Before the introduction of the Winchester’s .350 Legend barrel, there was already a pool of tested and trusted calibers available on the market. In the midwestern parts of the United States such as Iowa, Ohio, and Michigan, the use of traditional bottleneck cartridges posed a problem. Since traditional bottleneck cartridges tend to produce higher velocities, it became a concern to those areas with smaller hunting grounds. 

For that reason, several states limited the use of firearms to muzzleloaders and shotguns. But after a while, other states loosened their restrictions by only allowing the use of straight-walled cartridges for hunting. That’s when the .450 Bushmaster increased in demand. It became the king of straight-walled calibers. However, even though it’s a great round for hunting, it’s expensive and has a lot of recoil.

So, Winchester Repeating Arms saw an opportunity to develop a new cartridge. This led to the innovation of the .350 Legend. Winchester claims that it’s the fastest production straight-walled hunting cartridge in the world. It can deliver enough energy to produce lethal effects on a large deer at an effective range of 250 yards — which is astounding. It’s an ideal choice for hunting in areas with ammo restrictions.

These are the barrels we’re going to review:

	Brownells AR-15 .450 Bushmaster Stainless Steel Barrel	Comes with an 11-degree target crown Three-port muzzle brake Rust-resistant black nitride finish Doesn’t offer good performance as other barrels	$320 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	Faxon Firearms AR-15 Gunner Big Barrel Bore .450 Bushmaster	Helps minimize recoil Durable 4150 CMV steel construction Minimal trajectory spin for greater accuracy No options for barrel length or weight	$270 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Bushmaster .450 20-Inch Inch Barrel With Flat Top Complete Upper Assembly	Comes with complete upper assembly Comes with black free-floating handguard Hard chrome rifling on the bore is great for longevity Expensive	$0 Shop NowClick to read my review

First, we’ll look a bit closer at the characteristics of this cartridge before we get into the pros and cons of our top four barrel picks.

The .350 Legend vs. .450 Bushmaster

In this ballistics test by Great Days Outdoors, they compared the performance of the .450 and .350 cartridges.

Using the larger .450 with a 250gr bullet, the .450 delivered 2,200 fps of muzzle velocity and 2,675 ft-lbs of energy. It dropped 4 to 5 inches between 100 to 200 yards.

In comparison, the .350 Legend, using a 150gr bullet, delivered 2,300 fps of muzzle velocity with 1,800 ft-lbs of energy. Although it does not have much power as the .450, the .350 Legend offers many impressive characteristics. Firstly, the bullet drop of the .350 is slower. Secondly, the caliber creates less noise. Thirdly, the 350 has less recoil, making it ideal for small-framed and young shooters. And fourth, it has a lower price point. If you shoot a lot, you will save a significant amount of money.

What’s the Best Barrel Length for a .350 Legend?

Only you can answer this question because the best .350 Legend barrel will always depend on your personal preference. However, for what it is worth, my choice for an ideal barrel length is 20 inches. I find using a 20-inch barrel viable for hunting large animals. A longer barrel can deliver higher velocity and accuracy. This is demonstrated below, with the “velocity by the inch” test.

Firearm Convention used a barrel with an initial 25-inch length. After firing a total of 5 rounds, they cut off 1 inch. This was repeated until they were left with a 7-inch barrel. The table below shows the average velocity of the 5-round shoot for each barrel length. 

Velocity by the Inch

As the results above show, a longer barrel delivers higher velocity. Now, let’s talk about the best .350 Legend Barrels in the market.

The 4 Best .350 Legend Barrels

Faxon Gunner Profile AR-15 Barrel

Faxon is a brand known for its high-quality upper receivers and Glock accessories. It’s a newer brand that Bob Axon started in 2012 when he designed his own AR-15. Faxon products are already famous for their quality, and the Faxon Gunner Profile has the balance you’re looking for in a hunting barrel.

This barrel is durable with its government profile and lightweight with its pencil profile. In addition, it’s made of stainless steel, with a nitride finish for corrosion resistance. It also features button rifled grooves and lands.

The Faxon Gunner Profile is incredibly accurate even at a distance of 150 yards. It’s a great AR-15 barrel to chamber your 350 Legend, which is an excellent option for hunters.

The Faxon .350 Legend barrel is available in three different lengths:

CMMG .350 Legend AR-15 Barrel

CMMG created the first AR-type rifle designed to chamber the .350 Legend. The barrel is 16.1 inches long made of 4140 chrome-moly steel with a salt-nitride finish.

Additionally, the barrel features a medium contour design. It’s threaded to accept muzzle devices and suppressors that fit 1/2-28 TPI muzzle threads. It received a lot of good reviews in the firearms community because of its reliability and accuracy for hunting.

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Shaw .350 Legend Barrel

The Shaw .350 Legend Barrel is a lightweight barrel made of polished stainless steel, giving it a military look. The barrel’s excellent workmanship provides a perfect fit for AR-15 rifles, allowing you to easily convert your sporting AR rifle to shoot a .350 Legend.

For reloaders, keep in mind that this 18-inch barrel has an actual bullet diameter of .357 inches. So take caution and be careful not to use .358-inch bullets.

For performance, this barrel is very accurate using any weight of the bullet. However, if you prefer extra barrel length, the company also offers a TC Encore Accuracy Barrel in 26 inches.

AR-Stoner .350 Legend Barrel

The AR-Stoner is a 16-inch barrel made of chrome-moly steel with a phosphate finish. It also comes with a 1:16″ twist for added accuracy and has 5/8″-24 muzzle threads for accessory attachment. You can easily fit this on your AR-15 as it’s straightforward to install.

In addition, the AR-Stoner barrel is available in lengths of 7.5″, 10.5″, 16″, and 18″. And because this barrel delivers great accuracy and power, it’s a great option that can serve your hunting needs..

Our Pick

Our top pick is the Faxon Firearms Gunner Profile. It’s affordable, accurate, and comes in different lengths that is excellent for new and experienced .350 Legend shooters. This barrel also comes from a trusted brand, so you’re sure that its quality and functionality is reliable.

Conclusion

The .350 Legend Barrel is relatively new, with only a few firearm brands having created barrels for this latest round. It is relatively accurate, affordable, and reliable, especially for hunting. Any of the items listed above are excellent for the .350 Legend barrel. You only need to practice shooting using it, so you can improve and become a better Legend shooter.

Which of the barrels is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

You might also like to read:

• Best AR-15 Muzzle Brakes [2021]
• The 5 Best 5.56 Suppressors for Your Rifle
• Best 5.56 Ammo for Your AR-15: 2022 Ultimate Guide