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.
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.
