350 legend good or bad?

[deputy bruce]

I am about ready to trip the trigger on a 350 legend let me know how you like yours and if you have hunted with this ar platform. thanks a lot Deputy Bruce

 

[jmr40]

Neither, It is what it is.

If I lived somewhere that limited me to straight walled cartridges for hunting it would be something I'd consider. I think I'd prefer the 450 BM, but the 350 would be in the running.

But if I weren't restricted there are better options.

 

[forty_caliber]

Think 30-30 Winchester in an AR capable platform.

.40

 

[MAKster]

I think the 350 Legend can easily take down deer or hogs, but there are a dozen other rounds that will do the same thing. It seems to be designed for people who want to stay in the AR platform.

 

[LoonWulf]

Shot a pig in the head with mine at 40yds, worked fine, tho a fast enough rock would have done just as well. I actually really like it tho. it's fast enough, and shoots a heavy enough bull t for general use.

 

[792mauser]

Got to put a 5rd magazine through one a couple of days ago.
It's not for me, but it did its job and drove a 9mm bullet to the black at 200 yds.

The guy bought it, "just because" he could. Good enough of a reason for me.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Straight wall for those places that legislate straight wall cartridges.

AR compatible.

There are better cartridges that fit one or the other of those criteria and there is another option that fits both.

My first question when someone is considering the 350 Legend is why they are considering it over 450 Bushmaster IF it Is to be used in a straight wall area. If it is not to be used in a straight wall area then why are you considering it at all?

If it is for “just because” why do you need any affirmation?

 

[mcb]

350 Legend fits in a very interesting niche between 450 Bushmaster and 300 Blackout. If you already have a good 9mm or 357 Mag suppressor you can use it to do the jobs both of the other two cartridge were designed for. 350 legend is a straight wall cartridge with enough thump to hunt deer in areas that require straight wall cartridges. It's fast enough for moderate ranges. With subsonic ammo it can bring more energy to the target than 300 BO and do so without reduction in magazine capacity compared to 223 or 300 BO. If I didn't already have a 450 Bushmaster, 300 BO, and a 30 cal suppressor I would give the 350 Legend a serious look.

 

[IdaD]

I'd rather have a 6.5 Grendel for hunting, unless you need the straight wall design.

 

[tallpaul]

My first question when someone is considering the 350 Legend is why they are considering it over 450 Bushmaster IF it Is to be used in a straight wall area. If it is not to be used in a straight wall area then why are you considering it at all?

If it is for “just because” why do you need any affirmation?

Well the bullets for reloading and the rounds can be quite a bit cheaper... I have a 450 and bought the 350 for that cheaper option reason... no need to not have both

 

[brewer12345]

I live in a state that doesn't require straight wall but doesn't allow 223 for deer. I wanted a light, handy rifle for deer with low recoil, 200 yard capability, and that would not break the bank. So I bought a 350 legend upper. Will hunt deer with it this rifle season. 300bo does not make the cut for my state due to energy requirements. 450 is too much recoil.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

In this current market, I can find a ton of 350 legend ammo, a fair amount of 450 ammo, and basically rare anything-else-AR ammo.

So even just to have another AR, 350 legend would be a good defensive round as I can actually feed it in these odd times.

 

[mcb]

I live in a state that doesn't require straight wall but doesn't allow 223 for deer. I wanted a light, handy rifle for deer with low recoil, 200 yard capability, and that would not break the bank. So I bought a 350 legend upper. Will hunt deer with it this rifle season. 300bo does not make the cut for my state due to energy requirements. 450 is too much recoil.

Out of curiosity what state and what energy requirement level?

 

[brewer12345]

Out of curiosity what state and what energy requirement level?

Colorado has goofy laws. At 100 yards you have to have a manufacturer rating of 1000 ft lb.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Straight wall for those places that legislate straight wall cartridges.

AR compatible.

There are better cartridges that fit one or the other of those criteria and there is another option that fits both.

My first question when someone is considering the 350 Legend is why they are considering it over 450 Bushmaster IF it Is to be used in a straight wall area. If it is not to be used in a straight wall area then why are you considering it at all?

If it is for “just because” why do you need any affirmation?

Also, I’m not being flippant with this. I hunt in both straight wall and “standard” areas. I believe the 450 Bushmaster could be used all over the eastern US as a one gun plan if one were so inclined.

I personally, don’t have a use for the 350 Legend. I’m not against it. I even want to build my dad a Savage in 350 for the MI hunting he does.

However, IMO, it is for straight wall states and it fits in an AR. That’s it. No other characteristics worth mentioning. None of these are advantages or disadvantages they just are. Compared to all the other options out there, it is pretty mediocre.

There is a case for it being good for younger shooters. Maybe it has merit but I started shooting with 22s and 12 ga slugs. Such is the life growing up in a shotgun only zone.

 

[Howland937]

I've been seriously considering one in the off chance I'll have time to deer hunt this year. I've shot the .450 BM in a bolt rifle. If I went with it, I'd be getting a bolt rifle to deer hunt (no hogs in Ohio) and it wouldn't see much use beyond that. The .350L appeals to me in that ammo is cheap enough that I wouldn't have to reload for it to be able to enjoy it. Coupled with the mild recoil, it may be the cheap range blaster I could also deer hunt with.

 

[brewer12345]

Also, I’m not being flippant with this. I hunt in both straight wall and “standard” areas. I believe the 450 Bushmaster could be used all over the eastern US as a one gun plan if one were so inclined.

I personally, don’t have a use for the 350 Legend. I’m not against it. I even want to build my dad a Savage in 350 for the MI hunting he does.

However, IMO, it is for straight wall states and it fits in an AR. That’s it. No other characteristics worth mentioning. None of these are advantages or disadvantages they just are. Compared to all the other options out there, it is pretty mediocre.

There is a case for it being good for younger shooters. Maybe it has merit but I started shooting with 22s and 12 ga slugs. Such is the life growing up in a shotgun only zone.

Different strokes. I certainly have more capable rifles to hunt with, but it doesn't take much to kill deer within the usual 100 yards, so that part doesn't matter to me. Cheap, handy and good enough for deer. Mine also proved quite accurate for a low end AR shooting a compromise cartridge. The other motivation is that my small stature daughter may eventually want to hunt deer. Extendible stock and low recoil are ideal.

 

[mcb]

Colorado has goofy laws. At 100 yards you have to have a manufacturer rating of 1000 ft lb.

That seems a bit restrictive, I have killed quite a few deer with less energy at the muzzle let alone at 100 yards. None-the-less, Barnes VOR-TX 300 BO loaded with the 110gr TAC-TS is published to have 1046 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards. For many this is consider the Gold standard for super-sonic 300 Blackout ammo. I suspect there are a few other loads in 300 BO that could meet that required threshold.

 

[brewer12345]

That seems a bit restrictive, I have killed quite a few deer with less energy at the muzzle let alone at 100 yards. None-the-less, Barnes VOR-TX 300 BO loaded with the 110gr TAC-TS is published to have 1046 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards. For many this is consider the Gold standard for super-sonic 300 Blackout ammo. I suspect there are a few other loads in 300 BO that could meet that required threshold.

I killed last year's deer with a 530 round ball that was doing like 1300 at the muzzle. Like I said, deer aren't that hard to kill.

I know in theory I could find one or two factory 300bo loads that would meet the requirement, but when any 350 legend hunting load does it, why bother? I will hopefully get a chance to try 350 fmj on a beaver this winter.

 

[748]

Lot of places still have ammo for it.
Buy it.

 

[Goosey]

My first question when someone is considering the 350 Legend is why they are considering it over 450 Bushmaster IF it Is to be used in a straight wall area.

It's a lot cheaper, has a lot less recoil, and with 180 gr at 2100 fps it mimics the ballistics of a .30-30, more than enough power to kill a deer.

So the question should really be reversed, if they just want to shoot deer, why would someone go for the .450?

 

[Skylerbone]

There is a case for it being good for younger shooters.

Recoil sensitive shooters have found their cartridge in straight walled States. This one, my daughter, took her deer at 71 yards DRT with 350 Legend. Quartering toward neck shot and through the lung. Straight down, a few leg kicks, expired.

The .350L appeals to me in that ammo is cheap enough that I wouldn't have to reload for it to be able to enjoy it. Coupled with the mild recoil, it may be the cheap range blaster I could also deer hunt with.

I still favor .22lr and .223 for blasting but I agree. Not having to reload for another cartridge saves me precious time and, because mine were bought primarily for hunting, I don’t need to stock too deep. Same with the .44 Mag. single shot and a few other gathering rifles.

It seems to be designed for people who want to stay in the AR platform.

It would seem that’s what they had in mind and yet I’m bucking the system, having bought a bolt action and T/C barrel.





On the subject of what to chose I feel compelled to share that the Ruger has been something of a pain to work with. The magazine required a bit of filing up front to eliminate feed issues (contact with case mouth/live rounds stove piping into top of receiver). I was also forced to contour the extractor lug, preventing it from striking the ejection port when closing the bolt. I’ll be chamfering the port as well in the near future.

Not overwhelming issues for a cheap rifle however mine needed that work to ensure reliable feeding. As for AR uppers, I cannot speak from more than a few rounds experience. Being roughly the same price as the Ruger if you opted for a slightly higher end upper or a dedicated extra bolt, or comparable to the T/C if you already own a Pro Hunter.

 

[DocRock]

It is a regulatory driven cartridge, as discussed above. If the regulatory regime where you hunt is such that the 350 Legend meets the restrictions and approximate 30-30 performance is suitable, then it fits the bill.

 

[illinoisburt]

Colorado has goofy laws. At 100 yards you have to have a manufacturer rating of 1000 ft lb.

Honestly without the straightwall requirements the 6.5G is likely a better choice sticking to AR15 format. The new 350L is a very specialized package designed as a 250 yard cartridge to fit in an AR for straightwall restricted states. In places where it isn't mandated, there are better choices. As much as people like to debate 7.62x39 versus 300BO, the 6.5 is a legitimate 400 yard deer round while the others are not. Plus (relatively) inexpensive steel ammo is still available.

That said, if budget allows and it's 'just because' then why not give it a try. There's a reason we have a huge variety of factory cartridges with very little difference in 100 yard energy.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6-5-grendel-123-gr-sst#!/

 

[brewer12345]

Honestly without the straightwall requirements the 6.5G is likely a better choice sticking to AR15 format. The new 350L is a very specialized package designed as a 250 yard cartridge to fit in an AR for straightwall restricted states. In places where it isn't mandated, there are better choices. As much as people like to debate 7.62x39 versus 300BO, the 6.5 is a legitimate 400 yard deer round while the others are not. Plus (relatively) inexpensive steel ammo is still available.

That said, if budget allows and it's 'just because' then why not give it a try. There's a reason we have a huge variety of factory cartridges with very little difference in 100 yard energy.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6-5-grendel-123-gr-sst#!/

Some of the universities my eldest is considering are in straight wall states. "Honey, daddy is coming for a visit as soon as he checks the season dates..." Heh.