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.348 Cast Bullet Opinions
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March 30, 2025 - 8:02 pm
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 Just wondering if any one has used the Lyman 350447, 187 grain mould or the RCBS 348-200,200 grain mould ?If so,what are their opinions on the use of these two cast bullets?

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TXGunNut
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March 30, 2025 - 11:42 pm
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Unless you have one or both in hand I’d have Tom at Accurate make you a copy of his 351-220B. I looked at casting for my Model 71 but lost interest in the project. I understand the RCBS mould makes a good bullet if you can find one. I think the RCBS is a gas check design and checks may be hard to find. Tom may be able to make you a plain base mould. 

 

Mike

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March 31, 2025 - 11:59 am
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 Thanks for the comments Mike.I do have 1000 Hornady .348 gas checks.The RCBS  348-200 is a gas check mould ,as is the Lyman 350447 mould.I am in no hurry,so I will see what turns up.:)Who knows,perhaps I will lose interest in the project as well.Smile

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Pete Hynard
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April 8, 2025 - 6:05 pm
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Yes, I have an RCBS 348-200-FN mould.  

I cast my bullets from a homemade alloy of 95% wheelweight metal and 5% lead-free solder.  I use Hornady 0.348″ gas checks and I size the bullets to 0.349″.  They make a good practice load using 35.0 grains of IMR 3031.  Velocity is 1,717 f.p.s.  Recoil is light.

These bullets shoot well.  My notes say this combination will put five shots into 2½ inches at 100 yards, which is all my rifle will do.

But I don’t recommend this alloy for hunting because the bullets won’t mushroom at this velocity.  I shot only one deer with this load.  The deer was quartering away with little Gaston not far behind.  (In Ontario, deer hunting with dogs is allowed.)  The bullet quartered 18 inches through the chest cavity and exited without hitting any major bones.  It was a one-shot kill but the deer travelled 200 yards with a barely visible blood trail.  Fortunately, Gaston made her easy to find.

Here’s a pic of the RCBS 348-200-FN bullet and the doe.

If you’re having trouble finding a mould, I could cast you 50 or so and send them to you to try.  I’m in Canada.  It’s no problem for me to mail them but I don’t know if you’ll be allowed to receive them.  If you’d like to do this, check it out and let me know.

Pete Hynard

RCBS-200-FN.JPGImage Enlarger

46.-The-doe-that-won-the-buck-pot-1.jpgImage Enlarger

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April 8, 2025 - 7:47 pm
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 Thanks for that information,Pete.All most interesting.

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April 8, 2025 - 8:00 pm
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 Pete or any one else , you would not happen to know where I might be able to find a Lyman 350447  and  RCBS 348-200 mould?I would like to make my own bullets.Thank-you for the offer though.

 

 Reloading equipment such as moulds etc., can be sent back and forth between Canada and the U.S.A.,but bullets and cases cannot.

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September 16, 2025 - 7:39 pm
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Nice work Pete!

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September 20, 2025 - 12:20 pm
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Pete Hynard said
Yes, I have an RCBS 348-200-FN mould.  
I cast my bullets from a homemade alloy of 95% wheelweight metal and 5% lead-free solder.  I use Hornady 0.348″ gas checks and I size the bullets to 0.349″.  They make a good practice load using 35.0 grains of IMR 3031.  Velocity is 1,717 f.p.s.  Recoil is light.
These bullets shoot well.  My notes say this combination will put five shots into 2½ inches at 100 yards, which is all my rifle will do.
But I don’t recommend this alloy for hunting because the bullets won’t mushroom at this velocity.  I shot only one deer with this load.  The deer was quartering away with little Gaston not far behind.  (In Ontario, deer hunting with dogs is allowed.)  The bullet quartered 18 inches through the chest cavity and exited without hitting any major bones.  It was a one-shot kill but the deer travelled 200 yards with a barely visible blood trail.  Fortunately, Gaston made her easy to find.
Here’s a pic of the RCBS 348-200-FN bullet and the doe.
If you’re having trouble finding a mould, I could cast you 50 or so and send them to you to try.  I’m in Canada.  It’s no problem for me to mail them but I don’t know if you’ll be allowed to receive them.  If you’d like to do this, check it out and let me know.
Pete Hynard

  

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Fun little read too.

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