Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .400 Legend

Just want to say I called it! This is exactly the cartridge Winchester needed to release after the .350 Legend's surprising success. An updated version of the old .401 Self Loader. It's a 6.8spc parent case necked up to .40 caliber. With all of the .40 caliber bullets on the market for the 10mm this was really a no brainer.

This cartridge will really turn an AR-15 into a hog and black bear thumper. Loaded up with some 220 or 230 grain hard cast moving north of 2000fps without the magazine capacity limitations of the larger .45 caliber cartridges now avaliable. I think it's going to be a homerun.

I want one in a stainless howa mini.

I doubt it will be anywhere near as popular as the 350 and I only think it will cut into the 350’s sales. Sure, the sporting cartridge world is inundated with redundant cartridges, but what exactly do they hope to accomplish with the 400 that one can’t do with the 350?

Are there any straight wall only states that require a bore diameter greater than what the 350 provides?

Here's the issue:

Same as it would have been if the 350 used .357 bullets (though it can use 9mm bullets).

The pistol bullets in 40/10mm won't work as a hunting bullet driven that fast out of a rifle. Other than possibly monometal like the XPB.

So, new bullets will have to be designed. Pointed rifle type hunting bullets. Hornady and Win. will get their versions out first. Will take longer for the better bullets like Barnes to come out.

Yes, essentially an improved upon .401 WSL at a higher pressure. ( different base case)

Actually , the .40 Cooper Carbine round ,the original longer version of the 10mm Magnum and 10mm (Norma) made from the 30 Remington.

Will build one soon. ( a baby brother to my 50 Beowulf)

Edit: looks like a new base diameter case- .441.
With a .422 head from the .30Rem,10mm, 6.8SPC.
rather than just the SPC with the walls straighten

I hope you get one....which means it's more likely I'll get a stainless howa mini in what they currently chambered for!

Interesting round but I'm doubtful it will make sales anywhere near the 350 Legend. The 350 filled a niche for deer in states that require straight wall cartridges. I'm not sure the 400 will improve on performance for deer over the 350 and most who would purchase a round to fill that niche have likely already gone with the 350. Maybe there's a straight wall, or AR, niche for bear and elk?

Stimulating the economy...gotta make new diameter bullets, new brass, new mags, new rifles, etc.

Another intentional missed opportunity to make a useful round in the correct diameter for useful bullets which already exist.

I suspect you’re right as I think a lot of the success of the .350 is due to the fact that people found out they enjoy shooting it, and maybe a bit that it seems like a good round for personal defense without compromising mag capacity. I see a fair amount of brass on the ground where I shoot.

They, and Remington were careful to stay within the 1.8” case rules which still prevent some old-timey rounds from being used without some loading trickery. Not that I need a rifle, but I was thinking the .360 in a Henry SS would make a good woods rifle with the advantage of a lot of suitable bullets already extant. Might even have my .357 re-chambered.

EDIT: Guess not, the Henry rifles are twisted 1-12”.

And on that note, there will be plenty of 400 Legend ammo on the shelves during the next ammo shortage.

The 200gr 10mm Swift A-Frame seems like a good choice for this one.

Boy I bet that'd be rough on stuff!

Don't worry, they'll probably stop making an existing useful cartridge to push this one.

Last I checked, 10mm bullets were pretty common and useful. And I'm sure this will be available in ARs, bolts, and singles, so I'm not really sure how any of that applies to this cartridge.

Yes 10mm pistol bullets are common. But this is a rifle cartridge and needs totally different construction due to fps and feeding.

Not necessarily.

The Winchester load is 215 grain power point at 2230 FPS.

Hot 10mm ammo in 200 grain is 1000 FPS less velocity (1200 FPS).

For practice and plinking the pistol bullets might work, but not going to be super accurate out of the rifle. They will not work for large game.

I'd wager the A-Frame or a hardcast will work great. I've shot deer with a 300gr WFN out of a .44 mag at 1150, and out of a .444 at a bit over 2000, and the difference in wound channel is telling.

No doubt there will be better choices, but I would have no qualms about a swift a-frame at 2k.

I’m going to beat everyone to the punch and say it for the 24hourcampfire braintrust. “If our boys would’ve had this in ‘Nam them gooks would’ve never had a chance and we would’ve won the war”

This already exists and it's called the 10mm magnum. Much longer brass than a regular 10mm brass.

I have a thousand 10mm magnum brass and 200 grain swift a-frames.

It's going in a model winchester 92 trapper carbine.