350 LEGEND VS 30-06
When it comes to 350 Legend & 30-06, both are good choices for protecting lives and hunting game animals such as deer. They can both be used for the same purpose and when making a decision between the two, it makes sense to consider your specific needs.
An excellent battle cartridge may also be adept at hunting deer. Take the 30-06 Springfield, for instance – one of the most widely utilized rifle cartridges in WWI and WWII even though it had its own downsides. If you’ve won World Wars, whichever ammo you used must have worked well enough. The 30-06 stayed in service for many decades. Veterans accustomed to firing it naturally wanted to keep firing it, which alongside the widespread availability of surplus government ammo cemented the 30-06’s place as an American deer hunting cartridge.
Even though the 30-06 remains highly popular, ammo makers continue to create new rounds for deer hunting.Winchester provided a good example when they introduced the 350 Legend in 2019. The 350 Legend is ALL about deer hunting, and its garnered quite a following in spite of its youth (not to mention its introduction just before a historic commercial ammo shortage). If the 30-06 works so well, why did Winchester bother with the 350 Legend at all? Because they saw an opportunity to offer something different and good: cheaper hunting ammo with lower recoil, at the cost of a shorter effective range. Let’s compare these rounds.
ABOUT CARTRIDGE DIMENSIONS
| 350 Legend | 30-06 | |
|---|---|---|
| Parent case | N/A | 30-03 Springfield |
| Case type | Rebated rim, straight walled | Rimless, bottleneck |
| Bullet diameter | 0.357 in | 0.308 in |
| Neck diameter | 0.378 in | 0.34 in |
| Shoulder diameter | N/A | 0.441 in |
| Base diameter | 0.390 in | 0.471 in |
| Rim diameter | 0.378 in | 0.473 in |
| Case length | 1.71 in | 2.494 in |
| Overall length | 2.25 in | 3.34 in |
| Case capacity | 36.5 gr H2O | 68 gr H2O |
| Maximum pressure | 55,000 psi | 60,190 psi |
Comparing two cartridges with such different sizes will offer clear differences in their performance. The 30-06 is 48% bigger than the 350 Legend and has 86% more capacity for powder in its case. The powder charge of a 30-06 can often be twice as much as that of the 350 Legend. BIt is important to note that the 30-06 was designed quite a while ago, 113 years to be exact, compared to the more recent 350 Legend. While the volume of propellant might be comparable between the two rounds, there could still be other factors to consider when deciding which one to use. Firearm technology has come a long way, allowing for much smaller charges of powder to provide similar proficiency. We can assume the tough 30-06 does a better job at providing more power in comparison its bullet.
The 350 Legend’s performance could be improved by a bottleneck. A case which tapers at its neck chambers a little more reliably, and it also concentrates propellant gasses so they can propel the bullet more effectively. But the straight-walled 350 Legend ammo case lacks a bottleneck by design. Winchester crafted the 350 Legend for hunters who don’t have access to bottlenecked ammo during deer season. The .30 caliber bullet used in 30-06 ammo is a classic, but the 350 Legend bullet is wider at 16% more than its diameter. If all other factors are the same, a wider bullet will be exposed to more air resistance when traveling. Comparing the 30-06 and 350 Legend, it’s expected that the older round would provide a flatter trajectory due to differences in bullet diameters.
BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE
We tried our best to compare extremely similar 350 Legend and 30-06 cartridges.
VELOCITY
| 350 Leg – Win USA 145gr FMJ | 30-06 – Win Power Max Bonded 150gr PHP | 350 Leg – Fed Fusion 160gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Fusion 165gr SP | 350 Leg – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle velocity (fps) | 2350 | 2920 | 2300 | 2790 | 2100 | 2700 |
| Velocity @ 100 yds | 1923 | 2640 | 1998 | 2594 | 1799 | 2474 |
| Velocity @ 200 yds | 1552 | 2377 | 1722 | 2406 | 1531 | 2259 |
| Velocity @ 300 yds | 1254 | 2129 | 1477 | 2226 | 1305 | 2055 |
| Velocity @ 400 yds | 1060 | 1897 | 1272 | 2053 | 1134 | 1862 |
| Velocity @ 500 yds | 947 | 1682 | 1118 | 1889 | 1021 | 1682 |
| Velocity @ 600 yds | 869 | 1488 | 1016 | 1734 | 944 | 1516 |
| Velocity @ 700 yds | 806 | 1318 | 944 | 1589 | 885 | 1368 |
| Velocity @ 800 yds | 751 | 1180 | 887 | 1455 | 835 | 1240 |
| Velocity @ 900 yds | 703 | 1077 | 840 | 1334 | 791 | 1137 |
| Velocity @ 1000 yds | 658 | 1003 | 798 | 1229 | 752 | 1059 |
We calculated ballistic data for rounds with similar (or identical) bullet weights, but as you’ll see that hardly makes their trajectories similar. (Note that our elevation data reflect a sight height of 1.5”.)
TRAJECTORY
The 30-06 round has an extremely flat trajectory. This kind of ballistic performance was necessary for a combat rifle cartridge meant to hit targets accurately up to 1,000 yards away. Even if you don’t intend to shoot targets at 1,000 yards, the 30-06’s flatter trajectory makes aiming and firing over vast distances much easier. Furthermore, the cartridge is capable of taking down bucks effectively out to 400 yards. The 350 Legend’s maximum effective hunting range doesn’t exceed 250 yards. Although it may still be able to neutralize a threat at longer distances, the bullet’s steeper trajectory does make accurate shooting beyond 300 yards difficult.
| 350 Leg – Win USA 145gr FMJ | 30-06 – Win Power Max Bonded 150gr PHP | 350 Leg – Fed Fusion 160gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Fusion 165gr SP | 350 Leg – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.186 | 0.33 | 0.264 | 0.461 | 0.25 | 0.391 |
| 0.1 | 0.167 | 0.149 | 0.232 | 0.142 | 0.198 |
| 4.05 | 1.76 | 3.66 | 1.85 | 4.7 | 3.61 |
| 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| -18.68 | -7.93 | -15.43 | -7.84 | -19.59 | -10.43 |
| -59.61 | -23.57 | -46.94 | -22.73 | -59.72 | -29.13 |
| -131.4 | -48.93 | -100.02 | -45.89 | -126.87 | -57.89 |
| -241.85 | -86.63 | -180.86 | -78.82 | -227.29 | -99 |
| -398.59 | -140.11 | -295.54 | -123.35 | -366.89 | -155.27 |
| -608.95 | -213.66 | -449.03 | -181.68 | -550.97 | -230.17 |
| -881.39 | -312.18 | -646.95 | -256.48 | -784.94 | -327.7 |
| -1224.91 | -440.85 | -894.16 | -350.84 | -1074.9 | -452.32 |
There’s no denying the 30-06’s superior accuracy at medium-to-long range. But it’s not fair to call the 350 Legend “less accurate. It’s plenty accurate within the distances it was specifically designed to cover!
STOPPING POWER
The phrase “Stopping Power” has caused debate within the shooting world as it implies that a single aspect of a cartridge’s performance has an overall effect on its lethal abilities. In truth, it is actually the combination of aim, sectional density and terminal ballistics along with several other factors that make up its true potential to a bullet’s capacity for destruction. That said, the 30-06 is certain to deal more damage to its target at any conceivable range. The muzzle energy of this gun is significantly greater than the 350 Legend’s, about 60% more. It retains a minimum of 1000 feet-pounds of energy which is recommended for hunting whitetail deer humanely even from 500 yards away or farther.
With the 350 Legend, you can be confident at distances up to 200 yards as it contains over 1000 ft lbs of energy. Anything farther than that and you should not fire the cartridge.
350 Leg – Win USA 145gr FMJ | 30-06 – Win Power Max Bonded 150gr PHP | 350 Leg – Fed Fusion 160gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Fusion 165gr SP | 350 Leg – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP | 30-06 – Fed Power-Shok 180gr SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle energy (ft lbs) | 1778 | 2840 | 1880 | 2852 | 1763 | 2914 |
| Energy @ 100 yds | 1191 | 2322 | 1418 | 2465 | 1294 | 2446 |
| Energy @ 200 yds | 775 | 1883 | 1054 | 2121 | 937 | 2040 |
| Energy @ 300 yds | 506 | 1511 | 775 | 1815 | 680 | 1688 |
| Energy @ 400 yds | 362 | 1199 | 574 | 1545 | 514 | 1386 |
| Energy @ 500 yds | 289 | 943 | 444 | 1308 | 417 | 1131 |
| Energy @ 600 yds | 243 | 737 | 367 | 1102 | 357 | 919 |
| Energy @ 700 yds | 209 | 579 | 317 | 925 | 313 | 748 |
| Energy @ 800 yds | 182 | 463 | 280 | 776 | 279 | 614 |
| Energy @ 900 yds | 159 | 387 | 251 | 652 | 250 | 517 |
| Energy @ 1000 yds | 140 | 335 | 226 | 553 | 226 |
RECOIL
Reduced recoil is important to enhance your target shooting comfort and control the muzzle rise, thereby improving your accuracy. Having minimal recoil in a firearm is preferred by many shooters. By eliminating the backward recoil from squeezing the trigger, you can ensure that your rapid fire is fast and accurate. This will give you an upper hand in any situation where speed and accuracy are essential. In order to evaluate the recoil energy of the different cartridges in our comparison chart, we need to take into account muzzle velocity, powder weight, bullet weight and rifle weight. For ease of calculation, let us assume that all 350 Legend rounds have 25 grains of powder and all 30-06 rounds contain 50 grains. Let’s also assume we’re firing two 7.5 pound rifles.
Recoil Energy (ft lbs) | |
|---|---|
| 350 Legend Winchester USA 145gr FMJ | 9.17 |
| 350 Legend Federal Fusion 160gr SP | 10.28 |
| 350 Legend Federal Power-Shok 180gr SP | 10.7 |
| 30-06 Winchester Power Max Bonded 150gr PHP | 20.02 |
| 30-06 Federal Fusion 165gr SP | 21.34 |
| 30-06 Federal Power-Shok 180gr SP | 22.91 |
PRICE & AVAILABILITY
The 350 Legend has a small size which makes ammunition more affordable. It uses less brass during manufacturing than other cartridges, resulting in lower costs. Furthermore, it is also more fuel efficient when it comes to shipping & transportation than its counterparts. You may pay half as much for 350 Legend ammo as you would have paid for 30-06.
At first, we weren’t sure how successful Winchester’s deer cartridge would be. But the hunting community has taken a liking to it and now many manufacturers produce it in large numbers. Therefore, popularity for this item is high and it’s easy to find. Despite the availability of other rifle cartridges in the market, 30-06 remains one of the most sought-after due to its popularity among American shooters. While there has been a decline in the stock of military-grade 30-06 ammo, it is still a good choice for those who are looking for quality ammunition. Despite the 350 Legend ammo being introduced quite recently, it has managed to spread across Middle East and Eastern Europe with ease. The level of popularity it achieved was hard to expect.
There is no milsurp 350 Legend, and there never will be unless the U.S. government declares war on deer. It has done stupider things, so only time can tell.
THE TAKEAWAY
The 30-06 is more than a round of ammunition – it is an American legend. The classic cartridge is never going away because deer hunters like what they already know, and they know the 30-06 rules at their sport. But even the 30-06’s strongest proponents can concede that it’s a big cartridge which supplies robust recoil. They can also admit that its 400-yard effective range for deer is not desirable to all hunters, as many folks are comfortable only firing at quarries within 250 yards. And none of them would advise taking deer with a bottlenecked cartridge in a jurisdiction that has illegalized bottlenecked ammunition for hunting. Finally, few 30-06 proponents are wealthy enough to not appreciate the appeal of cheaper ammo. That’s why even a die-hard 30-06 fan can recommend the 350 Legend!
Which Brands Produce the Best Quality Ammunition for a 350 Legend?
When it comes to choosing the best quality ammunition for a 350 Legend rifle, you want to make sure that you are selecting the right brand. It is important to choose a reliable and well-known brand that produces high-quality rounds. In this article, we will take a look at some of the top rated ammo brands for rifles that are known for producing the best quality ammunition for a 350 Legend. We will discuss their features, advantages and disadvantages so that you can make an informed decision when selecting your next round of ammunition. Visit 30carbineammo.com
