Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Isn't it odd that the most commonly available rifle rounds

[quote=Llama_Bob]The 350 legend thing is funny, because I don't think anyone's buying outside straight wall states, where it solves a very specific problem (meeting hunting regs with an AR). Everywhere else it makes no sense, and I can't see much chance of any sales.[/quote
local stores here in Pa seem to be selling a [bleep] of 350 legends, both rifles and ammo. o and we cant hunt big game with Semi autos

Valid points, but often what separates the Hunters from the Shooters is mostly the amount of recreation time and maybe disposable income available. I was enthusiastic about all shooting long before I had the time and money to gratify my urges. BTDT, as they say. And there’s nothing wrong with being just a Hunter either, for whatever reason. Not too crazy about how often the term “Fudd” gets tossed out either. The original meaning supposedly is a hunter or shooter that scorns certain segments of the shooting sports and doesn’t support the 2nd. Seems to have morphed into something else, like guys who’s firearms interest is limited in scope to maybe just hunting or trapshooting, not the same thing at all.

Based on the considerable interest I’ve noticed on this site, I think it’s going to become a standard of sorts, or semi-standard, and not just in ARs, similar to the 6.5 Grendel and .300 Blackout. Those who’ve bought them as beginner deer rifles seem to end up liking them, and for non-handloaders it’s a good choice now for sure. I’ve been considering a .357 Max for a while, but the .350 comes pretty close, and is easy to come by, and feed. Also, .350 brass is produced, for the first couple of draw steps anyway, at the same time as .223, so it makes the ammo easy and cheap to produce.

Ought to be pretty impressive as a defense round too.

There's quite a few bolts made in it now, too. I came close to buying a Ruger American Ranch in 350 myself, but I already had some other irons in the fire with other new cartridges and decided against it. They were selling a bunch of those around here last year, I know a couple of guys that bought one.

Wasn't implying anything other than in general a "shooter" will buy and shoot 100 times (probably more) as much ammo as a "hunter".

BIG drop this week at the local SW of rimfire, 5.56/.223, and 7.62x51/.308

Added to all the usual shelf warmers....

I bought a Winchester bolt gun in .350 Legend last year as we hunt in Iowa, which is a straight case only state for rifles. It is actually a pretty good round out to 200 yards or so. Has been plenty accurate and kills deer with no drama. I might buy a .350 upper for one of my ARs

Changeovers kill efficiencies in plants. If you can sell every .223, .308, and .30-06 you can produce, why run a bunch of small batch runs if 6mm Remington and .257 Roberts and .30-40 Krag?

What the zoner said our local LGS does this automatic they know they can't sell a gun without ammo. Mb

If the ammo companies would rely on me for purchases, they would have been out of business a long time ago. I only ever killed one animal with factory ammo and that was 30 some years ago. I do however need some primers in the near future.

I know you weren’t; you were pretty clear about that. Sorry if I wasn’t as clear myself.

same ....


except for primers, got tons of those, still using my Y2K stash I dug up to make room for newer stock

Good logic there.

Ditto, except for .223.

Even though I have plenty of what it takes to load .223, I’ve bought good factory stuff when I found it at good prices. Examples are Nosler 64gr Bonded blems from SPS at $1 a pop, and just the other day I found Fiocchi loaded with 50gr Vmax at SG for $.60. Can’t hardly load them for that price with new brass, especially with $08-$.10 primers. The Fiocchi is made in the U.S. and my experience with the 40r was very good. The Nosler won’t chamber in my Hawkeye AW, I suspect because of the seating depth, but it runs perfectly in my Mini-14. Brass used for both is good stuff. Saves me a lot of time.

Quite a few hunters that live outside but travel to and hunt in straightwall states are buying 350 legend rifles and ammo. I bought both my rifle and ammo for mine in Florida.
It solves more than just hunters wanting to use an AR. It puts the straightwall state hunters in a more conventional bolt action deer rifle with low recoil like we shoot in our home states
I agree demand for the 350 L will not be super high in nonstraightwall states but there will be some need for inventories at some level.

I bought a RAR in 350 and I live in MO. No restrictions here, any centerfire is legal. I bought it because it is very similar to a 35 Remington, and better ammo and component availability. I hunt my own place, and 200 yards is about as long a shot as I will find here. It’s low recoil, cheap on powder, and not as likely to keep sailing for five miles beyond my forty acres. And the rifle is light, compact, and accurate. I put a red dot sight on it, zeroed at 150. Point and shoot to 200, perfect for my place. It works for me, and would work as well for anyone like me. Not a fan of using more than I need for anything, and this cartridge and rifle fill the need.

Tossing around the idea of loading subsonic or buying some, and using a suppressor. That was another attraction, factory subsonic ammo heavy enough to hunt with.

There's almost nothing in the last twenty years that isn't odd.

I guess I'm a Fudd.

I consider it a good year if I make it a 3 round year for any of my rifles. One to check zero (these have been previously rung out so I know how they shoot), one to drop the whatever, one insurance shot from a few yards out. If needed or wanted.

Clean the rifle and put it away until next year.

I once made a box of .338WM ammo last 3 years, including 2 caribou and 3 moose. That was about $35 well spent! Yeah, it was factory.

Changing scopes, ammo, working up loads, new to me rifles, bedding, etc all cause the tally to go up until I'm confident in the rifle, then it goes to the hopefully 3 and out group.

I see no point in just pouring lead down a barrel, but YMMV.

Nothing wrong with this as long as the hunter has the rifle skills to take care of business.

I used a 358 Win yesterday. I shot it a couple off weeks ago, only 2 rounds at 100 yards....cold bore and second shot were touching and I didn't care about a "group" so said good enough. Killed a buck yesterday with it still hunting. Honestly, the 2 checking zero rounds weren't needed....but I like to know. It's a hunting rifle, mainly used at 150 yards or less, and I rarely shoot it when not hunting. I had 11 reloaded rounds for it....2 checking zero left me 9 for the year, down to 8 now. I can load up 20 rounds for this rifle and it will last several years, it's a hunter, not a shooter.

....that said, on the same day I checked zero with it, and 3 times since then, I've burned a lot of powder with 4 other rifles.

Nothing wrong with doing minimal shooting for hunting.....nothing wrong with enjoying shooting and running through the rounds for enjoyment/practice.

That sounds boring as heck. I sometimes just get bored and want to go shoot a few rounds rather it be a .223 or a 6.5, 338 whatever as long as it goes bang.