The main pros of the Mossberg Patriot 350 Legend are its incredible affordability, highly adjustable LBA trigger, and reliable performance in straight wall hunting states, while the main cons are its hollow feeling synthetic stock and a bolt that feels noticeably loose when fully opened. This entry level bolt action rifle gives midwestern deer hunters a budget friendly platform to take full advantage of modern straight wall cartridge regulations. While it consistently delivers adequate hunting accuracy for medium game inside 150 yards, it lacks the premium fit and finish found on more expensive rifles. Because it pairs a classic fluted barrel and bolt design with the extremely mild recoiling .350 Legend cartridge, it serves as an outstanding starter rifle for youth or casual hunters who hunt strictly at close ranges.
Mossberg Patriot 350 Legend Pros And Cons
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
| Accuracy | Consistently shoots 1.5 to 2 MOA groups at 100 yards, perfectly adequate for the deer woods. | The flexible synthetic stock can press against the barrel if rested too heavily on a bipod. |
| Build construction | Features a fluted barrel and spiral fluted bolt that reduce overall weight. | The factory synthetic stock feels cheap, hollow, and scratches relatively easily. |
| Action and bolt | Twin lug action pushes rounds reliably from the magazine to the chamber. | The bolt has significant wobble and slop when pulled completely to the rear. |
| Trigger pull | The Lightning Bolt Action (LBA) trigger is crisp and user adjustable from 2 to 7 pounds. | The blade style trigger safety can take some getting used to for traditionalists. |
| Magazine | Features a flush fitting polymer box magazine that is incredibly easy to load and unload. | The plastic magazine latch can wear down over time with heavy or abusive use. |
| Deer hunting performance | An excellent, low cost brush gun that drops whitetail deer efficiently at close ranges. | The cartridge is strictly limited to short range engagements under 200 yards. |
| Muzzle velocity | The 22 inch barrel maximizes the powder burn of factory 350 Legend ammunition. | The straight wall cartridge is inherently much slower than standard bottleneck rifle calibers. |
| Muzzle energy | Generates over 1,800 ft-lbs of energy, easily outperforming standard pistol caliber carbines. | Energy drops rapidly past 150 yards due to the blunt aerodynamic profile of the bullet. |
| Trajectory | Flat enough for a simple point and shoot zero inside 125 to 150 yards. | Plummets rapidly past 150 yards, requiring steep holdovers and exact range estimation. |
| Effective hunting range | Lethal and effective on medium game out to 150 or 200 yards in capable hands. | Pushing it past 200 yards risks severe bullet drop and poor terminal expansion. |
| Ergonomics | Lightweight at roughly 6.5 pounds, making it very easy to carry through thick timber. | The stock lacks adjustable length of pull options for growing youth hunters. |
| Recoil | The thick rubber recoil pad and mild cartridge make it an absolute joy to shoot. | None. |
| Price/value | One of the most affordable bolt action deer rifles available on the market today. | You sacrifice the smooth, tight machining tolerances found on premium hunting rifles. |
| Consistency | Reliable extraction and feeding with a wide variety of factory hunting ammunition. | Frequent cleaning is required to keep the chamber free of straight wall carbon buildup. |
| Best use | Budget conscious deer hunting, youth hunting seasons, and straight wall restricted states. | A poor choice for long range open plains hunting or precision benchrest shooting. |
| Limitations | Unbeatable value for a dedicated, short range woodland deer rifle. | The bolt wobble and flexible stock prevent it from being a true precision instrument. |
Accuracy
The Mossberg Patriot provides perfectly acceptable hunting accuracy. While it is rarely a sub MOA precision rifle, most shooters can expect 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 100 yards with quality factory ammunition like Winchester Deer Season XP or Hornady American Whitetail. This level of precision is more than enough to consistently hit the vital zone of a deer in thick brush. However, shooters must be careful not to put too much pressure on the forend of the synthetic stock, as it is somewhat flexible and can press against the barrel, which may slightly shift the point of impact.
Build Construction And Stock
Mossberg designed the Patriot to be an affordable, lightweight hunting tool. To save weight and add a touch of aesthetic flair, both the barrel and the bolt are fluted. The rifle tips the scales at just 6.5 pounds, making it a breeze to carry on long hikes. The most common complaint regarding the Patriot is the standard synthetic stock. It feels hollow and somewhat cheap compared to higher end rifles, and the stippling on the grip areas is relatively basic.
Action And Bolt
The action of the Patriot utilizes a traditional push feed, twin lug bolt design. The spiral fluted bolt glides smoothly enough when pushing a round into the chamber, but it exhibits a noticeable amount of wobble or slop when pulled completely to the rear. While this loose tolerance does not negatively affect the safety or reliability of the rifle, it does make the action feel less refined than the tight, glass smooth bolts found on premium rifles.
Trigger System
The absolute best feature of the Mossberg Patriot is the Lightning Bolt Action (LBA) trigger. Similar to the Savage AccuTrigger, it features a skeletonized center blade that must be fully depressed before the sear will release. The trigger is remarkably crisp and completely user adjustable from 2 to 7 pounds using a simple standard screwdriver. This allows hunters to set a light, clean break for accurate shooting without spending extra money on an aftermarket trigger group.
Magazine And Feeding
The Patriot utilizes a flush fitting, detachable polymer box magazine that holds four rounds of .350 Legend. Detachable magazines are a massive convenience for hunters, allowing you to safely and quickly unload the rifle before climbing into a tree stand or getting into a vehicle. The straight wall .350 Legend cartridges feed surprisingly well from this polymer magazine, though users should be careful not to abuse the plastic retaining latch to ensure a long lifespan.
Deer Hunting Performance
When chambered in .350 Legend, the Mossberg Patriot is a purpose built deer slayer for states with straight wall cartridge restrictions like Ohio, Iowa, and Michigan. Inside 150 yards, it delivers devastating knockdown power, easily punching through the vitals of large whitetail deer. The extremely light weight makes it effortless to maneuver silently inside a cramped ground blind or carry up into an elevated box stand.
Velocity And Energy
Fired from the standard 22 inch barrel of the Mossberg Patriot, the .350 Legend achieves excellent powder burn and optimal velocity. Standard 150 grain to 170 grain factory loads will easily generate roughly 2,200 to 2,300 feet per second and over 1,800 foot pounds of muzzle energy. This provides significantly more kinetic energy at 100 yards than traditional pistol caliber lever actions, ensuring a quick and ethical kill on medium game.
Trajectory And Range
The practical hunting range of the .350 Legend is its greatest limitation. The blunt bullets suffer from poor aerodynamics and bleed velocity quickly. If you zero the Mossberg Patriot at 100 yards, the bullet will drop approximately 8 to 10 inches at 200 yards. For this reason, hunters must treat the rifle as a 150 to 200 yard tool at absolute maximum. Attempting shots beyond 200 yards requires perfect range estimation and steep holdovers.
Recoil
The .350 Legend cartridge is famous for its exceptionally low recoil. When fired from the Mossberg Patriot, the recoil is incredibly mild. The factory installed rubber recoil pad absorbs whatever small amount of rearward energy remains. This makes the rifle incredibly pleasant to shoot, allowing youth hunters or beginners to practice extensively without developing a flinch, making it a fantastic and affordable starter rifle.
Price And Value
The Mossberg Patriot represents one of the absolute best values in the bolt action rifle market. It typically retails in a very budget friendly price bracket, yet it comes standard with premium features like a fluted barrel, a spiral fluted bolt, and a highly adjustable match style trigger. It provides a reliable, accurate hunting tool for a fraction of the cost of a flagship bolt action rifle.
Main Drawbacks
The most notable drawbacks of the Mossberg Patriot are its cheap feeling synthetic stock and the loose tolerances of the bolt when fully open. It simply does not feel like a luxury firearm. Furthermore, hunters must accept the strict 200 yard limitation imposed by the straight wall cartridge. If you need a rifle for long range precision or pride of ownership based on fine craftsmanship, the Patriot will likely fall short of your expectations.
Final Verdict
Is Mossberg Patriot 350 Legend good?
Yes, it is a highly functional, entry level hunting rifle that offers unbeatable value for the money.
This rifle is best suited for budget conscious whitetail deer hunters living in straight wall restricted states, youth hunters who need a low recoiling platform, and anyone who wants a dedicated, inexpensive tree stand gun they do not have to worry about scratching in the woods.
However, hunters who hunt out west over wide open plains, those who frequently take shots past 200 yards, or shooters who demand tight machining tolerances and premium stocks would be much better served by a higher end bolt action rifle chambered in a flatter shooting bottleneck cartridge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the barrel on the Mossberg Patriot 350 Legend threaded?
Most standard synthetic models of the Patriot do not come with a threaded barrel, though Mossberg does occasionally release specific SKUs or predator variants that feature a threaded muzzle. Always check the specific model number before purchasing if you plan to use a suppressor.
2. What is the barrel length of this rifle?
The standard Mossberg Patriot chambered in .350 Legend features a 22 inch fluted barrel, which is excellent for maximizing the velocity of the straight wall cartridge.
3. What is the magazine capacity?
The flush fitting detachable polymer box magazine holds 4 rounds of .350 Legend ammunition, giving the rifle a total capacity of 4 plus 1 in the chamber.
4. How do I adjust the LBA trigger?
The Lightning Bolt Action trigger is adjusted by turning a single screw located on the front of the trigger assembly. You must remove the stock from the action to access the screw, allowing you to safely adjust the pull weight from 2 to 7 pounds.
5. Does the Mossberg Patriot come with a scope?
Mossberg frequently sells the Patriot as a “Scoped Combo” package that includes a factory mounted and bore sighted 3-9x40mm scope, making it ready to hunt straight out of the box.
6. Is the .350 Legend cartridge legal for straight wall hunting states?
Yes. The .350 Legend features a straight walled case with no shoulder, making it completely legal and highly popular in states like Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana that restrict hunters from using bottleneck rifle cartridges.
7. Can I replace the synthetic stock on the Mossberg Patriot?
Yes. Because the Patriot is a very popular rifle, there are aftermarket options available from companies like Boyd’s Hardwood Gunstocks if you wish to upgrade from the factory synthetic stock.
8. Why does the bolt feel loose when it is open?
Mossberg designs the Patriot with generous tolerances in the action to ensure reliable feeding and extraction even when the rifle is dirty or exposed to harsh weather. This results in some bolt wobble when fully drawn to the rear, but it does not affect safety or lockup.
9. Is this rifle a good choice for a young beginner hunter?
Yes. The incredibly mild recoil of the .350 Legend cartridge combined with the lightweight 6.5 pound rifle makes it an excellent and affordable option for youth hunters.
10. Does the rifle come with iron sights?
Most standard Patriot models come with a clean, smooth barrel and Weaver style scope bases installed on the receiver, meaning you must use a scope or red dot optic. However, some specific youth or brush models may feature iron sights.