An in-depth look at 400 Legend ballistics including a chart with muzzle velocity, energy and trajectory data for the top loads available to American shooters and hunters.
Here is an in-depth look at 400 legend ballistics, including velocities, energies, and trajectories of the .400 Legend, a modern straight-wall cartridge.
- .400 Legend rounds provide effective ballistics and trajectories to roughly 200 yards, with a maximum range of 300 yards.
- Made for deer hunters in states with straight-wall-only laws, the .400 Legend was launched after the popularity of the .350 Legend.
- Gives deer hunters more energy than many traditional hunting rounds, including the .30-30 Winchester, while also delivering less recoil.
- Currently, the cartridge is only available in three products, all from Winchester. Selection includes a 215-grain Power Point, a 190-grain Extreme Point, and a 300-grain open tip for suppressor shooting. More products will likely become available as adoption increases.
.400 Legend Ballistics Chart
| Energy (Ft. Pounds) | Bullet Drop (Inches) | Ballistic Coefficient | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammo Name | Barrel Length | Muzzle | 100 Yards | 200 Yards | 300 Yards | 400 Yards | 500 Yards | Muzzle | 100 Yards | 200 Yards | 300 Yards | 400 Yards | 500 Yards | Muzzle | 100 Yards | 200 Yards | 300 Yards | 400 Yards | 500 Yards | G1 | G7 | Sect. Density |
| Winchester 215 Gr. Power-Point SP | 24 | 2,250 | 1,872 | 1,540 | 1,270 | - | - | 2,416 | 1,673 | 1,132 | 770 | - | - | .3 | 0 | -8.6 | -31.9 | - | - | .206 | - | = |
| Winchester Super Supressed 300-gr Open Tip | 24 | 1,060 | 989 | 934 | - | - | - | 748 | 696 | 614 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .318 | - | - |
| Winchester Deer Season XP 190 gr Extreme Point | 24 | 2,400 | 1,992 | 1,631 | 1,330 | 1,116 | 413 | 2,430 | 1,675 | 1071 | 747 | 525 | 413 | .2 | 0 | -2 | -28 | -45.3 | - | .318 | - | - |
.400 Legend: Ballistics Review
Winchester released the .400 Legend in 2023. Currently there are really only three commercial 400 Legend cartridges available for sale, all from Winchester. Options include a 215-grain Power Point, a 190-grain Extreme Point with a large polymer tip, and a 300-grain subsonic open tip that is made for suppressed shooting.
Energy
The .400 Legend (excluding the suppressed round) starts with roughly 2,400 ft-lbs and maintains over 1,000 ft-lbs beyond 200 yards. At 300 yards, energy declines rapidly, dropping to below 800 yards. If you use the 1,000 ft-lb threshold, which is generally considered the minimum energy for deer, the .400 Legend is effective to 200 yards, perhaps 250, but not 300.
Trajectory
The .400 Legend is not considered a long-range round, but it can deliver straight trajectories at moderate distances. Most notable is the 190-grain option, which has a ballistic coefficient of .318. When zeroed to 100 yards, the round only drops 2 inches at 200 yards. However, it drops 28 inches at 300 yards and 45 inches at 400 yards.
.400 Legend Compared to Popular Deer Rounds
.400 Legend vs. .350 Legend
The .400 Legend was created as the next advancement in straight-wall cartridges after the popularity of the .350 Legend. While many hunters adopted the .350, there was a desire for heavier bullets and larger diameters. The .400 Legend delivers more energy but will have stiffer recoil than 350 Legend.
.400 Legend vs. .360 Buckhammer
Released just one year before the .400 Legend, the .360 Buckhammer is a straight-wall round created to mimic the performance of a .30-30 Winchester. While similar, the .400 Legend maintains stronger energies; the .360 is below 1,000 ft-lbs at 200 yards.
.400 Legend vs .45-70 Government
A classic straight-wall round, the .45-70 Government is a heavy-hitting round with bullets typically around 300 grains. While slower, the .45-70 can deliver similar energies. The .400 Legend has greater downrange capabilities.
.400 Legend vs .444 Marlin
The .444 Marlin is one of the few straight-wall cartridges that can deliver more speed and energy than the .400 Legend. Available with bullets ranging from roughly 240 to 300 grains, this cartridge has stronger muzzle energies but similar statistics at 200 and 300 yards.
.400 Legend vs. .30-30 Winchester
The .400 Legend has stronger energies and velocities compared to the .30-30 Winchester. Trajectory statistics are similar, although the 190-grain .400 Legend can deliver superior accuracy compared to many .30-30 options.
.400 Legend vs. .450 Bushmaster
The .400 Legend is considered an in-between round, bridging the gap between the .350 Legend, which some consider too small, and the .450 Bushmaster, which some consider overpowered. Bushmaster bullets are around 250 to 300 grains; the round typically has strong muzzle energy and more recoil but similar down-range statistics.
Other Attributes of the .400 Legend
- The .400 Legend, although limited in available rounds, is an effective deer cartridge. Any hunter in straight-wall-only states may consider this round for their deer rifle.
- The round was released in 2023 as part of the industry’s flurry of straight-wall products. This has included the .450 Bushmaster (2007), the .350 Legend (2019), and the .360 Buckhammer (2022).
- It was largely created after .350 Legend users requested more weight and diameter from a similar cartridge.