Ammo advice for 350 legend

[MoeFaux]

A buddy just bought an inexpensive Savage 110 package because he's suddenly interested in doing some whitetail hunting. This is the basest of base models, with the cheap plastic stock, the standard trigger, and a 3-9 Weaver scope.

I'm sure there are plenty of 110's in the community chambered in 350 Legend, so I'd like to know which factory ammo options have proven to shoot well.

Handloads are not an option at this point, so we just need anything off the shelf designed for hunting. I'm in Michigan, so lead projectiles are still okay.

 

[SBR Sarge]

350 Legend Ammo | Bear Creek Ballistics

bearcreekballistics.com

They have loads for ARs and different loads for bolt guns. I use them in an AR and they work very well.

 

[KenLee]

Cheap blue box Federal Power Skok 180 gr.
Expands well at slow legend speeds. I wouldn't be shooting em at game over 125 yards.

 

[MoeFaux]

Cheap blue box Federal Power Skok 180 gr.
Expands well at slow legend speeds. I wouldn't be shooting em at game over 125 yards.

What are your thoughts on this?

While it's not what most people like to see, I could see this performance being similar to a good passthrough from a broadhead. The damage looks more than sufficient for whitetail fatality, and it might leave a much nicer blood trail.

 

[wesfromky]

350 Legend Ammo | Bear Creek Ballistics

bearcreekballistics.com

They have loads for ARs and different loads for bolt guns. I use them in an AR and they work very well.

I have been running the 140s last couple of years with great results. The 160s also did great before the released the 140s.

 

[Adam Gibbs]

Watch some of that guys other videos if you haven't yet. Hes tested quite a few 350 varieties. I'm on the fence about getting one, but if I do my first ammo I'll try is the Winchester Defender. Pretty explosive in gel with plenty of penetration still.

 

[KenLee]

What are your thoughts on this?

While it's not what most people like to see, I could see this performance being similar to a good passthrough from a broadhead. The damage looks more than sufficient for whitetail fatality, and it might leave a much nicer blood trail.

I've seen better expansion than he describes. I'd definitely want pass through on a legend. Unless it's used in a straight wall state, I'd just as soon use a 30-30

 

[Hills]

I've killed a few deer with the 160 defenders. Overall been happy with them. Nothing went further than 60 or so yds with double lung/heart shots. All pass throughs. No crazy blood trails but there was always blood to follow even though it wasn't needed. At the end of last season I bought some 140 bear creeks to use just because I liked the way they look and the reports on them but haven't shot any at deer yet.

I don't get super hung up on most accurate bullet for the 350. I mean we're talking a 200 yd gun. I dont need bullets touching at 100 yds to kill a deer at 200. Sub 2" groups at 100 is fine with me. I much prefer a bullet that performs the way I want.

 

[hunt1up]

Bear Creek Ballistics all day. I shoot them in a CVA Scout and a Tikka 350 and they group excellent. Only killed one deer with them and it died quick.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

Bear Creek Ballistics all day. I shoot them in a CVA Scout and a Tikka 350 and they group excellent. Only killed one deer with them and it died quick.

How do the BCBs group out of your Tikka? I'm shooting under an inch with Hornady 165 ftx & WW 180s. The Hornady American Whitetail 170s were awful.

 

[Scottf270]

The Hornady 170gr Whitetail load is nearly one hole at 100 yards in my CVA Scout. I have had great performance from them.

 

[hunt1up]

How do the BCBs group out of your Tikka? I'm shooting under an inch with Hornady 165 ftx & WW 180s. The Hornady American Whitetail 170s were awful.

They group awesome out of both my CVA and the Tikka. 1” or better in both guns.

I saw 5 deer killed during our first gun season two weeks ago with the Bear Creek stuff. All died clean and quick. I think the furthest one ran was 50 yards. I know at least 3 were pass throughs. My daughter shot a big doe at 50 yards and that bullet flat out pancaked that deer. She blew the heart in half and the deer didn’t take a step. Another buddy shot a huge bodied mature buck with my CVA. Just destroyed the lungs.

I’m sold on that stuff. Accurate as can be, shoots flat and fast, recoil is nothing.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

They group awesome out of both my CVA and the Tikka. 1” or better in both guns.

I saw 5 deer killed during our first gun season two weeks ago with the Bear Creek stuff. All died clean and quick. I think the furthest one ran was 50 yards. I know at least 3 were pass throughs. My daughter shot a big doe at 50 yards and that bullet flat out pancaked that deer. She blew the heart in half and the deer didn’t take a step. Another buddy shot a huge bodied mature buck with my CVA. Just destroyed the lungs.

I’m sold on that stuff. Accurate as can be, shoots flat and fast, recoil is nothing.

Awesome thanks, I'll probably be placing an order!

 

[Treerat-sniper]

The Hornady 170gr Whitetail load is nearly one hole at 100 yards in my CVA Scout. I have had great performance from them.

Yeah, I was sighting a Savage for my cousin's kid with that stuff & it was nearly one hole with that! Looked like a shotgun pattern out of my Tikka (it loved the 165 FTX stuff though). I'll probably run the 165s this weekend & order up some of the BCBs.

 

[MoeFaux]

Presently, this gun seems to really like the cheap Federal PowerShok 180's, just like KenLee suggested above.

To be fair, there was only one other ammo tested in a fair comparison. We burned through a few boxes of different options before we found all the scope mounting hardware was never torqued properly, and THEN had the scope (the cheap factory mounted Weaver) fall apart on us. The reticle suddenly shifted to be about 15° off level, thus suggesting all the scope internals could have been rattling around the whole time.

By the time we got a new scope rail, new rings, and a new Crossfire II on top, we were pretty tired of throwing money at ammo options, so we shot what was left - which was the Federal blue box and some Winchester Deer Season.

While the Winchester did okay, the Federal was printing about 1.25" at 100 yards, but I think half of that can be attributed to the shooter(s), since we had nothing more than our selves supporting the butt end. If we had a sled or a proper bag, I'm confident we'd see MOA or better.

In the end, it's not my favorite projectile to take into the woods, but it's easy to find, easy to buy, and is shooting lights out through a $350 rifle. Tough to argue with that!