350 Legend -thoughts and experiences?

[kenton]

If you look at the SAAMI data, the 350 legend is specified as having a .357" +0/-.003 bullet and a .355" +.002/-0 barrel so I guess the 9mm barrel may or may not be a issue?
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...ng-Website.pdf

I looked at getting a bolt action to play with until I realized I would be basically duplicating my Ruger 77/357. I could get more power out of a 350 legend, but I don't hunt deer and my state doesn't allow straight wall cartridges anyway. 99% of my shooting is done with 38 spl power level and adding another set of brass and dies didn't make sense.

[Earlwb]

If you look at the SAAMI data, the 350 legend is specified as having a .357" +0/-.003 bullet and a .355" +.002/-0 barrel so I guess the 9mm barrel may or may not be a issue?
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...ng-Website.pdf

yeah I thought that too. But all the articles I read about it said that it uses .355" or 9mm size bullets. it might be the chamber though. Trying a .357 sized bullet may not let the cartridge chamber in some guns.
In the latest 2020 Hodgdon's reloading manual the article on page .32 stated that the correct working size for the bullets is .355" even though the bore might be 357". So it must be the cartridge case walls expand the cartridge diameter out to were anything larger than .355" won't chamber.

[kenton]

I'm not arguing anyone and I have no personal experience but the SAAMI chamber drawing seem to indicate that a proper chamber should have a 357 +.002/-0 throat just under .100 inches long.

But who knows, all the info I seem to see around this cartridge seem more like slightly contradictory marketing rather that technical data.

[Dapaki]

I'm not arguing anyone and I have no personal experience but the SAAMI chamber drawing seem to indicate that a proper chamber should have a 357 +.002/-0 throat just under .100 inches long.

But who knows, all the info I seem to see around this cartridge seem more like slightly contradictory marketing rather that technical data.

Looks like .357 -.003 for the throat according to what I see here.

[nikonuser]

supposedly starts as a .356/.357 diameter at forcing cone but tapers to .355 at muzzle

[kenton]

Looks like .357 -.003 for the throat according to what I see here.

The image you have there is the cartridge drawing, you need to look at the chamber drawing below it on the link I attached.
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...ng-Website.pdf

[P Flados]

Although the spec allows as big as 0.357", the 350L bore is typically being made on the small side of the allowed tolerance range - very close to 0.355". The bigger issue is the tight neck region.

With Jacketed bullets, the vast majority of 350L reloaders have good results if they either buy some of the new 350L specific bullets (nominal 0.355") or if they size down larger bullets to 0.356" with a Lee push through.

Those that have tried 0.357" or bigger typically find that the loaded ammo is too tight in the neck region.

For cast, sizing to 0.356" is probably best for most guns, but you might get away with sizing to 0.357". This is most likely die to a small amount of sizing down of the boolit by the brass.

[bikerbeans]

I bought a RARR in 350L last summer because I needed a reduced recoil deer rifle. Getting old and dealing with the aftermath of an extended hospital stay. My particular 350L chambers and fires a 0.3575" jacketed bullet without issue. Others have reported needing to resize 35 cal rifle bullets for their RARR 350 legends.

BB

[cwlongshot]

My RUGER Ranch 350. Will not chamber a 357 dia bullet. I have to resize to 356.

CW

[smokeater]

I just recently bought the Ruger Ranch rifle in 350Legend. Only shot factory 145gr fmj and 150gr xp. Love it. Can't wait for dies to get here. Orxered some 147jhps for plinking/target loads. I love in Alabama and only have access to wooded property where a 70yd shot would be considered a long shot so the 350 fits my needs just fine snd has the power to handle any game animal I bump into. Had a 300BO, nothing wrong with it just lime the 350 better and since my most used guns are 9mm, can use 124/147gr bullets as well.

[beltfed]

At this point, looking at the ctg and chamber drgs, I think that Winchester
may have designed the System to be a "squeeze bore" so as to get higher performance-velocities
out of the combination of 0.357 bullets down to a 0.355 groove dia barrel
This was a very common practice in Hi Power target rifles , especially Palma 308 rifle.
Boots Obermeyer was a leader in this. He started making barrels with 0.307 groove/0.2985 bore, initially to fit
the then issue Brit ammo that had 0.307 diameter bullets.
Later, it was discovered that those rifles shooting 0.308 bullets gave higher velocities with excellent accuracy
beltfed/arnie
beltfed/arnie

[Lloyd Smale]

first ive heard of guns blowing up with factory ammo. Also wouldn't it use the same bolt carrier and upper a 556 uses. Why would just the 350s be rough if they came off the same production line? I don't own one and probably wont. My reason though is it should have been based on the 556 case and used 358 bullets. To me Hornady invented this to sell there ammo.

Right now most all bullets have problems with expansion. They don't. Ammo companies don't know how to load the cartridge. Hornady right now is blowing up guns left and right. They are also not taking any responsibility for it also. Win did have problems at first for the same thing. But they fixed that.

One guy out there is making solid copper bullets and they are working great. AR15's are having the most problems. Certain manufacturers are worse than others. Most of the problems are the BCG being too tight and rough finishing causing feed issues. Most try to blame the mags for feed issues but the BCG is actually the problem. So swap another bcg from a used AR and the problem goes away.

[dragon813gt]

Also wouldn't it use the same bolt carrier and upper a 556 uses. Why would just the 350s be rough if they came off the same production line? I don't own one and probably wont. My reason though is it should have been based on the 556 case and used 358 bullets. To me Hornady invented this to sell there ammo.

Case head is slightly larger. Don’t know if it’s large enough to necessitate a completely new bolt. But it is possible that a different one is needed.

You are right about the latter part. They should have used the specs from the 357AR which is based off the 5.56 case. I have one and it’s a hoot to shoot. Making brass is also easy. You can use surplus 5.56 or use Starline basic brass which makes it a little easier. Regardless, they do want to sell ammo so creating a proprietary cartridge case is one way to increase sales.

[tomme boy]

They made the drawing the way it is to get around the states that say a 0.357" or larger bullet. Iowa specifically says NO 9MM. It is not a tapered bore. It is a high power 9mm. And the brass is a rebated rim. They had to make the brass a little larger to put a slight taper to aid extraction. The 357AR has no taper. Extraction force is higher than the legend. And just because someone else came up with it does not make it better. Most 357 bullets are not suited to use in the legend. So why would you use them?

[Prodigal Son]

Have on in an AR platform. So far I'm liking it very much. Yet to kill anything with it, but made it for hog hunting and quick follow up shots! We shall see!