350 Legend vs. 450 Bushmaster – Ballistics, Performance, and More

350 Legend vs. 450 Bushmaster debate. When it comes to choosing a straight-walled cartridge for your hunting or shooting needs, the 350 Legend vs 450 Bushmasters are two popular contenders. Both of these cartridges have gained a strong following for their performance, but they cater to different niches within the firearms world. In this comparative blog, we will take a deep dive into the 350 Legend vs. 450 Bushmaster debate, exploring their ballistics, strengths, and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision.

Straight-walled cartridges are quickly becoming the go-to choice for many hunters who want to take out deer with something other than a bottleneck cartridge rifle. With an efficient design and low recoil, the 350 Legend vs 450 Bushmaster makes for perfect deer hunting rounds. The 350 Legend was actually designed with deer hunting in mind and comes with a .35 caliber bullet designed specifically to expand rapidly upon impact for extra stopping power. Meanwhile, the larger and heavier 450 Bushmaster is intended mainly for medium-sized game like wild pigs but also packs enough punch to make it an excellent option for deer hunting at mid to close range.

When comparing these two rounds, it’s clear that each has its own advantages depending on your goals. The 350 Legend offers higher velocities, less bulky powder loads, and less overall recoil – ideal for novice shooters or those who hunt in tight brush situations. Conversely, the 450 Bushmaster has greater knockdown power at distance ranges and can penetrate deeper into heavier targets due to its heftier projectile weight. Ultimately, which one is “best” depends on how you’ll deploy either round while hunting.

In terms of accuracy, the 350 Legend has a slight edge in this department due to its lighter projectile weight and higher velocities. A well-tuned rifle should be able to achieve consistent groups with either round, but the lighter bullet of the 350 Legend will give you an edge at longer ranges. The 450 Bushmaster is still capable of excellent accuracy, however, and many hunters have reported tight groups at distances up to 250 yards.

For hunters looking for a straight-walled cartridge with less recoil and greater accuracy, the 350 Legend is an excellent choice. The 450 Bushmaster offers substantially greater knockdown power at longer ranges, so it’s ideal for those who want maximum stopping power. Ultimately, both cartridges are excellent choices for deer hunting – it just comes down to personal preference.

The .350 Legend and .450 Bushmaster are two popular hunting cartridges that have been designed to serve the same purpose. While both cartridges perform admirably, their similarity has made the decision between the two more difficult for potential rifle purchasers. While different manufacturers offer different rifles with both cartridges, many of them use the same model for each differing only in muzzle devices and the barrel contour used.

For instance, Ruger manufactures its American Ranch rifle in both .450 Bushmaster and .350 Legend editions. The differences between the two rarely extend beyond various muzzle devices or barrel contours. This lack of innovation highlights how similar these two powerful cartridges are in terms of performance, requiring little modification to function within a rifle design. Ultimately, it may come down to preference when it comes to deciding on an ideal cartridge within either .450 Bushmaster or .350 Legend rifles.

350 Legend Overview

The .350 Legend cartridge, developed by Winchester Repeating Arms in 2019, is designed to be a powerful and reliable solution for states that are not legally able to hunt with cartridges that feature regular “shouldered” cartridges or bottlenecks. Through careful engineering and innovation, the designers at Winchester were able to adapt the classic .223 Remington bottleneck cartridge into the straight-walled 350 legend. The result of this modification is a high-velocity bullet combined with a significant amount of kinetic energy. This combination produces an ideal hunting round that performs well at closer ranges as well as farther distances.

It’s clear the engineers at Winchester have created a great product with the 350 Legend – unlocking vast new hunting possibilities for those who lived in regulated straight-wall states while still providing features like great accuracy and energy transfer downrange. Whether you’re out for deer or some other game, the 350 Legend offers minimal recoil, low cost per shot, and improved performance across multiple distances – all without breaking any state regulations. They have opened up many possibilities in legal hunting by combining practicality and power into one efficient package.

The 350 Legend is a relatively new cartridge introduced by Winchester in 2019. It was designed to offer a straight-walled option for hunters in states with regulations requiring such cartridges. The cartridge features a .355-inch bullet diameter, making it compatible with existing AR-15 platforms. Let’s delve into its ballistics:

350 Legend Ballistics Chart

• Bullet Weight: 150 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,325 feet per second (fps)
• Muzzle Energy: 1,800 foot-pounds (ft-lbs)
• Trajectory at 100 yards: -2.1 inches
• Recoil: Moderate

450 Bushmaster Overview

The 450 Bushmaster is a straight wall cartridge, similar to the 350 Legend in design. It was developed by LeMag Firearms and licensed by Bushmaster Firearms International, primarily used for hunting deer, hogs, elk, and bears if necessary. As the 223 Remington became popular as a semi-auto AR rifle for hunting small game, it was not allowed for the hunting of whitetail deer or any other large game. To fill this gap in the market, the 450 Bushmaster was created to provide hunters with a platform that would be legal to hunt with in most states – even those where bottleneck cartridges are prohibited.

This caliber makes an ideal round for big game hunters looking to take down larger animals with ease. The 450 bushmaster offers more knockdown power than your average 243 rounds and can easily handle 120-grain pills at over 2200 feet per second muzzle velocity. With its relatively flat trajectory plus excellent terminal ballistics out past 200 yards, experienced hunters will appreciate its performance while still keeping maximum cost efficiency intact making it ideal for casual shooters as well. Overall, the 450 Bushmaster is a great option for many hunting scenarios that need a little bit of extra punch compared to other alternatives on the market.

The 450 Bushmaster, on the other hand, has been around since 2008. It was designed as a big-bore cartridge primarily for hunting large game, particularly in states with straight-walled cartridge regulations. The 450 Bushmaster offers considerable stopping power due to its larger bullet diameter and heavier bullets.

450 Bushmaster Ballistics Chart

• Bullet Weight: 250 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 2,686 ft-lbs
• Trajectory at 100 yards: -1.7 inches
• Recoil: Considerable

Comparative Analysis

1. Ballistics: When comparing the ballistics of the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster, several factors stand out. The 350 Legend offers a flatter trajectory, making it a good choice for longer-range shots. However, the 450 Bushmaster delivers significantly more energy at the muzzle, which translates to better stopping power, especially for larger games.
2. Ammunition Availability: The 350 Legend has gained popularity quickly, resulting in a wide selection of ammunition choices. It’s easy to find affordable factory loads and components for reloading. The 450 Bushmaster, while not as diverse, still has a reasonable selection of ammunition available.
3. Recoil: Recoil can be a crucial factor, especially for newer shooters or those sensitive to recoil. The 350 Legend generates moderate recoil, making it more manageable for many shooters. In contrast, the 450 Bushmaster produces considerable recoil, which can be punishing if not properly managed.
4. Hunting Applications: Both cartridges are suitable for hunting, but they excel in different areas. The 350 Legend is ideal for medium-sized games and varmints, while the 450 Bushmaster is better suited for larger games like deer, hogs, and even bears.
5. Platform Compatibility: The 350 Legend’s compatibility with the AR-15 platform makes it an attractive option for those who want a semi-automatic rifle for hunting or sport shooting. The 450 Bushmaster typically requires a larger AR-15-style platform or a bolt-action rifle.

In the battle of 350 Legend vs. 450 Bushmaster, your choice should align with your specific needs and preferences. If you prioritize a flatter trajectory, moderate recoil, and versatility for a medium-sized game, the 350 Legend may be the better option. However, if you’re seeking maximum stopping power for a larger game and are comfortable with managing substantial recoil, the 450 Bushmaster could be your cartridge of choice. Ultimately, both cartridges have their strengths, and the decision comes down to what you value most in your firearm and ammunition.

450 Bushmaster vs. 350 Legend Recoil

When it comes to hunting deer, recoil is a major factor for hunters to consider as it affects the ease of shooting. Two key components determine recoil in any rifle – the cartridge and rifle combination. Both the 450 Bushmaster vs 350 Legend cartridges are able to be chambered in relatively similar-weight rifles, so the difference in recoil between the two is determined by the cartridge’s own power. It has been found that the 350 Legend produces significantly less recoil than its 450 Bushmaster counterpart; producing 8.52 foot-pounds of recoil force when fired from a seven-pound rifle with a 150-grain bullet. This results in significantly less kickback for hunters using these lighter cartridges compared with more powerful ones, making it much easier on their joint and muscle reactions when firing them off.

Generally speaking, this means that hunters looking to take advantage of less felt recoil can benefit greatly from opting for one of these two cartridges – particularly if hunting is done over long periods of time or involving multiple shots. Moreover, for those who have just begun hunting or are more sensitive to recoil, both these cartridges provide a much gentler push against your shoulder compared with more powerful rounds like WSM (which produce around 20 foot-pounds of recoil).

The debate between the 450 Bushmaster vs 350 Legend has been raging for some time now. Both cartridges are popular choices with deer hunters looking to make a clean, ethical kill. The 450 Bushmaster is known for its power and accuracy at long-range, while the 350 Legend boasts the affordability of its ammo as compared to the 450. Those in favor of the 450 will argue that its ballistic profile gives you more confidence when making a longer-range shot on a deer than that of a .350 Legend round. However, those who favor the .350 point to its ample clean energy down range for humane kill shots on medium-sized game like Whitetail Deer or Hogs, making it an ideal choice when hunting closer ranges which entail less risk of tracking wounded animals due to poor hit placement.

Ultimately, both rounds have their place in hunting depending on what type of experience you’re looking for. For those more interested in longer-range shooting with more confidence look no further than than the 450 Bushmaster, but if using your rifle at shorter ranges within 200 yards then there is no denying that ammunition costs versus performance should be taken into consideration when selecting your cartridge and potentially giving preference towards one over the other.

350 legend vs. 450 Bushmaster ballistics chart