A flat-shooting 400 Legend deer load. 165 grains of solid copper at 2,580 fps.
This is a flat-shooting 400 Legend load built for deer. The 165-grain HV bullet leaves a 22-inch barrel at 2,580 fps with 2,439 ft-lbs, a touch quicker than our heavier 185 grain. That means less holdover when a buck steps out at an odd distance. The bullet is precision-machined solid copper, seated in Peterson brass, lead-free and made in Michigan.
Zeroed two inches high at 100, it is under two inches low at 200 and about seven and a half inches low at 250. On whitetails, hogs, and black bear the copper bullet expands and holds nearly all its weight, driving through heavy bone without coming apart. The four-barrel chart below shows what velocity your barrel will produce.
| Caliber | 400 Legend |
| Bullet | All-copper, HV |
| Weight | 165 gr |
| Bullet diameter | .4001" |
| G1 BC | .21 |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,580 fps (22") |
| Muzzle energy | 2,439 ft-lbs |
| COAL | 2.400" |
| Min. expansion | 1,250 fps / 573 ft-lbs |
| Brass | Peterson Cartridge |
| Rounds / box | 20 |
| Lead free | Yes |
| Feeds | Bolt & single-shot |
| Made in | Michigan |
Read this before you order: at 2.400" this is a long round, built for bolt-action and single-shot rifles. It will not fit every factory magazine. Measure the inside length of your magazine opening before ordering: it has to clear 2.400" front to back. Shooting a Ruger American? Our HV Mag System solves it.
All Copper. Zero Compromise. Machined in Michigan.
We turn every 165-grain bullet from solid copper bar stock on our own lathes and load it in Peterson brass under the same roof.
400 Legend 165gr HV Ballistics & Drop Chart
165 gr all-copper HV, .4001" bullet diameter, .21 G1 BC, zeroed +2.0" high at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,430 | 2,164 | — |
| 100 | 2,040 | 1,525 | +2.4 |
| 150 | 1,859 | 1,267 | +1.4 |
| 200 | 1,690 | 1,046 | -2.1 |
| 250 | 1,532 | 860 | -8.7 |
| 300 | 1,388 | 706 | -19.0 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,480 | 2,254 | — |
| 100 | 2,085 | 1,593 | +2.2 |
| 150 | 1,902 | 1,326 | +1.3 |
| 200 | 1,730 | 1,096 | -2.0 |
| 250 | 1,569 | 902 | -8.3 |
| 300 | 1,422 | 741 | -18.1 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,530 | 2,346 | — |
| 100 | 2,130 | 1,663 | +2.1 |
| 150 | 1,945 | 1,386 | +1.2 |
| 200 | 1,770 | 1,148 | -1.9 |
| 250 | 1,606 | 946 | -7.9 |
| 300 | 1,456 | 776 | -17.2 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,580 | 2,439 | — |
| 100 | 2,176 | 1,735 | +2.0 |
| 150 | 1,988 | 1,448 | +1.2 |
| 200 | 1,811 | 1,201 | -1.8 |
| 250 | 1,644 | 990 | -7.5 |
| 300 | 1,490 | 814 | -16.4 |
Velocity, energy, and trajectory zeroed two inches high at 100 yards. The 22-inch velocity is our published figure; 16, 18, and 20-inch are calculated at 25 fps per inch of barrel. Every barrel here stays above the 1,250 fps and 573 ft-lb expansion window past 300 yards, so the bullet is still opening at the far end of the chart. Savage rifles often run about 50 fps faster. Figures are for standard conditions and will shift with your rifle and the weather.
Why Hunters Choose the 165 Grain HV
See It in Action
Ruger American Owners:
A factory Ruger American magazine will not take a 2.400" round, which leaves you feeding one at a time. Our HV Mag System replaces the magazine with one made for extended-length 400 Legend ammo, and the rifle goes back to working like a repeater.
Explore the 400 Legend Lineup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best barrel length for the 400 Legend?
Plan on about 25 fps for every inch of barrel. With this load a 22-inch barrel runs 2,580 fps and a 16-inch runs roughly 2,430 fps, so six inches of barrel is worth about 150 fps. What that costs you in the field is smaller than it sounds: at 300 yards the 16-inch is around 1,388 fps and 706 ft-lbs, still well inside the expansion window, and the difference in drop between the two is under three inches. If you hunt thick cover and want a light, quick-handling rifle, 16 or 18 inches is a fair trade. If you shoot further out and want every bit of velocity, take the 20 or 22. Use the chart above to compare all four.
Should I run the 165 grain HV or the 185 grain HV?
The 185 grain HV is our heaviest and highest-performance 400 Legend load: the most energy, the deepest penetration. The 165 grain HV is a proven deer round that runs a touch quicker at 2,580 fps and shoots a little flatter, which some hunters prefer. Both are all-copper bullets, loaded in Peterson brass and both are optimized for bolt-action and single-shot rifles. If you want maximum performance, take the 185. If you want a flat-shooting whitetail load, the 165 does the job.
Will this 165 grain load fit my rifle and magazine?
The action is almost never the problem, the magazine is. Any bolt-action or single-shot chambered in 400 Legend will fire this round, but at 2.400" it runs longer than a lot of factory magazines, so measure the inside length of yours before ordering. The CVA Scout and CVA Hunter handle it, no problem. Savage Axis II, Axis II Pro, Axis II XP, Apex, and 110 owners single-feed it. Ruger American Gen II owners can feed from the magazine with our HV Mag System, and Savage rifles on an MDT chassis can use our 400 Legend HV magazine. A Winchester XPR will chamber it, though only one round rides in the magazine.
What does the Peterson brass do for accuracy?
Consistent case dimensions mean each round burns its charge the same way, and that shows up as a tight spread over a chronograph and small groups on paper. It is a big part of why customers report such great groups with this load. The cases also hold up to about 20 reloads, so a box of twenty keeps earning if you handload.
Can I hunt with this in a non-lead zone?
Yes. There is no lead anywhere in this bullet, so it clears non-lead rules on federal land and in restricted areas.
Why copper instead of a lead-core bullet?
Because it comes out the far side in one piece. A jacketed lead bullet can shed its core and either blow up early or slip through without opening. One customer weighed a recovered bullet from this load at 161.1 grains out of 165 after it mushroomed and passed through a deer. That is what turns a good hit into a short tracking job.
Proven in the Field
Read all reviews for this round in the Reviews tab above.
“Fantastic accuracy. The most accurate shells on the market, in my opinion. I shot 2 deer with these and the bullets did a perfect mushroom.”
Jim Balbach
“I just finished sighting in my new CVA Scout 400 Legend with the 165 Gr HV bullets. After getting it dialed in, I was shooting a 1" group at 100 yards.”
Scott D
“Cycles well through the mag of the Savage 110 Trail Hunter. Shot 10 shots at 100 yards, can cover them with a quarter.”
Johnny
All Copper. Zero Compromise. Machined in Michigan.
400 Legend Ammo 165 Grain HV
Caliber
400 Legend (Bolt action and single shot rifles only)
Weight
165 Grains
Material
This copper ammunition is 100% lead free and is legal to hunt with on federal land.
Velocity
2,580 fps (22″ Barrel) / 2,555 fps (20" Barrel) / 2,530 fps (18" Barrel) / 2,505 fps (16" Barrel)
Ballistic Coefficient
.21 (G1)
-
400 Legand 165 Grain HV
Fantastic accuracy. The most accurate shells on the market, in my opinion. I shot 3 shots at 200 yards, and they hit in an area 3 1/2" wide and 2 1/2" tall. I am sure the variance is more me than the shells. I cannot hold any closer than that. I shot 2 deer with these and the bullets did a perfect mushroom, exactly like the picture shown. I weighed the bullet, and it was 161.1 grains. I am guessing the 3.9-grain difference is the plastic insert in the tip. This is the only shell I will ever shoot. Thank you to Bear Creek for a fantastic, quality product!!
-
400 Legend
I just finished sighting in my new CVA Scout 400 Legend with the 165 Gr HV bullets. After getting it dialed in, I was shooting a 1" group at 100 yards. Love Bear Creek and will be a customer for a long time.
-
400 legend hv
Cycles well through the mag of the Savage 110 Trail Hunter. Shot 10 shots at 100 yards, can cover them with a quarter.
-
400 legend ammo
Quick shipping on ammo and well packaged. Can’t wait to do some sighting in.
