350 Legend Thoughts?

[BassAssassin04]

I've got about 6 deer with my 350 Legend. I havent had any deer go more that 30 yards. The only deer I shot with the Winchester 150 XP exploded the heart, so it was a pretty amazing blood trail. The other deer have been with handloads with the Hornady 165 FTX at 2300 FPS. All but the last deer was a pass through. The last one was a quartering away shot that entered mid body and went through the far shoulder and was against the hide. I weighed the remaining bullet at 147 grains (89% retention). Shot was about 100 yards and could have possible hit some brush just before the deer.
I would like to try those bear creek 140s, but I'm pretty confident with my current set up.

 

[Fordguy]

I am not buying that they can get that performance in a straight wall that fits in a 1.8” case length. If they can, that’s a lot better than any other offerings out there.

Bear creek ballistics is getting similar speeds with their 140 grain 350 legend load.

 

[Bluefish]

Bear creek ballistics is getting similar speeds with their 140 grain 350 legend load.

Big difference from 140g to 180g. They are talking 358 jdj velocity and it has a lot more case capacity. I have chronographed some lite 350 loads at 2900 that were loaded with Lehigh copper. Factory loads at 180/200 are not anywhere near what they are claiming they are getting. Even the 358 yeti isn’t going that fast and is marginal on a ar bolt face.

 

[Fordguy]

I don't know what cartridge the 41 great lakes is based on, so can't comment on capacity, but I'm sure there's more room for powder than the in the 350 legend case. Anyway, I've not seen anything "official". The only video I've seen was on full quiver outdoors on YouTube. I'm Sure you can find it if you're curious.

 

[hunt1up]

I just got my first 350 Legend last week. I was convinced I wanted a bolt action despite ILs current single shot restriction for straight wall rifles. Anyway, I bought a CVA Scout TD. I always had a low opinion of CVA in the past but I’m pleasantly surprised with their stuff now. It’s a cute little gun at 35” long. Very nimble, trigger is great. I did a DIY paint job on it, foam filled the stock, and put a Trijicon Huron on it.

I sighted it in last night. Disregard all the target patches from my sighting in with two different off the shelf ammo choices. The Winchester 150s were all over the place. 6” groups.

I ended with Bear creek 140s and they shoot lights out like I’d hoped. Excellent accuracy, low recoil. It’s extremely fun to shoot and likely displace my 220 Savage for some of the firearm season going forward.

 

[MidwestElkHunter]

I lost a buck this year with the 350 legend. Shot one at 20 yards from the ground broadside. Found good blood right at spot of shot, it turned into a speck that dried up and no more blood trail after about 50 yards. It was in a thicket, tried grid searching but never found him. I am sure he is dead, but no blood trail to find him.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Having killed a few deer myself and watched a few others, here's my take on the .350 L. It's a loophole cartridge, which means it exists not for physical performance as much as legal gymnastics. As others have experienced, it's a low-recoil, low-noise, close-distance round that's moderately accurate. For hunters (kids especially) in states where the only options were muzzleloaders and slug guns — two of the most ferocious recoiling guns in existence — it is a good tool for notching tags. Winchester has sure sold a pile of ammo since the launch. That said, I've never been impressed by its killing ability. I had a 12.5" barreled AR pistol in .350 L once, and that was a handy little package with a red dot. Without a can, noise was not bad.

 

[jackle1886]

Maybe it's the different ammo? I shot five slick heads this year and watched every single one pile up. Four went less than 20yds. One went 50 and I hit her a second time, which later I learned was unnecessary. Both were kill shots.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[Bluefish]

I was next to a guy shooting a short barrel ar chambered in 350 l with a brake. It was one of the most obnoxiously loud rifles I have ever been near.

 

[roymunson]

I was next to a guy shooting a short barrel ar chambered in 350 l with a brake. It was one of the most obnoxiously loud rifles I have ever been near.

ever? Either a small sample size or you're being dramatic.

 

[Bluefish]

ever? Either a small sample size or you're being dramatic.

It probably wasn’t as loud as my 50 bmg, but i was amazed how loud it was for being a 350. My guess was the short barrel bumped up the volume along with being some hot loads. AR’s in 223 are quite loud as well. I believe that’s due to short barrels and high pressure. If it wasn’t the day before deer season and needing to do some final testing on loads, I would have left. No way I would want to be anywhere near that rifle when it went off without plugs.

 

[TxJW]

Anything with a brake that vents to the sides is going to be a pain at the range for the folks on the line. I have quit using anything but a linear brake or a suppressor when possible. The linear brake is a dream come true for the shooter.

 

[Rich M]

I really like my 350 Legend. Ruger Ranch.

These are 3 diff loads at 125 yds, just shooting, not trying for tiny groups. 1-inch boxes on targets. The 3-inch group at top of target in 2nd pic is 250 yds w 2-7x scope, i cant see target well and just bought a new 3-9x scope for the gun. Was holding on top of target at duct tape, thought it would drop more.



This will easily kill deer to 250. I’m preferring 165 FTX for hunting and use 170 interlocks for targets cause got em cheap - think interlocks are too tough for this slow round. Might check out the lehighs.

I shot a doe at angle - in tight to shoulder, out paunch. She fell but got up and run about 100 yds. Typical drip drop gut type blood trail for first 50 yds when she started spurting out entrance hole and spray painting trees 3 ft high. These things poke a big hole.

 

[HunterMc24]

I bought one for much of the same reasons you are interested in. From KY but interested in hunting OH so I purchased on as well. Having got to use it on game, but is a light recoiling cartridge and easy to shoot. Should perform just fine as long as the shots are within effective range.

 

[SBR Sarge]

I finally chrono’d the Bear Creek 140 gr AR load out of my 12.5” SBR.

2439fps on my Garmin Xero C1

 

[Fordguy]

I'm guessing it would be around 2500 out of a 16.5" barrel, but I don't know the fps loss per inch of barrel for that load.

 

[SBR Sarge]

I'm guessing it would be around 2500 out of a 16.5" barrel, but I don't know the fps loss per inch of barrel for that load.

Hopefully others will chime in with some other chrono results. But I think you’re pretty close with the 2500 guesstimate.

In any event, it should give good expansion way past normal deer range.

 

[Shraggs]

Any one killed with hornady ftx?

 

[roymunson]

Any one killed with hornady ftx?

I've killed a couple. But those are the rounds I moved away from. Wasn't pleased with penetration and blood trail. Mine were handloads, and they were accurate enough, but I found quite a few deer without a blood trail and lost a number becuase of no blood trail. I switched to Bear Creek Ballistics 140s and was pleased.

 

[Shraggs]

I've killed a couple. But those are the rounds I moved away from. Wasn't pleased with penetration and blood trail. Mine were handloads, and they were accurate enough, but I found quite a few deer without a blood trail and lost a number becuase of no blood trail. I switched to Bear Creek Ballistics 140s and was pleased.

Thanks, I’ve done a lot hunting in licking country!

Would you characterize the wounds internally like the tmk - devastating but no exit, or underwhelmed with tissue damage also?