I posted this on a crossbow board, under non-crossbow topics. I recently got a Savage Trailmaster 110 in 400 Legend and topped it with a 2x10 Conquest scope. No brass available, yet; but many excellent 40 cal smokeless Muzzleloading bullets are available for reloading. This tremendous selection seems largely unknown since on reloading forums, I read about the nonavailability of bullets other than pistol bullets.
Below is the post I made. All shooting was done off a card table with quality rests and shot in a farm field with a 45 degree 5-7 mph quartering tailwind . No windage corrections were made.
Parts of Arkansas where centerfire was previously not allowed, SW cartridges are allowed this year. After looking thru all the available cartridges, I selected 400 Legend in a Savage 110 Trailmaster. Almost no ammo is available, period and virtually none in stock.
I bought 2 boxes of Winchester 215g (2,250 with a dismal 0.205 BC). No good brass available so these will be my fireformed cases to measure and use for Quickload calculations. I’ve ordered Redding reloading dies and have 100s of 200 SSTs and a hundred 225 Accumaxes (BCs of .265 and .315 respectively). Should be able to get loads of 2,400 and 2,325 respectively, which will greatly greatly help trajectory, and supposedly accuracy.
I cleaned, then lapped the barrel ((360,500,800,1200, JB, cleaner). Great improvement in feel and appearance. Mounted a 2-10 Zeiss Conquest, bore sighted and went to the field. Using the trajectory points (hold unders and overs) for 50,100,150 (zero) and 200(5.5” low from 150 zero). I preceded to shoot 2 shot groups( 50,100,150 and finally 200. ALL 2 SHOT GROUPS WERE TOUCHING! The wind was 5-7 quartering from the right to left. I did not correct for this, thus you can see how each of the groups hit farther to the left the greater the range. The 3 red dot hit covers in the red bullseye show this left progression. Finally at 200 yards, the hits moved out of the red bullseye.
This 400 Legend with factory ammo is <1/2 MOA thru 200 yards! Who would have dreamed a factory rifle with factory ammo, SW cartridge could do this! Not me. I think I’ll keep it.
Below is the post I made. All shooting was done off a card table with quality rests and shot in a farm field with a 45 degree 5-7 mph quartering tailwind . No windage corrections were made.
Parts of Arkansas where centerfire was previously not allowed, SW cartridges are allowed this year. After looking thru all the available cartridges, I selected 400 Legend in a Savage 110 Trailmaster. Almost no ammo is available, period and virtually none in stock.
I bought 2 boxes of Winchester 215g (2,250 with a dismal 0.205 BC). No good brass available so these will be my fireformed cases to measure and use for Quickload calculations. I’ve ordered Redding reloading dies and have 100s of 200 SSTs and a hundred 225 Accumaxes (BCs of .265 and .315 respectively). Should be able to get loads of 2,400 and 2,325 respectively, which will greatly greatly help trajectory, and supposedly accuracy.
I cleaned, then lapped the barrel ((360,500,800,1200, JB, cleaner). Great improvement in feel and appearance. Mounted a 2-10 Zeiss Conquest, bore sighted and went to the field. Using the trajectory points (hold unders and overs) for 50,100,150 (zero) and 200(5.5” low from 150 zero). I preceded to shoot 2 shot groups( 50,100,150 and finally 200. ALL 2 SHOT GROUPS WERE TOUCHING! The wind was 5-7 quartering from the right to left. I did not correct for this, thus you can see how each of the groups hit farther to the left the greater the range. The 3 red dot hit covers in the red bullseye show this left progression. Finally at 200 yards, the hits moved out of the red bullseye.
This 400 Legend with factory ammo is <1/2 MOA thru 200 yards! Who would have dreamed a factory rifle with factory ammo, SW cartridge could do this! Not me. I think I’ll keep it.
No complaints with the .44, I've had 18 1-shot kills with my 77/44 (and probably 30+.44 kills with revolvers & my 14" Contender since the mid-90s). I had also ran a .357 Max MGM Encore for a few seasons & it had a little more range than my 77/44. Finally witnessed enough good clean kills with the "Legends" that I was convinced to try one.
