Hunting Rifle Cartridges, What's Left?

[ethmoid1999]

Off hand I think I load for fifteen rifle cartridges. Now it seems I shoot more 308 and 30-30 than anything else. I have no 6.5's. Started off at sixteen with a Remington 700 ADL in 222 and it was my only rifle for several years. New powders have changed things a lot. My 30-06 load in equal to the original 300 H&H loads and several others are inching up past what they used to be. Bullets are the best they've ever been although I still horde some Remington Bronze Points and Winchester Silvertips and I sure hold on to a few hundred old screw lathe Nosler Partitions for my 25-06. My nephews are excited about the new cartridges and I love their excitement about them. They and my daughter/granddaughter will own my old ones someday. I regret selling a 7X57 twenty years ago and may spring for a 7mm-08 for my granddaughter. Things have changed a lot if fifty years. I still prefer my old Model 70's with nice wood but carry a plastic HOWA 308 most of the time. I have a couple of AR's but seldom play with them. Anyway, my favorites are 222, 25-06, 270, 308, 30-06 and I love my only 300 H&H.

 

[hunter24605]

Although it's fun to play around with many different cartridges working up loads etc, in a real world, practical sense for hunting, so many are so close in performance/ballistics, that I doubt there is a critter on earth that will notice the difference..And if there are a few that are left to develop for HUNTING, they will most likely parallel one or two that are already established..Not saying I don't often get an urge to work with something new....
:roll:

 

[Europe]

oh for crying out loud

of course something new, sleek and nicely packaged will show up and men will have to have it even if it does exactly the same thing as the one they already have. Webster calls it a "mistress"

And I am only somewhat joking. As stated by Bill, Jamila, Guy and everyone else, everyone already has everything they need---but they keep buying and playing with new stuff

RaySendero may be the only male on the forum that is content with what he has. "1956"--believe it or not Ray I remember that year well as I was a couple of years out of high school and trying to set the world on fire---needless to say, I am still looking for a box of matches

 

[Elkman]

"Europe,, oh for crying out loud
of course something new, sleek and nicely packaged will show up and men will have to have it even if it does exactly the same thing as the one they already have. Webster calls it a "mistress"

RIGHT ON, SO TRUE. I LOVE THIS ONE

 

[hunternyny]

"Europe,, oh for crying out loud
of course something new, sleek and nicely packaged will show up and men will have to have it even if it does exactly the same thing as the one they already have. Webster calls it a "mistress"

RIGHT ON, SO TRUE. I LOVE THIS ONE

I agree with Elkman

Darn, the truth hurts April

 

[26NosFan]

the trend has been the same thing in better packaging for sure. the 40-60's saw the greatest additions(Weathersby's in the 40's, the 50's saw the 223 and 308 and the Winchester Mags, and the 60's saw Remington get in on it too with the big 7). Not much happened in the 70s as everything was super specialized ie 458 Lott, 8RM,.17Rem the PPCs and the BRs. The 80s were a little better with the XTRs 307,356,375W( though all are non existent today) Remington hit the homer with the 7mm-08 and 7 STW. the 90s Saw again specialized 416Rem, 300 Ultra. the bright spot being the 260 Rem. For me the first REAL "new better and improved" addition was the 300 WSM in 2001.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

For my way of thinking there are to many choices and newer powder and bullets have made the classics even better. IMHO

 

[Europe]

Bill, thank you for playing along!!

26nosfan----by your way of thinking and since my favorites are the 375 H/H, the 300H/H and the 6.5 x 54 M/S, I would say nothing has changed since the twenties

Rodger, Dr Mike, dont let those health issues slow you down. As you know I just got out of the hospital and according to some I should still be there but instead another old woman and I are headed to Borneo. She always wanted to see Orangutans in the wild, so we are off. For the record I told her it would be easier and cheaper to just fly to the States and go to the San Diego Zoo, LOL

 

[26NosFan]

1912, 1925 and 1908 respectfully on those three. Classics all.

 

[AK7AN]

Lets see... 7.65 x53, introduced in 1889
257 Roberts.. 1927
270 Win.... 1925
444 Marlin... 1964??? Someone correct me if I am wrong.. I in no way feel outdated or undergunned when I go afield. Come to think of it 1964 was the year my awesome wife Kelli was introduced to the world.. good year,
Take care
Ed

 

[Cleveland48]

Can’t talk about the classics with out the old 9.3x62 from 1905!


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[Blkram]

As they say, variety is the spice of life!

They also say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

But whoever listened to "they"?

While I love the classics; 22 LR, 218 Bee, 250-3000, 6.5x55 and 30-30...(still going to add the 9.3x62 to the stable!)
I still enjoy some of the newer cartridges; 270 Wby, 280 Rem, 338 Win Mag, 356/358 Win and 375 Win...
And also really like some of the most recent cartridges; 17 Mach II, 260 Rem, 6.5x284, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7MM STW, 300 WSM, 338 Federal, 338-06 and 376 Steyr.

I for one have been happy because of some of the newer and latest additions. Are they better than other cartridges out there? Not really...but I still am glad to have had the chance to use and experience loading, shooting and hunting with them.

I am sure that someone will undoubtedly introduce some new cartridge(s) and rifle(s) that some of us will want or "need", and that it's benefits will be described as newest and best.

I know that in my collection, I am short 6mm and 8mm caliber cartridges, but have no real desire to fill those gaps (unless a left handed 240 Wby should present itself).

I always said that if I had to pair down to 2 big game cartridges, I would hard pressed to choose between a 280 and 338-06 or the 7MM Rem Mag and 338 Win Mag.
Today I could easily add to those choices, the 260 Rem and 338 Federal (or 7MM-08 and 358 Win), or the 6.5x55 and 9.3x62. Any of these choices would cover all of the game I hunt here in NA (and most of Africa, with the two mausers being the easiest choice to also include DG).

 

[Gunner46]

Maybe a 90/200 straight wall that fits into Ohio's legal deer round legislation, and a 30/30 doesn't.

Or a 24/378 that works just peachy keen in Indiana, but God forbid a 35 Rem.

 

[cloverleaf]

SHINEY!....Oooh what was that!?!?! Totally fall for the "mistress" concept but only when it comes to rifles, and maybe optics.... guess I'm lucky. Hey that 256 Newton is a long sexy looking, thing. Ya I'm hopeless....
Besides it keeps the marketing guys employed....CL

CL

 

[Guy Miner]

I still enjoy some of the newer cartridges; 270 Wby, 280 Rem, 338 Win Mag, 356/358 Win and 375 Win...

Of course the 270 Weatherby, for all the outstanding ballistics it has, was introduced in 1943...

So, not all that new perhaps? :wink: We tend to forget that high velocity and precision shooting isn't new.

I like some of the new stuff, but... re the basics, it's been done, and done well, long ago. Our grandfathers, or their fathers may have had something to do with it.

Guy

 

[RaySendero]

RaySendero may be the only male on the forum that is content with what he has. "1956"--believe it or not Ray I remember that year well as I was a couple of years out of high school and trying to set the world on fire---needless to say, I am still looking for a box of matches

Don't ever stop looking for those matches!

"content" - Me. Oh No. Just good with rifles and cartridges.
Not content with the dogs.

Will get a 1YO male German shepherd next week.
Previous owner doesn't want him, So I'm taking him.

Hoping he'll be one of my new best friends.

 

[Darkhorse]

When I was in high school in the mid to late 60's, and being lefthanded also, I literally lusted for a Model 700 BDL LH in 7mm Rem. Mag. It was a relatively new development and I vowed to get one. It shot into the .750" range. A few years ago I took it out of the safe and worked on the rifle and new loads. Now most of my groups fall into the .5" and under range. I consider this a new development.
Along the way I felt the need for a larger diameter bullet and bought a .300 WM for elk and stuff. It ended up being superbly accurate and long range thumper.
Years later came a .308 Win. When I carry a scoped rifle it's this one.
I still have all 3 but hardly hunt with any but the .308 occasionally. BTW all have LH actions.
I fully agree with a previous opinion that long range shooting was removing a lot of "hunting" from the hunt.
Strange, that. The reason I don't hunt with those centerfires much anymore is because my main hunting rifle is a .54 flintlock. One of these puts the hunt back in the hunt. To get a good kill you have to be close.
I bought the only new development (7mag)I ever wanted years ago. Now I'm just an old man with a old rifle sitting in the woods fully content. Ignoring all the "New" develpments.