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Published Nov 17, 2022 4:26 PM
Although it’s related in ballistic efficiency to the .35 Remington and .357 Maximum, the .350 Legend was a witty seize at a whitetail searching market that’s purely the results of regulation—straight-wall states and counties. The prospect of a compact straight wall cartridge that delivers extra power than a .30/30 with low recoil, and features in normal ARs struck a chord with many hunters. Any new cartridge’s success and acceptance relies upon partly on the provision of ammo—one thing that’s something however sure lately. Fortunately, Winchester (who developed the cartridge) threw their weight behind producing a excessive quantity of .350 Legend deer ammo. If this take a look at appears to be like a bit like a Winchester present, it’s as a result of they’ve put out a greater variety of .350 Legend ammo than some other producer. How good is that ammo? That’s what I supposed to seek out out.
.350 Legend Ammo is Versatile and Shockingly Accurate
Despite some present straight-wall cartridges that match or barely outperform the .350 Legend in uncooked ballistics, the Legend is best suited to trendy firearms. This doesn’t imply that these cartridges aren’t nice, however there’s a motive the .350 Legend has develop into common. As a lot as some of us consider that it’s all advertising hype, the .350 Legend’s design offers it two benefits that set it up for fulfillment—utilizing a .355-inch diameter bullet and having a rebated rim that matches a normal AR bolt face.
Unlike older rimmed cartridges (or the .35 Rem.), it’s each a straightforward match for any trendy rifle, and authorized beneath straight-wall laws. The .355-inch diameter bullet won’t make sense to some, but it surely permits the manufacturing and straightforward handloading of low-cost plinking and follow ammo—utilizing common previous 9mm FMJ bullets.
I had measured expectations for the accuracy of accessible .350 Legend ammo and was shocked at how tightly a lot of the rifles and ammunition grouped. I examined six .350 Legend rifles, and was capable of shoot seven several types of ammo by them, utilizing a five-shot-group protocol. Overall, the .350 Legend ammo and rifles averaged a bunch measurement of 1.78 inches (counting all teams fired), which was extra correct than the .308 ammo I examined in 11 totally different rifles. Those had a complete common group measurement of two.02 inches. The common group measurement doesn’t essentially replicate how the ammo will shoot in your rifle, however the way it did throughout a spread of rifles. The normal deviation offers you an concept of the variation of that accuracy. A load that shoots very well in a single rifle and actually poorly in one other could have a excessive normal deviation.
I didn’t count on ultra-tight teams from any of the .350 Legend ammo, however 4 masses turned in sub-MOA five-shot teams and averaged simply over an inch in rifles that most well-liked them. Overall accuracy was glorious and constant for a cartridge that can sometimes be restricted to beneath 200 yards. It’s notable that these distinctive outcomes are with non-premium ammunition.
Things to Consider When Buying .350 Legend Ammo
Application
Although the cartridge was designed with a slim give attention to deer searching, it will make an important hog gun, plinker, and even defensive rifle when chambered in an AR. Most of the ammunition you’ll discover is meant for deer, and it’s all fairly correct. That ammo would work nicely on hogs too, however for different functions you could find full metallic jacketed ammo, defensive hollowpoints, and subsonic masses (that are glorious when utilizing a suppressor).
Cost
As with many merchandise, you usually get what you pay for relating to rifle ammunition. In this case, probably the most correct and constant ammo was on the prime for worth, however even the cheaper .350 Legend deer ammo shot very nicely. For most functions throughout the purview of the .350 Legend’s capabilities, the cheaper searching ammo ought to work simply wonderful.
Award: Best Overall .350 Legend Ammo
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.42 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .48 inches
Why It Made the Cut
The 160-grain Power Max Bonded load was probably the most correct .350 Legend ammo examined, and has a bonded bullet that expands quickly.
Key Features
- Protected hollowpoint
- Notched jacket
- Bonded jacket and Core
- Velocity: 2,225 fps
Pros
- Great accuracy
- Rapid growth
- Bonded bullet offers deep penetration
- Good for searching quite a lot of recreation
Cons
- Big hole level doesn’t assist trajectory
Product Description
The .350 Legend’s wheelhouse is 150 yards (and fewer), on medium sized recreation, and the Winchester 160-grain Power Max Bonded suits it splendidly. At its decrease velocities, a quickly increasing, deep-penetrating bullet is concept, and that’s what you get with this jacketed hole level .350 Legend ammo. The core and jacket are bonded collectively on this bullet, however the protected hole level and segmented jacket develop quickly—even at decrease velocities.
The total accuracy of the .350 Legend ammo I examined was good, however these things was proper on the prime. In one rifle, it averaged 1.25-inch five-shot teams at 100 yards. That’s one thing that a number of .308 and .270 Win. masses I’ve been testing can’t declare.
This .350 Legend ammo is a bit of slower than some 180-grain masses and may actually be used inside 150 yards. At 2,225 toes per second, the trajectory isn’t spectacular. If you zero two inches excessive at 100 yards, you’ll be about two inches low at 150 yards, and 7 inches low at 200 yards. Despite that decrease velocity, it ought to ship glorious terminal efficiency and would make an important black bear load at brief vary.
Award: Best Value .350 Legend Deer Ammo
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.87 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .58 inches
Why It Made the Cut
This Ammo wasn’t a standout in any single space, however was correct, has a great bullet, and—at $27 per field—is a number of the most inexpensive .350 Legend Deer Ammo out there.
Key Features
- 180-grain mushy level bullet
- Bonded jacket and core
- Velocity: 2225 fps
Pros
- Good accuracy
- Good growth
- Great all-purpose searching bullet
- Affordable
Cons
- Deflected simply by brush
Product Description
Winchester’s Super X line has lengthy been a bread-and-butter ammo for deer hunters, and it’s no totally different with .350 Legend ammo. In reality, this .350 Legend load is without doubt one of the most correct Super X Power Point masses I’ve tried in any caliber shortly. This easy 180-grain lead-alloy core mushy level is a cup-and-core bullet with a notched jacket to assist growth.
The non-bonded bullet ought to retain a excessive proportion of weight at its decrease velocities, particularly past 100 yards. The .355-inch, 180-grain bullet isn’t very aerodynamic, so it sheds velocity quick—a part of the rationale cartridges like this are deemed less-apt to journey lengthy distances ought to they ricochet. With a 100-yard zero, this load will drop nearly 10 inches at 200 yards. Set your zero two or three inches excessive at 100 yards, and you may nonetheless be efficient to 200, however 150 yards is a extra lifelike most point-blank vary.
The accuracy of the 180-grain Super X Power Point wasn’t distinctive, but it surely was satisfactory for the fundamental deer ammo that it’s. The Winchester XPR Stealth SR averaged 1.12-inch 5-shot teams with this ammo, which was distinctive. In each rifle examined, accuracy was greater than adequate for the efficient vary of the cartridge. Because the .355-inch bullet is broad and comparatively sluggish, you is likely to be tempted to poke by some mild brush with it—don’t. I did some thorough brush bullet testing and regardless of the previous .35 Remington’s status as a “brush buster,” bullets are simply deflected by small twigs and brush.
Award: Best Copper .350 Legend Ammo
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 2.02 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .90 inches
Why It Made the Cut
Although another mono-metal .350 Legend ammo is trickling out, Winchester’s 150-grain Copper Impact is probably the most out there. It’s deep-penetrating, correct, and lead-free.
Key Features
- All-copper bullet
- Solid base with tipped hole level
- Large polymer tip to provoke growth
- Velocity: 2260 fps
Pros
- Good accuracy
- Lead-free building
- Excellent weight retention
- Suitable for big recreation
Cons
- Some rifles could be choosy with these bullets
- Expensive
Product Description
As within the title, the Extreme Point Copper Impact bullet is straight away noticeable by its massive, pointed, translucent pink polymer tip. Part of Winchester’s bigger Copper Impact line, this lead-free .350 Legend ammo options an all-copper increasing bullet with that notable tip. The bullet itself is monolithic with a strong base and a wide-diameter hole level. The massive polymer tip sits inside that hole level, making the bullet extra aerodynamic and initiating speedy growth.
Like different .350 Legend masses, this one is in its prime out to 150 yards. Get past that and your trajectory and growth will start to drop dramatically. Being that the cartridge is designed for whitetail deer searching, that’s completely appropriate. The all-copper bullet will retain nearly all its weight and ship nice penetration.
Copper bullets have come a good distance by way of accuracy, however they will nonetheless be a bit of unpredictable. In all of the rifles examined, the Copper Impact shot fairly nicely—apart from one rifle that averaged 4.5-inch teams with it. Take these teams out, and the common group measurement was 1.83 inches. Two of the rifles I examined it in averaged 1.3-1.4 inches, and the Henry Single Shot fired sub-MOA three-shot teams, opening up frequently with all ammo on rounds 4 and 5. Because of the copper projectiles, this .350 Legend ammo is a number of the costliest, however the efficiency could be price it.
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.71 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .63 inches
Why It Made the Cut
Hornady’s 170-grain American Whitetail .350 Legend ammo is an correct, good-quality deer spherical at an important worth.
Key Features
- 170-grain mushy level
- Secant ogive design for higher ballistics
- Designed for straightforward growth and good weight retention
- Velocity: 2200 fps
Pros
- Good accuracy
- High weight retention
- Bullet profile offers a great trajectory
- Excellent worth at $29 per field
Cons
- Mediocre accuracy in most rifles, no standouts
Product Description
Hornady’s American Whitetail line is meant to carry good high quality deer ammo at an inexpensive worth. In that line, the .350 Legend ammo does simply that. There aren’t many frills right here, only a mushy level and the reliable Interlock bullet which incorporates a locking ring contained in the jacket that maintain the core from separating throughout growth.
One attention-grabbing characteristic of the .355-inch interlock is that it has a secant ogive design—it’s steadily rounded nostril profile—that offers this bullet a greater trajectory than many different .350 Legend bullets. Even with the identical velocity as different masses examined, this ammo offers the shooter a bit of bit simpler vary. If zeroed two inches excessive at 100 yards, it is best to solely be impacting two and a half inches low at 200 yards.
This .350 Legend ammo’s accuracy wasn’t unhealthy, but it surely’s middle-of-the-pack. Many masses excelled in a single or two rifles, however this one simply shot a dependable good common. At solely $29 per field, it’s one of the vital inexpensive sorts of .350 Legend deer ammo.
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.97 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .70 inches
Why It Made the Cut
This .350 Legend ammo is an efficient mixture of accuracy, terminal efficiency, and affordability. It has a 180-grain soft-point increasing bullet and prices about $30 per field.
Key Features
- 180-grain bullet
- Lead mushy level
- Velocity: 2100 fps
Pros
- Good growth
- Good trajectory
- Affordable
Cons
- Accuracy was okay, not nice
Product Description
Federal’s Power Shok 180-grain is one other inexpensive .350 Legend deer ammo that performs nicely. The soft-point Power Shok bullet isn’t bonded, but it surely’s designed to present good growth. It’s heavy sufficient to keep up weight at .350 Legend velocities. Simple, inexpensive, and dependable is what places meat within the pot for many hunters, and this suits the invoice.
This .350 Legend ammo has a barely higher trajectory than a few of its opponents, dropping solely about 4 and a half inches between 100 and 200 yards. That appears to be a reasonably correct declare, and if you happen to sight two inches excessive at 100 yards, you’ll be about two and a half to 3 inches low at 200 yards. In different phrases, you’ll be able to maintain useless nuts and be proper within the cash out to the .350 Legend’s affordable efficient vary.
The accuracy of the Federal Power Shok wasn’t as tight as lots of the different masses, but it surely’s about what I anticipated from the .350 Legend, so I don’t discover it disappointing. Some different masses merely stunned me. Averaging nearly two inches for five-shot teams at 100 yards is totally adequate for any deer or hog searching you’d do with one among these rifles.
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.60 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .74 inches
Why It Made the Cut
This .350 Legend deer ammo was surprisingly correct in numerous rifles and is constructed for speedy growth and terminal efficiency on whitetails.
Key Features
- 150-grain Extreme Point bullet
- Large-diameter polymer tip
- Lead core
- Velocity: 2325 fps
Pros
- Great Accuracy
- Dramatic growth
- Ideal for deer or black bears
- Good trajectory
Cons
- Likely wouldn’t have the perfect penetration on bigger recreation
Product Description
Like the Copper Impact, this Extreme Point .350 Legend ammo has a large-diameter polymer tip that’s designed to provoke speedy growth. Unlike the Copper Impact, this Deer Season XP ammo has a cup-and-core lead-core bullet. The bullet additionally incorporates a notched jacket that guides growth, and the upper velocity of this ammo offers it a extra affordable 200-yard efficient vary than another Winchester masses.
Coming out of the muzzle at 2325 toes per second, the bullet has about seven and a half inches of drop between 100 and 200 yards. If you zero about 3 inches excessive at 100, it is possible for you to to carry barely above center of a deer’s vitals and hit them reliably at 200 yards. The easy-expanding design of the bullet will be sure that you get good terminal efficiency at barely slower downrange velocities.
Although the Deer Season XP wasn’t probably the most correct ammo within the take a look at, I used to be constantly impressed with the accuracy of this .350 Legend ammo, and it averaged 1.1-inch five-shot teams in two totally different rifles. That accuracy is vital when taking pictures at or close to 200 yards as a result of the trajectory of the .350 Legend doesn’t supply a lot ballistic forgiveness.
Average 5-Shot Group Size: 1.74 inches
Standard Deviation in Group Size: .69 inches
Why It Made the Cut
The .350 Legend is a wonderful cartridge to suppress, and it’s excellent for heavy subsonic bullets. The Winchester 255-grain Super Suppressed ammo is correct, efficient, and whisper-quiet.
Key Features
- 255-grain bullet
- Jacket designed to scale back suppressor fouling
- Open tip for growth
- Velocity: 1060 fps
Pros
- Great accuracy for a subsonic
- Ideal subsonic suppressed cartridge
- Open tip helps with growth
- Ultra-quiet with a suppressor
Cons
- Not the only option for searching large recreation
- Poor trajectory
Product Description
The .350 Legend is already a great cartridge to suppress, and supersonic masses take to a suppressor nicely. In reality, a few of them confirmed higher accuracy when shot by a can in my testing. A advantage of the cartridge just like the .350 Legend is the flexibility to seamlessly deal with each supersonic and subsonic bullets. This wide-diameter 255-grain open-tip bullet carries numerous mass and may be very quiet. The open tip isn’t deep, and possibly gained’t give dramatic growth, however subsonic ammo doesn’t ship dramatic terminal efficiency anyway.
Through the Ruger American Ranch Rifle, the Super Suppressed delivered a wonderful 1.33-inch five-shot common group measurement. The trajectory is anemic, and that sluggish bullet drops like a rock between 50 and 100 yards. Beyond that, it drops off even sooner (as subsonics do). An upside is that this .350 Legend ammo (and .350 Legends normally) don’t appear to warmth up barrels and suppressors practically as quick as different rifle ammo—even .300 BLK.
The 255-grain Super Suppressed wouldn’t be a great big-game searching ammo just because subsonics don’t carry out to the identical degree on recreation that supersonic bullets do. I’m positive it will be hell on hogs and small recreation although.
How We Tested .350 Legend Ammo
To take a look at the accuracy and performance of this .350 Legend ammo, I used it along side my take a look at of six .350 Legend Rifles. I fired five-shot teams at 100 yards from sandbags on a bench. Groups have been fired in succession with out breaking place (when doable) and barrels have been allowed to chill fully between teams. I recorded a minimal of six teams per load, relying on out there ammo. For most picks, I recorded between 15 and 25 teams. Average total group measurement is listed right here, in addition to the usual deviation in group measurement. Most rifles had their most well-liked masses, however ammo with small normal deviation shot comparatively uniformly in all rifles.
FAQs
Q: What is the perfect .350 Legend deer ammo?
There are many glorious masses for deer, and lots of of them are inexpensive. Generally, a soft-point bullet that’s inexpensive and shoots nicely in your rifle will work simply wonderful.
Q: What is the perfect .350 Legend ammo bullet weight?
A: That will depend on the appliance, however most good searching bullets are within the 150-grain to 180-grain vary and are efficient to about 200 yards. If you’re on the lookout for the perfect penetration, use a heavier bullet. If you’re trying to maximize growth on lighter recreation, use one thing on the lighter finish of that spectrum.
Q: What is the quickest .350 Legend ammo?
A: Winchester’s Deer Season XP 150-grain Extreme Point was the quickest ammo I examined, however some plinking and vary ammo like Browning 124-grain FMJ is as quick as 2500 fps. Lighter mono-metal bullets may very well be loaded to excessive speeds, however 150-grain masses will sometimes be the quickest for lead-core big-game masses.
Read Next: The Best .308 Hunting Ammo of 2022
Final Thoughts On .350 Legend Ammo
Living far, distant from any straight-wall cartridge restrictions, I by no means gave the .350 Legend a second thought. I nonetheless don’t have a specialised use for one in Alaska however taking pictures this ammo and these rifles have made me admire the cartridge’s accuracy and flexibility for many who do reside in these areas.
The accuracy of those masses impressed me totally. None of them are premium or goal masses constructed particularly for accuracy, but it surely’s in all probability probably the most correct batch of normal ammunition in any cartridge that I’ve not too long ago examined. I don’t suppose you possibly can actually go mistaken with any of this ammunition.