.348 bullets

[Kansas Ed]

Wondering if anyone has ever tried swaging .358 diameter Jacketed bullets down to .348 diameter. Could make an easy solution for .348 shooters.

Ed

[RKrodle]

I've heard, I've never done it, that swagging down a jacketed bullet can cause problems. The lead inside will compress and the jacket will compress but the jacket will spring back out some causing separation of the jacket and lead core. This can allow the jacked to spin around the lead core when fired in a rifled barrel. Probably not good. I checked into buying a setup to make my own jacketed bullets using Cordin equipment. The initial cost is pretty steep for just my own use. For everything that they suggest to get started it was about $1500.00 dollars. I've also spoke to someone who has made jacked bullets by swagging and he said it is a chore to do and recommended a hydraulic press setup which equals more money. It's still something I'm considering but has been put on hold for now. Oh, by the way, Woodliegh in now making a 250gr bonded core bullet for the 348. Just my two cents.

[jtaylor1960]

I have done this with .35 Remington Corelokt bullets.I used two Lee sizing dies that I ordered in .351 and .358.They seemed to shoot fine although I never got to use them on game.As far as I know Hornady still makes bullets for the 348.That would be the easiest route.There is also Hawk,Woodleigh, Barnes and Northfork.

[Kansas Ed]

I have done this with .35 Remington Corelokt bullets.I used two Lee sizing dies that I ordered in .351 and .358.They seemed to shoot fine although I never got to use them on game.As far as I know Hornady still makes bullets for the 348.That would be the easiest route.There is also Hawk,Woodleigh, Barnes and Northfork.

I'm not much on the Hornady, and hate to give $1 ea for the other brands. Although out of the others I do prefer the Hawk. I got a batch of Woodleigh's once that the cannelure was so far misplaced that they wouldn't load in the 1895 405 due to too long oal. I sent them back and haven't returned to their product. BTW they were listed as a 405 win bullet.

Ed

[Thunder50]

You could probably use a Lee push thru die in .355 and then use a .352 and a .348 dies. Probably cost you about $50 for all of them. Might work. I have don .458 down to .452 and they work well. That other .004 might cause problems, might not.