350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer is mostly a choice of rifle: the 350 Legend is a rimless straight-wall cartridge that runs in an AR15, and the 360 Buckhammer is a rimmed straight-wall cartridge Remington introduced in 2023 for lever-action and single-shot rifles. Both fire .357 to .358-inch bullets. In Federal’s 180 gr Power-Shok loads, the 360 Buckhammer starts faster, but the 350 Legend’s bullet holds its speed better and carries more energy by 300 yards. Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures the 350 Legend as an 18-inch CM15 AR15 rifle.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer at a Glance

Specification	350 Legend	360 Buckhammer
Introduced	2019, Winchester	2023, Remington
Case type	Straight wall, rimless	Straight wall, rimmed
Bullet diameter	.357 inch	.358 inch
Typical rifles	AR15, bolt action	Lever action, single shot
Federal Power-Shok 180 gr	2,100 fps, 1,762 ft-lb, BC .245	2,375 fps, 2,254 ft-lb, BC .178
Chattahoochee Munitions	CM15 AR15, 18-inch, 1:16	Not offered

Cartridge standards: SAAMI.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer Ballistics

Federal loads both with a 180 gr soft point, so this 350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer table compares the same bullet weight from one maker, 100-yard zero, 1.5-inch sight height.

Distance	350 Legend 180 gr	360 Buckhammer 180 gr
Muzzle	2,100 fps / 1,762 ft-lb	2,375 fps / 2,254 ft-lb
100 yards	1,793 fps / 1,284 ft-lb	1,927 fps / 1,474 ft-lb
200 yards	1,520 fps / 924 ft-lb / -9.4 in	1,539 fps / 947 ft-lb / -8.1 in
300 yards	1,292 fps / 668 ft-lb / -34.1 in	1,234 fps / 608 ft-lb / -31.2 in
Wind at 200 yards (10 mph)	8.9 in	11.0 in

Source: Federal 360 Buckhammer Power-Shok and Federal 350 Legend Power-Shok. The 360 Buckhammer leads inside 150 yards; by 200 yards the two are even, and at 300 yards the 350 Legend carries 60 ft-lb more and drifts less in wind because of its higher ballistic coefficient.

Rifles: AR15 or Lever Action

For many hunters, this decides it. The 360 Buckhammer’s rim makes it a lever-action and single-shot cartridge; it does not feed from an AR15 magazine. The 350 Legend is rimless, uses the AR15’s .223 bolt face and feeds from a dedicated AR15 magazine. If you want a semi-automatic rifle with an adjustable stock, optics rail and quick follow-up shots, the 350 Legend is the choice. If you want a traditional lever gun, the 360 Buckhammer is.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer for Deer

Both are deer cartridges first, effective inside about 200 yards with expanding bullets, and both are straight-wall designs. Neither is a bear or elk cartridge in Chattahoochee Munitions’ guidance; for those, use the 375 Raptor or 458 SOCOM XL. Read 350 Legend for deer and 350 Legend ballistics.

Related .35 Caliber Cartridges

The 358 Winchester fires the same .358-inch bullet from a 308-based bottleneck case with far more energy; it is not a straight-wall cartridge. See What Is 358 Winchester? at Variant Valley. The 350 Legend vs 30-30 article covers the other classic lever-action comparison.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer: Which Should You Choose?

Choose the 350 Legend for an AR15 or bolt action, a higher-BC bullet and more ammunition choices, with the CM15 350 Legend semi auto rifle at Hall of Legends. Choose the 360 Buckhammer for a lever action.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer FAQ

Does 360 Buckhammer hit harder than 350 Legend?

At the muzzle and to about 150 yards, yes, in Federal’s 180 gr loads. By 300 yards the 350 Legend carries slightly more energy.

Can 360 Buckhammer run in an AR15?

No. It is a rimmed cartridge designed for lever-action and single-shot rifles.

Do 350 Legend and 360 Buckhammer use the same bullets?

Nearly. The 350 Legend uses .357-inch bullets and the 360 Buckhammer .358-inch; factory loads are made specifically for each cartridge.

Are both legal in straight-wall states?

Both are straight-wall cartridges. States set their own limits, so check current rules. Read what is a straight wall cartridge.

Who makes a 350 Legend AR15?

Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures the CM15 350 Legend AR15 with an 18-inch 1:16 barrel, TriggerTech Duty trigger and ambidextrous controls, in Black Tungsten, Cobalt Kinetics Green and FDE Metallic Cerakote.

350 Legend vs 360 Buckhammer: AR15 or Lever Action for Straight-Wall Deer