TESTED: Rock River Arms .350 Legend CAR A4 Rifle

I’ve long been a fan of Rock River Arms. When I first started competing in 2015, I earned my first leg points towards my Distinguished Rifleman’s Badge with a Rock River Arms National Match A2 AR-15. I’ve since competed with two of their rifles that have been rebarreled and upgraded over the years, but have done me well.

Ohio hunters are limited to straight wall cartridges. For a time, this meant Ohio hunters were limited to single-shots, bolt actions, and lever actions. Modern sporting rifles (MSR’s), more popularly known as AR’s, were not an option. When Winchester announced the .350 Legend cartridge at the 2019 SHOT Show, they made quite a splash. This cartridge was immediately appealing because it gave hunters in straight wall-only states the ability to hunt with a semi-automatic AR for the first time. This cartridge is also light-recoiling, making it ideal for young and small-framed hunters, as well as anyone who doesn’t enjoy being punished by larger calibers. 

At first there were only a few options on the market, but over the last few years, the cartridge has soared in popularity, many manufacturers and ammunition companies hopping on board. Given my great success with Rock River Arms in the past, I was eager to try their Legend CAR A4 Rifle. This AR has a 16” chrome moly 1:16 twist free floated barrel with a RRA operator brake. The handguard is M-LOK compatible, making it easy to add any number of accessories. The buttstock is length adjustable by depressing a small lever at its base and has several integral QD mounts. This rifle looks like a traditional AR, with an integral Picatinny rail stretching from the end of the forend to the charging handle, overmolded A2 grip, and low-profile gas block, but it has a few distinguishing features. Hunting rifles are not known for incredible triggers. Since you only fire them a few times a year, it’s generally a place where costs are cut or people are more forgiving. Rock River Arms did not skimp on this gun, including their two-stage ultra match-trigger. It has an extremely crisp break and as a two-stage allows you to prepare for your shot before making the final break. I have shot two-stage triggers for years in service rifle competition, so this is a seamless transition. Rock River also thought ahead, including a winter trigger guard with more space to accommodate gloved hands in cold weather.

Rock River Arms also claims 1 MOA at 100 yards. I personally tested this and was astounded by the performance of this rifle. Paired with the right ammunition, it is capable of much greater accuracy. Excepting the flier from one five-shot group, four stacked shots measured 0.6” by 0.35” at 100 yards.

My sample rifle liked Hornady American Whitetail 170 gr. SP ammunition the best. Groups fired with Browning 124 gr. FMJ and Federal 180 grain Non-Typical ammunition showed vertical stringing. The five-shot Browning group measured 1.62” by 0.87” and the Federal group measured 2.72” by 0.21”. 

This gun measures 33 inches fully retracted and weighs 6.8 pounds. It is lightweight and easy to carry, though hunting with a .350 Legend means your shots are going to be within a few hundred yards, so it’s unlikely you’ll have to hike too far. I added an M-LOK adapter to the handguard and used the buttstock QD mount to attach a traditional web sling.

The AR platform is largely popular due to its almost endless customization options. This ranges from color preferences to accessories like lights and lasers. This also makes the AR a great one-size-fits all platform and the RRA CAR A4 is no exception. The adjustable buttstock allows for length of pull adjustments between shooters and to accommodate varying layers of clothing. The length of pull you need in a thin sweatshirt is not what you need when in a thick down jacket and base layers.

One thing I have mixed feelings about is the muzzle brake. While brakes are largely popular to reduce recoil, they also make the gun louder and the area around the gun uncomfortable for anyone not behind the trigger. The .350 Legend is already a light-recoiling cartridge, so I believe the brake is unnecessary, though it certainly doesn’t hurt anything – just remember to wear hearing protection.

For a long time, I wasn’t sure how I felt about using an AR for hunting. It always seemed two tactical compared to the traditional wood-stocked guns I had always used. After hunting with and shooting the Legend CAR A4, I’m a convert. I still love my wood stocks, but I didn’t worry about scratching the synthetic stock. It was also extremely quick and easy to adjust for stable shots no matter what clothing I was wearing. Rather than adapting myself to the rifle, I could adapt it to me. Overall, the gun felt so familiar in my hands given my eight years of service rifle competition experience that everything was second nature. For most people, shooting your hunting rifle can be a bit clumsy as it isn’t something you shoot all the time. This rifle completely eliminated that for me, especially with the match trigger.

This rifle comes with a steel 10-round magazine and a RRA Case. It is available as a full rifle and also as a standalone upper.

• Category: Gun Reviews, Guns, Reviews, Rifles
• Tag: .350 Legend, AR-15, Browning, Federal, Hornady, Hunting Rifle, Riton, Rock River Arms, Service Rifle, Straight-Wall

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