Our heaviest hitting 400 Legend load. 185 grains of solid copper with the highest BC in the class.
This is the 400 Legend load for hunters who want the most energy and deepest penetration the cartridge can give. At 185 grains it is the heaviest bullet we load, and at 2,550 fps it leaves the muzzle with 2,672 ft-lbs, more than any other 400 Legend load we make. Its .26 ballistic coefficient, the highest in the class, is what holds that energy downrange. We load every round with our own precision-machined solid copper bullet in Peterson brass, lead-free and machined in Michigan.
It leaves a 22-inch barrel at 2,550 fps and still carries over 1,100 ft-lbs at 300 yards, well inside its expansion window. On heavy-bodied deer, hogs, and black bear, the copper bullet drives through bone and holds its weight. It rapidly expands for a large wound channel and great blood trails that the 400 Legend was built for. The full drop chart is below.
| Caliber | 400 Legend |
| Bullet | All-copper, HV |
| Weight | 185 gr |
| Bullet diameter | .4001" |
| G1 BC | .26 |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,550 fps (22") |
| Muzzle energy | 2,672 ft-lbs |
| COAL | 2.450" |
| Min. expansion | 1,250 fps / 642 ft-lbs |
| Brass | Peterson Cartridge |
| Rounds / box | 20 |
| Lead free | Yes |
| Feeds | Bolt & single-shot (long COAL, single feed) |
| Made in | Michigan |
Read this before you order: at 2.450" 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 you order: it has to clear 2.450" front to back. Ruger American owners: our HV Mag System feeds it.
All Copper. Zero Compromise. Machined in Michigan.
We CNC-turn every 185-grain bullet from solid copper bar stock and load it in premium Peterson brass under the same roof. No jacket to separate, no lead core to fragment, nothing to come apart when it matters most.
400 Legend 185gr HV Ballistics & Drop Chart
185 gr all-copper HV, .4001" bullet diameter, .26 G1 BC, zeroed +2.0" high at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,475 | 2,517 | — |
| 100 | 2,153 | 1,905 | +2.2 |
| 150 | 2,002 | 1,647 | +1.4 |
| 200 | 1,857 | 1,417 | -1.6 |
| 250 | 1,719 | 1,215 | -7.1 |
| 300 | 1,589 | 1,038 | -15.6 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,500 | 2,568 | — |
| 100 | 2,177 | 1,946 | +2.1 |
| 150 | 2,024 | 1,684 | +1.3 |
| 200 | 1,878 | 1,450 | -1.6 |
| 250 | 1,739 | 1,243 | -6.9 |
| 300 | 1,608 | 1,062 | -15.2 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,525 | 2,620 | — |
| 100 | 2,200 | 1,988 | +2.1 |
| 150 | 2,046 | 1,721 | +1.3 |
| 200 | 1,900 | 1,483 | -1.5 |
| 250 | 1,760 | 1,272 | -6.8 |
| 300 | 1,627 | 1,088 | -14.8 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,550 | 2,672 | — |
| 100 | 2,223 | 2,030 | +2.0 |
| 150 | 2,069 | 1,758 | +1.3 |
| 200 | 1,921 | 1,516 | -1.5 |
| 250 | 1,780 | 1,301 | -6.6 |
| 300 | 1,646 | 1,113 | -14.5 |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Path (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 2,575 | 2,724 | — |
| 100 | 2,246 | 2,072 | +1.9 |
| 150 | 2,091 | 1,796 | +1.2 |
| 200 | 1,942 | 1,550 | -1.5 |
| 250 | 1,800 | 1,331 | -6.5 |
| 300 | 1,665 | 1,139 | -14.2 |
Velocity, energy, and trajectory zeroed +2.0" high at 100 yards. The 22-inch velocity is our published figure; 16, 18, 20, and 24-inch are estimated at roughly 25 fps per inch. Every barrel here stays above the 1,250 fps and 642 ft-lb expansion window past 300 yards, so the heavy bullet is still opening at the far end of the chart. Standard conditions; your rifle, your barrel, and the weather will move them.
Why Hunters Choose the 185 Grain HV
Ruger American Owners:
This round is too long for the factory Ruger American magazine, so out of the box you are loading one round at a time. The HV Mag System swaps in a magazine system built and tuned in our shop for extended-length 400 Legend ammunition, so your rifle feeds from the magazine again.
Explore the 400 Legend Lineup
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I run the 185 grain HV or the 165 grain HV 400 Legend?
Pick the 185 grain HV when you want the most energy and deepest penetration: great for deer, hogs, black bear, or for shots that has to reach the vitals through heavy bone. It leaves a 22-inch barrel at 2,550 fps with 2,672 ft-lbs and the highest ballistic coefficient we offer in 400 Legend. The 165 grain HV starts a touch faster with a lighter bullet and is plenty of bullet for whitetails at normal ranges.
Will this 185-grain load fit my rifle and magazine?
Two things decide it: your action and your magazine. Any bolt-action or single shot chambered in 400 Legend will fire this round, so the action is rarely the issue. The magazine usually is. At 2.450" the round is longer than many factory magazines, so measure the inside length of yours before ordering. Ruger American owners can feed it from the magazine with our HV Mag System, and Savage rifles on an MDT chassis can use our 400 Legend HV magazine.
What is the effective range of the 400 Legend 185 grain?
The practical 400 Legend effective range with this load runs past 300 yards on deer-sized game. It leaves a 22-inch barrel at 2,550 fps and 2,672 ft-lbs, the most muzzle energy of any 400 Legend load we make, and the .26 ballistic coefficient holds that energy downrange: at 300 yards it is still moving 1,646 fps with over 1,100 ft-lbs, well clear of the 1,250 fps and 642 ft-lbs it needs to expand.
Why is it loaded in Peterson brass?
Peterson Cartridge makes some of the most consistent brass available. Uniform case dimensions keep velocity consistent from round to round, which shows up as low standard deviations over a chronograph. It is also durable enough to reload when you are ready to work up your own 400 Legend load.
Is the 400 Legend good for deer?
It is one of the best straight-wall options for it. The 400 Legend was designed for the Midwest straight-wall deer zones, and this load puts 2,672 ft-lbs behind a .40 caliber copper bullet, which is more than enough for any whitetail.
Is this copper ammo legal where non-lead is required?
Yes. The bullet is solid copper with no lead in it, so it meets non-lead requirements, including on federal land. You get full 400 Legend performance with no lead left in the meat.
What does solid copper give me over a lead-core bullet?
Weight retention. A lead core can separate from its jacket, so the bullet either fragments early or slips through without opening. Ours is one piece of copper. It expands on impact and holds nearly all its weight, so you get a great wound channel without the bullet coming apart.
Proven in the Field
Read all reviews for this round in the Reviews tab above.
“After a couple of adjustments sighting in at 100 yds, I consistently had sub-MOA groups. 95% of my shots were touching.”
Ron Clement
“Excellent ammo. Consistent from one round to another. Excellent expansion.”
Steve Boyd
All Copper. Zero Compromise. Machined in Michigan.
400 Legend Ammo 185 Grain HV
Caliber
400 Legend (Bolt action and single shot rifles only)
Weight
185 Grains
Material
This copper ammunition is 100% lead free and is legal to hunt with on federal land.
Velocity
2,550 fps (22" Barrel)
Ballistic Coefficient
.26 (G1)
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This round performs.
Very satisfied with the 185g offering for the .400 Legend. Tighter groups out of my Ruger American Ranch than the 165g round. I ended up putting 3 rounds in a single hole at 100 yards and I am not a professional marksman. Hopefully they also perform on game this fall!
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400 Legend Ammo 185gr HV
Excellent ammo. Consistent from one round to another. Excellent expansion.
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400 Legend 185gn HV
After a couple of adjustments sighting in at 100 yds, I consistently had sub-MOA groups. 95% of my shots were touching. I’m pretty happy with their performance.
