Winchester Ammunition introduced the 350 Legend in 2019 and it was accepted by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute. This versatile cartridge has multiple uses. It is primarily designed for 350 Legend is the best suited for AR-style platforms for its high bullet speed and low recoil. Moreover, 350 Legend is a cost-saving hunting ammunition. Winchester manufactures tons of .223 Remington for the US military every month. 350 Legend shares certain similar features with the .223 Rem. 300 Blackout was developed by the Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC), in association with Remington Defense. A great thing about the 300 BLK is that it’s capable of penetrating through multiple inches of several hard targets. And both the 350 Legend and 300 Blackout are used in long-distance shooting. With excellent trajectory, fine bullet energy, shooting at a long-range calls for these two options. But which one of these is actually better when it comes to velocity, energy, maximum point-blank range, killing power? Let’s find out!
Cartridges Overview
So what can be said about the 350 Legend vs 300 Blackout dilemma? In order to sort it out, first we need to compare the cartridges of these two: Winchester 350 Legend is a straight-walled hunting cartridge, designed for use in American states with specific deer hunting regulations. It is the fastest production straight-walled hunting cartridge in the world. Meanwhile, 300 AAC BLK is an intermediate cartridge developed in the US by Advanced Armament Corporation. It was made for the M4 carbine.
350 Legend Cartridge
Let’s start of our hunting cartridge reviews with the 350 Legend specs:
| Type | Centerfire |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Case type | Rebated rim, straight-walled |
| Overall length | 2.25 in. (57 mm) |
| Diameter of Neck | .378 in. (9.6mm) |
| Diameter of Bullet | .3570-.0030 in. (9.068-0.076 mm) |
| Diameter of Rim | .378 in. (9.6mm) |
| Length of Case | 1.71 in. (43 mm) |
| Rifling twist | 1:16 in. (410 mm) |
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Winchester Ammunition launched the 350 Legend with these amazing developed specs at the SHOT Show in 2019. In the same year, SAAMI announced the acceptance of 350 Legend cartridges and chamber standard. With amazing terminal performance and flat trajectory, this cartridge met the complaints shooters had with most other cartridges in the state.
Pros And Cons
When we’re talking about the 350 Legend vs 300 BLK, we have to mention the 350 Legend pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
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The best 350 Legend ammo are:
- Winchester Power Max-Bonded: 160 grains, 2225 ft/sec, 1759 ft.lb (2384 Joules). Perfect for large bears and deers.
- Winchester Deer Season XP: 150 grains, 2325 ft/sec, 1800 ft.lb (2440 Joules). One of the most powerful options.
- Hornady Custom: 165 grains, 2200 ft/sec, 1773 ft.lb (2403 Joules).
- Federal Non-Typical: 180 grains, 2100 ft/sec. Serious knockdown power.
300 Blackout Cartridge
Let’s carry on our hunting cartridge reviews by taking a look at the second cartridge – .300 AAC Blackout:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Case type | Rimless, bottleneck |
| Diameter of Neck | 0.334 in. (8.5 mm) |
| Diameter of Rim | 0.378 in. (9.6 mm) |
| Length of Case | 1.368 in. (34.7 mm) |
| Overall length | 2.26 in. (57 mm) |
| Rifling twist | 1:8 in. (203 mm) |
Pros and Cons
Much like 350 Legend ballistics, there are some 300 Blackout pros and cons as well. For instance:
| Pros | Cons |
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Detailed Comparison: 350 Legend vs 300 Blackout
So with that in mind, what can be said about the 350 Legend vs 300 BLK issue? Which of these can actually be considered the best? Well, much like in the AR-10 vs AR-15Â debate, we have to look at the essentials:Â
Trajectory
Trajectory is very important since the flatter a bullet will fly, the simpler and easier it would be to hit the target down. Thus, placement of the bullet is very important in self-defense. In long-range shooting, a good trajectory is an upper-hand. 300 BLKs are the machines for hunters, gun owner practitioners, and competitors. In the 350 and 300 Blackout comparison, the latter gets a walkover. The former can perform till 240 yards while the effective range of 300 Blackout does not reach even 200 yards. So, 350 Legend ballistics wins.
Long-Range Shooting
The 300 Blackout effective range for deer hunting is less than 150 yards. Compared to 350 Legend ballistics on a big game, 300 BLK has better accuracy, with improved projectile options. The working range the Winchester 350 Legend has, is shorter compared to 300 BLK, but both of these perform great within 100 yards or lesser. So in this specific 300 Blackout vs 350 Legend issue, 300 Blackout has the upper hand.
Loading Type
300 BLK beats 350 for carrying several loads in various magazines. There are various options for 300 BLK, greater number of barrels, pistols magazines, rifles and other exclusive accessories for 300 Blackout, since it has a head start of 10 years, while 350 lacks it.
Bullet Weights
350 Legend review says that its bullet range is 145 gr to 265 gr. You can practice cheaply with high velocity and low recoil. 300 AAC BLK loads weigh from 180 to 220 grains usually. The additional weight tends to make these slower compared to even a 110-grain bullet shot through an identical barrel. Thus, Winchester 350 Legend wins over 300 BLK.
Bullet Energy
As for the ammunition size comparisons, the 300 BLK ammo is good in terms of efficiency and power. It is more lethal when it is fired off any short-barreled rifles compared to the 5.56 ammo. However, it fails to beat the bullet energy of Legend 350, which also comes with a heavier bullet. Thus, in 350 Legend vs 300 Blackout Cartridge battle, 350 must get one extra point.
Pricing
300 BLK is more affordable compared to the 350. You can get the 300 BLK for a dollar or two per box. The reloading cost is almost the same as well, except the 350 requires a bit more gun powder. The 350 can beat 300 BLK availability wise however the 300 BLK is still cost-saving.
Killing Power
It is very difficult to estimate. Using G&S Online Rifle Cartridge Killing Power Formula, the most powerful cartridge on the market would be 180 grain 350 Legend load, although it comes with the shortest MPBR. The 300 BLK load has the limitation of being the least powerful load and has the next shortest MPBR.
Final Hunting Cartridge Review
So overall, in the 350 Legend vs 300 Blackout cartridge debate we’re certain that the former is a clear winner. 350 Legend has better potential as an effective hunting cartridge, especially with the 180-grain bullets. That is because these have good density for hog and deer hunting AND they are good to hunt in a place where short, straight-walled cartridges are restricted. Even if getting a 300 BLK can be a great choice for its affordability, the 350 Legend can be an easy find even in shortage. Moreover, the 350 can prosper as a medium bore deer hunting cartridge. All and all, 350 Legend has to be our top-rated recommendation for its:
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- Ammo availability is flexibleÂ
- Great for long-range shooting
- Trajectory is much better
- Finer bullet energy
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So good hunting, and feel free to let us know which cartridge you decided to choose, and why!