Personal Experience with 350 Legend wackin Bambi

[platoonDaddy]

For the last two years I have been hunting with the Ruger American Ranch in 350 Legend. Unfortunately I haven’t harvest a buck (it is just me, I won’t shoot a doe), looking for real time experience harvesting a deer.

What is your personal experience with the kill, round & grain. Yes, many articles on the web, BUT I am looking for 1st hand experience with members of this forum…

Thanks

 

[pre64hunter]

I lost count of how many deer we've killed in the last couple years with the 350 Legend. I'd guess at least 20, maybe 30. Shots from a few yards to 213 yards, all one shot kills, haven't lost any deer either. We have 6, me, my 2 sons and 2 grandsons, another good friend as well as a few other friends. I have personal experience with 5 Ruger Americans, a Franchi and Ruger AR. Different guns shoot different ammo good but most everything shoots good. It's the only cartridge I don't bother reloading because factory ammo shoots so well. We use Winchester 150xp, Hornady Whitetail 170 and Hornady 165ftx. Most if not all bullets go through a deer but cause a fair amount of damage and leave a lot of blood. Most deer run only a short distance if they don't drop.
In my opinion the 30-06, 308 etc. is just a little too much for deer (but still a great choice), causes a lot of damage. The 350 is close to ideal especially for kids or recoil shy shooters.

 

[StantonCree]

Only shot one with mine as I’m mostly a bow hunter but 1 shot 30 yards trot then dropped dead!

 

[dlharsh]

I put together a Howa Mini in 350 Legend this year and carried it a few days. Haven't shot a deer with it yet but want to see how it performs compared to my 450 Bushmasters. The mini with it's 16" barrel seems like a great size for treestands, etc.

 

[RRomig]

I lost count of how many deer we've killed in the last couple years with the 350 Legend. I'd guess at least 20, maybe 30. Shots from a few yards to 213 yards, all one shot kills, haven't lost any deer either. We have 6, me, my 2 sons and 2 grandsons, another good friend as well as a few other friends. I have personal experience with 5 Ruger Americans, a Franchi and Ruger AR. Different guns shoot different ammo good but most everything shoots good. It's the only cartridge I don't bother reloading because factory ammo shoots so well. We use Winchester 150xp, Hornady Whitetail 170 and Hornady 165ftx. Most if not all bullets go through a deer but cause a fair amount of damage and leave a lot of blood. Most deer run only a short distance if they don't drop.
In my opinion the 30-06, 308 etc. is just a little too much for deer (but still a great choice), causes a lot of damage. The 350 is close to ideal especially for kids or recoil shy shooters.

I’m a bow hunter looking to do some crop damage work so I built a 350 last year. My friends who have never really bow hunted but have rifle hunted all their life with mostly 30-06 use the high shoulder shot that will shock the spine and drop them dead. Since neither they or I have any 350 experience what is the preferred shot placement with that round.
Thanks
Ron

 

[AACo]

Power Point 180gr
75 Yard Shot
Ran about 50 yards and dropped. Little to no blood trail unfortunately. Heart/Lung shot.

I wouldn’t say I’m blown away with performance, but that was only one experience. For what it is and where I can use it, it’s great.

 

[remrug]

Power Point 180gr
75 Yard Shot
Ran about 50 yards and dropped. Little to no blood trail unfortunately. Heart/Lung shot.

I wouldn’t say I’m blown away with performance, but that was only one experience. For what it is and where I can use it, it’s great.

Sometimes a heart shot deer doesnt leave a great bloodtrail, no matter what you shoot them with.

 

[PEEJAY]

Sometimes a heart shot deer doesnt leave a great bloodtrail, no matter what you shoot them with.

exactly.

my wife just smoked a big doe with a .270 win (she refused to use the 350 Ruger american lol) and no passthrough, no blood at all. luckily it only ran 30 yds and she saw which way it went.

350 legend will leave a nice exit with deer season xp and barnes vor-tx is amazing. drops em right there. shoot the same spot you would want to with any other rifle. its plenty of power for whitetails

 

[ChrisD]

I’ve only killed two bucks with my 350. Shooting a Savage Apex using 150 grain Winchester Deer Season XP. First buck was two seasons ago, was quartering towards me at about 60-65 yards. One shot on the inside of the left shoulder, bullet lodged under the skin behind the right shoulder. That deer was dead before he hit the ground, not a twitch. Second buck was Friday of the first week firearms this year, broadside shot as he was chasing does. I used a rangefinder from the deer back to the stand, 84 yards. That buck hit the ground and didn’t get up, but he did thrash around a bit. I used a second round on that one while he was on the ground. Once the decision is made to take an animal, I don’t like to see them suffer longer than necessary. But neither deer moved from where they were shot.

 

[kstone803]

Killed one 8 pt last year with it. Shot him at 120 yards right behind the shoulder. Fell right over, I turned to shoot the doe that ran behind my stand, looked for her for about ten seconds, turn around and the buck is walking away up the hill. I manage to put another round in him quartering away and he went down again. No exit on either. I should've tried fishing out the bullets when gutting but the insides were a mess. 160gr factory fusions. Blood trail was good when I backtracked but I'm not super impressed with that one experience. Every other gun killed deer has been bottleneck rifle cartridges from .223 to .30-06.

 

[danimalw]

No personal experience yet. But a friend use it with win 150gr XP deer season "hits like sledgehammer" and his 8 y.o. daughter took a 7pt at 65y, double lung.. went all of 22 yards.

 

[Dave91]

I have a Henry single shot in .350 Legend and I use Winchester Deer Season XP 180 grain. The majority of my shots will be 100 yards or less, so I went with the heavier bullet.

While hunting I've fired two shots and cleanly killed two deer. The first was a buck in 2021. I hit him broadside just above the heart and he made it 20 yards and dropped dead. That shot was 35 yards.

A couple days ago I shot a doe at 74 yards who was basically facing me straight on. I hit her just inside the right shoulder and she dropped on the spot and was dead in about 10 seconds. My dad has a Savage and hunts with the same round as me. The day after I shot my doe he shot a 150 pound buck at 50 yards, straight on. The bullet did not exit the deer, and he ran about 45 yards before dying. There was only a light blood trail due to only having an entrance wound, but the internal bleeding was extensive.

I have complete confidence in that round and will never take my slug gun out for deer again. My uncle, who is in his 60s and has been hunting with 12 gauge slugs for 50 years, is not convinced despite being present for both of my kills and the two other deer on the farm that have been taken with a .350. Maybe after a few more he'll come around.

 

[aht2131]

I also took a buck in 2021 with 180 grn Winchester. It was a 35 ish shot and the deer went maybe 10 yds. and died. I hit him low in the front shoulder and completely broke the front leg. The bullet excited the other side. It's very effective.

 

[Biggfoot44]

No question it works . Heck , I know .357 mag leverguns work .

Is it a significant improvement over my Savage fully rifled bolt action 12ga that shoots one hole group with BRI Sabots ?