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Straight wall rifle calibers

i recently got a Savage Trailmaster 400 Legend, Hornady Reloading dies, already had a good assortment of 40 cal bullets and a variety of powders. I got two boxes each of 215g and 190g Winchester shells for it. Since cases weren’t available for it, I figured I’d hunt the late Arkansas Dec gun season (Straight Wall, MLer, SG) with Factory ammo and then work up loads using Quick Load.
Not so sure now that I can even match the Winchester factory loads, but will try.

My experiences with this rifle/cartridge are listed in the forum , “Big stuff, etc…” and under the thread, “Surprise 400 Legend…”. I believe the 400 Legend may be a major player with true 300 yard capability.
 
Not the same, but I have used a Savage smokeless muzzeloader for over 20 years now and have shot a fair number of deer with it using both 250gr (2600fps) and 300gr SST (2450fps). A 460 S&W should have very similar ballistics. What I can tell you is that 45cal projectiles do a number on deer. 2600 fps was a bit fast for the 250gr SST. It wanted to expand quickly and would sometimes veer off course after the initial impact, and NEVER gave me an exit wound (not that I needed one). 300gr always gave me an exit wound BUT they also did a lot more damage to the meat on the far side of the deer. I've shot deer with a lot of different cartridges, but I've never seen anything come remotely close to doing as much damage as a 300gr 45 cal expanding bullet running at speed. It was enough of an issue that I no longer use that gun during our regular firearms season (switched to a 6.5 Grendel and love it). If I were starting over with my ML, or getting a 460 or 450BM, I'd look really hard at expanding monolithic projectiles in the 225-250gr range. I've met a few people who've used the 250gr TREX from Maker Bullets and had great results with it.

Personally, I'm very interested in what becomes of the 400 Legend. I think it will end up being an optimal straight wall cartridge out to 200-250 yds with really good terminal performance and manageable recoil. The only thing holding it back currently is a better selection of hunting bullets.
 
Lefty2506 said:
Not the same, but I have used a Savage smokeless muzzeloader for over 20 years now and have shot a fair number of deer with it using both 250gr (2600fps) and 300gr SST (2450fps). A 460 S&W should have very similar ballistics. What I can tell you is that 45cal projectiles do a number on deer. 2600 fps was a bit fast for the 250gr SST. It wanted to expand quickly and would sometimes veer off course after the initial impact, and NEVER gave me an exit wound (not that I needed one). 300gr always gave me an exit wound BUT they also did a lot more damage to the meat on the far side of the deer. I've shot deer with a lot of different cartridges, but I've never seen anything come remotely close to doing as much damage as a 300gr 45 cal expanding bullet running at speed. It was enough of an issue that I no longer use that gun during our regular firearms season (switched to a 6.5 Grendel and love it). If I were starting over with my ML, or getting a 460 or 450BM, I'd look really hard at expanding monolithic projectiles in the 225-250gr range. I've met a few people who've used the 250gr TREX from Maker Bullets and had great results with it.

Personally, I'm very interested in what becomes of the 400 Legend. I think it will end up being an optimal straight wall cartridge out to 200-250 yds with really good terminal performance and manageable recoil. The only thing holding it back currently is a better selection of hunting bullets.
Click to expand...
I agree about the 45 caliber doing a great job but I do not find it an issue. I shoot 250 xtp 45 cal out of my inline with absolutely perfect results. Bullet hole entrance and about a 3” exit through the far side ribs. If you try not to hit shoulders, it’s the perfect medication for buck fever. I have some loaded up at 2350 fps in my 450 to try my luck this weekend. Hoping to see great results!
 
dantiff2 said:
I agree about the 45 caliber doing a great job but I do not find it an issue. I shoot 250 xtp 45 cal out of my inline with absolutely perfect results. Bullet hole entrance and about a 3” exit through the far side ribs. If you try not to hit shoulders, it’s the perfect medication for buck fever. I have some loaded up at 2350 fps in my 450 to try my luck this weekend. Hoping to see great results!
Click to expand...
The issue I have is that if I avoid both shoulders, I blow rib fragments back through the liver. If I hit one or both shoulders, I'm better off throwing the shoulder away because there won't be enough meat left on either one to make it worth dealing with even on a large buck (200 lb field dressed). I need to take my own advice and go work up a load with a 250gr monolithic, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. It's not a firearm I shoot for fun, and I still have about 35 300gr SSTs for it. I have a box of 245gr Barnes sitting there waiting on me also, but my range time has been focused on whacking prairie dogs for the past few years. I'd also like to build a 40cal smokeless ML, thus my interest in the 400 Legend projectiles.
 
Don't overlook the 500 S&W w/Hornady 300 FTX at 2200+ out of a 20" barrel, I love my Encore.

While not a typical rifle cartridge it will definitely do the job.

I haven't shot anything with it but it"s a hoot to shoot and I'm sure it'll drop anything it hits.
 
Here ya go. Forget the rest.
40-90 sharps ought to drop deer good.
 

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Another IA guy here, I've participated in group deer drives since 1986. Grew up on shotguns but switched as soon as handguns were legal in IA. I've used a .44 mag in various configurations since the mid-90s (SBHs, Contender). After straight-wall rifles were made legal I used a Rossi 92 & for the past 4-5 years a 77/44. I've also taken deer with a .357 Max MGM Encore & a .45/70 Guide gun. This year I tried a Tikka T3X in .350 Legend. I killed two deer with it our 1st weekend but then experienced the infamous "350 get-away" on a nice buck, prior to this, I haven't lost a deer in 20 years. Most of the straight-wall DRTs I've seen were with a .450BM.

We have a wide variety of firearms in our group from 12 & 20 slug-guns to .357s & .44s to .350s to 450s & .45/70s. I have seen more deer wounded & not recovered with the 350 than any other cartridge. Not saying that the 350 isn't a deer killer, I've watched plenty of youtube vids where deer were shot out of a blind & dropped in their tracks. But for our style of hunting, I consider it marginal...After my experience this season, I'm putting it on the shelf. I just bought myself a Savage 110 Trail-hunter in 400 Legend for Christmas. Dies are inbound, I'll play with it a bit this summer. Just my .02, YMMV.
 
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I really liked my 350 Legend. it was a Winchester XPR. It was accurate to 300 yards. Probably better kept to 250 on deer, but i don’t really know.

Recoil was mild. It was very shootable, even as a light rifle.

The bigger rounds seem to be chasing slug recoil,but why? Slugs sucked for me!
 
45-70 has been doing it for about 150yrs. Can be loaded with loads from pop gun paper shooter to retina detaching T-Rex slayer. If you can use them it’s loaded for lever guns and a few bolts, or you can get single shots in Highwalls, Sharps ‘74 or Ruger #1. (Or all of the above) ☺️

(third in total numbers in my safe behind 308s and 223s…22LR not with standing)
 
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