2024 Editor’s Choice Award Winning Winchester 400 Legend

Winchester 400 Legend

Some are questionable, but this is one new cartridge that MAKES sense

Winchester’s 350 Legend cartridge has been a hit with hunters, but the cartridge left some hunters longing for a straight wall that punches with more authority. Until now, primary alternatives were the shoulder-punishing 450 Bushmaster, 45-70 Govt, or slug-slinging shotguns.

The three 400 Legend loads currently offered are, left to right, the reduced-velocity 300-grain Super Suppressed load, a polymer-tipped 190-grain Deer Season XP load, and a 215-grain Power Point load. The hottest of the bunch was the 190-grain Deer Season XP load, which stepped out at 2,453 fps.

Winchester has successfully bridged the gap between the 350 Legend and those stout-recoiling alternatives with the new 400 Legend. It produces 25 percent more energy and deeper penetration than its little brother, and it delivers energy on par with the 450 Bushmaster but with considerably less recoil. Compared to a 12-gauge slug gun, the 400 Legend is a clear winner. It delivers 100 percent more energy at 100 yards with half the recoil. Happily, the 400 Legend also works nicely in AR-platform rifles.

The new cartridge’s ballistic performance makes it a great choice for hunting deer, hogs, black bear and other big game within reasonable range. Depending on the load used, the 400 Legend can take deer at up to 300 yards. For larger game, I would likely shave 100 yards off that distance.

To date, Winchester offers three 400 Legend loads: a polymer-tipped 190-grain Deer Season XP load, a 215-grain Power Point load, and a reduced-velocity 300-grain Super Suppressed load. I put all three loads to the test at the range using a Winchester XPR rifle with a 22-inch barrel with a 1:16 rate of twist, topped with a Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10X50 scope. The results were impressive, with easy sub-MOA performance from the supersonic loads, and an almost half-MOA best group from the subsonic offering.

The three 400 Legend loads to the test at the range and in the field using a Winchester XPR rifle topped with a Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10X50 scope. While the recoil levels of the Dear Season XP and Power Point loads were comparable to a .308 Win., the Super Suppressed load was barely noticeable. The 400 Legend proved to be consistently accurate at the bench.

As with any new cartridge, it can take time for rifle makers to begin chambering for it. At present, manufacturers producing rifles in 400 Legend include Savage, Winchester, Mossberg, and Ruger, and there are many models to choose from. For more information on the 400 Legend, contact Winchester Ammunition; Tel.: (618) 258-2000; Web: https://winchester.comMike Dickerson