will hold my tongue. Take care guys.

 

[Gunner46]

I'll just be toting my Ruger 96, in 44Mag, with a 4X vintage Redfield scope. Plain Jane white box 240's. Bought it for pigs when I was in Fla and it just Hammered the pork out of them.....no whitetails yet though.

It's barely sub 2" @ 100 yds, but that's just fine for public land in Ohio. I tend to hunt the thick-a$$ stuff anyway.

 

[Guy Miner]

I'll just be toting my Ruger 96, in 44Mag, with a 4X vintage Redfield scope. Plain Jane white box 240's. Bought it for pigs when I was in Fla and it just Hammered the pork out of them.....no whitetails yet though.

It's barely sub 2" @ 100 yds, but that's just fine for public land in Ohio. I tend to hunt the thick-a$$ stuff anyway.

Cool!

 

[hunternyny]

At Cheyennes request I deleted my original post to Gil on where to get 348 bullets, although she did not say who, it was suggested to her that Gil has far more knowledge than her and she concurs.

Secondly, you are also correct several U.S. companies make the 348 bullet ( Barnes, Hornady, Hawk, Swift, Alaska Bullet works, North fork ), so she does not need to buy Australian made bullets.

Since I am speaking for someone else I will hold my tongue. Take care guys.

Several folks here use the Woodleigh product and I am sure Gil appreciates any information sent his way

Guy, we, my wife and I, have enjoyed the lever both when hunting and when we were active in the CSC.

and I agree with you 100%, we also want to hunt Caribou, and hopefully will do so in Alaska. We have stayed in touch with Brooks father, Sean ( Alaska100 ) and hopefully we will be able to visit him next year. However if that happens we will take the Weatherby's, not the levers.

 

[35 Whelen]

Always have this behind seat in the truck, incase I see a big fresh track when its snowing headed into the thick stuff. Got some soft round nose loaded up for close work.
These old featherweights are getting hard to find in this sorta original condition. Its in 308Win. However I used featherweights like this, for years in .358W, and those are hard to beat in the thick stuff.

 

[hunternyny]

Sweet !!!! very nice Earle

 

[Blkram]

At Cheyennes request I deleted my original post to Gil on where to get 348 bullets, although she did not say who, it was suggested to her that Gil has far more knowledge than her and she concurs.

Secondly, you are also correct several U.S. companies make the 348 bullet ( Barnes, Hornady, Hawk, Swift, Alaska Bullet works, North fork ), so she does not need to buy Australian made bullets.

Since I am speaking for someone else I will hold my tongue. Take care guys.

To April, Cheyenne and who ever made the suggestion to Cheyenne;

I greatly appreciated Cheyenne's info as my own searches online had not come up with the info and suppliers for 348 bullets that Cheyenne had provided to me!

There was absolutely no need to edit the post or send a "suggestion".

While I have a fair bit of knowledge, I am far from knowing everything there is to know about hunting, shooting and reloading, and any help, assistance or new information is ALWAYS appreciated from ANYONE. I will always welcome knowledge, information and assistance from the ladies on this site. If the "suggester" would only open his mind, he may learn a thing or two, too.

Thanks Again Cheyenne!
Have the day off today and will be reaching out to those suppliers trying to get some Swifts.

 

[Europe]

Thank you Gil

 

[hunternyny]

Gil, I saw Aprils post before she edited it and was curious how the Barnes, Swift and Woodleigh differ in the 348 produced bullets ? This is from memory only but I thought she said the Barnes and Woodleighs were in stock somewhere in Canada, but that the Swift would need to be ordered, is why I ask.

Best of luck Gil in your quest to harvest all the different Caribou.

 

[Guy Miner]

Not too many different 348 bullets to choose from, which is understandable, not too many different 348 cartridges out there, and it's not exactly a high-production item anymore. If ever.

So, is there a "bad" 348 cal bullet on the market?

I'd guess they all do at least fairly well. Dunno... Don't have a 348, just a long-standing appreciation for the cartridge and the rifle.

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Always have this behind seat in the truck, incase I see a big fresh track when its snowing headed into the thick stuff. Got some soft round nose loaded up for close work.
These old featherweights are getting hard to find in this sorta original condition. Its in 308Win. However I used featherweights like this, for years in .358W, and those are hard to beat in the thick stuff.

Nice...

 

[Europe]

John and Guy

I am not as knowledgeable of Scotty, Fotis, Gil and others about this.

But I do know that the Woodleigh bullet that is made for the 348 hits like a sledge hammer. They expand well and penetrate deep. I can not image the Swift and Northfork not doing the same thing, but I have no first hand knowledge of the those two in the 348. I know that Cheyenne, Scotty, and Sean also speak well of the 348/woodleigh combination.

I am sure we used both Barnes and Hornady in the past but I do not remember anything technical I can tell you about those bullets, except Barnes still make them and many use them. I think Hornady has discontinued making them. I have zero experience with Hawk and Alaska but know they make them.

Possibly other 348 users, like Scotty, can give you a more technical perspective on them all

 

[ShadeTree]

John and Guy

I am not as knowledgeable of Scotty, Fotis, Gil and others about this.

But I do know that the Woodleigh bullet that is made for the 348 hits like a sledge hammer. They expand well and penetrate deep. I can not image the Swift and Northfork not doing the same thing, but I have no first hand knowledge of the those two in the 348. I know that Cheyenne, Scotty, and Sean also speak well of the 348/woodleigh combination.

I am sure we used both Barnes and Hornady in the past but I do not remember anything technical I can tell you about those bullets, except Barnes still make them and many use them. I think Hornady has discontinued making them. I have zero experience with Hawk and Alaska but know they make them.

Possibly other 348 users, like Scotty, can give you a more technical perspective on them all

Hornady still makes 2 bullets for the 348, a 200 grain interlock and a 200 grain FTX. The FTX would probably make a dandy deer bullet but something doesn't seem right to me about loading a plastic tipped bullet in a old lever classic.


Barnes makes both a 220 and a 250 in their original bullet, but I have no experience with either. I'm anxious to see how the 200 grain Swift performs on game.

 

[Blkram]

Well, I was able to contact one of the suppliers of brass and bullets for the 348 as provided by Cheyenne.
Have Jamison brass and Swift bullets on order. should have in about a month, as he had none in stock. Will run about $400 CAD for 60 pieces of brass and 100 bullets,plus taxes and shipping. The other bullet supplier had nothing in stock and wasn't sure if he was going to be ordering any soon. Swift dealers need to order a minimum of $10,000 US at a time.

Over the past year or so, I have been able to acquire dies, 1 box of Barnes 250 gr Originals and 1 box of Hornady 200 gr FP's. Should be able to find a load the rifle likes once the brass and Swifts arrive. Looking forward to shooting it!

 

[35 Whelen]

Walked into the little general store in Macwahoc, Me in 2001 to get a Coke, looked up behind the counter a saw 6 very dusty boxes of OLD Winchester .348 ammo. Asked if I could look at a box, they had some oxidation on bullet tips. Late 40's/ early 50's vintage. Marked $15 a box. Asked the gal how much for all of them, she says how bout $75 bucks. I snaged em. Send 3 boxes to an old dear
friend in Petersburg that still guides Admirality Isle.
Sold the other 3 at gunshows and going price for unopened box of 348s seams to be $100 bill.
E

 

[Europe]

Good for you Gil. Looking forward to your 348/swift report and which animal you first take with that combo--best of luck.

Also Gil, I think Dr Mike said it was hard to get North Fork bullets, You have to wait on the Swifts and I know Cheyenne said Woodleighs are not always available. What bullet seems to be used in Canada a lot and is always available --maybe nosler ?

Earle, good job. That was a very smart move. I think I would have probably kept one box. I like having things around that was made when I was a kid (-;

 

[Blkram]

While I know that some people use and like the Woodleighs and North Forks, I just prefer to stick to bullets for which I have reloading manuals for. I know people that have QuickLoad, but I do not.

Hornady used to be the easiest to find, but does not seem to be the case anymore. I tried the Barnes Originals in my 375 Win before, and was not impressed with their performance in the few loads I tried. Will see if the 348 fairs better. I have always liked the A-Frame design (guess it is because it is so much like the Partition which I have used with great success over the years), and so far am liking them in the other calibers I have tried them in. Have not taken much game with them to date, what I have has worked well, and looking to use them more in my levers with detachable magazines (7mm-08, 338 Federal, 358 Win and 284 Win)

 

[hunternyny]

While I know that some people use and like the Woodleighs and North Forks, I just prefer to stick to bullets for which I have reloading manuals for. I know people that have QuickLoad, but I do not.

Hornady used to be the easiest to find, but does not seem to be the case anymore. I tried the Barnes Originals in my 375 Win before, and was not impressed with their performance in the few loads I tried. Will see if the 348 fairs better. I have always liked the A-Frame design (guess it is because it is so much like the Partition which I have used with great success over the years), and so far am liking them in the other calibers I have tried them in. Have not taken much game with them to date, what I have has worked well, and looking to use them more in my levers with detachable magazines (7mm-08, 338 Federal, 358 Win and 284 Win)

Gil you have so many cool lever action rifles. Plus you live in a part of the world that allows the harvesting of so many different species. I am envious on both counts.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

One of the reasons I like to use my Savage 99 .300 Savage is that it is .30 cal. Easy to find bullets in the states. The cartridge itself is going the way of the .348, though. Going to be hard to find in a short amount of time.
Another reason I like my Savage 99 is that when Arthur Savage designed it, he was way ahead of his time, he put a rotary magazine in it, and it's able to utilize pointed bullets, which means more downrange energy, and flatter trajectory.
But, I'm still a died in the wool classic lever gun person, and wouldn't pass up a chance to own a .348 Winchester.
It just drips nostalgia! Along with the Model 71!

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