Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester's new Cartridge for 2019.

While still seeming to be a good chambering edition, if under-loaded, Winchester seems to insist on screwing up a wet dream. From Mike Bellm, 35 cal guru:

“350 legend chamber

Important update info on Winchester's .350 Legend!

The .350 Legend SAAMI Chamber Drawing vs. .357 Maximum dimensions.....

require corrections to my first reports on the .350 Legend.

At the SHOT Show Winchester reported keeping the .223 Rem. rim diameter for .223 Rem. bolt faces but increasing the case head diameter. It was not until the above SAAMI drawing was published that I saw the head was not increased the .003 or .004" to equal the slightly larger .357 Rem. Maximum head size, .378" average, but instead made the .350 Legend head diameter .390", the same size as 9mm Luger.

Assuming Winchester had copied what I had been doing with various lengths of .223 Rem. cases bumped up to .35 cal, I had said you would be able to shoot .357 Rem. Maximum in the Legend chamber with a rim counterbore added. NOT SO!

You will not be able to shoot .357 Maximum OR necked up .223 Rem. cases in the .350 Legend chamber! BUT......357 Rem. Maximum chambers CAN readily be rechambered to .350 Legend since the Legend chamber is larger in all dimensions.”


No using 223/5.56 brass. It’s not a lengthened 357AR/rimless Max case. They’re also loading way under power vs 357 max and 357AR....even though there’s more case.

There it is! .30 RAR all over again!
OMG!

Check out the faq page on Winchesters site:

Can't use standard 223 mags
Can't form brass from 223 or 5.56.

Other than that, it's great for what it is.

Those 2 facts should destroy the big AR sales potential

Maybe, but I would think the big market in states with the straight-wall restrictions would be bolts and levers. No such restrictions in CO where I live and no interest in an AR in 350L as I can use my AR .308W - not that I would ever want to unless I go hunt pigs somewhere.

Seems like it might make a good defensive cartridge in an AR, though, due to low recoil.

This looks interesting at least if you live in the states that require that type of cartridge. At least in an AR for defensive purposes a .357 max type cartridge would be impressive shooting hornady xtp bullets.

What may happen in these states is after something like this shows up, and hunting with cartridges with ballistics similar to this is deemed safe enough, they then add some other cartridges to the mix, specifically approving the traditional woods lever action cartridges. 30-30, 35 Rem, 38-55 ect... then where does that leave the 350 legend?

That being said I'll still buy one anyway, that is what rifle loonies do. Probably cheaper to do a XPR, or if it shows up a RAR, than a custom encore MGM .357 max barrel.