Any one else tired of the multiple cartridges that do the same thing?

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Eric F

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I had a really good conversation with a co-worker today about all of the various calibers that dont really ad anything to the realm of ballistics and we decided most were created as just an excuse to sell more guns and ammunition. For example,

The various short action magnums that dont really offer anything new to ballistics per se as compaired to their big brothers. The only reason possible for their existance is to boost sales of short action rifles.

And the latest the 30 remington ar. Its just a short action 308, why not just build a 308 ar?

All this can be quite confusing, which ones are better which ones can you even find? In the ammunition shortage we face today, perhaps in an effort to sell more guns the manufacturers have really come up short. If they had left it alone there would be more ammunition. Its a lot harder to make 2 calibers than it is one, and keep them in inventory.
 
As long as people keep buying new cartridges someone will keep making them. Does not bother me at all. I will not be buying them myself.Others can spend their money as they see fit.
My caliber list is full!
 
It's because most "hunters" shoot one box of ammunition a year, and can afford to pay more per bullet so they don't care if they shoot some obscure, specialized bullet.
 
Keep in mind that it's a cascading sale. New cartridges creat new reloading opportunities, etc etc.

I know a guy who is a 'wild-catter' and a long range shooter par excellence. He'll make a new round and set just to see if he can do it.

Usually the 'all new' things aren't, and create more problems than solutions solved.
 
...we decided most were created as just an excuse to sell more guns and ammunition.
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Welcome to the world of merchandising. Same thing with clothes, cars, e-devices...

...oh, and diets.

I darned near got burned when they introduced the .22 Jet (link) and since then I have shied away from any new cartridges or the latest boomsticks.

It seemed to me the Short Magnums, with their wider diameter cartridges, would exert more of a load on the chamber for a given pressure level. Just my way of looking at it, although with the newer steels, my shyness about them is probably moot.

My feeling is that for the ordinary mortal, the .30-06,(or maybe the .308), the 243 Winchester, the .223, and rimfires in .22 or maybe .17 should complete the complement for rifles, and a .357 (yeah, OK, the .44 Mag, too, though I hate it), a .45 ACP (just cause I love it), a 9mm or .380, and .22LR orta do it for handguns. Just an old coot looking at the question.

I've got more than that, but mostly the others are just for fun and experience. Frankly that's the only reason I got an M4gery --since everybody was talking about AR-15 types, I figured I ought to learn about them. And they do have their utility.

And of course I got a couple of milsurps 'cause they were cheap. I love taking my 91/30 down to the indoor range... someday I'll bring the bayonet along with it, tee hee hee.

And I hate the gun writers' expression, "fill the gap between X cartridge and Y cartridge."

What gap?

Terry, 230RN
 
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Didn't we do this thread a week ago?

Anyway, I don't have a problem with it. It does me no harm and offers a couple of mild advantages including allowing manufacturers to "reset the clock" on the pressure specs (which get de-rated due to the ever-increasing number of old guns in the field).

Don't like it, don't buy them.
 
Well actually the premise might be wrong. Your example makes no sense, a .308 will not fit in an AR15, they do make an AR in .308 but it is called the AR10 and is generally a bigger and heavier gun. So the .30 RAR fills a nich in the AR15 platform that did not previously exist.

I don't have a .30 RAR, nor any short or super short magnums, but the people that do seem to like them so why should it bother me? I shoot what I want, they shoot what they want and everyone is happy.
 
Didn't we do this thread a week ago?

(snip)

Don't like it, don't buy them.
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Don't like it, don't read it. :)

(I'm just being a smarta55 -no offense, please. I don't have a problem with "redundant" threads.)
 
Nor do I, it's just amusing that this seems to bug so many different people right now.

The last guy thought that by eliminating some of the "redundant calibers" there would be more .223 for him. /sigh
 
It just seems to me the wheel can be reinvented only so many times. I own no cartridges of which I speak of in this thread so the more ammo for me thing does not apply.

Infact the only thing that I see so far that actually makes sense to me is
allowing manufacturers to "reset the clock" on the pressure specs (which get de-rated due to the ever-increasing number of old guns in the field).
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a .308 will not fit in an AR15, they do make an AR in .308 but it is called the AR10 and is generally a bigger and heavier gun
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spliting hairs here arnt we? an ar is an ar its just a larger action, hence long and short action bolt guns, in regards to this thread they are the same to me.

My point is why not make the short action magnums perform better? More velociety or better yet make them a diffrent bullet all together instead of a 300 wsm make it a 32wsm or a 40wsm
 
I, for one, like the large variety of new calibers/cartridges currently being offered. They appeal to me simply because they draw many away from the older, more common calibers leaving more of them for me to buy. :)
 
Yeah, I really hate it when stuff changes, you know?

Back in the early 80s, we were experimenting with short and fat in IHMSA competition. The bench rest guys were a step ahead of us, since out IHMSA cartridges were based on the BR line of cartridges.

The IHMSA series of cartridges turned out to be superbly accurate. Short and fat has a distinct advantage, in both accuracy and barrel life.

I won't be the one who disses the 7mm Mauser or the 7-08, because they are both fine cartridges. But the 7mm BR or the 7mm IHMSA will shoot circles around either one of them.

I'll admit to loving the old favorites, 30-30, 30-06, 250 Savage and all the rest, but, what is wrong with progress?

I hear the same argument among the farmers I live among: "grandpa's way was the best".

My answer: "In today's world, probably not".
 
spliting hairs here arnt we? an ar is an ar its just a larger action, hence long and short action bolt guns, in regards to this thread they are the same to me.
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The benefit is that a person can slap a .30 cal upper on their AR-15 and have something with ballistics approaching a .308. Otherwise, you're looking at buying a complete AR-10 lower in order to have a .30 cal AR style weapon. (Yes, you can get a 7.62x39 upper to work on an AR-15 lower, but the ballistics are lacking).
 
The benefit is that a person can slap a .30 cal upper on their AR-15
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See thats my point although your not really buying a whole gun you are still buying. I will say it was a clever ploy by remington now you can have your 223, 203, 6.8, and now 30 cal on the same lower receiver. But still it does nothing more than a 308.
 
That 39 point buck just won't die unless he's hit with a projectile costing $3.50 from a factory loaded cartridge costing $9.73 each from a rifle that was custom tuned at the factory for the hunter, and that was done before he had even seen the rifle. Finally, that rifle cartridge will not perform properly for anyone but the first owner. 3 rounds fired and its on the used gun rack consigned for the next 39 point buck shooter!!!!!!!!!!!
 
If there's no new ammunition advancements, how am i ever going to get the phased-pulse plasma rifle (in the 40-watt range) that i've been yurning for for years?

And by your logic, depending on where you arbitrarily draw the line, why have a .308? The 30-06 could have clinched things off...but why stop at cartridges? My .50 flintlock is fine; until you want to draw the line at a particular lock design?

I'm not saying every new round will be innovative; but how are you going to know if you never tried?
 
If you don't want to buy, don't buy. It really isn't that hard.
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I know this is not the way I was wanting to go with this thread, Let me ask this......

Why make a short action round that duplicates a larger versions ballistics?
 
Folks love to tinker. America's strength is its affinity to tinker. So, since you don't care for tinkerin', I guess you don't give a tinker's d@mn for useless cartridges. :neener: Sorry. Couldn't resist.

As an example, as far as I'm concerned, after the 7mm Rem Mag was made, the books could have been forever closed on the 7mms. Although, the 7mm TCU is one heck of a target round...as is the 7mmBR. Here we go tinkerin' again.
 
All companies like to sell things. Look at all the different fishing lures, rods and reels. They keep making "better" ones every year, but a worm/minnow on a hook still works fine.
 
^Accuracy...and cheek-weld.

I bought a .300WSM because it has the same performance as a 300 win mag; but in short action: This allows me to keep my head down and my eye through the scope while reloading, rather than lifting my head up to cycle the action...overall that means the follow-up shot is going to be quicker and more accurate - or at least falling on the same POI as the previous shot, with the same ergonomic setup.
 
Remington needs all the sales help it can get now with the Chrysler deal.

I am on hold on the 30RAR. Great concept. It may be a keeper. I am leaning that way.

I like the new cartridges. I don't own a short mag, because I haven't bought a new bolt centerfire rifle in a long time.

I think the 327 is a keeper too.
 
I must confess that I have spent a lot of money over the years trying some of the latest, most modern, fastest, weirdest, funniest, shortest, longest. It was fun doing it!! Now I'm back to a 270 Winchester, 38-55, 22 Hornet and 38 Special. I still have a lot of the others but they just don't see the light of day much any more. All of them were and still are great.
 
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