Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 400 legend

Do any of you have one yet?Ive seen one for sale savage hog rifle.

Only thing to add is that I would like to try one, but my spidey sense it might not be around long. The 350 has a strong foothold.

Patiently waiting for the howa mini in stainless

I've yet to see one actually in the wild....ammo, either.

My LGS has had the ammo but no rifles as yet. It won’t hurt the 350 sales nearly as much as it will the 450, this according to a friend who runs a large operation.

AAAARRRRgghhh, the BS around this is killing me!!! I just watched Mellissa Bachman hunting in Alberta with the 400 Legend and touting what a fabulous cartridge this is.

I live and hunt in lower MI where we have the 1.8" straightwall rule. I use the 45 Raptor and 450 Bushmaster. Yes they kill short-range deer effectively, but they are no where as effective in terms of drop, wind drift and sectional density as a modern bottleneck cartridge.

If I were to ask a group of hunters how they would like to base their hunting around the 401 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge, they would certainly chuckle it they even knew what that obsolete cartridge was. The 400 Legend is essentially an updated 401 Winchester Self-Loading: 200 grain bullet with a BC around .2 at 2250 fps. A quick ballistics calculation shows 12" of wind drift at 300 yards from a 5 mph cross wind!!! There is a reason the 401 died.

For those of us who MUST use these cartridges, they have been a Godsend vs a 12ga slug. I guess if Winchester was paying for my Alberta mule deer hunt I would use the 350, 400, or 401 for that matter. However, when you see me paying for my traveling hunts, you can almost always be sure I'm carrying a modern bottleneck design firing a bullet with a decent BC and good sectional density.

Sums it up pretty good .

I hope that if (when) they make one it’s not a 16”.

And I want one in 16”. Add an 8-9” suppressor and it gets long quick.

I think it could be fun for cast bullets. If the 200g round flat nose cast bullets I make for my 10mms will feed in a howa mini 400 I'll have to get one. A hard cast powder coated flat nose in 40 cal could be fun for closer range stuff or pig hunting and cast bullets are cheap.

Bb

It's far easier to cut and thread for those that one a can than it is to grow 4 inches of barrel.

A little emotional over a cartridge, no?

As they say, it takes all kinds😛

Pretty sure both my Minis are 22”, and look good and handle well. I’m way too Fuddy to hang a can on a deer rifle.*

Hodgdon data is taken in a 20”, but with the powders they use, a 16 shouldn’t lose much speed. My guess, based on the .350s and .450s they make, is you’ll get the one you want. I really want the Grendel anyway.


*I’d make an exception and invest in one if I ever had long-term access to private property in a settled area

Ruger is touting a first quarter 2024 release of the 400 Legend. A 20" 'standard' version, and a 16" ranch rifle. Both in the Gen II.

In a 10”-ish AR pistol config for night suppressed hog use might be worthwhile for me. Possibly a single shot for cartridge BO seasons in the south or visiting a straight wall only 3rd world state.

I have a RAR Gen II Ranch Rifle in 400 on order.
The original RAR Ranch rifle in 450 was much handier in the blind than the Bergara Ridge 450 w/20” Now add the suppressor and the 20” is way too long. I don’t know if I want to cut and thread the Bergara to 16-1/4” or move it on and find/build a nice rifle in 400 w/ 16”

I’m too invested in the 350 to switch. Trying to get away from the recoil of a 12 gauge or 450. 400 has a pretty good thump on the back end. So far my 350 hasn’t let me down. If Ohio allowed bottleneck cartridges I still might use the 350. In the hills and forests that I hunt, I wouldn’t gain much with my 7x57, .243, or 30-06.


Ron

Interesting. Thought the 400 might be the sweet spot. What 400 load was thumping pretty good?

215 grain Winchester Power Point. Noticeably more than the 165 grain Hornady FTX 350 load that I’ve been using lately. A friend’s son bought one and let me try it. I think it’s the only factory load available as of now.

Ron

Seems like many models of 350s have brakes or threads, but most 400s don't. Strange.

I haven't seen a 350 with a brake, threaded sure. I haven't seen many 400's yet.

We have been using the .350L for the last couple of years for deer hunting in Iowa. Has been very effective and a fairly easy rifle to shoot out to 200 yards. Minimal recoil and surprisingly accurate. Not sure I really see he point of the .400L

Just curious... is the BC any better for 405WCF bullets?

It's obviously not a round for the open prairies, so a high BC bullet should be your last concern.

My in-laws in the Midwest haven't shot a deer past about 80 yards in probably over a hundred years, but they're buying 30-06, 270 Win., etc. ammo with the new high BC bullets due to the obvious advantages of less drop and wind drift.

So did anyone expect a cartridge named "Legend", not to be full of hype? Every time I saw one of Winchester's ads for the 350 Legend it was all I could do to keep from retching.

If I were limited to straight wall cases I would also be beyond ecstatic over any new cartridges that would qualify... not a shotgun fan.

Used to be a big fan of the 45-70, if this had come out 30 years ago I'd of snapped one up and played with it for a few years.

Appears to headspace off of the front of the case, which makes me wonder if cast bullets would really work (chamber).


Jerry

I agree totally. I bought a 350L two years ago and I love it. It's like shooting a BB gun compared to the 12ga slug. If I need something bigger, I've got a 45-70. I've been using Winchester Deer Season XP 150gr and it's pretty devastating.





Who needs a 400L when a 350L will do the trick.

What rifle/rifles do you have in 350? I have a CVA but would like a bolt too and I'm leaning towards a Winchester xpr. I've had too many feeding issues with Ruger Americans.

Apparently they fixed the feeding issues with the gen 2 rifles. Not sure how accurate that is but only going off what I’ve read and heard about them so far.

I hear you, but I'm a once (twice actually) bitten, twice shy kind of guy. I have one with the AI mag and that works just fine, but the AR mag and rotary are a no go.

I have a few buddies that had the same issues with them and I don’t blame you for not going back.

I have 2 of the Winchester XPR. Surprisingly accurate for the price point. Thinking of having one of them threaded for a suppressor

I ordered an XPR today. I also intend on it being by backdoor coyote rifle. They are running too far with the 22WMR and 223 is too dang loud.

I’m a wait and see kinda guy. Hard to find any negative reporting around SHOT Show season. Everybody’s all giddy and full of praise.

I like the barrel fluting and Cerakote, could do without the brakes. The stock is what it is; maybe worth upgrading if the rifle turns out okay, with one with a real trigger guard. The rimfire I ordered and came in with the guard broken off annoyed me no end.

My guess is 350's are threaded for suppressors, not brakes. Coupled with sub-sonic ammo, would make ideal feral hog eliminator (bolt-action, not AR platform which still barks when cycling).

‘Barks when cycling’ doesn’t matter when using supers, and subs don’t matter for hogs or coyotes anyway. They still hear the shot. They still run. With supers, they don’t know where to run away from, and they offer follow-ups for those that can. The ‘bark’ is more noticeable at the shooter vs anywhere down range. I gave up on the perception of ‘more quiet’ vs the loss of a fast 2nd or 3rd critter long ago. No reason not to run suppressed if you can. No reason to use a bolt instead of a semi, just to be a little less loud, either. JMO

Is anyone making bullets except the ones designed for handguns?

Winchester is for factory loads (obviously)

Other option at the moment are muzzleloader bullets designed for .45. They are the correct size (without sabot).
Barnes 195 grain Expander MZ
Knight 175 grain (by Barnes)
Knight 195 grain (same as the Barnes)
Hornady 200 grain SST (same crappy design as FTX)

Or Cutting Edge makes a 165 grain, but their design is an overpriced shrapnel bullet (like the failed Remington Copper Solid shotgun slugs)

Maker bullets is working on something.
Barnes probably will make a rifle bullet, but it will be a while. All they would need to do is put grooves on the MZ and call it a TSX.