Pulled trigger on a Savage 350 Legend
GTRiem
Member Posts: 309 ✭✭✭
Southern MI has some goofy rules for deer rifles.
For the last 30 years I've used my Knight MK-85 muzzleloader and a SW629.
Finally realized the state procrastination will outlast my years left before allowing regular rifle calibers in zone 3
So, over the years the gun folks have developed a couple impressive straight walls calibers, 450 bushmaster and 350 Legend.
I finally decided on one to get.
Savage Apex Storm.
Pretty impressed! Gun comes with a Vortex 3x9 mounted and bore sighted. I went for the SS metal, the Apex cost about 2x the Axis model.
I fondled the Ruger American and the CVA bolt action. The CVA was a smooth nice feeling action. The price and camo cerakoat turned me off. Savage won out.
Anyway, out of the box sighting in was 6 shots, I'm sure I was shakey and not steady, but it put them on the X with little scope adjusting.
I suppose I'll shop for ammo in off season, as it's hard to even find here right now. I will set up for reloading if I can get components. I can see using this gun for ground hogs and 'yotes
Plus, it's a lightweight gun. Easy on the shoulder and compact for deer stands and blinds.
Savage gets a thumbs up.
P.S. for in the blind I got a BOG Deathgrip tripod. That thing is cool too.
GTR
Comments
Congrats on the new gun. As a fellow Michigander, I understand your goofy rules comment. I have heard some pretty favorable comments about the 350 and I think it should do the job for you. I know the 357 max out of a Super 14 Contender works fine so the 350 in a longer barrel should be even better. 👍 Bob
I have always had good luck with Savage rifles.I think you did well.
Thanks.
My brother and friend use contender and encore in 45-70 as per MI rules its legal in "pistol"
My brother has a 357max barrel and used it a couple years. I even bought dies to load for him, but they moved on to 45-70
I love my contenders, for deer though they're 44mags. I carry occasionally for deer. Still love my 629.
Down here in zone 3 , muzzleloader season is any legal firearm.... has been for several years. Bizzaro world!
GTR
The fish and game folks don't allow real rifle cartridges for hunting? I suppose they don't want you shooting into the neighbor's??
Your new gun setup sounds nice!
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Savages have been the best rifles I have shot in my life so this doesn't surprise me.
I love reading the gun mags puff pieces on some new 2 to 3,000 dollar rifle with a $1,500 scope and see its best groups are just under an inch. I smile, and remember that my $600 dollar Savage, scope combination will shoot under a 1/2 inch all day long and even better if I'm doing my part!!
Glad you are happy with your new Savage!!
Michigan zone 3, basically southern MI they don't allow "rifle " FOR DEER HUNTING. you can shoot them at anything anytime other than deer. Can even use for coyote during daytime but then they restrict at night. The rules are ludicrous. lol.
My buck tags are good for does too....who woulda thunk. MI will probably assign pronouns for the deer, bucks and does to gender specific. They seem to want them all dead. Which seems counter to gun restrictions.
GTR
I'm learning!!!
GTR
Only real complaint for field use is the bore is so deep beyond the bolt opening, so dropping in a cartridge before putting in the mag is cumbersome. I'll get used to it.
GTR
Sound like a solid deer rifle
Two years ago, I loaned my cousin, Jim, my Ruger American .350 Legend for the deer season. He shot a nice 6-point with it. He hunts my farm here in southern Michigan with his brother in law (who uses my Ruger 77 .450 Bushmaster). After shooting the deer he said, "What do you want for this rig?". I said, "Where do you intend to hunt with it?" "Well, right here." "You don't need to buy it, it will be right here whenever you need it."
But, of course, he had to have one of his own, He got a Franci in .350 and put a Leupold on it. This year, he shot a nice 8-point. Two years; two rifles; two shots; two deer!
I handload for six rifles in .350 Legend and components are surprisingly easy to find (except primers!). Lee dies work OK but the neck expander is oversize--I believe Lee thought the cartridge was intended for .357/.358 bullets rather than .355. If you just barely start the Lee expander into the case, you're OK, but if you run it all the way in, the bullets are loose. I got a set of Hornady dies. My rifles shot well with Winchester 180 power point bullets but I can't find them anymore. 170 Hornady spires and 165 FTX bullets work good, too. I have not tried lighter bullets, yet. I've used mostly Hodgdon Lil'gun and Accurate Arms 4100 powder and have done a minor amount of experimenting with IMR4227 and H110. I haven't got to W296 (Supposedly the same as H110), yet.
I'm sure you will be pleased with your new rifle. It's easy to equal and exceed the energy of the .35 Remington with this cartridge. With the accuracy advantage over shotguns and handguns, it means fewer wounded, suffering, and lost deer.
Congrats
Thank you! Great info
I hunt Cass county.
GTR
Do you carry and extra mag? Insert your magazine, cycle the action, eject the magazine, put in a full mag.
If you only have the one magazine you can eject it and top it off then reinsert.
If you only have the one magazine you can eject it and top it off then reinsert.
How I do my semi auto pistols too
Another Michigan guy here, and yes we have some goofy hunting laws, but hey, we live in a state shaped like a mitten, who else can say that?
I have several of the Savage rifles chambered in 17 with the accutrigger and love them. I went with the Ruger American chambered in 450 Bushmaster for my straight wall. Excellent performance and accuracy, although with the muzzle brake it's deafening without ear protection, so I hunt with ear buds, lol.
try Walmart for your ammo, around these parts (Western WI ) just about every Walmart has a good supply of 350 on hand ,, as for reloading that's a different story .
2 years ago my Daughter took a nice 8 pt with her Ruger American Ranch in 350 , one shot DRT, this year my Nephew using a 350 barrel on his AR took a big 8 in northern WI
these are groups out of the Ruger , sorry about the side ways picture , can't seem to get it to show the correct way
GTRiem: If you are interested, PM me with your address and I'll send you a copy of the load data I've shot. I am in Ottawa county.
Redhawk has posted some good factory info.
Currently the 1 mag. Will need to grab another.
The deer are really going to appreciate this Friday off between Firearm and Muzzleloader seasons. LOL.
Where we will continue to use regular firearms ....
Goofy, but there's the mitten angle😉
"Currently the 1 mag. Will need to grab another."
Question: Just how often do you empty one mag and still have game in sight to continue shooting with another mag?
That might be possible here in MO where I use a suppressed AR and may have 4-5 deer tags in hand and 20-30 deer just standing around waiting to be shot but I've never emptied a bolt action and wished for 4 more shells.
I agree with Redhawk, try Wal-Mart. Every week or so I will wonder by and check Wal-Marts ammo selection. There has been what I am guessing are the same 6 boxes of 350 Legend laying there since at least last spring.
It sounds like the 350 Legend fills a need in Michigan but with the unlimited choices we have in South Carolina there are so many better choices that the 350 Legend is pretty irrelevant here.
Having said that, if I lived in Michigan, I would jump all over a good 350 Legend before I would take a shotgun to hunt with.
I don't believe most of what I read from gun mags or motorcycle magazines. They are just spewing any BS that will keep the advertiser happy. Have you ever seen a gun mag do a bad review on a product?
So true.....I used to subscribe to several gun rags in my younger days. NEVER read a bad review even when the firearm/accessory was not up to snuff... Dropped all those subscriptions a long time ago....
Arkansas is doing the straight-walled cartridge rule too
reckon I need to start looking for a straight-walled cartridge rifle
leaning toward the 350 Legend
There's nothing like a new gun. 👍️
You have made a very good choice. Savage rifles are very dependable, affordable and they all seem to shoot well. I know the ones I have group great. .The 350 legend is light on recoil and is very effective to 200 yds. Another good choice. Good luck this fall
You have made a very good choice. Savage rifles are very dependable,
affordable and they all seem to shoot well. I know the ones I have group
great. .The 350 legend is light on recoil and is very effective to 200
yds. Another good choice. Good luck this fall
agree 100 % but IF a person has a AR15 lower sitting around you can put a 350Legend upper on it pretty cheap
like this one
ETA: OK to suggest BCA to folks, not OK to post Link to competitors site…
so sorry didn't realize that a direct seller was considered a competitor to Gunbrokers Auction house ,
I'll refrain from doing so in the future
there are some bad reviews on it but for the most part folks seem to have good luck with them , i know my Nephew has one and it's been 100% , no problems what so ever and he gets 1" to 1 1/2" groups with it depending on what ammo he's shooting out of it
I have an AR upper in 300 BO & like it very well. But will say the magazines are quite finicky.