20 gauge slug gun vs. 350 Legend

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  • ChrisD

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2013
    2,992
    Conowingo
    I didn’t want to derail the other thread on straight wall cartridge rifles for deer hunting, so I’ll post here. I have a Savage 220 That I purchased about 5 or so years ago. It’s pretty darn accurate shooting Remington Accutips. In MD I hunt a farm in Harford County. We have some very thick woods, some open woods, and a lot of fields. With that, depending on where I decide to hunt, shots can be anywhere from 30-50 yards in the woods to seeing deer farther than I could ethically shoot on the fields. I’m trying to decide if it is worthwhile to buy a 350 Legend (assuming the straight wall cartridge goes through) or stick with the Savage 220. As far as straight wall cartridge rifles go, I have a 44 Magnum lever gun. It would be ok in the woods, but limited on fields obviously. Any thoughts? Give me a reason to purchase a new rifle.:D
     

    dink

    Member
    Mar 30, 2014
    63
    The only reason you need.....because you don't have one. That aside, I have a 220 as well. Taken dozens of deer with it...350 legend certainly won't do anything it can't already do. 200yds max on both. I think biggest benefits to the 350 are AR platform, and ammo availability/price. Lots of us going the AR route for fun.
     

    1time

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 26, 2009
    2,258
    Baltimore, Md
    I debating between a 350 legend and a 450 bushmaster and currently leaning towards the 450. I have a 220 and while it’s an accurate slug gun, it is not rifle accurate and good slugs are Expensive!!!!!

    The 450 is on par with the 220 for bullet weight and velocity. The Legend is on par with a 30-30. Not a bad round but I feel like 30 or 40% more energy isn’t a bad thing at 150 or 200 yards. The way my property is laid out, my typical shot is 125 to 175 yards and 200 is just as likely as 25 yards is.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    I'm going to wait and see. I love my 220 with accutips. Light, accurate, leaves big holes in deer.
     

    ChrisD

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2013
    2,992
    Conowingo
    The only reason you need.....because you don't have one. That aside, I have a 220 as well. Taken dozens of deer with it...350 legend certainly won't do anything it can't already do. 200yds max on both. I think biggest benefits to the 350 are AR platform, and ammo availability/price. Lots of us going the AR route for fun.

    I wouldn’t be going the AR platform route. Actually I don’t care to hunt with the AR rifle, so I’d be looking for a bolt action if I were to purchase one. The 220 is pretty accurate, just curious how the 350 Legend would stack up against it. Ammo cost, while expensive for the 220, is really a secondary consideration.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    If you were hunting fields in a legitimate rifle county, you'd be in a better position with a rifle. But being limited to buying a straight wall rifle cartridge isn't going to give you any significant advantage over your Savage 220.

    Buy a new straight wall by all means if you want to. But given the capability of what you have, hard to argue you'd need to.
     

    ChrisD

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2013
    2,992
    Conowingo
    If you were hunting fields in a legitimate rifle county, you'd be in a better position with a rifle. But being limited to buying a straight wall rifle cartridge isn't going to give you any significant advantage over your Savage 220.

    Buy a new straight wall by all means if you want to. But given the capability of what you have, hard to argue you'd need to.

    I also hunt in WV, have family in Randolph County. I typically use my Remington 7600 30-06 there. True, no comparison between the slug gun and an 06. Now, if I could find a 350 Legend in a pump rifle I’d be all over it.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    I also hunt in WV, have family in Randolph County. I typically use my Remington 7600 30-06 there. True, no comparison between the slug gun and an 06. Now, if I could find a 350 Legend in a pump rifle I’d be all over it.

    My first (and still my favorite) deer rifle is the predecessor to yours....the 760. Mine is also in '06. Always wanted another one too, especially in 35 Remington, just because. Didn't work out that way, but I can see some similarity in thought here. :)

    Good Luck!
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    My first (and still my favorite) deer rifle is the predecessor to yours....the 760. Mine is also in '06. Always wanted another one too, especially in 35 Remington, just because. Didn't work out that way, but I can see some similarity in thought here. :)

    Good Luck!
    Add another in the 760/30.06 fan club!!!

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
     

    TAstro

    Active Member
    Dec 8, 2015
    329
    So straight walled rifles are allowed in shotgun counties now?

    This hasn’t been announced formally (to my
    Knowledge) but that is what was proposed and I hear it is expected to become the rule, as well as the primitive season.

    Side note, I’m just going to use my 220. It’s accurate as hell and I need to shoot a lot of deer to justify another upper in 350 or 450.
     

    BossmanPJ

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 22, 2013
    7,057
    Cecil County
    My first (and still my favorite) deer rifle is the predecessor to yours....the 760. Mine is also in '06. Always wanted another one too, especially in 35 Remington, just because. Didn't work out that way, but I can see some similarity in thought here. :)

    Good Luck!

    I try to get one with my 760 every year. It was my
    Grandfathers. Still drops them like nothing. Also an 06. Still has an old Bushnell Sportview scope in weaver rings. Why change it. Works great.

    I had another in 270 years ago but foolishly sold it.
     

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    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    shots can be anywhere from 30-50 yards in the woods to seeing deer farther than I could ethically shoot on the fields.

    I can not believe no one else thinks about the suppressors, they make everything so much more pleasant vs a slug gun. 30-50yd is the perfect environment for a suppressor. In my experience at 30-50 yards a suppressor with supersonics will distort the sound enough that the deer have no idea what is going on. They will scatter a few yards and be alert but there is a good chance you will get a second shot at another doe if that is your thing. At the long end over 100yd it is going to sound like a 22lr or less, one of the deer will fall, and everyone else will get back to munching on soybeans.

    Being AR oriented, almost every bolt action and upper are threaded and ready for a suppressor. This is a huge cost savings over trying to piece something together from a normal hunting rifle. Ease of suppression for hunting is the primary reason I started buying 300blk(3x), 450bushmaster(1x) and 488 socom(1x). After my first hunt with a 300blk I never looked back.


    My advise for the straight wall county thing would be to get a bolt action ruger american or similar in .350 legend or .450 bushmaster along with a Silencerco hybrid or Griffin Bushwhacker. Cost would probably be $1300ish for the suppressor and $500 for the rifle.


    Edit: When I think shotgun counties I think places like western howard with crazy deer density but where you are always within ear shot of horse people and a subdivision. Keeping the lowest profile possible is the game to play.
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,234
    Millersville
    The more I’ve looked at the 350 the less I like. They, Winchester claims it is better than the 30/30. They fail to say they are comparing the 150 grain 350 with a 140 grain 30/30. 150 grain 30/30 and more so the 170 beats the 350 except maybe at range. 350 will shoot a tad flatter.
    Another issue may have been fixed by now. Some people were having problems with cartridge case lengths not being uniform, some longer, some shorter. Not good when the cartridge head spaces on the neck.
    I’m not so sold on the AR platform for my hunting either. Nice trim lightweight bolt action or lever is easier to manage in thick brush. Shooting across fields the AR is fine, but don’t have access to those. :)
    I’d keep the Savage and forego the 350. Get a 450BM, 444 Marlin, or 45/70 too before the 350.
     

    ChrisD

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2013
    2,992
    Conowingo
    Worrying about the report and needing a suppressor is not a concern where I’m hunting, nor am I really interested in one. Just seeing what others thoughts are on a 350, and whether it may be worthwhile to make a switch.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    I can not believe no one else thinks about the suppressors, they make everything so much more pleasant vs a slug gun. 30-50yd is the perfect environment for a suppressor. In my experience at 30-50 yards a suppressor with supersonics will distort the sound enough that the deer have no idea what is going on. They will scatter a few yards and be alert but there is a good chance you will get a second shot at another doe if that is your thing. At the long end over 100yd it is going to sound like a 22lr or less, one of the deer will fall, and everyone else will get back to munching on soybeans.

    Being AR oriented, almost every bolt action and upper are threaded and ready for a suppressor. This is a huge cost savings over trying to piece something together from a normal hunting rifle. Ease of suppression for hunting is the primary reason I started buying 300blk(3x), 450bushmaster(1x) and 488 socom(1x). After my first hunt with a 300blk I never looked back.


    My advise for the straight wall county thing would be to get a bolt action ruger american or similar in .350 legend or .450 bushmaster along with a Silencerco hybrid or Griffin Bushwhacker. Cost would probably be $1300ish for the suppressor and $500 for the rifle.


    Edit: When I think shotgun counties I think places like western howard with crazy deer density but where you are always within ear shot of horse people and a subdivision. Keeping the lowest profile possible is the game to play.
    Why would you need to distort the muzzle blast? The bullet gets there before the sound does...unless you miss...

    Been deer hunting for a while. The only gun I'm aware of when it goes off is my .44 mag. The rest, never even remember them going bang.

    The only gun I put a suppressor on is my 300 Blk while sitting on stand. That's just for shitz and giggles. When I'm moving, the can comes off. It's fun walking through the woods with an SBR. Light, short and manuverable.
     

    dannyp

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 30, 2018
    1,464
    another vote for the 450 bushmaster , the legend doesn't add anything over your 20 ga. thats what i'll do if it gets approved .
     

    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    Why would you need to distort the muzzle blast? The bullet gets there before the sound does...unless you miss...


    Like I said second , third and even more shots on additional deer lets me fill up my freezer faster. I can not think of any hunting situation in which a full muzzle blast has any benefit. As an example in 2018 about 5 minutes after harvesting the two largest does in a group with suppressed supersonic 300blk my bonus 12pt walked over to check them out. Could that have happened without the suppressor? maybe, but I like to think the suppressor improved my luck.
     

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