350 Legend: Anybody got one?

[Ad Astra]

I am not a fan of "gun of the month" fad calibers. Industry, backed by gunrags, will declare the new 274 Remchester the greatest thing... A few years later it's gone.

Mixed in with the fads are genuinely good ideas, though. No one has a crystal ball, but I'm glad I adopted 300 Blackout, though, for example.

I belatedly noticed that 350 Legend - which I mocked as always available during the last ammo shortage - can use pistol bullets I'm already casting (355-358) AND there are upper receivers for it. Just need Legend magazines. I thought it was just a lever gun round. Hmmmm... A bit tricky to reload, however, as it headspaces on the case mouth. Not a problem here.

.350 Legend - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

This is becoming a better idea. Anyone here actually got one? Shot one? I'd like to hear.

Can tell you Walmart always has the ammo...


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

I’m with ya on this. Being a Glock fanboy, I was probably one of the first in this country, to run out and buy a G38 in .45 GAP. I was also probably, one of the first to run out and sell it while Someone was still willing to buy it.

Lots of different wildcat calibers come and most fall to the wayside. I can remember reading all the gun tags back in the day on the screaming Mach 6mm. I couldn’t wait for manufacturers to start selling it retail so I could get my hands on it.

It must of sounded better to me reading about it then it did them writing about it, because it never came to fruition.

.40 S&W was one that stuck around, but it’s even becoming a ‘has been’ with many in the self defense and and LE communities.

As you said, .300 BO is a good one. I wonder how .350 Legend compares to or against the .300 BO?

 

[Rob72]

A very brief search indicates that the .30 cal cases(.308, .270, .30-06) are too wide to chamber, so no (apparent) cut-down ready options. .223 would require massive re-forming. Unless I could find a straight wall cut-down option for home-loading, I would pass. Just me, IMO, etc., etc..

 

[nortac]

I have no personal experience with the round other than seeing others shooting them at the range. It seems kinda finicky in the AR platform. I don't know if these were poorly assembled ARs or what, but there seemed to be an inordinate amount of malfunctions.

 

[Ad Astra]

A very brief search indicates that the .30 cal cases(.308, .270, .30-06) are too wide to chamber, so no (apparent) cut-down ready options. .223 would require massive re-forming. Unless I could find a straight wall cut-down option for home-loading, I would pass. Just me, IMO, etc., etc..

Yup. 350 Legend has no parent case, so you'd have to really save your brass.


AA


Edit: .350 Legend has no parent case. However, .350 Legend uses the same 0.378 in (9.6 mm) nominal rim diameter as .223 Remington. The .350 Legend case is a new design that maximizes terminal performance while optimizing the ability to extract the cartridge from the chambers of a variety of firearms. The .350 Legend did not adapt a .223 Remington parent case in order to incorporate a slight body taper (for extraction), as well as additional shellcase length and case volume.

 

[Ad Astra]

I’m with ya on this. Being a Glock fanboy, I was probably one of the first in this country, to run out and buy a G38 in .45 GAP. I was also probably, one of the first to run out and sell it while Someone was still willing to buy it.

Lots of different wildcat calibers come and most fall to the wayside. I can remember reading all the gun tags back in the day on the screaming Mach 6mm. I couldn’t wait for manufacturers to start selling it retail so I could get my hands on it.

It must of sounded better to me reading about it then it did them writing about it, because it never came to fruition.

.40 S&W was one that stuck around, but it’s even becoming a ‘has been’ with many in the self defense and and LE communities.

As you said, .300 BO is a good one. I wonder how .350 Legend compares to or against the .300 BO?

I think our FHP uses 45 GAP. But a perfect example...

 

[Ad Astra]

I have no personal experience with the round other than seeing others shooting them at the range. It seems kinda finicky in the AR platform. I don't know if these were poorly assembled ARs or what, but there seemed to be an inordinate amount of malfunctions.

Yeah, I just wanted it to work... The 450 Bushmaster and 50 Beowulf are too much for what I want...

AA

 

[nortac]

I'm sure it works for some people, but I don't know what it takes for it to work reliably.

 

[OkieStubble]

I'm sure it works for some people, but I don't know what it takes for it to work reliably.

Lever gun maybe? Would have to be soft tipped bullets.

 

[Ad Astra]

Lever gun maybe? Would have to be soft tipped bullets.

Personally I'd love to have Marlin lever in 357... Just missed trading a guy for one once.

The appeal of this Legend to me is that it's only the cost of an upper to try... And Walmart always x always has the ammo! Oh, plus I have a lifetime supply of cast boolits in that diameter.

Can't be any worse than loading 6.5x50sr Arisaka.


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Personally I'd love to have Marlin lever in 357... Just missed trading a guy for one once.

The appeal of this Legend to me is that it's only the cost of an upper to try... And Walmart always x always has the ammo! Oh, plus I have a lifetime supply of cast boolits in that diameter.

Can't be any worse than loading 6.5x50sr Arisaka.


AA

I can remember week after week looking at completely empty ammo shelves at Walmart except for several lonely boxes of Legend sitting on the shelf staring at me.

 

[Ad Astra]

I can remember week after week looking at completely empty ammo shelves at Walmart except for several lonely boxes of Legend sitting on the shelf staring at me.

Yes, it was like an ammo availability index... How many boxes of Legend on the shelf - of use to no one...


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Yes, it was like an ammo availability index... How many boxes of Legend on the shelf - of use to no one...


AA

Which makes me wonder why? Cuz when you google a Legend round and stare at it, my first thought is, “ that’s a good lookin’ cartridge!

 

[Ad Astra]

Which makes me wonder why? Cuz when you google a Legend round and stare at it, my first thought is, “ that’s a good lookin’ cartridge!

Still liking the idea. A little more thump than Blackout, but not over the top like the heavies. I've never thought the AR platform great for serious recoil, AR-10 notwithstanding.


AA

 

[Bhugo]

My brother bought a single shot in 350 Legend. It’s a Henry gun and it is quite beautiful. He’s been shooting it for a year now and will be using it to deer hunt this year. It’s quite precise at 100 yards with some ammo. I think he gets about one and a half inch groups. That’s pretty normal for him with a good gun, lol. The round was designed so that people could use it in the Midwest in the shotgun only zones. They need to be straight wall and have a certain oal. He has a .444 lever already but it’s too long of course. I use a 44 mag Ruger carbine for those areas. It was also thought to be good in the ar platform to give it a more national appeal….. It’s ballistically very similar to the 30-30 in trajectory and energy. Maybe a touch less. Ammo in Michigan was never more available than others. That probably goes for the whole Midwest? My brother looked for months and finally bought some from a boutique ammo maker in Michigan. The primers were not reliable and some never went off. 65$ a box of 20 and he bought 2 boxes….no return or refund…. He wasn’t happy. It is available here now. He tried several different rounds. Some were drastically less precise.

I never shot a group with it but I shot at steel a couple times. Unless you live in the shotgun only zones, or want one in ar platform, it’s an odd round. I’d rather have a lever in 30-30 or 35 Remington.

 

[nortac]

Yes, the 350 Legend is a niche round, unless you need it specifically or "just because you want it", there are better less problematic rounds available.

 

[Ad Astra]

Hmmm, thanks for the input, fellas.

I'm wishing PSA made an upper in Legend, they're my go-to for inexpensive components. Don't wish to pay $600 for an upper just to see if I like it.

Ammo would seemingly never be a problem here. I actually don't hunt large game anymore, or live in one of those states with restrictions. But I do reload and like exotic/fun calibers.


AA

 

[FarmerTan]

I'm in Michigan. A buddy has one; he's taken a few deer with it.

I plan on using his this year. When he's not using his, I will be. I shot five rounds through his. A beautiful caliber for my "Shotgun County" here, totally legal.

I'm amazed at the lack of recoil. His is a Ruger, plastic on the parts that I like to have in wood, but I already have the lovely War Department's permission to buy one, as I made her shoot it and her eyes lit up!

I'll be looking for one after deer season more than likely.

 

[Bhugo]

I'm in Michigan. A buddy has one; he's taken a few deer with it.

I plan on using his this year. When he's not using his, I will be. I shot five rounds through his. A beautiful caliber for my "Shotgun County" here, totally legal.

I'm amazed at the lack of recoil. His is a Ruger, plastic on the parts that I like to have in wood, but I already have the lovely War Department's permission to buy one, as I made her shoot it and her eyes lit up!

I'll be looking for one after deer season more than likely.

I looked at the Rugers in 350 Legend. I agree on the plastic. Great gun though. I ended up with the Ruger 77/44 instead just for the traditional styling and action. It was also almost 3 times as much……. I may get the 350 for my son though. I think it is more useful than the 450 bushmaster and as you mentioned, almost no recoil. I think of the 2 popular shotgun zone cartridges, the 450 and 350, the 350 is more universal and will survive long term. The 450 bushmaster is truly just for the shotgun zones in my opinion.

 

[FarmerTan]

I looked at the Rugers in 350 Legend. I agree on the plastic. Great gun though. I ended up with the Ruger 77/44 instead just for the traditional styling and action. It was also almost 3 times as much……. I may get the 350 for my son though. I think it is more useful than the 450 bushmaster and as you mentioned, almost no recoil. I think of the 2 popular shotgun zone cartridges, the 450 and 350, the 350 is more universal and will survive long term. The 450 bushmaster is truly just for the shotgun zones in my opinion.

I assume the 450 kicks like a mule? My right shoulder ain't what I wish it was, lol. And Coumadin means a strong breeze leaves me with a bruise sometimes! True story doggone.