New venison harvester.....

[Old Corp]

Absolutely not a need - just a 'want'.....

A Ruger American Ranch .350 Legend 16".
This Fall - it will be my 'deep woods' venison harvester.
Actually - that role has been filled admirably by my Ruger .44 Auto carbine for 30+ years......
Just wanted something different with a little more reach.
Put some Vortex glass on it - 50mm - largest objective lens I've ever used.

I hunt what I've jokingly called 'green closets', but actually we have a lane or cutover here and there that will require stretching out a bit. About 200 yards would be max +.

Learning there's NOT a lot of loading data out there - but have gotten some from Hornady and Barnes.
Was hoping for some of the better cast bullet manufacturers to step to the plate and offer .356" rifle bullets.

Did try some GT Bullets 185 gr. LHP's, but they were .358", slightly bulged cases upon seating, engaged rifling upon chambering and resulted in terrible groups.
An email to GT Bullets revealed they have no plans to offer this bullet in .355"-.356".
A search of other cast bullet manufacturers shows no promise either.

Factory WW 'Deer Season' 180 gr. SP's resulted in ~1" groups at 100 yards.
BTW - I'm NOT in a state requiring straight-wall cases during rifle deer season - just looked like an interesting round to me - and I love compact rifles/carbines.

A gripe is the AR-compatible magazine. Mine came with a 5-round mag, but is actually a blocked 10 round, i.e., needless sheet metal hanging below the rifle's stock and action.
Currently there is NO actual 5 round mags available - just 10 round AR mags blocked to accept 5 rounds - and Ruger will gladly sell them to you.

Am hoping, given the popularity of this rifle in the Midwest states allowing 'straight wall cartridges' for deer season that a less-obtrusive mag will become available.

 

[DWalt]

Does Lee offer one of their hand bullet sizers in .355”? I haven’t checked. I have one of them in .308 for downsizing .313 lead bullets.

Seems they may - Lee Bullet Sizing Die Kit 225 Diameter

 

[Bald1]

Nice thing about that rifle is ammo seems to be available everywhere. 2 Walmarts closet to me and Cabelas always has plenty. So does local Runnings Store. Very nice. I’m still using my Ruger 44 carbine for doe patrol.

 

[diyj98]

Nice thing about that rifle is ammo seems to be available everywhere. 2 Walmarts closet to me and Cabelas always has plenty. So does local Runnings Store. Very nice. I’m still using my Ruger 44 carbine for doe patrol.

Very true in my area as well. I've been in several Walmarts with no centerfire but 350 Legend. I'm guessing it's not a huge seller.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

For some unknown reason, my local Walmart always has .350 Legend ammo in stock, even if they don't have anything else (haven't had a box of .30-06 in over two years. I find this odd, since I doubt it's that popular here. We've never had "shotgun only" or other restrictions of the type the .350 was designed to work around as far as that goes.

 

[10Mad]

350 legend is a fine harvester of blackstrap. Learn the trick how to convert a 10 round Pmag to use 350L. They are much quieter and a touch shorter in the Ruger.

 

[Maddog 521]

I have a RAR rifle in 7.62X39. It is a good rifle to carry all day in the brush and I've had success with accuracy too. The only thing I really don't like is that the bolt doesn't lock into place. With or without the safety on it still is workable. One day while in the brush I stopped and set the rifle against a stump and noticed the bolt was out and the round was gone. Other than that it's a good rifle. I guess I'm just used to the Remington 700.

 

[Rlg#17]

Wife wanted a compact bolt gun for deer hunting and she handled the .350 guns at the nra show in Indianapolis. First she got the Ruger, liked it, but wanted the Winchester compact. Took over a year to find the Winchester.

First season a hot doe comes into the feeder. One round,doe runs 25 yards and falls dead. 20 minutes later a cull buck comes in and one round, the buck swaps ends and falls dead. Bullet breaks ribs on the way in, breaks ribs on the way out none were recovered.

Second season a doe comes in, one round again andthe doe falls over dead in place. The bullet broke ribs on the way in, and on the way out. Not recovered. 3 rounds for 3 deer. Winchester deer season 150 grain ammo.

At 100 yards with that ammo she’s at 1.1-1.2 mos. Leupold 350 legend scope. I wish Ruger or Winchester made a bolt gun in left hand in the 350. Or a lever gun in the same caliber. Perfect gun/caliber for medium range (250) yards range.

I have all the stuff for reloading it, but we bought a case of the 150 deer season before all the madness, along with the 145 Gr metal case! We won’t have to load for awhile.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

 

[Ethang]

Love mine, accurate and handy. Don't like that the bolt does not lock, and when new the action is rather rough. Hate the AR mag that hangs out that far. There is some videos on shortening one to something more realistic, but it would be nice if Ruger came to the table with a factory one. Hope to take a deer or several with it this fall.

 

[sigp220.45]

Will it take regular 20 or 30 round AR mags? And will .350 Legend work through them?

I have plenty of rifles already that I don’t shoot - this could be the next one! I like it.

 

[Ethang]

Will it take regular 20 or 30 round AR mags? And will .350 Legend work through them?

I have plenty of rifles already that I don’t shoot - this could be the next one! I like it.

It will take larger magazines, but being a straight walled round, the front ribs in the mag (where the case taper/neck in a 223/556) would be need to be removed to feed more than a couple. The metal mags for the 350 are made without that rib.

It's a fun round in an AR too. More thump than a 556, but not the recoil of a 450 BM.

 

[jimmyj]

What ever became of Winchester Model 94s and Marlin Model 336s in .30WCF for harvesting Deer ?

 

[vipermd]

What ever became of Winchester Model 94s and Marlin Model 336s in .30WCF for harvesting Deer ?

Most Midwest and east coast hunters never have shot a deer past 50 yards, unfortunately I have been told by too many hunters about misses at standing, broadside deer under 50 yards. My wife and I shoot all year, so we are ready for 20 yards or 400 yards. I never have understood someone who does not check bases, rings, stock bolts, a. Their Zero every year and practice, offhand, sitting, kneeling before you go into the woods. We all speak of situational awareness, yet each year so many deer are missed or wounded, because someone lacks the skills or refuses to practice. I have never been able to understand why their awareness is different going into then 8 Mile Road in Detroit. Focus. BRASSF- BREATH RELAX AIM SIGHT SQUEEZE FOLLOW THRU. Good Luck To Everyone. Be Safe,

 

[lihpster]

What ever became of Winchester Model 94s and Marlin Model 336s in .30WCF for harvesting Deer ?

My deer gun is much more modern than that. It's a pre-64 Mod. 70 in .270 with a period 4X Bushnell Banner scope.

 

[Old Corp]

What ever became of Winchester Model 94s and Marlin Model 336s in .30WCF for harvesting Deer ?

Still really popular in a lot of places.
Still have my old Marlin M336 'Texan' .30-30 that I took my first deer with many years ago - and took it with me a couple of years back when I was feeling nostalgic - and managed to take a large Doe. Really enjoyed that.

Much, if not most of my deer hunting is with a handgun. Cover here is thick and very many opportunities are 50 yards or less. And - I'm a little ADD when it comes to hunting hardware, be it handgun or rifle.
For handguns - use .357, 10mm, .41 Mag., .44 Spl., .44 Mag, .45 AR, and .45 Colt - all open sights. Don't care for optics on a handgun - cancels out all the 'handiness' of it.

For carbines and rifles - everything from .223/5.56 to a .500 S&W single shot carbine with much in-between.
Just a quirk I guess.....
Bad combination to be an avid hunter as well as a gun geek

 

[BB57]

What ever became of Winchester Model 94s and Marlin Model 336s in .30WCF for harvesting Deer ?

It’s unfortunate that the .30-30 gets edged out on a technicality in the “straight wall” states as the .350 Legend ballistics are nearly identical.

It’s even more unfortunate that the 38-55 gets edged out by cartridge length in the 1.8” states as modern .38-55 ballistics are comparable to the .350 Legend.

But bills submitted and passed by state legislatures are often poorly written and don’t make much sense.

——

I have a total of four Pre-64 Model 94’s, three post war 20” carbines and a 26” rifle dating to 1926, all in .30-30. The three carbines will shoot 1.5 MOA with 150 gr Winchester factory ammo or 150 gr Hornady handloads. The rifle’s bore has seen some use and has a couple arks spots and only shoots 2 MOA - still more than enough for the 150 yard and under ranges where the .30-30 is does its best work.

I acquired a Model 94 Classic about a year ago. It’s a post-63 rifle, but it shoots 2 MOA like my vintage Winchester rifle, and after putting a receiver sight on it, I’m thinking hard about using it to replace my older Winchester rifle as a hunting rifle.

I also have a pair of Winchester Legendary Frontiersman 26” rifles in .38-55, as well as a Big Bore 94 in .375 Winchester. The .38-55 and .375 Win are great rounds for hunting in Ohio and Iowa.

The .375 Win would be legal in both Indiana on public land, and in Michigan, provided the case was trimmed from it’s nominal 2.020” to the maximum 1.8”. The .375 Win chamber is all ready over length to accommodate a mis identified .38-55 and another .220” would not make much difference.

I also own a couple of Model 92s in .357 Magnum and they are legal in the 1.8” and straight wall states.

 

[Faulkner]

It’s unfortunate that the .30-30 gets edged out on a technicality in the “straight wall” states as the .350 Legend ballistics are nearly identical.

It’s even more unfortunate that the 38-55 gets edged out by cartridge length in the 1.8” states as modern .38-55 ballistics are comparable to the .350 Legend.

But bills submitted and passed by state legislatures are often poorly written and don’t make much sense.

Which is why common sense gun laws won't work, the one's who think they're using common sense don't understand what they're talking about and these deer cartridge limitations are proof of that point.