The main difference between the 400 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster is that the 450 Bushmaster utilizes a significantly heavier and wider bullet to deliver massive stopping power on the largest game, while the 400 Legend offers a much flatter trajectory, deeper penetration, and noticeably less recoil for hunters who want an optimized balance of power and shootability. Both cartridges dominate the straight walled hunting market by providing AR-15 compatibility and devastating terminal performance at close to medium ranges. The 450 Bushmaster is the established heavy hitter, famous for anchoring giant feral hogs and large deer with overwhelming kinetic energy. The newer 400 Legend was designed to bridge the gap between the mild 350 Legend and the punishing 450 Bushmaster, giving hunters a highly efficient option that carries its energy efficiently downrange. Reviewing their ballistics will help you choose the right tool for your next hunt.
400 Legend vs 450 Bushmaster Ballistics Chart
| Specification / Metric | 400 Legend (215 gr Power-Point) | 450 Bushmaster (250 gr FTX) |
| Cartridge | 400 Legend | 450 Bushmaster |
| Parent Case | 6.8 SPC (modified) | .284 Winchester (modified) |
| Bullet Diameter | .400 inches | .452 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 215 to 250 grains | 250 to 300 grains |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,250 fps | 2,200 fps |
| Velocity at 100 Yards | 1,915 fps | 1,840 fps |
| Velocity at 200 Yards | 1,615 fps | 1,520 fps |
| Velocity at 300 Yards | 1,350 fps | 1,260 fps |
| Muzzle Energy | 2,416 ft-lbs | 2,686 ft-lbs |
| Energy at 100 Yards | 1,750 ft-lbs | 1,880 ft-lbs |
| Energy at 200 Yards | 1,245 ft-lbs | 1,280 ft-lbs |
| Energy at 300 Yards | 870 ft-lbs | 880 ft-lbs |
| Bullet Drop (300 Yds, 100 Yd Zero) | -23.5 inches | -26.5 inches |
| Wind Drift (300 Yds, 10 mph Wind) | 16.5 inches | 18.0 inches |
| Ballistic Coefficient (G1) | 0.206 | 0.210 |
| Sectional Density | 0.192 | 0.175 |
| Effective Hunting Range | 250 yards | 200 to 250 yards |
| Maximum Effective Range | 300 yards | 300 yards |
| Typical Twist Rate | 1:16 | 1:24 |
| Recoil (Free Recoil Energy) | ~16.0 ft-lbs | ~22.0 ft-lbs |
| Trajectory | Arcs noticeably past 150 yds | Looping arc past 150 yds |
| Barrel Life | Practically unlimited | Practically unlimited |
| Accuracy Potential | Excellent for brush hunting | Excellent for brush hunting |
| Hunting Performance | Deer, large hogs, black bear | Deer, elk, black bear, hogs |
| Target Shooting Performance | Good inside 200 yards | Heavy steel targets |
| Long-Range Performance | Very poor | Very poor |
| Ammunition Availability | Growing rapidly | High |
| Ammunition Cost | Moderate | High |
| Rifle Availability | Common in AR-15 and bolt actions | Common in AR-15 and bolt actions |
| Magazine Compatibility | Dedicated 400 Legend mags | Dedicated single stack AR mags |
| Suppressor Compatibility | Excellent | Excellent with large bore cans |
| Best Use Cases | Large game in restricted states | Maximum power in straight wall states |
| Main Advantages | Heavy hitting, manageable recoil | Massive stopping power, wide bullet |
| Main Disadvantages | Newer cartridge, fewer ammo options | Punishing recoil, rapid drop |
The comparison table reveals the careful balancing act between bullet width, velocity, and recoil. The 400 Legend launches a slightly lighter bullet at a slightly faster muzzle velocity. This minor speed advantage gives the 400 Legend a flatter trajectory, meaning the shooter does not have to aim quite as high to hit targets at longer distances.
However, the 450 Bushmaster relies on brute force. It fires a wider and heavier projectile that generates significantly more kinetic energy right out of the barrel. While it loses speed slightly faster than the 400 Legend, the massive weight of the bullet allows the 450 Bushmaster to hit with incredible authority all the way downrange. This makes the 450 Bushmaster exceptional for knocking down massive feral hogs or large black bears in thick timber.
These ballistic differences create vastly different experiences for the shooter. The 400 Legend provides a much more pleasant recoil impulse, allowing for faster follow up shots and making it highly accessible for beginners or youth hunters. The 450 Bushmaster produces heavy, punishing recoil that requires solid fundamentals to manage. While both cartridges are completely unsuitable for long-range target shooting, they are the absolute best tools available for hunters restricted to straight walled ammunition.
Detailed Comparison Sections
Understanding the Comparison Chart
To truly appreciate the design of these cartridges, you must look at state hunting regulations. Many midwestern states restrict bottleneck rifle cartridges for deer hunting because of their ability to travel extreme distances. The 450 Bushmaster was adopted early on as a loophole, providing high energy in a straight walled case. Years later, Winchester developed the 400 Legend to give hunters a modernized cartridge that offered nearly the same stopping power as the 450 Bushmaster but with a twenty percent reduction in felt recoil.
How to Read the Ballistics Chart
When analyzing the ballistics of big bore brush guns, the critical metrics are energy retention and bullet drop. Because these cartridges fire wide, aerodynamically inefficient bullets, they lose speed rapidly. You must know exactly where your bullet will strike at 200 yards and verify that it carries enough kinetic energy to ethically harvest an animal at that specific distance.
Velocity Comparison
The 400 Legend is the faster of the two cartridges. Firing a typical 215 grain bullet, it exits the barrel at roughly 2,250 feet per second. The 450 Bushmaster pushes a heavier 250 grain bullet at 2,200 feet per second. Both bullets shed this velocity at very similar rates due to their blunt designs. By the time they cross the 300 yard mark, the 400 Legend is traveling at 1,350 fps, and the 450 Bushmaster has slowed to 1,260 fps.
Energy Comparison
Kinetic energy is the primary reason the 450 Bushmaster is so popular. At the muzzle, it produces nearly 2,700 foot pounds of energy. The 400 Legend produces a very respectable 2,416 foot pounds. This massive power gap narrows slightly as the distance increases, but the 450 Bushmaster remains the heavier hitter. At 200 yards, the 450 Bushmaster retains 1,280 foot pounds of energy, while the 400 Legend delivers 1,245 foot pounds. Both are highly capable of dropping medium to large game at this range.
Trajectory Comparison
Neither cartridge is considered a flat shooting laser. They are designed to be zeroed at 100 yards and utilized for short to medium range encounters in dense woods or small clearings.
Bullet Drop Comparison
If you zero both rifles at 100 yards, you will experience severe bullet drop as you push out to 300 yards. The faster 400 Legend will drop approximately 23.5 inches at 300 yards. The heavier 450 Bushmaster will drop roughly 26.5 inches. Attempting to shoot either cartridge past 200 yards requires precise range estimation and significant holdovers.
Wind Drift Comparison
Thick, heavy bullets catch a lot of wind. In a 10 mph crosswind at 300 yards, the 400 Legend will drift 16.5 inches. The 450 Bushmaster will be pushed roughly 18.0 inches off target. You should avoid taking long shots across windy open fields with either cartridge.
Ballistic Coefficient Comparison
Ballistic Coefficient measures how efficiently a bullet flies through the atmosphere. Straight walled cartridges require blunt bullets, meaning their BC ratings are very poor. The 450 Bushmaster sits around 0.210, while the 400 Legend sits near 0.206. These low numbers explain why both cartridges shed their initial velocity so rapidly compared to traditional bottleneck rifle rounds.
Sectional Density Comparison
Sectional density predicts how deeply a bullet will penetrate on game animals. Because the 400 Legend bullet is narrower relative to its weight, it boasts a higher sectional density of 0.192. The 450 Bushmaster features a wider, lighter bullet for its diameter, resulting in a sectional density of 0.175. This means the 400 Legend will often penetrate deeper through tough hide and bone, while the 450 Bushmaster creates a wider initial wound channel.
Accuracy Potential
Both cartridges are exceptionally accurate within their practical limits. In a quality bolt action rifle or a well built AR-15, both calibers are easily capable of shooting groups smaller than one inch at 100 yards. This is far more accuracy than is required to hit the vital zone of a deer or hog in dense timber.
Effective Range Comparison
These are dedicated short to medium range hunting tools. The 450 Bushmaster is highly effective on deer out to 200 yards. The 400 Legend extends that practical hunting range slightly to roughly 250 yards, simply because it retains its velocity and drops slightly less than the wider .45 caliber bullet.
Hunting Performance Comparison
In the deer woods, both cartridges are devastatingly successful. The 450 Bushmaster hits like a sledgehammer, often anchoring animals in their tracks due to the massive energy transfer. The 400 Legend provides excellent terminal performance with slightly deeper penetration, making it an outstanding choice for quartering shots on large feral hogs or black bear.
Target Shooting Comparison
Neither of these cartridges is ideal for casual range plinking. The heavy recoil, loud muzzle blast, and high cost of ammunition make high volume target practice an unpleasant and expensive experience. They are designed to be sighted in from the bench and then carried into the hunting woods.
Long-Range Performance Comparison
Do not attempt long range shooting with either of these cartridges. By the time either bullet reaches 400 yards, they have lost almost all of their kinetic energy and have dropped several feet. If you need to hit targets at 400 yards or beyond, you must select an aerodynamically efficient bottleneck cartridge like the .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor.
Recoil Comparison
Recoil is the most significant physical difference between the two. The 450 Bushmaster generates a heavy 22.0 foot pounds of free recoil energy, which is a punishing experience in a lightweight rifle. The 400 Legend was designed to solve this exact problem. It generates roughly 16.0 foot pounds of free recoil energy. This feels very similar to a standard .308 Winchester and is completely manageable for the average adult shooter.
Barrel Life Comparison
Because both cartridges use modest powder charges and operate at relatively low chamber pressures, barrel wear is completely negligible. A rifle barrel chambered in either 400 Legend or 450 Bushmaster will easily last for tens of thousands of rounds.
Ammunition Cost Comparison
Shooting big bore straight walled rifles is expensive. The sheer amount of lead, copper, and brass required to manufacture these massive rounds keeps retail prices high. Expect to pay premium hunting prices for ammunition in both calibers. Finding cheap bulk training ammunition is incredibly rare for either round.
Ammunition Availability
The 450 Bushmaster has been on the market for over a decade and is universally stocked in regions that require straight walled cartridges. The 400 Legend is gaining popularity rapidly, and major retailers carry it reliably, but you will not find the massive variety of bullet weights and brands that currently exist for the older Bushmaster cartridge.
Rifle Compatibility
Both cartridges were designed to function flawlessly in the modular AR-15 platform. They both require dedicated single stack magazines to feed their wide casings properly. Both cartridges are also widely available in highly accurate, budget friendly bolt action rifles that have become staples of the midwestern deer hunting season.
Pros and Cons of 400 Legend
Pros:
- Massive stopping power for large deer and hogs.
- Significantly less recoil than the 450 Bushmaster.
- Superior sectional density for deep penetration.
- Flatter trajectory for longer ethical shots.
Cons:
- Newer cartridge with fewer factory ammunition options.
- Recoil is still heavier than the popular 350 Legend.
Pros and Cons of 450 Bushmaster
Pros:
- Absolute maximum kinetic energy for straight walled states.
- Devastating knockdown power and wide wound channels.
- Universal ammunition availability.
- Fits into the lightweight AR-15 platform.
Cons:
- Punishing recoil.
- Heavy bullet drops rapidly past 150 yards.
Which Cartridge Is Better for Beginners?
Neither cartridge is recommended for an absolute beginner. The heavy recoil and loud muzzle blast of both calibers can easily cause a new shooter to develop a flinch. Beginners should learn the fundamentals of rifle shooting with a much softer shooting caliber like the 350 Legend before stepping up to a heavy hitting brush gun.
Which Cartridge Is Better for Hunting?
This depends entirely on your recoil tolerance. If you want absolute maximum stopping power and do not mind a heavy kick to the shoulder, the 450 Bushmaster is the undisputed king of the woods. If you want phenomenal terminal performance but prefer a rifle that is comfortable to shoot and fast to get back on target, the 400 Legend is the superior hunting tool.
Which Cartridge Is Better for Long-Range Shooting?
Neither cartridge can be used for long range shooting. Their blunt bullets and rapidly dropping trajectories relegate them strictly to short and medium range hunting engagements.
Which Cartridge Should You Choose?
Choose the 400 Legend if you want a modernized, highly accurate straight walled cartridge that balances deep penetration with manageable recoil. Choose the 450 Bushmaster if you demand absolute maximum knockdown power and want the peace of mind that comes with universal ammunition availability.
Verdict
The 400 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster provide two different solutions to the exact same legislative problem. They both give hunters in restricted states the ability to ethically harvest game using modern AR-15 and bolt action platforms instead of traditional shotguns. The 450 Bushmaster is a legendary heavy hitter. It relies on massive kinetic energy and a wide bullet to anchor game instantly, but it forces the shooter to endure severe recoil. The 400 Legend is a brilliant engineering refinement. It sacrifices a small amount of raw muzzle energy to deliver a much flatter trajectory, deeper penetration, and a vastly improved recoil profile. If you believe there is no replacement for displacement, the 450 Bushmaster is your rifle. If you value efficiency and shooting comfort, the 400 Legend is the clear path forward.
FAQs
Is the 400 Legend more powerful than the 350 Legend?
Yes. The 400 Legend fires a significantly heavier bullet and generates roughly twenty percent more kinetic energy than the 350 Legend, making it much more capable of taking down large animals like feral hogs and black bear.
Can I shoot 400 Legend out of a standard AR-15?
Yes, but you need specific components. You must install a dedicated 400 Legend barrel, utilize a 6.8 SPC bolt face, and use dedicated 400 Legend magazines to ensure proper feeding. The lower receiver and standard internal AR-15 parts remain completely identical.
Why do some states require straight wall cartridges?
Many states with dense populations and flat terrain require straight walled cartridges because they utilize blunt bullets with poor aerodynamics. These bullets lose velocity rapidly and fall to the ground much faster than sleek bottleneck cartridges, reducing the risk of a missed shot traveling dangerously far into populated areas.
What is the effective range of a 450 Bushmaster on deer?
The 450 Bushmaster is highly effective on whitetail deer out to roughly 200 yards. Beyond 200 yards, the heavy bullet loses velocity rapidly and drops too steeply to guarantee a precise hit on the vital zone.
Does the 400 Legend have less recoil than the 450 Bushmaster?
Yes. The 400 Legend produces roughly 16 foot pounds of free recoil energy, while the 450 Bushmaster produces roughly 22 foot pounds. The 400 Legend offers a noticeable twenty percent reduction in felt recoil, making it much more pleasant to shoot.