44 mag rifle vs. 350 Legend ?

I don’t have the Legend. But I do have the 44. I have no complains. My 44 does it’s job every time as long as I do mine. But I have no reason to believe the Legend is lacking.

I would think the 350 would have some better range. Maybe only 50 extra yds though if you use MPBR.

I don’t think that makes up enough for the lack of big holes the 44 has.

The 350 Legend began as a concept for putting a straight walled, large caliber, heavy bullet, hunting round into an AR, while still using mags made for .223/5.56 NATO and only needing a barrel swap. It's basically a .223 case that isn't necked-down, loaded with a .357 caliber bullet. Because of the case diameter it has some advantages over the .450 Bushmaster when dealing with an AR platform, as the AR platform needs modified mags and some other changes for the .450 bushmaster . The .350 Legend has been found to be a good idea in bolt action rifles as well, especially in states where straight walled ammunition is allowed when other rifle ammunition is not.

The .44 mag is a venerable deer harvester. Bolt action, semi-auto, lever-action, and single shot rifles are chambered in it, and for good reason. Even old style, all lead bullets have been shown to hammer deer out to 150 yards. Beyond that the round will still perform but the trajectory is a bit harsher than say the .350 Legend.

Contrary to recent online magazine articles, the .350 Legend is not superior to the .357 Magnum when the .357 magnum is launched from a single shot or lever action rifle. Some articles are disingenuous as they compare the .350 Legend from a rifle platform to the .357 Magnum from a pistol. The longer barrel and lack of a cylinder gap that one gets with a .357 Magnum cartridge fired from a rifle ups the muzzle velocity.

Is the .44 Magnum "better" than the .350 Legend? I doubt it. At close ranges of 50 yards or less the deer isn't going to know the difference. At the 100-150 yard mark the .350 Legend will likely still deform well on impact... the .44 magnum even if it doesn't deform at all is none the less delivering a .429 diameter hole with a 240 grain projectile... (Where's the "shrug" emoji) .

Since you already have the rifle in .350 Legend, I'd say try that on deer. Recoil should be less, and the trajectory flatter, and so far reports on performance have been very good. You should be able to go out to 200 yards without too much worry or adjustment or hold-over

LD

Either will easily take deer to 150yds. The .350 shoots flatter and will give you more range but the .44 in the right gun with the right bullet will take game that is FAR larger and more dangerous. In fact, I would not hesitate to take all of the Big Five using a reliable levergun with the proper twist rate for the 300gr Punch load.

Either one is the right gun if you can do your job.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Ttrl

Loyalist Dave said:

Contrary to recent online magazine articles, the .350 Legend is not superior to the .357 Magnum when the .357 magnum is launched from a single shot or lever action rifle.

Click to expand...

The Legend fits about 15% more H110 in the case under the same bullet as the Max. On an even playing field, there’s no replacement for displacement.

Having both, the LEGEND is (significantly) superior to the 357 in sending a heavy bullet down range, irrespective of platform.
Not only does the case hold 37% more powder (37 vs 27gr water), but operates at almost 60% higher pressure (55,000 psi).

It sends a 180gr Hotcore 200 yards point blank minute of deer heart.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6760172&postcount=5

FWIW: I'm also running a 240gr cast bullet out at 1,700fps from just a 15" rifled barrel.
Give me 18-20"(standard short rifle) and you're looking at 1900fps w/ a very heavy/very efficient/very compact/very high BC cast cartridge just short of the 35 Remington.

I say get both!

MEHavey said:

Having both, the LEGEND is (significantly) superior to the 357 in sending a heavy bullet down range, irrespective of platform.
Not only does the case hold 37% more powder (37 vs 27gr water), but operates at almost 60% higher pressure (55,000 psi).

It sends a 180gr Hotcore 200 yards point blank minute of deer heart.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6760172&postcount=5

FWIW: I'm also running a 240gr cast bullet out at 1,700fps from just a 15" rifled barrel.
Give me 18-20"(standard short rifle) and you're looking at 1900fps w/ a very heavy/very efficient/very compact/very high BC cast cartridge just short of the 35 Remington.

Click to expand...

I may have to try running some .358s thru a sizing die, my BC wont comfortably chamber them but it isnt far off.

Varminterror said:

The Legend fits about 15% more H110 in the case under the same bullet as the Max. On an even playing field, there’s no replacement for displacement.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I was imprecise. The magazine articles to which I am referring don't mention handloading. They reference factory loadings, and some even neglect to compare bullet loadings of the same weights even when comparing rifle to handgun.

But one normally can exceed the performance of just about any factory load, through hand loading. Right?

LD

Handloaded (fairest comparison) the 350 wins.
Factory loaded, the 350 wins as well (for the same reasons -- capacity & pressure)

But I'm certainly open to data comparing same loadings/same platforms ...apples to apples

Loyalist Dave said:

But one normally can exceed the performance of just about any factory load, through hand loading. Right?

Click to expand...

Most typically with modern era cartridges, no. Not without exceeding the established pressure standards for both the cartridge and the rifle firing them.

Varminterror said:

Most typically with modern era cartridges, no.

Click to expand...

No...really...., I've found that one can and normally does get a marked improvement in accuracy, and thus exceeds the performance of factory ammunition, when hand loading. Velocity and bullet performance only count when the projectile strikes the target in the proper spot. And I've seen some crap-tastic groups from newly store bought, modern cartridges, in rifles that were not worn out.

I guess mileage may differ...

LD

Loyalist Dave said:

No...really...., I've found that one can and normally does get a marked improvement in accuracy, and thus exceeds the performance of factory ammunition, when hand loading. Velocity and bullet performance only count when the projectile strikes the target in the proper spot. And I've seen some crap-tastic groups from newly store bought, modern cartridges, in rifles that were not worn out.

I guess mileage may differ...

LD

Click to expand...

Keep dodging champ. You called out a difference in velocity, touting the 357max as superior, made a silly statement about reloading, and now you’re back-pedaling into a lie about intending your statement about velocity was about accuracy.

Loyalist Dave said:

Contrary to recent online magazine articles, the .350 Legend is not superior to the .357 Magnum when the .357 magnum is launched from a single shot or lever action rifle. Some articles are disingenuous as they compare the .350 Legend from a rifle platform to the .357 Magnum from a pistol. The longer barrel and lack of a cylinder gap that one gets with a .357 Magnum cartridge fired from a rifle ups the muzzle velocity.

Click to expand...

IME, more powder at higher pressure usually yields better results but I'm weird like that.

CraigC said:

IME, more powder at higher pressure usually yields better results but I'm weird like that.

Click to expand...

I mean..... that’s a pretty broad statement. There are bullets that absolutely perform poorly when launched too fast. And there are also many, many, rifles that do not provide the best results when shooting bullets at max loads. That’s the benefit to handloading.

I have a 357 maximum, it’s better at long range than my .44 mags. It’s been awhile since I have used either for hunting though and both would work at 150.

Sounds like you are happy with the 44 results, If it ain’t broke...

BigBore44 said:

I mean..... that’s a pretty broad statement. There are bullets that absolutely perform poorly when launched too fast. And there are also many, many, rifles that do not provide the best results when shooting bullets at max loads. That’s the benefit to handloading.

Click to expand...

You're taking my "broad statement" out of context. I was basically agreeing with these two posts:

Varminterror said:

The Legend fits about 15% more H110 in the case under the same bullet as the Max. On an even playing field, there’s no replacement for displacement.

Click to expand...

MEHavey said:

Having both, the LEGEND is (significantly) superior to the 357 in sending a heavy bullet down range, irrespective of platform.
Not only does the case hold 37% more powder (37 vs 27gr water), but operates at almost 60% higher pressure (55,000 psi).

Click to expand...

CraigC said:

You're taking my "broad statement" out of context. I was basically agreeing with these two posts:

Click to expand...

Good enough explanation for me. Carry on.