WESTFIELD, Massachusetts –– Savage Arms is proud to partner with Winchester® Ammunition to bring deer hunters several rifles chambered in 400 Legend in time for 2023 hunting seasons. The new hard-hitting, yet mildly recoiling, caliber means new opportunities for deer hunters across the country. Savage will launch the 400 Legend in the 110 Apex Hunter XP, 110 Hog Hunter and Axis II XP—but will also chamber it in another 11 models in 2023.

Straight-walled cartridges, and especially the 400 Legend’s predecessor the 350 Legend, were born for states like Ohio and Michigan. The premise being bring modern projectiles and cartridge technologies to areas, states and hunters originally limited to shotgun slug or historically limited rifle caliber options. Due to the popularity of these cartridges that has been driven by performance—straight-wall options have gained traction outside of traditional shotgun slug areas as well. The 400 Legend will no doubt continue this legacy and Savage has responded by adding it to so many rifles in its lineup.

“Savage is dedicated to chambering the best calibers for hunters and shooters,” said Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms. “The 400 Legend brings ballistic advances and advantages–and when combined with our extensive rifle lineup–the benefits only increase. Deer hunters are in for a treat this fall as we’ll have 14 options available in plenty of time for this season.”

The numbers behind the 400 Legend are impressive. This straight-walled cartridge offers 100% more energy than a 12-gauge slug with 55% less felt recoil. When compared to its rifle counterparts and predecessors, the 400 Legend brings the same amount of energy as the 450 Bushmaster, with a reduction in felt recoil of 20%. Finally—the 400 Legend offers 25% more energy than the 350 Legend for more penetration and improved terminal ballistics. Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

On May 15, 2012 a hearing in Michigan’s House of Representatives was held to determine if certain straight-wall cartridges would become legal for hunting deer in the southern portion of the state.  After writing a column in an attempt to persuade lawmakers to include all straight-wall cartridges in House Bill 5249, I received a phone call from a House member, who had sponsored the bill.  After a brief discussion, I was invited to speak at the hearing relative to ballistics.  Although it took another year, Michigan’s old shotgun zone would become transformed.

My, how things have changed.  The bill became law, but my favorite big-bore – the venerable .45-70 Government – would not be included, because its case length exceeded the new standard maximum of 1.8 inches.  What I didn’t realize at the time, was how firearm and ammunition manufacturers would develop new options for hunters in Midwestern states (including Michigan) that had adopted the new regulations – and, they’ve got a new one for us:  the 400 Legend.

According to Winchester, the 400 Legend ballistics make it an optimum choice for any hunter that wants a cartridge with moderate recoil and excellent terminal performance, particularly in hunting situations within 300 yards.  The 215-grain bullet leaves the muzzle at 2250 feet-per-second (fps) and when sighted in 1.8 inches high at 100 yards, it drops 4.9 inches at 200 yards.

But, 300 yards?  That’s pushing it, however, for two important reasons.  Energy (measured in foot pounds) drops below the long-time standard of 1,000 foot pounds for deer hunting at 770 pounds.  More importantly, it falls 26.4 inches low at that range.  Without a range-finding rifle scope – one that is matched to a specific caliber’s ballistics – 300 yard shots are simply unethical.

At the same time, however, the .450 Bushmaster, drops like a rock beyond 200 yards, as well, and is not a good choice for long range shots without appropriate optics.  Heck, that’s why these calibers were introduced in the first place – to limit range issues in more heavily populated areas.

The 400 Legend fits between the faster and lighter velocity of the 350 Legend and the heavier 450 Bushmaster and offers the following comparative examples:

• Similar Energy as 450 Bushmaster with 20% Less Recoil
• Over 20% More Energy than the 30-30 Winchester and 25% More Energy than 350 Legend, with Greater Penetration
• 100% More Energy than a 12-Gauge Slug at 100 Yards
• 55% Less Recoil than a 12-Gauge Slug

Winchester 400 Legend ammunition will begin shipping in July, while 400 Legend-chambered rifles will be offered in the coming year from Mossberg, Ruger, Savage Arms, Winchester Repeating Arms, CMMG, and more.

It is questionable if this new cartridge will have high demand from deer hunters, and therefore, if it will become successful, since so many of the other straight-wall cartridges are already in hunters’ hands.  However, there’s no doubt about its viability as another tool for the job.

By Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network

Cards on the table…I know little to nothing about smallbore rifle competition. In fact, the full extent of my understanding of the sport is that it is based around a rifle chambered in .22LR.

Generally speaking I know there are other elements to the sport, additional gear needed, equipment you have to have, but what all those things are, I have no idea. Eventually, though, I found out…sorta.

A friend of mine, Michele Medige, who works for Eley Ammunition and is a serious smallbore competitor herself, told me about the Western Wildcat match taking place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility and recommended I check it out.

The official name of the event is ‘The 64th Annual Western Wildcat Smallbore 6400 NRA Conventional Prone and F-Class Regional.’ In other, fewer words, the Western Wildcat.

The only thing more complex than the official title of the event is the list of gear one needs to compete. This is not a cheap sport to jump into.

Sticker-shock might be the best way to describe the barrier to entry that keeps shooters from delving into smallbore. If you can survive the shock, you have a future in this sport. Read more