350, Legend or ?

[Beentown]

Going to make this a running a thread until it has a conclusion. I purchased and assembled everything needed for a 350 Legend deer rifle. Many different parts went into each. Most important:

Upper: PSA
Barrel: BCA 16" M4 Contour
BCG: PSA
Lower: PSA
Trigger: ALG
Scope: Vortex 1-6x24 Strike Eagle w/Burris PEPR mount
Stock: Luth AR MBA3
Mags: Duramag 5 round

As loaded it weighs a tad over 9 pounds with mag/ammo. A bit heavy but I'll take the weight for how I will more than likely use it. Not humping it for miles and miles at a time. You could always use a lighter mount, scope, and stock.

TBC (I like breaking up longer posts)

 

[Beentown]

The ammo I have now is Winchester 145gr FMJ (cheap), Winchester 150gr extreme point and Hornady American Whitetail 170gr soft points. I also want to try the Hornady 165gr FTX but they are all backordered as is most things 350 Legend related.

One of the best things about this round so far is how cheap the ammo can be. WWB 145gr FMJ's only run $10.99 a box. Using factory ammo will give me an idea of what weight bullets this barrel likes and gives me donor brass to really try to dial it in. Also, with the three types of "points" it will test for feed issues with any kind of bullets.

Finding mags can be an issue. What I did was back order some and then went on the hunt. Ruger American rifles take standard AR15 mags so this led me to believe that the RA 350 Legend mags work in AR's....and they do. So I was able to source them locally, for cheaper. Found 15 available locally, purchased 2. Ruger uses Duramags which have a decent rep.

One thing that has me perplexed...why they used .355 bullets? That is the diameter of pistol rounds. So you need a specialty bullet to reload. If they were to have used .358 diameter like already commonly used in rifles it would have been much simpler, much.

TBC

 

[Beentown]

My plan is to run multiple 5 round @100 groups and compare. Then use that brass to roll my own and compare again. Good thing is this round is gaining more and more support and this shows by the offerings available now. If it runs 1.5" with factory and under an inch with handloads I'll be satisfied.

I'll continue once I get it to a range.

 

[Jackalope]

perplexed...why they used .355 bullets? That is the diameter of pistol rounds. So you need a specialty bullet to reload. If they were to have used .358 diameter like already commonly used in rifles it would have been much simpler, much.

Likely because the real money to be made is in selling factory ammo. Design something to fit the AR platform with as little modifications as possible, generate the hype, let people build them and kill it on ammo until the reload market and other brands spin up production.

And that's a kick ass little rifle buddy. I really like the stock on it.

 

[jagermeister]

Following...

Thanks Beener

 

[Beentown]

Likely because the real money to be made is in selling factory ammo. Design something to fit the AR platform with as little modifications as possible, generate the hype, let people build them and kill it on ammo until the reload market and other brands spin up production.

And that's a kick ass little rifle buddy. I really like the stock on it.

Thanks, hopefully she shoots. On factory ammo, which is what is always going to sell why not just run what you have in production already? It would be cheaper than making a new bullet that is .355 that can withstand the pressures/speed being shot out of a rifle. Lets use the Winchester Soft Points as an example. They make a .358 soft point bullets currently. One being an 180gr variety. Used for many different rifles. Why not just use that bullet and not take the extra profit rather than retooling? A .358 will fit in a 223 case... There is no profit, that I can see, in making this specialty round that is just out of spec from the "norm". Not like you can stop other bullet manufactures from making it. As soon as it was released Hornady and Federal had already made a competitor. The rest will follow now. I am sure there was a reason, I am just not seeing it.

The other issue is this was almost not legal in OH. Our regs read something like "a straight walled cartridge with a diameter of .357 or larger". The 350 Legend is .355, technically. They got away with it, finally, by saying .357 +/- .003 in the SAAMI specs. If they were to just use a .357 or .358 bullet....no issue at all.

Again, I just found it strange and there probably is a reason that is above my current reasoning. Probably could look it up if I could stand the gun boards anymore.

 

[Beentown]

A prediction...the Hornady 170gr SP groups will be half the size of the Winchester rounds, either of them. I am not a fan of anything ammo related with Winchester except the price of cheap plinking WWB stuff.

 

[Ohiosam]

On paper the .350 has it all. My concerns about it is this: because they went with .355 bullets reloading options are limited. If the available bullets perform below expectations then you’re SOL.

 

[Beentown]

On paper the .350 has it all. My concerns about it is this: because they went with .355 bullets reloading options are limited. If the available bullets perform below expectations then you’re SOL.

Hornady just came out with a 165gr FTX. All FTX's have done well that I have seen.

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[Beentown]

https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/35-cal-.355-165-gr-ftx#!/

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[Hedgelj]

The other issue is this was almost not legal in OH. Our regs read something like "a straight walled cartridge with a diameter of .357 or larger". The 350 Legend is .355, technically. They got away with it, finally, by saying .357 +/- .003 in the SAAMI specs. If they were to just use a .357 or .358 bullet....no issue at all.

I'm in the 350 legend Facebook group and i believe there is one state that's going by bullet diameter and not SAMMI specs to disallow this round in one particular season.

There are people reloading with larger diameter bullets on there.

 

[Beentown]

I'm in the 350 legend Facebook group and i believe there is one state that's going by bullet diameter and not SAMMI specs to disallow this round in one particular season.

There are people reloading with larger diameter bullets on there.

I'll take the ticket and burn down their house later if they break out calipers.

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[OhioWhiteTails]

Great thread, Charles and awesome looking rifle. I look forward to your updates. I'm still on the fence about going bolt or AR platform for this round. I already have the .450 so I'm leaning towards bolt... change my mind.