Among two of the most popular close range big game hunting cartridges out there are the 400 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster. Both of these cartridges have made their name in the industry for their ability to take game effectively. However, these two rounds are seldom compared in depth.
Here is the short answer:
The 450 Bushmaster can shoot heavier bullets and it is more popular than the 400 Legend. However, the 400 Legend is more versatile and has less recoil than the 450 Bushmaster.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each cartridge, their ballistics, and see how the two cartridges compare in-depth.
In-depth look at the 400 Legend
Winchester recently introduced the 400 Legend which is a cartridge that is made to fit the bill of states that require straight-walled cartridges such as Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. The 400 Legend was based on the 6.8 Remington SPC case where the walls are straightened to accept a .4005 caliber bullet. This makes the 400 Legend an ideal cartridge for hunters hunting deer at closer ranges in heavy brush as it packs a punch at close range and has a heavy enough bullet to punch through brush.
The 400 Legend has a limited ammo selection and, as of the time of this article, is only available with 215-grain bullets. The main advantage to the 400 Legend is that it is a round that packs a lot of energy with minimal recoil and drops off quickly at long range.
The downside to the 400 Legend is that it loses most of its effectiveness past 200 yards. This isn’t an issue for most whitetail deer hunters but for those who hunt in open country or may expect a further shot this round is far from ideal. The other disadvantage is that the 400 Legend is very new and not many ammunition options are available, and those that are available are expensive.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 400 Legend with a 215-grain bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2250 | 2417 |
| 50 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2056 | 2018 |
| 100 | 0 | 2.2 | 1872 | 1672 |
| 150 | -2.8 | 5.4 | 1700 | 1380 |
| 200 | -8.6 | 9.9 | 1541 | 1133 |
| 250 | -18.1 | 16.2 | 1396 | 930 |
| 300 | -32.1 | 24.3 | 1270 | 770 |
| 350 | -51.6 | 34.3 | 1166 | 649 |
| 400 | -77.6 | 46.1 | 1085 | 562 |
| 450 | -110.9 | 59.4 | 1023 | 499 |
| 500 | -152.1 | 74.1 | 974 | 452 |
In-depth look at the 450 Bushmaster
The 450 Bushmaster was developed by Tim LeGendre of LeMag Firearms in 2007, and it quickly gained popularity among hunters and shooters. The cartridge was designed to provide excellent stopping power at short to medium ranges, making it ideal for hunting and shooting activities in the woods and brushy areas.
Like the 400 Legend, the 450 Bushmaster is ideal for close range hunting in thick brush or in states with straight wall cartridges restrictions. The 450 Bushmaster has been proven to be able to take game as large as elk without issue.
The downside to the 450 Bushmaster is that it is really only effective to about 250 yards. Compared to other cartridges with similar recoil, the 450 Bushmaster is lacking in terms of ballistics. However, you have to consider that the 450 Bushmaster is a straight walled cartridge so it will lack the ballistic power of many other cartridges.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 450 Bushmaster with a 300-grain jacketed soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 1900 | 2405 |
| 50 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1741 | 2018 |
| 100 | 0 | 2.8 | 1592 | 1687 |
| 150 | -4.1 | 6.1 | 1453 | 1406 |
| 200 | -12.4 | 11.3 | 1331 | 1179 |
| 250 | -25.5 | 18.1 | 1224 | 997 |
| 300 | -44.5 | 26.6 | 1136 | 860 |
| 350 | -70.3 | 36.7 | 1068 | 759 |
| 400 | -103.6 | 48.2 | 1014 | 685 |
| 450 | -144.9 | 60.9 | 970 | 627 |
| 500 | -195.3 | 74.8 | 932 | 579 |
In-depth comparison
The 450 Bushmaster, when loaded with a similar bullet weight as the 400 Legend, has more energy. This lends it well to hunting animals of bigger size such as deer or elk. However, for most deer hunting situations where you will be shooting under or around 200 yards the 400 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster will have a similar effect.
In terms of availability and cost, the 450 Bushmaster is the better cartridge. It has been on the market longer and is manufactured by more ammo companies. In contrast, the 400 Legend has only been on the market since 2023 and is manufactured by one ammo company.
The place where the 400 Legend has the 450 Bushmaster beat is in terms of controllability. The 400 Legend has less recoil so it is easier to shoot for smaller-stature shooters or those who are shooting for long periods of time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the 400 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster are great options for hunting big game. The 450 Bushmaster is known for its stopping power and ability to take down game quickly, on the other hand, the 400 Legend is a smaller cartridge with less recoil and is easy to control.