The 348 Winchester is an American rifle cartridge that was created for the Winchester Model 71 lever-action rifle and was debuted in 1936. It was one of the most powerful rimmed rounds ever used in a lever-action rifle when it arrived. Many people believe it to be one of the best lever action rifles ever made.
The.348 Winchester's case capacity is amazing. The cartridge was designed using the.50-110 cartridge case, which has a rim diameter of.610" and a length of 2.255". Rather than using the same machinery as the.33 bore, the new cartridge was intended to fire a.348 '' bullet, which was an entirely different calibre. Initial loads included a 150-grain bullet travelling at 2920 feet per second and a 200-grain bullet travelling at 2535 feet per second. Later, a 250-grain load with a stated velocity of 2350 fps was offered. Later, instead of the original 8x50mmR, the case of the.348 was utilized to make the 8-348w wildcat, which was used to rechamber World War 1-era rifles like Lebel or Berthier.
This cartridge is great for any North American large game in forests or scrub, but it is not suitable for long-range (400 yards and beyond) due to the Model 71's tubular magazine, which requires the use of flat-nose slugs. The.348 possessed enough power and ammunition for hunting a wide variety of game body weights out to moderate ranges, but it met the same fate as its predecessor.
For a variety of reasons, the 348 Winchester has already been supplanted by other cartridges, one of which being its bore size. With the.358 bore firmly established and generating good performance in its own right, it's unlikely that the.348 will ever make a significant comeback.
The .358 Winchester was one of the first cartridges created utilizing a modified.308 Winchester case, and it did have certain benefits over its parent cartridge. At the time of its introduction, it received little attention. However, while factory.358 rifles were not mass-produced, it is still common to find custom-built rifles chambered in this caliber. Although factory ammunition for the.358 Winchester is not widely accessible, components for hand loading are easily available.
Energy transmission is one component of the.358 that really stands out. A hefty bullet may be chosen without fear of inefficient energy transmission. At impact velocities exceeding 2200 fps, the.358 bore gives the most stunning effects. Previously, the.368 Winchester's popularity was limited by remarks claiming that it was exclusively intended for use on wood ranges.
In terms of bullet weights, the.358 Winchester performs best on light to medium game when loaded with 200-225 grain bullets, which achieve a balance of high velocity, a decent trajectory, high trauma, and desirable penetration. The.358 is a remarkable performer at close ranges when loaded with appropriate bullets, and in an accurate rifle, it is a reliable performer out to a maximum range of roughly 300 yards.
The.358 is intended for use in bushy to semi-broken terrain, such as river flats and open-faced slopes. The.358 Winchester is an excellent choice for hunters who require a cartridge that can assist them overcome shot placement challenges caused by challenging conditions, or who desire a low recoiling cartridge that can handle light to large sized animals.
