Cartridge Types with Declining Popularity
- Thread starter Bottom Fodder
- Start date
A 284 would compliment
Infrequent Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
straight BR?
savage 222 over 20 gauge was my go to grouse gun when I was a kid. wish I still had it
I own and shoot one. I own and shoot a 308Win, 30-06Sprg., and a 300WM. As an American I think I will always own one of each just because!
The 30-06 is the girl next door that was good looking, hard working, down to Earth and a sweet hart you married and had kids with! You could trust her with your heart and your life! Not the exotic Russian gal you met in Occupied Berlin that was wild, crazy and a lot of fun but not a good idea and not the hot naive bubble gum chewing teenie boper that was hot and chased after you like mad but could be but nothing but trouble!
So nothing wrong with the 30-06. I like it almost as much as my pet cartridge the 300WM.
That is sad. You know short actions are not faster to operate, are not any stiffer, and they are not more accurate. They are at best just shorter! Clearly that can make feeding of shorter cartridges easier.
Oh I also own a 45-70 and 5.56 rifle as well. I almost bought a 30-40 Craig in college but decided against it and I still kick myself in the rear when I think of how great it was and that it came with reloading dies, brass, loaded cartridges, bullet casting gear and was a 10 out of 10 cosmeticly and mechanicaly. I was in college at the time and at that time I did not reload yet and thought it would be terrible since factory ammo was non-existant. Just one year latter I picked up a Dillon 550B. This was sometime between 1993 and 1995 I think. I think my gunsmith was asking like $350 for the entire thing. I think instead I bought a Browning A Bolt in 300WM for $400 or $425.
Current Line Up
22LR
44RM
5.56 NATO
.243Win
260Rem
6.5 Grendel
6.5CM
308Win
30-06 Springfield
300WM
8x57 Mauser
45-70
12ga
The rest are works in progress. I have 2 more Mauser actions and another Savage action that are project's! I am planning another 284 or 280AI project for sure and maybe a 9.3x62 and some new 6mm cartridge.
22LR
44RM
5.56 NATO
.243Win
260Rem
6.5 Grendel
6.5CM
308Win
30-06 Springfield
300WM
8x57 Mauser
45-70
12ga
The rest are works in progress. I have 2 more Mauser actions and another Savage action that are project's! I am planning another 284 or 280AI project for sure and maybe a 9.3x62 and some new 6mm cartridge.
Outside of a rifle for a short cartridge that is just a pain to try and make work in a standard action I have nothing but disdain for "short actions" and "short action cartridges"! They are generaly a solution looking for a problem.
For the last decade the gun boards where over whelmed with people that bought into the short action lie that could now not load the modern long ELD/VLD heavy for caliber bullets. It is not as bad now as it once was. Outside of making money for gun, ammunitiona nd brass makers most of the so called "short action and short action magnum" cartridges generaly suck and do not do anything better than the cartridges they are designed to either match or exceed when it comes to 99% of gun owners needs or use. Most of them have been flash in the pan her today and gone tomorow sort of things. The only ones hanging on by a thread are the ones that competition shooters have latched onto.
In a similar vane cartridges that require a true magnum action are likewise not super popular.
In almost every case you are best to use the longest action you can get away with that will allow reliable feeding so that in 2-5 years at the rate we are going you can still shoot the latest greatest long pointy ELD/VLD heavy bullets in your rifle from the magazine with out any modifcations or custom parts needed. I do understand there are situations where a short or intermediate or mini action is the way to go for reliable feeding.
For the last decade the gun boards where over whelmed with people that bought into the short action lie that could now not load the modern long ELD/VLD heavy for caliber bullets. It is not as bad now as it once was. Outside of making money for gun, ammunitiona nd brass makers most of the so called "short action and short action magnum" cartridges generaly suck and do not do anything better than the cartridges they are designed to either match or exceed when it comes to 99% of gun owners needs or use. Most of them have been flash in the pan her today and gone tomorow sort of things. The only ones hanging on by a thread are the ones that competition shooters have latched onto.
In a similar vane cartridges that require a true magnum action are likewise not super popular.
In almost every case you are best to use the longest action you can get away with that will allow reliable feeding so that in 2-5 years at the rate we are going you can still shoot the latest greatest long pointy ELD/VLD heavy bullets in your rifle from the magazine with out any modifcations or custom parts needed. I do understand there are situations where a short or intermediate or mini action is the way to go for reliable feeding.
Brians356
Silver $$ Contributor
I've got a 222, 30-06, 6mm Rem and 270 and love them all, so I guess that says it all about me.270 Win anybody???
Anybody???
And there ya have it...
-
Maybe for you, but not for me! I haven't lost anything by not owning one.
Carry on with your opinion.
BobT
Gold $$ Contributor
I don't know if it ever had any luster on this side of the pond but the 9,3x62 is a fine cartridge and can easily handle anything in North America and most other parts of the world. You don't see much about them in the gun publications. I have a black bear hunt booked next spring and I'm planning to take mine. The little .350 Remington Magnum is another that's slowly fading away and I don't know why.
CJ6
Silver $$ Contributor
I just picked one up in Dec. As luck would have it Graffs received a shipment of 5mm first of the year, so I lucked out on both counts. NOT CHEAP AMMO.
If I had to guess, I'd say the 30-06, 308, 243, 260, 25-06, 7MM Remington mag.
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
I really like the way you described our love for the ’06.
Or for that matter, every round based on it.
35 Whelen, 280 Remington, 270, and 25/06 will cover just about every North American shooting situation you could find yourself in.
Ever since the center fire smokeless cartridge was conceived, the manufactures are always coming up with something better.
Granted, with newer powders and bullets becoming available, there are some newer offerings that make sense.
most of these offerings center around more velocity. But why? The cases I mentioned all have enough retained energy at 400 yards to drop just about anything in their bullet category.
If you hit an Elk at 400 yards are less with a 35 Whelen, 30/06, or 280 with any factory load with their best hunting bullet, it’s going down. Any White Tail or Mule Deer at the same range with a 270 or 25/06 will also drop.
But the manufacturers have sold the public on big diameter cases in short actions, convincing everyone that the Prong Horns will laugh at you if you show up with a 25/06.
by the way. The 400 yards is a distance I hear from a couple of pro guides I know. They consider that the longest range they allow is 400 yards, regardless of the advertised retained muzzle energy out past that.
Why. Simple. They do not like tracking wounded animals all night in sub zero weather and 3 feet of snow.
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.