350 Legend re-build with RT-3

[stagpanther]

My first "infatuation" with the legend in an AR did not got well, I soured pretty bad on it after I had many bulged cases and finally a kaboom did it for me.

Faxon did come clean and plead mea culpa on their early production barrel and sent me another properly chambered barrel, but I left it by the wayside as I had many other projects to attend to.

Last week I thought I'd give it a second chance, with a 20" barrel and a good red-dot it should theoretically make a good lightweight woods hunter--which is what Maine is mostly all about. I'm pretty good with an unmagnified reddot out to 100 yds--but I decided to indulge myself in a reddot that I've been very interested in since it was first announced--the Burris RT-3 fixed 3x; in fact I went ahead and ordered 2 of them sight unseen, so to speak.

So far, just looking at it before use it seems like a dream-optic made the way I would design one if I could, nice sharp illuminated ranging reticle which also has a black "residual" in case your battery goes dead. It probably has an extra heft of a few ounces over the more compact primary arms one I was going to use--but that one has annoying flare at certain illumination settings. I don't notice the extra weight on the rifle. The only real negative about the RT-3 I can think of is that it has a pretty tight eye relief of 2.5"--so that takes it out of the same quickness to acquire category as an unmagnified reddot IMO. My guess it's still faster than most scopes.

Hope to get some testing done soon.

[9x19]

That's your version of lightweight?

I'm guessing Babe the blue ox is a close friend of yours?

Good luck, hope it works out better than before!

[stagpanther]

That's your version of lightweight?

All up weight just a hair under 7lbs? Yeah, that's light weight in my book. I could haul this all day anywhere no problem.

[FrankenMauser]

That's your version of lightweight?

I'm guessing Babe the blue ox is a close friend of yours?

Not all ARs are as heavy as they appear.
I have a 20" bbl 6x45mm rig that looks like an 8 lb rifle.
But it barely breaks 6 lbs, scoped. In fact, it is lighter than my 7.5" bbl '5.56' AR pistol.

[stagpanther]

Jeez--next thing you know you'll be asking "does my AR make my butt look big?"

Shot it today with some factory ammo--results were OK--but the Burris red dot is spectacular--it's going to be my go-to AR optic till something I like better comes along.

[zoo]

Stagpanther, I agree. The 3x prism scopes like the Burris RT-3 and Vortex Spitfire 3x prism scopes are excellent choices for a 350. Both are approximately in the same price range too. I even find those scopes great for further ranges with some of the longer range calibers! In another five years that may not be the case for me. Eye relief on the vortex is closer to 3 inches but that is only about a half inch more than the Burris. Sorry to hear the faxon barrel caused you some grief. Good luck when you hit the field!

[stagpanther]

good point zoo--the reticle is so good and so clear I could see shooting out to 300 yds easily (for me) and a better shooter could go much further. And I should clarify it is a prism scope--dressed up like a red dot. I love it. The very positive tactile clicks on the turrets tracked very well with the reticle--it's not just there to look fancy.

[9x19]

I'm a fan of the prism sights too.

I have three of the Vortex 1x Spirfires and get along with them better than a simple dot sight.

I did buy a (inexpensive, though well reviewed) 3x prism sight to try out, just to see if I like the extra magnification.

Best of luck with your lightweight .350.

[stagpanther]

I have three of the Vortex 1x Spirfires and get along with them better than a simple dot sight.

get a Burris RT-3-- I guarantee you won't regret the extra stash it takes to get one.

[mehavey]

Stag..... `knew you couldn't stay away.

[stagpanther]

Stag..... `knew you couldn't stay away.

LOL--yup--just took finding the right set-up.

[stagpanther]

I still think it's a ridiculous cartridge--most preposterous of all the claim it has more energy than a 30-30, maybe for a brief moment at the muzzle but it rainbows away it's performance very fast.

I was shooting my 300 Weatherby mag at 303 yds today, and found some stray 350 legend cartridges in my bag and since I had the rifle with me--I thought why not, this should be fun. I had no ballistic information on the cartridges--nor did I even know what load they were, but within a few shots using the excellent RT-3 I figured the drop around 2 feet +/- and dropped the last 2 shots within 6" of the POA using the hold-over on the RT-3's subtensions. I'm not a Burris fanboy but God do I love this little scope/red dot.

[zoo]

most preposterous of all the claim it has more energy than a 30-30

Stagpanther, my understanding is 30-30 has 790 ft-lbs at 200 yards and 350 Legend has 903.

Also let me know when you can fit that 30-30 into one of your AR platforms.

[zoo]

(You’re going to want to use the extreme point to reach 900 ft-lbs at 200 yards with the 350 out of a 20” barrel by the way).

[stagpanther]

Stagpanther, my understanding is 30-30 has 790 ft-lbs at 200 yards and 350 Legend has 903

I rest my case.

[9x19]

Glad you got a working setup... enjoy.

Now, on to the next?

[stagpanther]

Now, on to the next?

I still have a couple of stripped lowers sitting around--I'm saving them for later in the winter when I'm socked-in under 3 feet of snow. In the meantime--I finally broke down and couldn't resist any longer; I have my very first Winchester Model 70 on it's way to me.

[mehavey]

...have my very first Winchester Model 70 on it's way...

If it's an FN, they are the Winchester of old.
Take care with a [relatively] short throat when reloading Hornadys' straight shanks.

[stagpanther]

If it's an FN, they are the Winchester of old.
Take care with a [relatively] short throat when reloading Hornadys' straight shanks.

Yes and no. After Winchester's demise in the early 2000's I believe the FN group took them over, and they own Browning as well. Portugal I think is where they are "assembled" now, so I would guess that's where the parts come together to be mated to the stock. I'm guessing FN still has a hand in the barrels--and the bolts have been restored to the "glory days" of pre-64 control-feed claw type. I've worked on a old model 70 (post 64) and that's how I fell in love with the model and decided I had to have one of my own. Look forward to seeing how it stacks up quality-wise.

[zoo]

Stagpanther, FN owns Winchester and Browning and both are being made in Portugal now?

Give me a minute for my head to stop spinning and my blood pressure to settle down...

[stagpanther]

Stagpanther, FN owns Winchester and Browning and both are being made in Portugal now?

I believe so, though the path of parts manufacture I doubt is exclusively Portugal. Brownings are mostly made in Japan. Not a bad thing to be under FN's wings IMO. Maybe they'll end up owning Remington as well?

[stagpanther]

I think from now on I'm calling it what I think is more accurate: the 9mm Viagra.

[hounddog409]

It's not close to ridiculous in states where you can only use straight wall cartridges for deer.

Its an awesome deer round.

Think outside your bubble a little.

It was a godsend for a bunch of folks.

[stagpanther]

It's not close to ridiculous in states where you can only use straight wall cartridges for deer.

So I understand. Do you reload for it? Thinnest most prone to crushing brass I've ever used for a cartridge that size; another character trait that doesn't appeal to me.

[zoo]

I don’t reload but if I did I would probably avoid 350 Legend like a woman with cigarette breath.