Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .400 Legend

I think I'll wait and see on the 400 after reading this post. Sounds like Tony might have some experience here.

Bb

So, is Henry going to put a rim on it, call it the .400 Hammer and run it through a lever action ?? Asking for a friend.

kwg

Back in the '80s Winchester played with a ".400 Winchester" based on the .307/.356 case. Layne Simpson said he was shown samples of the cartridge when he toured the factory.

I have a 300 Blackout in a bolt action Howa Mini, and since I don't own a suppressor, or plan to, I kinda like the idea of having it reamed to 300 Ham'r. I'd like to ask you a few questions about it, if you don't mind.

Sure. Pm me your cell and I will call i am running a 16 and 18 inch hamr right now.

The blackout twist rate would be a show stopper I think for a simple barrel ream. Hamrs are 1-13 or 1-15.

I'm in Indiana and kinda debating what I should get to be Indiana deer legal since outside of a flintlock and a shotgun (both extremely short range propositions since the shotgun isn't rifled) I don't have anything legal for hunting deer. The .350 seems nice, but it seems like the .400 has a tiny bit more juice to 250 yards or so, while the .350 seems like a 200 yard cartridge to me. The .450 is a real thumper, but having something a little bit flatter seems good.

If they bring the .400 legend out in a Ruger Ranch rifle, I'll probably get one.

The other thing that might be interesting is plinking loads for the .400. One could use 10mm bullets for subsonic applications with a suppressor (or just for a quiet plinking load). Getting some 200 grain FMJ with some Unique or Blue Dot for something along the lines of 700 or 800 fps seems nice. But the real fun would be shooting a groundhog with a 165 grain JHP launched at 2800 fps or so. I wonder what that would look like.

If you are hunting private land, get what you want above .243". If you spend time on public, I'd opt for the 350 Legend just for ease of ammo availability. And for the fact, I've never seen much if any opportunity for needing more range than the 350 offers on public land in Indiana.

Since a 125-158 launched north of 2800 were coyote bombs from a 357 Max rifle, I’d imagine a 165 10mm around those speeds would be even nastier. I’m a 35 fan…but the 350 as iterated leaves me unimpressed…at least compared to what I saw with the max and what others saw from the 357AR, with REAL .357/.358 bullets. The 357 AR and 223 case was there for Winchester to capitalize on. I often wonder if some animas developed between mad dog or? and Winchester. Would help explain things somewhat. It’s been successful, in spite of Winchester, not because of how they did it. The 400 might be where they should have started, since they weren’t going to make a 35….just a bait and switch to a 9mm.

Our boys had the 30 Carbine in WWll, them Jerry's never stood a chance and we won the war !

Always something new, any advantage over a 450 bushmaster?

Duh !

...

Posted on this on another thread as well, but I'd like to see the CVA Cascade SB (short barrel) chambered for the 400 Legend.

Weatherby offers a neat Vanguard "Carbine" with 20" barrel in .350. If they see fit to chamber it in .400, I will not be able to resist.

LOL, and all the while 98% of those buying and using will use factory ammo and kill the crap out of every thing they shoot with it.

I believe Winchester created the 400 Legend to resolve couple issues. First, there are complaints about 350 bullets leaving poor blood trail, which bigger hole will help. Second, the 350 didn't have the reach or energy at 250-300 yards like 450 Bushmaster, so they want a bit of that "bigger bore/more energy" customer market.

Will 400L scavenge sales from 350L? Probably. But likely not as much as from 450 Bushmaster.

I agree. I understand the why behind the .400, but I want to move in the opposite direction. I want the laws changed so I can use <.35" bullets. I want to step down in diameter and up in BC so I can use a genuine 300 yd cartridge. I don't want/need a new big bore.

From what I understand, the .350L was designed to do a few things:
1) Be a straight wall that is legal in straight wall states.
2) Be cheap.
3) Feed, however precariously, through an AR.

#1 was pretty easy - anything .35" or bigger in a 1.8" case. (OK, maybe they had to do some fast talking to get the .355" accepted when most laws say >.357".)
#2, along with the work of guys like Moleman, pointed to using the cheapest brass available - .223. Just take it off the line before necking and blow out the web area a little. Don't even have to stop the .223 basic line. Then take make some simple changes to another line that runs all the time - the 9mm bullet line. I don't know how bullet lines work in detail, but it may just be a matter of adjusting rather than replacing most pieces.
Then, #3. .355" gives them 3 thou extra of taper and blowing out the web area gives them a couple more thou for taper to help with feeding.

Mission accomplished? Eh, good enough I guess.

I asked Moleman if I should go with one of his .35s or the .350L. He urged me to go with the .350L.

My best guess is that a slew of rifles in 400 Legend from Savage and Winchester will be announced at SHOT. Personally, I'm hoping the CVA Cascade SB is amongst the offerings. Should it be, I'll order one thru my LGS. Otherwise I'll likely settle for a Winchester XPR SR.

howa 🤞

Wouldn't surprise me.