Cartridge Types with Declining Popularity
- Thread starter Bottom Fodder
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7mm stw
Brass is hard to come by
Brass is hard to come by
and better than most......
I suppose for hunting calibers it has allot to do with where you hunt. If your a hunter in the USA you know exactly what your going to be hunting when you go on your trip so you can pack your 6mmXC if your going after speed goats or you pack your 6.5Creedmoor when you spend a week looking for a big White tail and if your after Moose or Bear you can up your caliber game again.
This side of the globe if we go hunting in the Limpopo bushveld we might shoot a 120lb Impala, a 290lb Koedoe, a 450lb Roan or a 1500+ LB Eland so the guys prefer to use bigger and slower calibers like a 375H&H or a 30.06 with a strong 180/200gr bullet or the slower 7s with long and heavy bullets as shots are generally between 10 and 200y in thick stuff, the old 6.5x55 with something like a 156gr Norma Oryx @ 2450fps is also not to be sneezed at in these conditions and allot of people use that combo. Some farms we hunt on you might even bump into Buffalo or Hippo so you take that into consideration as well when your deciding between your 458Lott and your 6.5creed.
In the open dunes of the Kalahari and/or the Freestate the fast 6s are still king for the medium size game and for the bigger animals you will still find allot of 270s and 300WMs (7RM also has a cultlike following around these pars) on the back of the Cruisers where shots tend to be a bit further but here the 6.5's are also very popular, 6.5x55AI and the 7x57 are also to very popular calibers around these parts
The Weatherby calibers on the other hand never really made it across the ocean, I have only seen and shot 1 300 Weatherby in my life.
Factory ammo wise every shop from the Mom and Pop shop to our version off Bass Pro will always have 223, 243, 270, 308, 30.06, 300WM and 375HH available on the shelves
For predator control the guys still love the straight 243 with a 55 of 70gr bullet and for culling at night the old 222 and 223 is still favorited
Over the last couple of years there has been a bit of a shift away from all the fancy new calibers with their plastic stocks and big scopes back towards the older 404Jeff, 7x57 types and even the much loved brother of the 375H&H the 9.3x62 for hunting especially for Bushveld hunting, allot of guys are also doing away with scopes on these rifles and instead using red dots like the aimpoints on the older slower calibers that's used for 250y and in work
Obviously in the serious competition circles your not going to see allot of 270's or many 30.06 there the modern Dashers, BRA's, 300Norma Mags, 7Shermans and the likes run the show, the cheaper 6.5Credmoor Howa with all its aftermarket parts also enabled allot of people to compete so obviously you see a fair amount of them
This side of the globe if we go hunting in the Limpopo bushveld we might shoot a 120lb Impala, a 290lb Koedoe, a 450lb Roan or a 1500+ LB Eland so the guys prefer to use bigger and slower calibers like a 375H&H or a 30.06 with a strong 180/200gr bullet or the slower 7s with long and heavy bullets as shots are generally between 10 and 200y in thick stuff, the old 6.5x55 with something like a 156gr Norma Oryx @ 2450fps is also not to be sneezed at in these conditions and allot of people use that combo. Some farms we hunt on you might even bump into Buffalo or Hippo so you take that into consideration as well when your deciding between your 458Lott and your 6.5creed.
In the open dunes of the Kalahari and/or the Freestate the fast 6s are still king for the medium size game and for the bigger animals you will still find allot of 270s and 300WMs (7RM also has a cultlike following around these pars) on the back of the Cruisers where shots tend to be a bit further but here the 6.5's are also very popular, 6.5x55AI and the 7x57 are also to very popular calibers around these parts
The Weatherby calibers on the other hand never really made it across the ocean, I have only seen and shot 1 300 Weatherby in my life.
Factory ammo wise every shop from the Mom and Pop shop to our version off Bass Pro will always have 223, 243, 270, 308, 30.06, 300WM and 375HH available on the shelves
For predator control the guys still love the straight 243 with a 55 of 70gr bullet and for culling at night the old 222 and 223 is still favorited
Over the last couple of years there has been a bit of a shift away from all the fancy new calibers with their plastic stocks and big scopes back towards the older 404Jeff, 7x57 types and even the much loved brother of the 375H&H the 9.3x62 for hunting especially for Bushveld hunting, allot of guys are also doing away with scopes on these rifles and instead using red dots like the aimpoints on the older slower calibers that's used for 250y and in work
Obviously in the serious competition circles your not going to see allot of 270's or many 30.06 there the modern Dashers, BRA's, 300Norma Mags, 7Shermans and the likes run the show, the cheaper 6.5Credmoor Howa with all its aftermarket parts also enabled allot of people to compete so obviously you see a fair amount of them
dgeesaman
Gold $$ Contributor
Fair, the 6BR Norma is not as powerful when compared to a 243.
I owned two rifles that feed 6BR or 6BRA from a mag well or mag without any issues. But like twist, you can’t take any old gun and assume it will work.
What I really came on here to say is, what the 6BR doesn’t take out of 243, the 6 Creedmoor has taken. There’s no air left in most rooms for 243 anymore and on reflection the 6 Creed has done most of the damage.
David
jcarpen
Silver $$ Contributor
All are effective deer cartridges under the right conditions, but with the 22LR it helps to have a carbide light!
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
It was designed for a short action and that is what I run it in,
Have one on Rem 700 receiver with heavy Bartlien barrel. Shoots well!
After this evening, selling a 7RM, the only magnum cartridge left in the safe will be a 300H&H. Next biggest is a 30R Blaser. Others are 7-08 and 6.5CM, then a 223 and a 218Bee and a 300Rook. 3 are bolt guns, 3 are falling blocks, 2 are break actions. If I build anything else, I may take the 223 and rebarrel it, just not sure into what yet, maybe just a faster twist, or rebarrel the 300Rook, as it needs one, and is worth fixng up.
I really have little use for the Arc's and PRC's or BRA's or WSM's and etc like them these days, played with 22-250, 6.5x55, 7x57. 32-30Rem, 32-40Win, 7RM, 338WM, 450-400NE, 358Win, 308win, 30-06 over the years, what I have now will work for me.
I really have little use for the Arc's and PRC's or BRA's or WSM's and etc like them these days, played with 22-250, 6.5x55, 7x57. 32-30Rem, 32-40Win, 7RM, 338WM, 450-400NE, 358Win, 308win, 30-06 over the years, what I have now will work for me.
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
short action mags are just that.
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
in some circles everything lives. Someone loves it. I'd love to have a double rifle in rimmed 9.3x72.
FNSafari
Gold $$ Contributor
There are tons of "older" cartridges that are perfectly suitable for game within the design parameters of the cartridge/bullet. The thing with new cartridges, is that tons of folks focus on new, better, never before performance, etc., etc. Just the way it is, just think of fast food restaurant menus, they never stay the same for very long. New and improved is the advertising gimmick of the ages.
Don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet but my beloved 7mmBR belongs on this list. The caliber is officially listed as obsolete by many sources. While it isn't the Holy Grail, end all, be all cartridge, she is a joy to shoot and reload. Out of my XP100 she will cover a dime at 100 yards and pop 2L bottles and whitetail all day at 200 yards. Would love a light weight, short action mountain rifle in this chambering some day. I've read somewhere that at least one big African game guide keeps one on hand for clients that discover they can't shoot that .416 Rigby or .375 H&H they brought due to the recoil. (Not sure of the source at the moment.) Figure the brass I have on hand will last me the rest of my life, so I'll never have to say goodbye to my short stubby fav.
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Whisky Tahoe Foxtrot
Silver $$ Contributor
This ^ and if you factor in component availability as well you can see some real declines or non starters.
30-06 will have a long life due to the amount of brass on the planet.
Maybe the question should be "What cartridges have the shortest life?" 7mm RSAUM?
It would still be popular with the F-class crowd if brass was widely available.
One expensive supplier not named Lapua isn't enough.
or 30 Super Carry? Yes it is new but there are only a few manufacturers for the pistols,
though Hipoint does make a carbine for the 30 SC. No one sells brass yet though.
Never good for a cartridge when you can't find brass.
Maybe it will take off. Would love to see some of the pocket 32s switch to 30SC.
There can be some the benefit to newer cartridges.
For instance, higher SAAMI chamber pressures resulting in better (usually) performance.
Don't have a 222 or a 6.5x55 ...yet
however they have a following and still get made to some extent.I will admit that I did buy a Remington Etron-X in 22-250 along with a case of ammo.
Have since sold it when I couldn't find the primers any more. The electric primer never did take off.
Popularity certainly fluctuates unfortunately it is hard to get past lack of components.
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