350 Legend for deer?

My wife finally tried hunting this year and seemed to like it, and in a few years my oldest will start. I had always thought of just getting a 243, but the guys at camp were talking about 350 legends (which I had never heard of).

Sounded like kind of a win win – less recoil than a 243 or 30 30, wider hole than the 243, and an effective range of 200 (even though I imagine all the shots will be well under 100). It could also come in handy for some state’s shotgun only zones. Looks like some basic packages start around $350.

Wondering if anyone has experience or opinions about them.

Funny you mention this round. This last weekend I stopped at 3 places looking for specific ammo. The shelves were bare except for 350 Legend. All places had a good stock of it.
DT

Yea I had to get my north friend to buy me some basic 150 gr 30 06 ammo. I have shot the 450 bushmaster but no experience with this.

I’m actually in the process of building a 350 legend upper for a black rifle currently. It is a great round for youth or those new to the deer hunting scene. Can be very accurate with right load setup to match gun which will go along with the reduced recoil as you mentioned.
I’m excited to set this up to have my three boys get some use out of it as they get older.

There is a Michigan Sportsmans Forum where they talk quite a bit about this cartridge since they allow straight-wall calibers in their slug zone. If they passed a straight-wall law in MN, I would get one.

Ballistics aren’t that different from the 30-30, and how many deer have fallen to that titan of a cartridge?

disco bobber wrote:

There is a Michigan Sportsmans Forum where they talk quite a bit about this cartridge since they allow straight-wall calibers in their slug zone. If they passed a straight-wall law in MN, I would get one.

The 350 was brought up by my Iowa buddies that are all about the bushmaster 450s. I thought I read that MN is closer to just eliminating the shotgun zones rather than tinkering with new rounds.

waldo9190 wrote:

Ballistics aren’t that different from the 30-30, and how many deer have fallen to that titan of a cartridge?

30 30 was my first thought but the lever and 19 safeties/hammer is not ideal for kids. Nice little bolt 350 seems good – don’t really want to make them semi auto hunters.

That is my point exactly (tough to convey conjecture over the internet). Given the similarities in ballistics, if the 30-30 can be such a renowned deer killer, then the 350 Legend should be great as well, especially coming from a straight-walled casing.

I would like to see the slug zone ended, but am just not that hopeful about it. There will be scare tactics of bullets flying for miles and all the deer getting killed because they can be shot at 800 yards. Straight wall legislation like Iowa, Ohio, and Michigan have should be a no-brainer.

I agree that having affordable, (to buy and shoot) safe, low-recoiling bolt actions would be great for youth or beginning hunters.

The 350 is another one of those cartridges that makes sense in one specific situation. If you live in one of the states that has a “straight wall” cartridge rule for using a rifle during firearms season, then the 350 is a great option so you can ditch the slug sneezer and use a real rifle.

In Minnesota that doesn’t apply, so IMO I can’t see any use for the 350 Legend for Tindall’s needs. The 243 is superior in every way.

First, I doubt very much it has less recoil than a 243. If it does, it’s an imperceptible amount. My 12-year-old shoots the 243 and has no issue at all with the recoil.

Secondly, speed kills. The last 3 deer I’ve shot with a .243 have run a combined total of 20 yards before falling over stone dead. A 243 with good bullets punches a big hole all the way through the deer and they are dead deer walking from that point on. I shot a deer last year with the 243 and he literally did not take a step, he fell over like he’d been hit by lightening.

Last, but not least, should you ever need to take a longer poke, the 243 will be there for you. A 350 just runs out of gas at 200, the 243 is still a laser beam at that distance.

IMO the 243 is a vastly under-appreciated deer cartridge. Everything you need, nothing you don’t.

Grouse

Love my 350 Legend devastating knock down power and accurate. Was very impressed with it last year here in Iowa.