350 Legend

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Ranch Dog
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ranch Dog »

Jeff H wrote:Without intending to hurt anyone's feelings, disparage a favored maker or bursting any bubbles, my own personal experience with the 77/357 left me with the single most disappointing firearms purchase ever, with no contender for that title anywhere in my rear-view mirror.

I bought one new and messed with it for a year. For the money, the "finish" was sloppy and incomplete. I won't relate all the picky details, but it's a Ruger, right? One shouldn't expect the look of a custom gun, but this was pathetic.

Accuracy was mediocre when it was at its best, and that's with a lot of experimenting over the course of a year. The magazine didn't work right from the start and the trigger was awful. I fixed both of those issues, but the stiff bolt left me with a bruised cheek after I slapped the bolt-handle after firing the first round.

It was slower to reload than an H&R Handi-Rifle. Never got that fixed. OAL of cartridges is very strictly limited, but it did at least feed the RDO 350-190 (with shortened brass) and the NOE 360-180 OK. The stock was a complete wast of material. It crowded the left side of the barrel, so I relieved the barrel channel and the stock moved more to the right every time I removed more material.

I finally wrote Ruger and explained my issues - specifically the stock and never then heard back. Many months later, they called and asked how they could help. I told them I didn't know because the guy I sold it to didn't give me his number and he didn't care if it shot 4" groups at 50 yards (he said do) using jacketed bullets. I told him he was on his own because all I'd shot out of it was cast. Please note that this is completely atypical of Ruger service in my experience. I figured they saw "77/357" in the subject line of the e-mail and were afraid to open it. They are usually on the ball, just not this time.

What I loved about the gun - it was cute as a bug, light, slender and handy as all get-out. I just could not get it to consistently shoot under a couple inches at fifty yards and working the action was, well WORK. The 16" Rossi 92 I had was shorter, lighter, had a larger magazine capacity, was slicker'n snot and shot significantly better than the Ruger. The H&Rs I've had blew it out of the water for accuracy. Comparing it to my Contender would just be unfair.

Maybe I got a lemon or was "doing it wrong" or just not pushing all the right buttons, but I've made a lot of guns work, work well and shoot very, very well in my time - just not that one. After I'd tried for a year, I'd call it a $250 rifle, not a $750 rifle. No "hate" here, just what I think would been a more honest price for what I got.

I'm not just venting - rather providing a heads-up to anyone seduced by the platform, package or concept of this rifle - I know I was. It's compact, light and just a neat idea. Study up on the XXX/77 line and make sure you're OK with what you could be getting. Some people get them to shoot OK, but that stiff bolt makes it not so much a repeater.
I really looked forward to receiving my 77/44, but the experience ended up being the same as yours. It didn't take me a year to get rid of it. I should have held out for a Rem 788 in the 44 Mag, I bet I would have been happier.

I had not followed the 77/357 at all, so, back to the bolt action 350 Legend! Still, the bullet thing bothers me about it. Component crunch coming on with the next election, it always happens, might end up waiting on bullets.
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Jeff H »

Ranch Dog wrote:.............Still, the bullet thing bothers me about it. Component crunch coming on with the next election, it always happens, might end up waiting on bullets.
Yeah, that.

When I look at the long conical nose of the glam' shots of the factory rounds, I have to wonder why they look like that. To make them feed in an AR? To make them look cool? Just suspicious. I have no proof and have heard no rumors. I have narrowed my selection of moulds considerably and don't plan to add any which would be specific to a given gun.

I'm done buying bullets too.

My money goes toward primers and powder, and maybe occasionally some new brass.
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

I pretty much came to the same conclusion. Although not with quite as much science. Concluded it's pretty much a niche cartridge and will likely meet the fate of niche cartridges, the 256 WinMag comes to mind. Opening day is Monday and the 38/55 gets first crack.

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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ranch Dog »

Ohio3Wheels wrote:Opening day is Monday and the 38/55 gets first crack.
Now there is a deer killer.
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by larryw »

Ranch Dog wrote:
Ohio3Wheels wrote:Opening day is Monday and the 38/55 gets first crack.
Now there is a deer killer.
+1
A day late & A dollar short? Story of my life +guns
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

Ranch Dog wrote:
Ohio3Wheels wrote:Opening day is Monday and the 38/55 gets first crack.
Now there is a deer killer.
I wish I could say it would be with cast bullets, but the way summer ended I didn't get near enough development with them, but I'm happy with the 200 gr Sierra so that's what I'll carry.

Happy Thanksgiving, gang, Make smoke,
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ranch Dog »

Ohio3Wheels wrote:I wish I could say it would be with cast bullets, but the way summer ended I didn't get near enough development with them, but I'm happy with the 200 gr Sierra so that's what I'll carry.
I've had that problem this year. I'm hunting with Speer bullets in my 300 Sav, 7.62x39, and 303 Brit. I could not get cast to behave so it is what it is.
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by GasGuzzler »

Back from the dead...just wondering if there have been any revolutions in cast bullets for this platform? I know I don't need one of these for the reasons they were developed but I like tinkering...
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

GasGuzzler wrote:Back from the dead...just wondering if there have been any revolutions in cast bullets for this platform? I know I don't need one of these for the reasons they were developed but I like tinkering...
I've not seen much about cast in the 350. When I was finally able to look for a "straight wall" upper I couldn't find one in 350 Legend that was affordable. I wound up getting a 450 Bushmaster and only now getting started on trying some coated cast. Probably wont get it done for this season, but so it goes.

Stay well, be safe, make smoke,
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Re: 350 Legend

Post by GasGuzzler »

There is a barrel and muzzle device for sale locally is why I'm asking. I don't want to buy a giant gross of jacketed bullets right now.
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