Reloading for Model 71 Winchester???

[Jarhead]

Gentlemen:

I know there are a lot of 71 fans located here. I have done a lot of reloading on other calibers, but never have messed with cast bullets.
What is the best cast bullet to use for busting paper with the Model 71?
Powder, FPS, etc..

Also, anyone ever try to pull the old 250GR Silvertips from very old ammo and put them in fresh brass, etc. I have some friends in Eastern Oregon who have tried this, but they tell me " it's difficult to crimp the bullet without collapsing the casing." I guess pulling the bullet deforms them a little....any tricks out there?

Appreciate your knowledge....

Mike

[AkRay]

I finally got one. I've had bullets push back into the cases on ammo that I've reloaded for my gun. I've used the FCD to crimp some rounds, but haven't gone and shot them yet. This one thing will keep you from the headaches that I've had with my Model 71.

[Lastmohecken]

I havn't bought dies for my 71 .348win yet, but I have had some troubles with collapsing the case shoulders on my 450 Alaskan ammo, which of course is a blown out .348 case.

I wonder if I can get a Lee Factory Crimp die for the .450 Alaskan, or if another caliber FCD would work?

[WinM71]

The best cast bullet for the 71 for me was always the old Lyman #350447, about 185 grains & I always had good accuracy with it. You will also want to find .348 gaschecks to use with it. The #350457 and #350482, a pair of 250 grainers, are fun but not as accurate as the #350447 and of course the generate a lot of recoil if you get them moving very fast.

Should be no problem using pulled 250gr silvertips in new cases. As for crimping bullets into cases with the .348, it was a nightmare with the "roll crimp" type of arrangement in the typical seater die. Collapses too many shoulders & is just generally unsatisfactory. The Lee Factory Crimp Die, on the other hand, is a jewel. Crimps like a factory round, with the crimp "pressed" into the case by a collet rather than "rolled" like in a seater die. It is the bst few bucks you'll ever spend for loading the .348. I bought a spare, in case my first one ever wears out or breaks.

[Grizzly Adams]

Also, anyone ever try to pull the old 250GR Silvertips from very old ammo and put them in fresh brass, etc. I have some friends in Eastern Oregon who have tried this, but they tell me " it's difficult to crimp the bullet without collapsing the casing." I guess pulling the bullet deforms them a little....any tricks out there?

Appreciate your knowledge....

Mike

Hi, Mike.

If you get your hands on any of the old 250 Silvertips, there is no need to pull the bullets. Unless it has been stored in a well, or corroded, it will work just fine. I used to shoot it some, and still have about 5 boxes left. Kinda expensive shooting, however, as that stuff is kinda collectable!

Barnes used to offer a tuff 250 grainer, but have not seen any for a while.

I like H4895 in the 348. My favorite load is 53.5 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain Hornady. Pretty much duplicates the factory load. For cast try 43 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain gas checked bullet.

I shoot a lot of moose with the ole 71, when I lived in the Great White North, and never had one come back for seconds.

[Jarhead]

The best cast bullet for the 71 for me was always the old Lyman #350447, about 185 grains & I always had good accuracy with it. You will also want to find .348 gaschecks to use with it. The #350457 and #350482, a pair of 250 grainers, are fun but not as accurate as the #350447 and of course the generate a lot of recoil if you get them moving very fast.

Should be no problem using pulled 250gr silvertips in new cases. As for crimping bullets into cases with the .348, it was a nightmare with the "roll crimp" type of arrangement in the typical seater die. Collapses too many shoulders & is just generally unsatisfactory. The Lee Factory Crimp Die, on the other hand, is a jewel. Crimps like a factory round, with the crimp "pressed" into the case by a collet rather than "rolled" like in a seater die. It is the bst few bucks you'll ever spend for loading the .348. I bought a spare, in case my first one ever wears out or breaks.

Appreciate your knowledge Thanks

[Jarhead]

Also, anyone ever try to pull the old 250GR Silvertips from very old ammo and put them in fresh brass, etc. I have some friends in Eastern Oregon who have tried this, but they tell me " it's difficult to crimp the bullet without collapsing the casing." I guess pulling the bullet deforms them a little....any tricks out there?

Appreciate your knowledge....

Mike

Hi, Mike.

If you get your hands on any of the old 250 Silvertips, there is no need to pull the bullets. Unless it has been stored in a well, or corroded, it will work just fine. I used to shoot it some, and still have about 5 boxes left. Kinda expensive shooting, however, as that stuff is kinda collectable!

Barnes used to offer a tuff 250 grainer, but have not seen any for a while.

I like H4895 in the 348. My favorite load is 53.5 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain Hornady. Pretty much duplicates the factory load. For cast try 43 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain gas checked bullet.

I shoot a lot of moose with the ole 71, when I lived in the Great White North, and never had one come back for seconds.

Thanks Griz,

I have about 10 boxes of collectible ammo...only two that are corroded(can't hear the powder in the case like I can in the others) I don't shoot the old stuff, especially my "Bear Boxes." But I have two boxes that I bought that were corroded, etc. , so thought I'd pull the bullets and use them for hunting only! What the heck, I'm not going to live forever, so I might as well use them. I have some very mint 250GR silvertips. My friends in eastern Oregon, put one nice 250GR silvertip in the chamber and then load the magazine with 200 gr silvertips to follow.

Lived up in the frozen north myself for 11 years...took my Silvertip Grizzly with a Pre-64 Model 70 .338 Win Mag.(Denali Country-Brushkana Drainage) Outside of Cantwell, AK...Killed my Moose with a Pre-64 30-06 Model 70 with .220GR Hornady 2600fps...(Wind River Drainage on the south side of the Brooks Range)

Killed a 6X6 Rocky Mountain Elk(Eastern Oregon) with a 1937 Model 71 "Short Rifle" using 250gr silvertip...man they work great!

[pharmseller]

Also, anyone ever try to pull the old 250GR Silvertips from very old ammo and put them in fresh brass, etc. I have some friends in Eastern Oregon who have tried this, but they tell me " it's difficult to crimp the bullet without collapsing the casing." I guess pulling the bullet deforms them a little....any tricks out there?

Appreciate your knowledge....

Mike

Hi, Mike.

If you get your hands on any of the old 250 Silvertips, there is no need to pull the bullets. Unless it has been stored in a well, or corroded, it will work just fine. I used to shoot it some, and still have about 5 boxes left. Kinda expensive shooting, however, as that stuff is kinda collectable!

Barnes used to offer a tuff 250 grainer, but have not seen any for a while.

I like H4895 in the 348. My favorite load is 53.5 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain Hornady. Pretty much duplicates the factory load. For cast try 43 grains of H4895 under a 200 grain gas checked bullet.

I shoot a lot of moose with the ole 71, when I lived in the Great White North, and never had one come back for seconds.

Thanks Griz,

I have about 10 boxes of collectible ammo...only two that are corroded(can't hear the powder in the case like I can in the others) I don't shoot the old stuff, especially my "Bear Boxes." But I have two boxes that I bought that were corroded, etc. , so thought I'd pull the bullets and use them for hunting only! What the heck, I'm not going to live forever, so I might as well use them. I have some very mint 250GR silvertips. My friends in eastern Oregon, put one nice 250GR silvertip in the chamber and then load the magazine with 200 gr silvertips to follow.

Lived up in the forzen north myself for 11 years...took my Silvertip Grizzly with a Pre-64 Model 70 .338 Win Mag.(Denali Country-Brushkana Drainage) Outside of Cantwell, AK...Killed my Moose with a Pre-64 30-06 Model 70 with .220GR Hornady 2600fps...

Killed a 6X6 Rocky Mountain Elk(Eastern Oregon) with a 1937 Model 71 "Short Rifle" using 250gr silvertip...man they work great!

I'm your neighbor to the west. I'd love to see some pics of the 6x6! 5x5 is my biggest so far...

Quinn

[Leverluver]

I've had very good luck with the RCBS 200 (210gr from WWs) for plinkers (<2000fps). It has worked better for me than the Lyman 185 although it is also good. Back before all the "literature" told me I shouldn't, I smashed the 350457 and 482 down through a .340 sizer die and then paper patched them back up and then sized and lubed the patched bullet again. In my original deluxe, the 482 PP was dramatically the most accurate load it ever shot. Back when the eyes were young, that combo would stay under 1.25" all day long. With jacketed of any kind the rifle would never get better than 2.5". Some times stupid youth works

[Yodar]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the cult of the Model 71. The following load is the result of a few years of experimenting. Winchester cases, Winchester large rifle primers, 24 1/2 grains of IMR-4198 powder, 250 grain Lyman#350482 cast lead, gas checked bullet. The OAL was 2.795 inches. This is a "user friendly" target load. Muzzle velocity runs around 1550 fps. Five shot groups at 50 yards run around 1 1/4 inch shooting from a bench rest. Rifle is a deluxe grade with a Williams receiver sight.

The Lyman # 350482 bullet is a long, round-nosed slug. Ken Waters called it "a real bruiser". I buy mine from one Vern Anderson, 250 E. Oak St., Glenwood city, WI, 54013. His e-mail is gutshot_again@yohoo.com. Note there is an underline character between "gutshot" and "again".

Good luck

[Jarhead]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the cult of the Model 71. The following load is the result of a few years of experimenting. Winchester cases, Winchester large rifle primers, 24 1/2 grains of IMR-4198 powder, 250 grain Lyman#350482 cast lead, gas checked bullet. The OAL was 2.795 inches. This is a "user friendly" target load. Muzzle velocity runs around 1550 fps. Five shot groups at 50 yards run around 1 1/4 inch shooting from a bench rest. Rifle is a deluxe grade with a Williams receiver sight.

The Lyman # 350482 bullet is a long, round-nosed slug. Ken Waters called it "a real bruiser". I buy mine from one Vern Anderson, 250 E. Oak St., Glenwood city, WI, 54013. His e-mail is gutshot_again@yohoo.com. Note there is an underline character between "gutshot" and "again".

Good luck

Thanks Yodar!

I have both of Ken Waters' reloading manuals...reckon I should pull them out and take a closer look.

Appreciate your knowledge and experience.

Mike