350 Legend Thoughts?

[roymunson]

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?

Licking Co is a darn good place to spend some time with a gun...

I made it a point to shoulder shoot the does as I was sick and tired of trailing them. My son bang flopped one and mind did the bull dozer for about 10 yards and died...

I was teaching my 11 year old to field dress the deer so I wasn't into it as much as I usually am when gutting. But it was effective.

 

[Shraggs]

Licking Co is a darn good place to spend some time with a gun...

I made it a point to shoulder shoot the does as I was sick and tired of trailing them. My son bang flopped one and mind did the bull dozer for about 10 yards and died...

I was teaching my 11 year old to field dress the deer so I wasn't into it as much as I usually am when gutting. But it was effective.

Thanks.

For now I’ll stick with factory Winchester 150 xp. Very devastating.

Too bad Intel had set up shop and buying everything! Such high yield tillable is soon condos…

 

[Xlr8n]

Sounds like the new 400 Legend is a good compromise. 25% more energy than the 350 Legend yet 20% less recoil than the 450 Bushmaster.

 

[Rich M]

Sounds like the new 400 Legend is a good compromise. 25% more energy than the 350 Legend yet 20% less recoil than the 450 Bushmaster.

Bunch of useless % numbers. Why can't they say how much more recoil it is than a 350 Legend?

Google says:
The 350 Legend recoil averages 8.5 foot-pounds. (for the 150 gr Winchester round)
The average recoil energy for the 30-30 Winchester is 14 ft-lbs.

Google says:
On average, the 450 Bushmaster recoil will measure approximately 24 ft-lbs compared to an average of 20 ft-lbs free recoil for 308. To put this into context, the 450 Bushmaster only has 3 ft-lbs less free recoil than a 2 ¾” 12-gauge shotgun shell firing 1 oz slugs.

So 24# x 80% recoil (80% is 20% less then a whole) = 19.2# recoil.
So 400 Legend is about the same as a 308.

400 Legend has about twice the recoil of the 350 Legend. They can't say that.

 

[tpicou]

Bunch of useless % numbers. Why can't they say how much more recoil it is than a 350 Legend?

Google says:
The 350 Legend recoil averages 8.5 foot-pounds. (for the 150 gr Winchester round)
The average recoil energy for the 30-30 Winchester is 14 ft-lbs.

Google says:
On average, the 450 Bushmaster recoil will measure approximately 24 ft-lbs compared to an average of 20 ft-lbs free recoil for 308. To put this into context, the 450 Bushmaster only has 3 ft-lbs less free recoil than a 2 ¾” 12-gauge shotgun shell firing 1 oz slugs.

So 24# x 80% recoil (80% is 20% less then a whole) = 19.2# recoil.
So 400 Legend is about the same as a 308.

400 Legend has about twice the recoil of the 350 Legend. They can't say that.

Yeah that’s a lot more recoil (comparatively). I was thinking about doing a 400 bolt gun for Maryland but I want to see more reviews of people using it before opting for that over the 350.

 

[Gen273]

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.

Do you mind sharing your load data?

 

[Rich M]

Yeah that’s a lot more recoil (comparatively). I was thinking about doing a 400 bolt gun for Maryland but I want to see more reviews of people using it before opting for that over the 350.

Yes - be nice to see some real reviews as opposed to paid advertisements.

Might be some reviews/real opinions form guys using them on midwest forums. This forum is more long range stuff.

 

[BassAssassin04]

Do you mind sharing your load data?

30.0 grains of Hodgdon CFE BLK, CCI Small Rifle no. 400, Ogive 1.885" (COAL is about 2.3800"). I'm sure this would not fit in most magazines, but I have an encore so that's not an issue for me.

 

[plebe]

Anyone have experience with Hornaday Black 150gr Interlock (on deer)?

Or

Able to share the answer on whether or not Bear Creek 140gr HV pointed tip ammo works in Tikka magazines (stock or modified)?

 

[roymunson]

Anyone have experience with Hornaday Black 150gr Interlock (on deer)?

Or

Able to share the answer on whether or not Bear Creek 140gr HV pointed tip ammo works in Tikka magazines (stock or modified)?

I don't know about the Tikka mags, but i'll only shoot copper moving forward in the 350. Totally changed the terminal performance of the gun. We struggled with standard cup n core bullets. Copper got better penetration and killed them more efficiently than the other stuff.

 

[Subs]

Anyone have experience with Hornaday Black 150gr Interlock (on deer)?

Or

Able to share the answer on whether or not Bear Creek 140gr HV pointed tip ammo works in Tikka magazines (stock or modified)?

I've used the 165g FXT with good accuracy and success out of my Howa Mini Action but I'm also interested in trying the Bear Creek ammo and had the same questions you did. I think I saw that there is a recall on the Hornaday Black in 350L. What Tikka are you shooting?

 

[plebe]

I've used the 165g FXT with good accuracy and success out of my Howa Mini Action but I'm also interested in trying the Bear Creek ammo and had the same questions you did. I think I saw that there is a recall on the Hornaday Black in 350L. What Tikka are you shooting?

Bear Creek never responded to my inquiry on compatibility, but I saw on one of their videos that they modified a Tikka mag for their tipped ammo. I’ll start bugging them by phone and see where that lands.

Have the cheap T3x lite compact. Cancelled on the 2024 Roughtech Specter due to shipping timeline.

 

[Subs]

Bear Creek never responded to my inquiry on compatibility, but I saw on one of their videos that they modified a Tikka mag for their tipped ammo. I’ll start bugging them by phone and see where that lands.

Have the cheap T3x lite compact. Cancelled on the 2024 Roughtech Specter due to shipping timeline.

I emailed them a few years ago asking about a custom 350L build and never heard back but I’ve never tried to call. Would be nice to have a multi shot option that fit the pointed round. I’m looking into a roughtech option that has a 16” fluted barrel and bolt. Some would think it’s overkill for a whitetail set up but we can’t let the western guys have all the cool rigs! How does the tikka cycle? My Howa doesn’t have any issues but I don’t love the magazine hanging down.

 

[Zack-s]

I've had good luck with 350 legend in an ar with bear creek arsenal barrel. It shoots the winchester 180s very well unlike most others experience with the heavier bullets. I'm not very fond of the 150 ballistic tipped bullets due to excessive meat damage. Around 7 kills with it and they were down within 20 yards.

 

[Dobeman887]

30.0 grains of Hodgdon CFE BLK, CCI Small Rifle no. 400, Ogive 1.885" (COAL is about 2.3800"). I'm sure this would not fit in most magazines, but I have an encore so that's not an issue for me.

Was this OAL for the AR 140gr Bear Creek bullet or the HV 140gr bullet? I am really worried about OAL causing too much pressure in my Franchi 350 Legend. And Bear Creek sent me the wrong data sheet (450 bushmaster instead of load data for 140gr HV bullet), so I have to contact them.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I've yet to use it on game, but I recently put a stainless 20" SuperLite Tikka barreled action in a Stocky's sporter stock, mounted a S&B Klassic 1.5-6x42 in Hawkins Featherweight rings, and it's a light, handy, accurate package. Factory Hornady Whitetail 170's formed a nice 5 shot cluster, average was 2305 fps, and recoil was very minimal. Feeding was excellent with factory Tikka mags and the 3D printed extended mags.

I have no requirement for using the round. I'm free to use most anything in the states I hunt, but for less than 200 yards, it's hard not to like. I'm looking forward to putting it to use.

 

[Dobeman887]

I've yet to use it on game, but I recently put a stainless 20" SuperLite Tikka barreled action in a Stocky's sporter stock, mounted a S&B Klassic 1.5-6x42 in Hawkins Featherweight rings, and it's a light, handy, accurate package. Factory Hornady Whitetail 170's formed a nice 5 shot cluster, average was 2305 fps, and recoil was very minimal. Feeding was excellent with factory Tikka mags and the 3D printed extended mags.

I have no requirement for using the round. I'm free to use most anything in the states I hunt, but for less than 200 yards, it's hard not to like. I'm looking forward to putting it to use.

I didn't even know Tikka made a 350 Legend. I have a Tikka 300 Win Mag for out west, but in IL it's straight walls and Muzzleloaders for me (pistol if a deer comes in close enough).

 

[BassAssassin04]

Was this OAL for the AR 140gr Bear Creek bullet or the HV 140gr bullet? I am really worried about OAL causing too much pressure in my Franchi 350 Legend. And Bear Creek sent me the wrong data sheet (450 bushmaster instead of load data for 140gr HV bullet), so I have to contact them.

No I use FTX 165

 

[Chris in TN]

So, my daughter has shot two deer with her .350L.

It's a CVA single shot. Using book loads of lil'gun and the 165FTX, I have achieved as high as 2500'MV. I'm loading longer than 2.26" and suspect that for reasons I do not exactly know, I'm getting more pressure than normal (TANSSAAFL). Maybe my brass (Winchester) has less capacity than whatever Hodgdon used. But for inside of 200 yard deer hunting, I think it's a perfectly suitable caliber. Obviously the trajectory stinks past 200.

The CVA single shot is gratifyingly accurate for a $400 rifle. It's handy in a treestand even with a can on it.

 

[Thegman]

So, my daughter has shot two deer with her .350L.

It's a CVA single shot. Using book loads of lil'gun and the 165FTX, I have achieved as high as 2500'MV. I'm loading longer than 2.26" and suspect that for reasons I do not exactly know, I'm getting more pressure than normal (TANSSAAFL). Maybe my brass (Winchester) has less capacity than whatever Hodgdon used. But for inside of 200 yard deer hunting, I think it's a perfectly suitable caliber. Obviously the trajectory stinks past 200.

The CVA single shot is gratifyingly accurate for a $400 rifle. It's handy in a treestand even with a can on it.

Lil Gun is a Lil Weird

Try loading the Lil Gun load to the oal specs from the load data, or to where it's compressed slightly and see if that helps.

Often pressure goes down and stabilizes as it's compressed somewhat. I've seen similar issues loading it in 300 HAM’R where I'd get velocity/pressure spikes, especially if I loaded too long. If the bullet could be seated deeper, often the pressure spikes seem to be reduced or resolved.

Another Lil Weird thing with Lil Gun is that it also seems to spike as temps go down, IME.