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.
