Axis 2 in 350 [in it's own mind] Legend review

[fourbore]

I read the post very carefully. Where is the REVIEW? Was it one of those links? What does the gun weight? How does it feed, function and accuracy? Velocity suspect? Or do we agree the barrel length is appropriate for a hunting carbine. Was the gun fired?

Some of us who carry a gun hunting all day and getting a little grey around the edges appreciate tuppaware weight over having to exercize some shooting technique.

I dont know who is touting what claims, but; this round was obviously created for certain states with special (shorter range) cartridges allowed for deer hunting. They are suppose to be limited in range and velocity. If not, these jurisdictions would allow the 243, 308 etc that this is NOT supposed to equal. If it does, I expect it to be banned in those very regions for which it was created.

 

[stagpanther]

I read the post very carefully. Where is the REVIEW? Was it one of those links? What does the gun weight? How does it feed, function and accuracy? Velocity suspect? Or do we agree the barrel length is appropriate for a hunting carbine. Was the gun fired?

Some of us who carry a gun hunting all day and getting a little grey around the edges appreciate tuppaware weight over having to exercize some shooting technique.

I dont know who is touting what claims, but; this round was obviously created for certain states with special (shorter range) cartridges allowed for deer hunting. They are suppose to be limited in range and velocity. If not, these jurisdictions would allow the 243, 308 etc that this is NOT supposed to equal. If it does, I expect it to be banned in those very regions for which it was created.

I did my review--maybe you didn't go to the beginning of thread? I know from past conversations you live in Maine (as do I)--this would be an excellent woods carry gun for the heavy forests of Maine iMO. Does it bring anything of significant benefit to a hunter in our state which allows a 30-30, I can't say from actual hunting experience--but I seriously doubt it. My rifle weighs all-up ready to rock 7 lbs, you could probably get that in the 6 to 6.5 range if you went lighter weight on optics set-up. The chamber/bolt dimensions keep the headspace within 1.714 so that gives a nice set and support for the head of all the cases I know of. The two days I fired it it was below zero windchill so I had to wear heavy gloves, perhaps the one real design issue I find for our state is the pretty tight trigger guard which doesn't allow for much room for a glove.

 

[mehavey]

Stag, below-zero temps has got to play he!! w/ your powder burn,
With testing in cold temps I generally keep the ammunition in a pocket until loading. *
What are you using for powder/how are you accommodating the weather ?



* Initial tests only/then test temp effect to find "happy" window for all-round/all weather use

 

[stagpanther]

That's true--I test all my loads in both extreme cold and warm temps (and have for a long time)--because, well, stuff happens in Maine during hunting season. I've been testing loads using H110, IMR 4227 and AA 1680 for the 350 L. It's possible that the temp extreme accounts for quite a bit of SD variation, but what I'm seeing is a bit beyond that in my experience.

 

[buckey]

What's the odds that the same guy that brain stormed the WSSM cartridge line had his nose in the .350 Legend start up?

 

[mehavey]

I've been testing loads using...

I'm going to push Norma 200 if you can lay your hands on some.

 

[reynolds357]

I'm going to push Norma 200 if you can lay your hands on some.

Powder Valley has plenty at the moment. And Midway and Graf and just about everybody else.

 

[mehavey]

 

[reynolds357]

Why exactly is that going to get a novice in trouble?

 

[mehavey]

Because he's going to either...

1. Blindly follow a "recipe" that -- in fact -- jams a bullet into the freebore/throat of that rifle, or
2. Use a "similar weight" bullet at an OAL wherein the different shape jams a bullet into the freebore/throat.

Cast-Bullet-wise it will jam/fail to completely close & fully rotate the bolt/require mortaring to extract the cartridge/much higher pressures
Jacket bullets will jam/fail to completely close & fully rotate the bolt/require significant mortaring to extract the cartridge/significantly higher pressures

Someone who truly know what they're doing can overcome/accommodate these narrow parameters/issues/vulnerabilities in using a straightforward engineering approach to check form & function below letting the bolt go. New guys have enough of a problem w/o having to deal with them straight out of the starting gate.

 

[stagpanther]

As with any cartridge--ya get what ya pay for if you don't measure where your bullet engages the lands (or throat, in this case, if that's what ya mean), unless you're implying something else is going on?

 

[reynolds357]

Because he's going to either...

1. Blindly follow a "recipe" that -- in fact -- jams a bullet into the freebore/throat of that rifle, or
2. Use a "similar weight" bullet at an OAL wherein the different shape jams a bullet into the freebore/throat.

Cast-Bullet-wise it will jam/fail to completely close & fully rotate the bolt/require mortaring to extract the cartridge/much higher pressures
Jacket bullets will jam/fail to completely close & fully rotate the bolt/require significant mortaring to extract the cartridge/significantly higher pressures

Someone who truly know what they're doing can overcome/accommodate these narrow parameters/issues/vulnerabilities in using a straightforward engineering approach to check form & function below letting the bolt go. New guys have enough of a problem w/o having to deal with them straight out of the starting gate.

I could not care less about cast and I am sure Winchester probably does not either. As far as jacketed goes, I really dont see the problem there either. Even if you straight up jam the crimped bullet into the lands, you should be fine IF you used the correct dia bullet and IF you began with the starting load, you should be fine.

 

[stagpanther]

I've never had any of the 350L handloads I've done come even remotely close to jamming--pistol bullets are way too short to seated long; and the two or three rifle bullets that you can use for the 350L would need to be seated pretty long to get anywhere near jamming, might be able to do with a bolt gun magazine that allows COL to go well past 2.26, but I don't think it's easy to accomplish a jam even if you tried on purpose. Unless for some strange reason your jamming the case mouth into the throat itself--which I guess is possible under certain circumstances.

 

[mehavey]

You should be......

Oh you kid.....

Too bad about cast, though.
That's where the real rubber meets the real road in that kind of cartridge.
Everything else is ho-hum pedestrian



ps: The exposure of the Speer 180FP's straight shank -- a bullet which is an outstanding performer -- is very sensitive to the short freebore distance.

 

[reynolds357]

Oh you kid.....

Too bad about cast, though.
That's where the real rubber meets the real road in that kind of cartridge.
Everything else is ho-hum pedestrian



ps: The exposure of the Speer 180FP's straight shank -- a bullet which is an outstanding performer -- is very sensitive to the short freebore distance.

Used to the firearms manufacturers stated in their manuals to only use factory ammo. I now see why.

 

[reynolds357]

Oh you kid.....

Too bad about cast, though.
That's where the real rubber meets the real road in that kind of cartridge.
Everything else is ho-hum pedestrian



ps: The exposure of the Speer 180FP's straight shank -- a bullet which is an outstanding performer -- is very sensitive to the short freebore distance.

I quit being a kid a long time ago, but I wish I were still young. It would be nice for the joints to not hurt.
I have hand loaded for about every modern non proprietary cartridge out there, and quite a few proprietary. I have loaded for a pile of wildcats. I have designed and built a couple of wildcats.
Despite not doing things the way you think they should be done, I have never blown up a firearm or even had a mishap. Reloading is not complicated.

 

[mehavey]

Troops, I'm not exactly new to this Legend rodeo:

Today's venture:

From this I would offer that fitting the bullet OAL, exposed shank diameter/length, and ogive roll-off was unique in every case.
Nothing cookbook or set solution about any of it.

(And as Stag can attest, even a "tried&true" case manufacturer provided an unpleasant surprise)

 

[stagpanther]

There seems to be a tough learning curve with many of the new cartridge introductions these days. One thing I've noticed--not necessarily a correlation, but generally the more sensationalized that introduction is (i.e. claims that are barely "true") the more lipstick they're putting on problematic debutante.