350 Legend, 308 or 450 Bushmaster for deer hunting this year.

BBerguson

BBerguson

Official Pennsyltuckian
I’m not sure what I’m to take other than it will be one of these. I want to hunt with cast bullets and I’m leaning towards the 350 Legend with a 200gr cast going about 1350 fps. I’m getting a little short on testing time for the other two and I feel really comfortable with the 350 loads now. The only testing I have left to do is to adjust for 1” high at 100 yards (dead on at 50 right now). I’m confident the bullet is heavy and fast enough to get good penetration and quite sure it will completely pass through a deer from just about any angle.

I could still change my mind though…. All three rifles are CVA Cascades to the rifle isn’t the question, just the cartridge.
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
It's not the cartridge, it's the bullet! A 200gr bullet at 1350, assuming the bullet has a hunting profile, should do the job. So would an RCBS 30-180FN out of the 308. I don't even know what a 450 Bushmaster is, but 45 cal anything would likely work!
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have to be careful with recoil This year.

I was pretty much reserved to using the 300 BO. Limiting shots to inside 100yards.
But I also have a dandy load with a 180 cup point 350 Legend @ 1450 fps. Need to Ck recoil as the 300 is like 5-6#.

In any event kept close (within each calibers limits) your gonna be fine with any of those.
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
JustJim said:
I'd ignore the question of the cartridge and go with what I have confidence in.

You've tested the 350, you know where it hits, and you have experience with that individual rifle's trigger. To me, that would seem to be the logical choice.
Click to expand...

That would make the "35X Auto-Max" (350 L) my choice. I don't have one, but I have the "antique," rimmed version. It will do what others have stated AND it is much gentler in terms of recoil, like @CWLONGSHOT mentions, which is something I've had to deal with since 1979.

A 180 to 200 grain cast bullet at 1400 to 1800 fps has been a bit of a panacea for me personally. Lot easier on the lead and powder stash than the other two, but PRACTICE uses that stuff up too, and the one with which I've practiced the most will inspire the most confidence.

I'll be studying the 350 a bit more closely now, since my son-in-law has expressed an interest in "a 350 L, chambered in a platform like yours." Mine is a Contender Carbine, so I will be paying attention to how these CVA rifles too.
 
BBerguson

BBerguson

Official Pennsyltuckian
It’s a Lee 358-200-RF mold, apparently made for the 35 Rem. I just talked to my son and he doesn’t want to shoot a buck unless it’s a slammer. He’s rather shoot a doe (less gamey tasting) in flintlock season for the meat. I don’t know if that really changes my plans, I’d rather not shoot a buck at all if we’re hunting with flintlock this year. I’ll probably end up taking the 350 Legend and carry just cast rounds making it 100 yard gun.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
yep.
shoot what you have confidence in.

the caliber really doesn't matter, until you factor in distance.
if i had the confidence to make an absolute clean kill at 400yds. and most of my shots were across an open wheat field or the like i'd shoot a 400 plus yd. rifle sighted in for that distance.
if all my shots were within 100yds all the time, i'd shoot something adequate enough to do the job without going overboard.
 
Tomme boy

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
You can get that 200 lee up to 1900 safely in the 350L. Just make sure not to cast them too hard.

A nice soft shooting load is 16grs 2400 out of a bolt action. runs 1665fps avg with a SD of 9fps. Not sure if it will run in a AR350 or not.
 
BBerguson

BBerguson

Official Pennsyltuckian
These are cast out of “straight” wheel weights and I don’t know the hardness, I’d guess they aren’t too hard.

The 4227 14gr load seems to be the sweet spot for accuracy and the groups started opening up a little at 15gr. I haven’t tried 2400 but I might now. I’m shooting a bolt action and I know it will run in that... :).
Tomme boy said:
You can get that 200 lee up to 1900 safely in the 350L. Just make sure not to cast them too hard.

A nice soft shooting load is 16grs 2400 out of a bolt action. runs 1665fps avg with a SD of 9fps. Not sure if it will run in a AR350 or not.
Click to expand...
The 2400, in my experience, is harder to ignite than 4227. I‘ve been using small pistol primers with the 4227 with no hangfires. It will be interesting to see how the 2400 will work.
 
Tomme boy

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
Then use whichever is thicker. CCI will work if you keep pressures down in the 40K range. Don't push them up over 45K. You will get blanked primers if you have oversized firing pin holes or a weak spring.
 
H

hornetguy

Active Member
I've looked at that Lee bullet... I've thought about it for my 357 lever gun... but I already have a mold for one that is supposed to drop at around 170 gr, so I might just go with it. I think I'll be able to get at least 1600fps with it, but I need to research the loads a little more... There can't be a whole lot of recoil with that 350... the 357 doesn't have much at all with normal 158 gr bullets...
 
BBerguson

BBerguson

Official Pennsyltuckian
hornetguy said:
I've looked at that Lee bullet... I've thought about it for my 357 lever gun... but I already have a mold for one that is supposed to drop at around 170 gr, so I might just go with it. I think I'll be able to get at least 1600fps with it, but I need to research the loads a little more... There can't be a whole lot of recoil with that 350... the 357 doesn't have much at all with normal 158 gr bullets...
Click to expand...
No, recoil isn’t bad. Pretty much non-existent with the 127 grainers. A little more the with 200 grainers but not enough to cause any flinch.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
IMG_1588.jpegNone of these calibers, But we have taken three this year with my new MP 454-308 K mold. All three with the small HP and COWW equivalent alloy. Last was this AM and first two was thru and thru with good destruction, little blood shot and noticeably larger exits. Velocities about the same. Two @ about 1600 and todays @ about 1750.

First two was broad side. First all lungs and one shoulder blade and one rib hit. Second was leg bone and brisket impacted.
Todays should have sever spine. Hind end dropped @ shot with no kicking.
Impact, Was neck shot from above angle into chest cal. Lungs pulped and inards pierced. Hope ta recover but haven't butchered yet.

Beautiful face on this deer.
 
R

Rushcreek

Well-Known Member
If I was pushing the briar/ locust thickets on a windy day, I’d use the .350 or .450 for the bigger bleeding holes.
If I was sitting in a blind or still hunting, the .308 would do just fine. My 30-30 does.
 
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