Managing Recoil: .350 Legend

.350 Legend ammo is a favorite among hunters who want an effective rifle bullet for taking down deer-sized prey. Are you considering trying the ammo for the first time? If so, you are probably wondering if .350 Legend recoil is more or less than that of similar-sized hunting ammo. All your answers are here, including tips on how to minimize recoil when shooting .350 Legend ammunition.

How Much Recoil Does a .350 Legend Have?

Before the .350 Legend, there was the .450 Bushmaster, which like the .350 Legend, is a straight-walled cartridge for hunting deer-sized prey. Some hunters avoided the .450 Bushmaster because of its intense recoil, so Winchester decided to make a cartridge with less recoil without compromising effectiveness. The result was the .350 Legend, which is smaller and has a lower price and recoil than the .450 Bushmaster.

Several brands, including Hornady and Browning, make .350 Legend ammo and offer cartridges with different loads. Depending on the load size you choose, .350 Legend recoil can be moderate to mild. For example, a 150-grain .350 Legend bullet generates about 9.62 feet-per-second of recoil velocity, which is lower than the recoil of other mild recoil deer hunting ammo like the 30-30 Win and .243 Win.

How to Reduce .350 Legend Recoil

Reduced recoil gives you better control over your muzzle when you fire, allowing you to shoot more accurately. It also makes shooting less painful because the butt of your firearm kicks into your shoulder with less force.

While .350 Legend ammo already has less recoil than many similar deer hunting rounds, you can further minimize the ammo’s recoil to enjoy even more accuracy and shooting convenience. Some of the best tips for reducing .350 Legend recoil include:

Use a Suppressor

Besides muffling gunfire, a suppressor can significantly reduce recoil. It accomplishes this by reducing the explosive force with which expanding gunpowder gasses escape from the muzzle.

A suppressor also reduces recoil and muzzle rise by adding extra weight to your muzzle, stabilizing your firearm when you shoot. Another benefit of using a suppressor is reducing muzzle flash to help hide your position when hunting in low-light conditions.

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Change Your Gun and Stance

.350 Legend recoil can be mild to moderate, depending on the load size and your firearm. Experience less recoil by shooting .350 Legend out of a firearm that recoils with less force, such as an AR-15 or another semiautomatic rifle. For example, compared to bolt-action rifles, the recoil in semiautomatic rifles is typically less intense.

You can also reduce felt recoil by using a shooting stance that better handles the recoil from your firearm. For example, you can minimize recoil by standing on the balls of your feet and leaning slightly forward, centering your body over your knees. In this position, your body can absorb more of the recoil when you shoot.

Muzzle Brake

The right muzzle brake can reduce your recoil by 30% or more. Muzzle brakes or recoil compensators have vents on the side that divert propellant gasses, reducing the explosive force with which expanding propellant gasses escape from the muzzle.

Without a muzzle brake, expanding propellant gasses explode from the center of the muzzle. The concentrated explosion from the front of the muzzle will jerk the gun backward, which is the recoil you feel. On the downside, muzzle brakes lead to louder gunfire, but you can combat the issue by pairing a muzzle brake with a suppressor.

.350 Legend Recoil Chart

Image from Great Days Outdoors

Common Recoil Comparisons

Everyone experiences recoil differently. For instance, a heavier and more experienced shooter may feel .350 Legend ammo has hardly any recoil, while a smaller and less experienced shooter will feel otherwise. If you want a clearer idea of how .350 Legend recoil feels, check out the recoil comparisons we’ve compiled below:

.350 Legend vs. .44 Mag

The .350 Legend and the .44 Magnum are both excellent hunting rounds. However, the .350 Legend is faster and has more stopping power than the .44 Magnum. Also, since the .350 Legend is more aerodynamic, it is less affected by wind.

Despite being more powerful than the .44 Magnum, the recoil when shooting .350 Legend ammo is on par with the recoil of a .44 Magnum. Since they have similar recoil, the .350 Legend is a better buy because it is more affordable and powerful.

.350 Legend vs. .223

The .223 Remington has a mild recoil that many experienced shooters describe as almost unnoticeable, and it is lower than the recoil of a .350 Legend. .223 Remington recoil is less than .350 Legend recoil mostly because .223 Remington ammo is lighter and smaller in diameter.

Also, the .223 is more aerodynamic and can travel on a flat trajectory for longer before dropping. However, since the .350 Legend is a larger bullet with more stopping power, it is a better choice for hunting or self-defense.

.350 Legend vs. .243

Even though the .350 Legend ammo has about 18% less recoil than the .243, its penetrative power is about 23% more than the .243 Winchester. Despite its shortcomings, .243 ammo is still a reliable deer-hunting round that offers impressive accuracy within 300 yards.

.350 Legend vs. .30-30

The .30-30 Winchester has slightly more recoil than the .350 Legend. In exchange for the higher recoil, you get more power and better long-range performance when shooting .30-30 Winchester. Also, the .30-30 is more versatile since the .350 Legend is specifically for hunting deer.

.350 Legend vs. 6.5 Creedmoor

.350 Legend ammo is cheaper than 6.5 Creedmoor, but on the downside, the .350 Legend ammo is less powerful. With .350 Legend ammo, you can take down deer within 250 yards, while 6.5 Creedmoor ammo can kill deer within 600 yards. On the upside, the .350 Legend has 40% less recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor.

.350 Legend vs. .450 Bushmaster

The .350 Legend is a low-recoil alternative to the .450 Bushmaster that does not compromise on effectiveness. Also, compared to the .450 Bushmaster, .350 Legend rounds can travel further with less drop and wind drift.

Reduce Recoil, Increase Confidence

The .350 Legend is an excellent hunting and self-defense ammo with minimal recoil. While .350 Legend recoil is already low, you can further reduce it to achieve better shooting accuracy and comfort. The most effective solution for reducing .350 Legend recoil is attaching a quality suppressor to your firearm.

Whatever firearm type you own, you can find a suppressor that fits by heading over to Silencer Central. We offer suppressors for rifles, pistols, and shotguns of various calibers. Visit us today to browse our state-of-the-art suppressors and order the best one for your shooting goals.