I bought a Ruger AR-556 for my daughter. She really likes the rifle and it is plenty accurate with handloads. My only complaint would be that the cartridge does not produce a large wound channel and blood trails are minimal or non-existent. I encourage her to intentionally aim for shoulders.
The 170 Hornady doesn’t seem to expand much. They shoot lights out in mine and a friend has killed a couple deer and quite a few hogs with his and the 170. I may go to the 165 FTX and see if they open a little more.
Bear Creek Ballistics 160gr looks like a great bullet also.
So I google Franchi Momentum 350L.......dammit now I want one
Haven't shot it but there is a lot to like about it. Not that the 350 kicks but it's got the same soft recoil pad as their shot guns. I love the adjustable trigger and its factory set perfectly. It's got a spiral fluted bolt and a larger than average bolt handle. It's got the shortest lift to open bolt I've ever seen. It uses the Remington 700 scope mount bolt pattern and comes with two piece multi slot bases installed. Detachable mag with the release in the trigger guard. Threaded barrel, one day I may want a can on it. Franchi really did their homework.
I have the 350L in both the AR platform and in a Savage Axis. I got the Axis without the Accutrigger and installed an M-carbo trigger kit in it and it is a sweet little rifle. Going to be my go to rifle for a while but not this year. I made a personal commitment to only go with a muzzleloader or one of my old lever guns this year. BTW the one in the AR platform I may just put on the block to sell. Its like new and pretty much nothing more than enough shots to sight it in. I got it to go deer hunting in Ohio but the dear soul that I was going to hunt with up and died! I'll likely let it go at a good price if anyone is interested.
One is a FDE tan stock and blued metal- $599 2 pc. bases. #41562
Momentum Elite is camo and Cerakote (2 color combinations were made) $799 with 1 pc. Picatinny rail. #41657, #41655
I shot mine Monday. Shoots my handloads all touching or better at 100. I got the camo one with True Timber Strata camo and midnight bronze Cerakote. #41655
This will be my mothers third season using a Ruger Ranch in 350L here in Ohio. It’s wearing a 3-9 trijicon and shooting Winchester 150gr deer season xp factory rounds. Rifle shoots moa and his easy on her shoulder compared to her 20ga slug gun. She’s taken one mature buck at a little over 100yards. Lung shot and died within sight. Plan to start my son out next year with a 350L.
Shot a big 6 point this morning with my Mossberg 350 legend. Cull buck. Blew his lungs out. Ran maybe 40 yds in a semi circle. Pretty impressive. No recoil. Low rifle report
And these zombies line up and eat from the media’s trough
Lots of Iowa deer hunters have set their slug guns up for the .350L and .450BM. Many complaints about no blood trail with the .350L but the .450BM lets the blood out nicely. As someone who has been killing whitetails with a .357 Maximum out of a single shot pistol in Iowa for at least 15 seasons, I have to wonder about either bullet selection or shot placement for the guys complaining about the .350L not being sufficient and not leaving blood trails. Granted, I shoot my own 190 gr. LFNGC cast bullets for most of my deer, though the last three have fallen to 180 gr. Speer Hot Cors, but I've never had a problem with a blood trail. I can think of four off the top of my head that dropped in their tracks, literally, and one of those was at 182 yards, lasered. I keep hoping to "catch" a cast bullet so I can see what the bullet looks like, but I have yet to have a bullet NOT pass through. I shoot from a ground blind with a rest, farthest deer was 227 yards. Left a blood trail a blind man could follow for about 60 yards across a plowed cornfield with snow. I watched it drop, but it was like someone had painted the snow red. Maybe the 150 gr. option is giving bad results? I can't imagine a 170 or 180 gr. not leaving a great blood trail.
Selmer
"Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter
Lots of Iowa deer hunters have set their slug guns up for the .350L and .450BM. Many complaints about no blood trail with the .350L but the .450BM lets the blood out nicely. As someone who has been killing whitetails with a .357 Maximum out of a single shot pistol in Iowa for at least 15 seasons, I have to wonder about either bullet selection or shot placement for the guys complaining about the .350L not being sufficient and not leaving blood trails. Granted, I shoot my own 190 gr. LFNGC cast bullets for most of my deer, though the last three have fallen to 180 gr. Speer Hot Cors, but I've never had a problem with a blood trail. I can think of four off the top of my head that dropped in their tracks, literally, and one of those was at 182 yards, lasered. I keep hoping to "catch" a cast bullet so I can see what the bullet looks like, but I have yet to have a bullet NOT pass through. I shoot from a ground blind with a rest, farthest deer was 227 yards. Left a blood trail a blind man could follow for about 60 yards across a plowed cornfield with snow. I watched it drop, but it was like someone had painted the snow red. Maybe the 150 gr. option is giving bad results? I can't imagine a 170 or 180 gr. not leaving a great blood trail.
All the complaints I've read about are with 150 gr bullets. Don't recall hearing of any issues with 170 gr or 180 gr bullets.
Shot some rounds over the chrony today. Herter's 180 gr listed at 2100 fps clocked 2048 fps. Federal Non Typical 180 gr listed at 2100 fps clocked 2160 fps.
Shot some rounds over the chrony today. Herter's 180 gr listed at 2100 fps clocked 2048 fps. Federal Non Typical 180 gr listed at 2100 fps clocked 2160 fps.
Considering many 35 Remington loads don't make 1900 fps with a 200 grain bullet out of the average Marlins 20 inch barrel that sure seems good enough.