350 Legend

Thoughts on the 350 Legend

Too many “old” calibers that I want to try,for it to interest me...

It's definitely better deer round in AR platform than 223 but it's still only around 30-30 or 7.62x39 in killing power.id go 450 Bushmaster or 458 socom far as AR goes.i would like to have one but it's nothing spectacular

The very best option in an AR nomenclature is the 243.

I just built one and was surprised at how accurate that round is. I sighted mine 1” high at 100 and with a 4” hold over I can put every round on a 4” steel at 200 with the Winchester 180gr soft point. Absolutely no recoil and is a pleasure to shoot. I’m gonna use it for short range deer hunting and hog hunting. It’s going to be my weapon of choice the next few days. Oh ya, I will ring the heck out of those steel plates. We also built my buddy a 450 bushmaster. That thing is a hammer but it also packs a pretty good recoil. I’m anxious to see how it performs on a deer.

This is going to be my next build. I’ve been saying that an AR10 in 243 fun to shoot.

First: it’s a short range improvement on 223/300/450, when bullets, energy, blast, and recoil are factored in. However, if it had been done (IMO) ‘right’, with a 223 case and 357/358 bore, at 5.56 pressures, it would be 200-400fps faster across the board....from a 16” barrel, and mud hole the competition to 300 yards, along with having easy components for loaders and more bullets for hunting. It’d look better than factory 35 Remington with pointed bullets, and hold up for range better than the hard kicking 45s. It’s still a good performing round vs the others. It just failed to reach the potential of the 357 AR.

However, the 223/5.56 is a very efficient killing machine. There's no need to improve upon the proven product.

Except for deer/hogs from all angles, in all shot windows....bullet construction being equal, just about all other AR calibers with a larger bore are better for medium game. Just physics.

I’m hoping to give y’all some first hand info on the performance of the 350. I do however agree with outback that a 223/556 and 62gr fusions is more then adequate for southern deer.

My understanding is it is for some midwestern state where they’re afraid of high velocity deer rifles. Some of these guys I work with from Indiana have told about restrictions.

A few states that had just a shotgun season is allowing straight wall cartridges and Winchester developed the 350 legend for
Those states. Claims to be the fastest straight wall cartridge out there. Not sure if it’s true are not.

I would put my 375 winchester up against any straight wall out there.

I’m not sure why they are claiming it’s the fastest straigtwall cartridge because it’s not. 375 win, 444 Marlin are faster with factory ammo. The 450 Bushmaster can be handloaded (in bolt action or single shot) to be faster.

Some states also have a case length maximum.

Correct. However the .444 is legal in Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and others are legal. So I’m still trying to figure out why the keep saying “fastest straight wall cartridge on the market”. That’s just wrong lol.

Back to the OPs question. In my opinion its absolute max range is 200 yards. At 200 yards it only has roughly 800 ft lbs of energy and will drop 8” (with a 100 yard zero). In comparison the .450 Bushmaster has more slightly more energy at 300 than the 350 legend at 200 yards. In my opinion there are many better options for straight wall cartridges.

As I said in an earlier post, my rifle with win 180gr soft points sighted in 1” high at 100 will stay in a 4” steel at 200 with a 4” hold over. I think the 150s have a little more drop. But I wouldn’t dare shoot at a deer that far. Hogs sure but not deer. I built the 350 with my daughter in mind. Almost zero recoil and a lightweight rifle. My buddy’s 450, a beast of a gun is heavy and not real kid friendly. I will say that by the end of the season, a 450 may be added if I owned any guns.

A 180 SSP will run well over 2400 in a 357 max at 16”. It’ll do it kicking far less than any 450,444, 375, etc....in a semi. It’ll shoot flatter and hold energy better, as well. There’s not much to hate about a straight wall 35, unless you gotta have it in a lever gun or need to have more recoil. The legend IS overhyped, but it’s still a decent straight wall 9mm.