Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 350 Legend - an all copper bullet option

If I wasn’t in the Midwest I wouldn’t care so much, but here the 9MM Magnum (350 Legend) is the best thing since sliced bread. Fairly accurate, cheap, low recoil/blast, it is really is a good round despite the not going with a .357. Only thing missing was a good non-lead bullet choice. Well, no more….
After seeing a you-tube video I placed an order for a box of .356 150g T-Rex bullets from Maker Bullets. They arrived quickly and are a good looking bullet with polymer tip and three vertical cuts for expansion. Being all copper they are very long for weight, with a crimping groove. The website lists 23-25 grains of H110 for data which is much lower than lead bullets of this weight. Hogden data lists 27-28.2 for H110 and a max velocity of 2495. With the long bearing surface, and no relief bands, I figured it best to treat these as the Nosler E-tip. I also found most load data to be very hot in my Ruger American with the 180 Power Point.

Loaded up a few rounds with 23.7 g Lil’ Gun and 24g H110, CCI400 in Starline brass with an OAL of 2.250. Below are the results. .9 at 2420fps with Lil Gun and 1.2 2330 fps with H10. Load development done. They shot to the exact same POI as my 180 PP loads.

Just to catch a bullet, I shot them through 8 inches of cardboard backed with plain old dirt. Impressive. These look to be stone killers. They did lose a little weight as they lost some petals, but I’d bet will kill very well. Almost remind me of an all copper ballistic tip. They make a 125g also but they may be a bit explosive for deer. I called and spoke to the owner, Paul, to get an idea about max loads. Heck of a nice guy and I hope he sells a ton of his bullets.

Kinda wondering if some of the older stuff like W296 and 1680 might not do more than the newest, fast burners?....but those are obviously some really good loads. I think is still have an unopened can of N105? Have to look.....That was gonna be for 150s in the max.

Not sure hh4whiskey. I feel pretty good about a velocity of 2400+ with 150's and the Lil' gun. There's not a lot of data out to reference. Primers looked good and CCI 400 are supposedly thin cupped.

I got major primer flow and above book velocity's with mid level loads of Lil gun and 180 Power Points. I have had no problems with them in my 223's but don't hotrod. They certainly let me know my (along with my chrony) that those 180 PP loads were hot.

Lil gun made me nervous when I was hot rodding 180s in my encore, so I did more with 110 and bought the Vitavouri that was next up on the chart. No way would I think you should even try to get the speeds I was getting with the 180s in that thing, but I’d guess you still have a little room with the right powder....CFE? No idea anymore, really.....but over 2400 with a mono 150 will likely be all most of us would need from that rig. Good for you, though....your loads are already FAR more respectable and worthwhile than the real #s on the factory stuff I’ve heard of.

There is nothing shabby about that load.

The Winchester factory loads for the 180 PP was only 2064. The Hornady factory loaded 170 interlock was fast at 2340, the Federal 180 exactly 2200. Winchester developed this cartridge but their components/loads are cramp IMHO except the 180 PP are good bullets.

Just purchased a .350 Legend so going to be trying out some loads to see what shoots.

If Barnes would come out with a 355/356 140/150/160gr TTSX in the vein of the blackout or 30/30 bullet, that’d wake stuff up, too.

If I had a 350 Legend, I'd give Hammer Bullets a look:

https://hammerbullets.com/product/355-cal-125g-shock-hammer/

Hornady released the 165 FTX last year. Really fine bullet and IMHO one of the best available for the caliber for use on big game. The excellent lil 140 FTX can be easilly sized down a d used as well but if loaded to full
Potential its beyond the design perimeters and will
Explode on bigger game. In wet news print, It holds to almost 2k. Comes apart past 2200. @2400 attainable it would surely be a grenade.

The 180's from Win and Federal are too tough at 2000 fps. They NEED 2300+ to preform. Just look at all the gel tests where they exit the block!! Thats cause they DONT EXPAND ANY!!

I have t tried the 170 Hornady but would bargain it wont have that issue. Hornady knows things.

Im leaning more to cast in my 350 hunting loads.

CW

EDIT. He was my 358430 bullet test with 1680 powder.

https://youtu.be/31xsOIMEUvg

Bear Creek Ballistics just release a 160gr all copper bullet. $37 for 20, but I'm going to give it a try after breaking in my barrel.
From their website:
CALIBER: 350 Legend
WEIGHT: 160 Grains
VELOCITY: 2,325 fps (22″ Barrel)
MUZZLE ENERGY: 1,920 ft-lbs
B.C: .230
COAL: 2.270″
Sold in packs of 20

Barnes has the 125 grain Tac XP bullet for the 357 Sig. I know someone that loads it in the 350, and accuracy is super. It will blow the petals off at the 350 speeds, but the solid copper base can't blow up.

"Bear Creek Ballistics"? Is that the same company known as Bear Creek Armory?

Do you really want to touch off ammo loaded by illiterate Mexican illegals?

Anyone shooting lead cast??

I have been having awesome accuracy with 1680 & a Lyman 358430 @ 200g clocking 2050 fps and best group has been .765



I just picked up a NOE 360-197 RN HP to try a HP version. Its close but not exact to the 358430.

The RD 190 gc has also shot very well with 296 @ 2120 fps.


CW

I had same question, especially since my 350Legend upper came from BCA.

But, no, Bear Creek Ballistics is unrelated. They're a Michigan based company which makes high performance rifles and develops its own custom ammunition.