350 Legend: A Flash In A Pan, Or Real Staying Power?
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 4 months ago
This round can launch projectiles weighing between 145 grains to 255 grains at higher velocities for an effective range of around 250 yards. The case is slightly tapered to contribute to positive ejection from bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles alike. Winchester’s initial ammunition options included 150 grain (2,350 f.p.s.), 160 grain (2,225 f.p.s.) and 180 grain (2,100 f.p.s.) hunting loads …
I try to step into sporting goods stores frequently to see what ammunition is for sale and what it’s selling for. I noticed in the last two I surveyed (just this week) that there were dozens upon dozens of boxes of 350 Legend. Between the two stores there were multiple hundreds of boxes.
These data points are anecdotal, but they’re still data points nonetheless. It would seem to me that the 350 Legend has staying power. I think the thing that has helped it most of all is that the case is designed to fit inside the AR chamber (something like 2.2″).
On August 15, 2022 at 11:06 pm, Latigo Morgan said:
Funny article. He “discovered” how to make a 350 Legend AR-15 – the expensive way.
Then he goes on to state that only CMMG makes mags for it. True, but you can modify a Magpul P-mag to take 350 Legend quite easily. A 30 round mag will only take 28 rounds. Not a problem for me.
My setup is a Bear Creek Arsenal 16″ upper that I had on a Rock River Arms lower. That was for testing purposes, and it passed all the tests. I used a Primary Arms 1-8 ACSS scope on it, which worked very well. Now, I have a Spikes Tactical lower with a Stag Arms LPK, and an A2 buttstock. I wanted a more solid shoulder mount than the adjustable stock provides.
However; when the cost of ammo went up, I let my 350 Legend project languish. I didn’t get any reloading dies for it, as I got into .30-30 for a Marlin 336 I traded into and then .30-06 for a CMP Garand. Maybe I’ll pick it up again, sometime, but at $1.00/round for practice ammo, it makes blasting from the semi-auto not so much fun as it was at 1/2 that cost (a man’s gotta draw the line somewhere). The .30 calibers are much cheaper for me to shoot because I already had a bunch of reloading materials for them before the shortages and price increases hit.
For hunting, an AR with a 16″ barrel in 350 Legend makes for a pretty hard to beat brush gun. Especially if you top it with a red dot instead of a scope. You can confidently go into the brush knowing that you can harvest your deer; take a hog; or defend against a bear if need be. Of course, a .44 mag will do all that, as well in a pistol and be even easier to maneuver in the thick brush with.
On August 16, 2022 at 6:09 am, ThomasJefferson said:
The problem with 350 legend is that it uses .355″ diameter bullets instead if .357″ diameter.
Most projectile selections in .355″ are for 9mm. If you go with a barrel that has groves and lands for .357″ you now have a wildcat cartridge.
On August 16, 2022 at 8:10 am, Chad C. Mulligan said:
Is this just a “rule-beater” round to cater to states which require a straight-wall cartridge for deer?
On August 16, 2022 at 8:48 am, Latigo Morgan said:
@ThomasJefferson There were some guys getting .358 barrels and making what they called .358 Legends due to the greater variety of bullets available in that size.
These same guys were also resizing the .358 bullets down to .356 in order to run them in their 350 barrels, so they could load heavier bullets for subsonic loads.
The official SAAMI spec for the 350 Legend is a real head scratcher, as they call it .355+2 in order to hit that .357 for some state hunting regs.
Maybe it should have been called the 9mm Super Magnum?
On August 16, 2022 at 9:36 am, dad29 said:
A grand-daughter just obtained one as a birthday gift. Smart–the recoil and muzzle-blast are both very mild for a hunting rifle capable of taking pigs and deer.
On August 16, 2022 at 10:56 am, Paul B said:
I have had and AR and now a bolt action 350. I like the bolt better for hunting. It is a good round and definitely gets deer. Don’t have much call for pigs around here but maybe a road trip to Texas and help them out.
I see a lot of the 147 grain Winchester white box. Would like to get some more 180 as I use that round.
I think it will be around for a time, I hope.
On August 17, 2022 at 1:11 am, Plague Monk said:
While waiting at Walmart yesterday for the dot.Indian pharmacy tech whose grasp of English is worse than my grasp of Sanskrit, their sporting goods ammo rack actually had a nice selection of .350 Legend ammo at what appear to be reasonable prices. I’m considering making that my next AR-15 build over the course of the next month. That, and .17 HMR at very good prices, means that I’ll be stocking up again soon.
I stopped going to most Ohio gunshows, as I have a low opinion of the promoter, so I’ll have to wait for the next OGCA show to stock up on ammo, as most of the local dealers here in the Cincy region would rather price their ammo high than actually sell any.
On August 17, 2022 at 7:41 am, Don Curton said:
Although it’s basically a rule bender for states that don’t allow you to hunt with God’s intended deer round, the 30-30, it does look interesting. I wonder if they could chamber a lever-action to take the .350 legend, or whether the rimless design kills that. Looks to be easy enough to reload.
On August 17, 2022 at 9:49 am, Miles said:
lever-action rifle?
Howzabouda revolver?
“New For 2022: Smith & Wesson Model 350 Revolver”
Smith & Wesson has introduced a new addition to its lineup of wheelguns for 2022, with the new Model 350 double-action revolver chambered for the .350 Legend cartridge. With a frame, cylinder and barrel made of stainless steel and treated with a satin finish, it weighs in at 71.5 ozs., unloaded. Its 7.5″ barrel has five-groove rifling, with a 1:18.75″ right-hand twist rate, and the revolver’s overall length measures in at 13.5″. A large port is included at the top of the barrel near the muzzle to help tame muzzle rise.
On top of the barrel and frame, the Model 350 comes with a red ramp front sight and an adjustable rear. Its fluted cylinder accepts seven round of .350 Legend, with moon clips included with each revolver to allow for faster reloads. Like most other Smith & Wesson revolvers, the cylinder rotates outward to the left side to open, activated by a latch also located on the left side of the frame. At the bottom of the frame, the Model 350 comes with a full-sized synthetic black grip, which includes texturing and finger grooves to assist in retention.
All of these features make for a revolver that is well-suited for medium game hunting, as explained by John Myles, Smith & Wesson’s senior manager of new products. “The 350 Legend is one of the flattest shooting straight-walled cartridges on the market today. It is great for medium-sized game and especially whitetail hunting. If you’re looking for a hunting revolver, the Model 350 is it.” The Smith & Wesson Model 350 has suggested retail price is $1,599. To learn more, visit smith-wesson.com.
On August 17, 2022 at 7:44 pm, Rocketguy said:
First strike against it – high fallout when converting 223 cases. Now I learn it takes .356 bullets. Nope!
Like when I was considering a 450 Bushmaster then learned they require .452 bullets instead of .458 like sane designers would choose.