Following the 350 Legend’s stunning reputation amongst hunters—particularly in these states with cartridge restrictions for searching—Winchester has introduced the model new 400 Legend; a cartridge that checks each field for the hunter who needs a hard-hitting, mild-recoiling, 300-yard deer rifle.
As we’ve seen lately, an growing variety of Midwestern states are embracing straight-wall cartridges for searching, fortunately outdating the shoulder sledgehammers often known as slug weapons. These newly-designated straight-wall and primitive-cartridge states have lengthy restricted the usage of bottlenecked high-velocity rounds for big-game searching, deeming them unsafe because of the potential for these high-velocity projectiles to journey far past their supposed goal. Whether these restrictions are pointless or sound reasoning, they’re what they’re they usually have, for many years, diminished deer hunters to carrying shotguns and taking pictures slugs. These have ever been a close-range, body-pummeling, less-than-accurate answer. But that’s modified with the restricted-state’s evolving cartridge legal guidelines.
Recent years have seen refreshing regulation adjustments that allow hunters to hold straight-wall cartridges into the sphere. These cartridges present larger accuracy with much less punishment and, in a masterstroke of genius, the potential for use in MSR type searching weapons—no less than within the case of the 350 and 400 Legend cartridges.
I had the chance to hunt with a pre-production rifle taking pictures pre-production 400 Legend ammunition final fall, and was blessed to reap the whitetail buck of a lifetime. As anticipated, the cartridge and bullet efficiency within the discipline was spectacular.
My shot got here on the skinny fringe of nightfall. The outdated bruiser had his head tipped again working a licking department 113 yards from my place when my bullet struck him. A whole pass-through and a 48-yard sprint later he crashed in a tangle of branches and briars. It was the very first animal ever harvested utilizing the 400 Legend, and what a buck it was. Massive of physique and antler, it was the right first discipline check for the brand new cartridge. The 215-grain Power Point bullet entered the broadside buck simply behind the left shoulder, handed immediately via a rib, continued on via each lungs, and exited the far facet of the broadside animal, once more proper via a rib bone. There was vitality and penetration to spare.
400 Legend Specs
- Bullet Diameter: .4005 in.
- Available hundreds: 215-grain Power Point (300-grain SuperSuppressed to comply with this yr)
- Muzzle Velocity (215-grain Power Point): 2,250 fps
- Muzzle Energy (215-grain Power Point): 2,416 ft-lbs
- Parent Case: None
- COL: 2.125” – 2.260”
- Case Length: 1.650”
- Case Head: 0.422 (Same as 6.8 SPC)
- Twist: 1/16
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,250 fps
- Free Recoil: 16.26 ft-lbs
- SAAMI Max Pressure: 45,000 psi
Origin of the 400 Legend
The 400 Legend is the larger however sarcastically youthful brother to the 350 Legend, which was born because of engineer’s seek for an alternative choice to the .45/70 Gov’t and the 450 Bushmaster. The Bushmaster was the innovator’s first reply to the necessity for a bolt-action-friendly cartridge appropriate for searching the newly-announced “straight-wall” states. It was a superb reply too, no less than on the terminal finish. But the issue with the Bushmaster is it kicks like a Missouri mule each time you contact the set off. Shoulders and shooters alike complained.
So Winchester put their engineers to work and located an answer that met the calls for of a recoil-sensitive searching public, in addition to (with a contact of brilliancy) trendy shooters sporting AR-15-platform firearms. Not solely did the 350 Legend shoot with the right manners of a British Dutchess, it additionally cycles via America’s favourite MSR (Modern Sporting Rifle) with the perspective of a younger Marine. It could have come as no shock to Winchester that the 350 Legend quickly grew to become one in all their top-selling rounds.
But the 350 has one small weak point. It’s, effectively, small. In the palms of an correct shooter it kills with surgical precision, and out to 200 yards or so it’s greater than any whitetail can deal with. However some hunters wished a spherical with larger authority. Unfortunately, on the time the one choices have been the sleek 350 or the brutal 450 Bushmaster. There was no pleased medium.
Enter the 400 Legend. Bridging the hole between the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster, the 400 Legend completely plugged the empty gap. It supplies an ideal answer for the hunter who desires a harder-hitting, milder-recoiling cartridge than was heretofore obtainable, with the bonus attribute that it’s suitable with bolt-action and MSR-style rifles alike.
For your perusing pleasure are the next velocity and vitality charts that examine 5 completely different hundreds: two 350 Legend, two 450 Bushmaster, and the at the moment obtainable 400 legend load. These are primary comparability calculations developed by getting into the projectile diameter and weight, marketed muzzle velocity, and G1 BC into the Ballistic AE app. Drop values are calculated utilizing a 150-yard zero.
Winchester designed the 400 Legend cartridge brand-new from the bottom up, apart from the case head itself, which matches that of the 6.8 SPC. The case dimensions allow the cartridge to cycle cleanly via the motion of an AR-15 firearm, and due to the rim and head proportions it’s suitable with any 6.8 SPC bolt.
You would possibly ask; since this is similar diameter because the .40 S&W does it shoot the identical projectiles? The reply isn’t any; Winchester has designed all-new projectiles particularly suited to the 400 Legend’s velocity and anticipated deer searching distances. Theoretically, any suitably formed .4005 diameter bullet can be useable for handloading within the new 400 Legend, nonetheless for optimum deadly efficiency on deer sized sport you’ll be effectively suggested to make use of a bullet particularly designed for that objective.
Introducing the New Straightwall Cartridge
Winchester will formally announce the brand new 400 Legend at this yr’s NRA present and ammunition will start delivery in July. Rifles chambered within the 400 Legend shall be supplied within the coming yr from Ruger, Savage Arms, Mossberg, CMMG, Winchester Repeating Arms, and extra.
The first 400 Legend manufacturing facility load from Winchester will function their well-respected Power Point bullet in a 215-grain configuration, beginning out the muzzle at a velocity of two,250 toes per second. According to manufacturing facility specs this bullet supplies 2,416 foot-pounds of vitality on the muzzle and sufficient downrange vitality to kill successfully out to round 300 yards. Trajectory shall be important at longer distances, so when you plan on stretching the vary out you’ll need to know your drop and study to compensate accordingly.
A 300-grain “Super Suppressed” subsonic spherical will comply with later in 2023, tailor-made particularly for taking pictures with the help of a suppressor. More choices shall be developed and introduced by Winchester in 2024, and undoubtedly different ammo producers will quickly soar on the bandwagon as effectively.
The 400 Legend on the Range
When I hunted with the yet-to-be-announced 400 Legend final fall rifles and ammo have been nonetheless in prototype stage, and the chance for taking pictures teams was restricted. My rifle was a bolt-action Winchester XPR, and I used to be advised that the ultimate twist-rate had but to be established, so don’t count on stellar accuracy from the rifle. Complicating my sighting in and testing was an incoming storm, full with vicious, gusting winds as much as most likely 30 mph.
Read Next: The Best Rifles for the 350 Legend
Despite the prototype rifle and hostile circumstances I used to be capable of constantly common lower than minute-of-deer teams at one and 200 yards. Unfortunately I by no means had an opportunity to shoot and measure precise check teams with the brand new 400, and so don’t have any onerous knowledge for you. During sight-in, my 200-yard teams have been within the neighborhood of 4 inches (2 moa); a lot ok to kill a buck, as I later proved. While zeroing a battery of rifles I shot maybe 40 or 50 rounds in a pair hours time, and located the cartridge snug to shoot. It did kick, little doubt, however tolerably.
400 Legend vs. 350 Legend vs. 450 Bushmaster
It’s helpful to attract a handful of comparisons with the intention to set up some reference concerning the brand new 400 Legend. The beneath percentages have been calculated by Winchester and supply perception into the character and temperament of the 400. Here are among the most fascinating:
- Energy equal to the 450 Bushmaster, with 20 p.c much less recoil
- Over 20 p.c extra vitality than a .30/30 Win. and as much as 25 p.c extra vitality than a 350 Legend, whereas offering extra penetration
- Double the vitality of a 12-gauge slug gun at 100 yards
- 55 p.c much less recoil than a 12-gauge slug
- Similar recoil to a .308 Winchester, roughly midway between the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster.
Here’s some further fascinating info, additionally generated by Winchester:
- Maximum efficient vary on deer-sized sport; 300 yards
- Maximum efficient vary on bigger sport resembling elk and enormous hogs and bears; 200 yards
- Inexpensive; ammunition for the 400 shall be reasonably priced, probably between the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster in worth
- 400 Legend versus 350 Legend: The 400 affords nearly 30 p.c extra vitality than the 350, offering extra authority on bigger sport like elk and bear in addition to a rise in deadly vary
- The 400 Legend is a superb selection for hunters wishing to hunt large sport with a Modern Sporting Rifle. The cartridge dimensions match properly inside normal receivers, and head dimensions permit to be used of a 6.8 SPC bolt. Additionally, the 400 Legend supplies 700 foot-pounds extra vitality at 200 yards than does the .223 Remington
- Compatible with straight-wall and primitive-season rules, offering an amazing different to shotguns loaded with slugs
Final Thoughts on the 400 Legend
The Winchester ammunition firm has a protracted and revered legacy constructing American ammunition for hunters throughout America and across the globe. Their merchandise are dependable and their costs are reasonably priced. They proceed to innovate, as evidenced by their very fashionable current cartridges the 6.8 Western and 350 Legend, and now the brand-new 400 Legend. No doubt they may proceed to take action, their ammo dropping geese and pheasants and bringing down large outdated whitetail bucks lengthy into the long run. Thanks to a sq. gap that wanted to be stuffed, the 400 Legend is a thoughtfully designed sq. peg that matches completely into America’s cartridge wants.