Anyone considering getting into new calibers...

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Old Dog

Old Dog

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based on what ammunition they're seeing still on the shelves?

(Inspired by army_eod's thread ".257 Wby")

I keep finding myself looking at new rifles in calibers such as .257 Weatherby or .246 Win Mag, .25-06, .22-250, .257 Roberts, 7mm Rem Mag, or whatever ammo I'm seeing left on the shelves in Sportsman's Warehouse and my LGS.

I almost picked up a new .243 because there seemed to be quite a bit of that out there, but it's gone now. So I've had the urge to buy a new rifle, but only if I can pick up a bunch of ammo for it...
 
Always interested in new calibers. And that’s the problem, for me.

Then I spend time thinking about money and opportunity and I usually end up deciding the new caliber won’t add much for me, and in some cases could be a distraction.

10 years ago I wanted a 257 Weatherby pretty bad. But once I worked through my process described above, I doubled down and bought a Krieger barrel for an old Win 70 in 7mm Mag that I already was heavily into.

Turned out skipping the 257 and re-investing in 7mm was the right choice, for me.
 
It sure makes you consider adding something new that you can find ammo for.

I was also looking at pistols that have ammo available like 357 sig, but now it's gone also.

I'm shooting less and watching my on hand ammo supplies. I stop at the LGSs when driving by and buying ammo to replace when I can find it. I will pay a little more for it but not stupid prices.

To add a new rifle now it has to fit my want list or a great price.
 
Not really. Either things will get better and common calibers will come back at lower(ish) prices, or they will get worse and the uncommon ones will become really rare and even pricier.

Im pretty sure the manufacturers arent actually producing any unusual cartridges right now and the 9mm/.223 lines are churning 24/7. Eventually the weird stuff will dry up too and wont be replenished for a long time, if ever.
 
There's a good chance the ammo you are seeing on the shelves is there because very few people own those chamberings, so the stores sell less of it, and as soon as people jump onto those band wagons it will be rare too. Seeing ammunition on a shelf is not a very good reason to buy a particular rifle IMO.
 
My only centerfire rifles are 5.56 and 308win.
I've got alot of ammo, and plenty of reloading supplies to keep me going for awhile. Until the next election at least, the one after that more likely than not.

Buuuut, I just bid on a 243Win barrel to replace my 308Win with. Not anything to do with what's in stock or politics or anything. Just seems like an appropriate cartridge for the hunting to be done here.
 
Not me. Taking the old stand-by rounds, .223 and .308, quality ammo for plinking up to target shooting is available on line for $.75 - $1.15 per round (plus shipping) for .223, and about $.90 - $1.50 for .308. I don't see the other "new" calibers being available for significantly less, plus I'd be out the cost of the gun, possibly a scope and whatever other set-up is needed. If I needed ammo for a high-demand caliber that I have, I'd be better off to just buy the ammo.

Now, if I'm just looking for an EXCUSE to buy a different gun, then yes. It could be an excuse. :)
 
Not me either, being a reloader, as long as I can find projectiles I don't sweat what's on or not on dealer's shelves.

The only stuff I sweat is my match related components. 9mm and .223 bullets can be a PITA to source. After the last Obama election shortage I started laying in enough boxes of bullets for each caliber I own to keep going for quite some time. Even for my high density stuff like my 3Gun .223 55 grm FMJ match loads, I've got enough put back for a couple seasons. Once I reach a certain stock-age, I start searching for replacements.

Baring a coyote invasion, I've got enough Nosler 55BTs on hand to keep myself and my coyote hunting buddies going for a few years. I've also got enough Nosler .270 and .260 ABs and BTs on hand to take a large chunk out of the eastern KS deer herd. Basically enough in both calibers to shoot out their current barrels.

Every time I think about a new gun or gadget I simply take an inventory of what I have in stock to keep enjoying what I currently have........
 
There was a time when I experimented with many different cartridges. But the older I get the more I realize the difference between 26 and 35 caliber is pretty insignificant. I can kill all of the same animals with a 6.5 CM that I can with a 35 Whelen. The fast ,magnums shoot a little flatter and add a little useful range, but cartridges like 308, 7-08, and 6.5 CM will kill the same animals at ranges farther than I have the skills to shoot. If you like, and have more confidence in bigger faster cartridges then by all means use them and have fun.

I'd advise settling on whatever you like and stock up on ammo or loading supplies for it.
 
I've been somewhat interested in trying out the 7mm-08 and .280 ai for a while, but with a few good 6.5 CMs and .30-06 in the stable, I haven't been able to talk myself into the purchases.

I do think I'll build a 6mm ARC AR at some point, and maybe a Howa Mini if they ever come out.

Also, I haven't had a .357 in a while, and I kind of want a S&W 66 Combat Magnum. On the other hand I could just get a S&W 69 and load up some mild .44s for a similar effect.
 
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I did something similar. Yesterday I bought a Savage 17HMR. Never owned one, but the ammo is plentiful here. Sure, I got enough 22 lr to last several years, but I look at it as being able to put my 22 ammo in reserve and shoot what I can currently replace. Same thing with my triple deuce. Needs must, and I needed an excuse to buy another gun.

Mac
 
For me?

...They need to bring something to the table.

- .22 LR.
- .270 WIN. (Medium Scoped Bolt Rifle)
- 5.56mm NATO (Mini-14)
- .30-06 SPG (M1 Rifle)
- .357 Mag. (Light Aperture Bolt Rifle)
- 6.5x55mm (Medium Aperture Bolt Rifle)
- 3.9x62mm (Heavy Scoped Bolt Rifle)

"Form follows function."
- Frank Lloyd Wright -




GR
 
If i could find a cheap 7wsm i would. Theres a pile of the more expensive rounds for 20 bucks a box available right now. That would also get me plenty of cases to ware out the barrel with.
 
LoonWulf said:
If i could find a cheap 7wsm i would. Theres a pile of the more expensive rounds for 20 bucks a box available right now. That would also get me plenty of cases to ware out the barrel with.
Click to expand...

Still trying to figure out how the 7WSM died and the 270WSM took off. If at the very least, why didn't they speed up the twist on the 270WSM.
 
Funny, many of my rifle purchases were 'despite' rather than 'because' of the chambering. Chambering is seldom even a consideration for me anymore. But then, my goal is usually just comfortably making holes close together in paper with something historic.

It seems like I need a new set of loading dies every time I acquire another milsurp. The real challenges are the odd bullet diameters, like the 7.35 Terni/Carcano -- once you've got dies and brass, the rest is usually pretty straightforward when you handload.
 
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Buying a relatively obscure cartridge because it remains available during a panic is short-sighted. Consider the logistical supply chain response during a panic: desired products are sold out, so manufacturers redirect efforts to focus on capitalizing upon THOSE products, and typically will reduce or cease production of off-peak, low demand SKU’s. If a panic phase sustains, the product you bought off of the shelf at the beginning will not get replaced back to the shelf until long after the prime SKU’s are resupplied.

In effect, if you’re that low volume shooter who is sated by the three or five boxes sitting on the shelf or a couple hundred bullets and a pound of powder, then your logistics are really irrelevant - you’re simply not shooting enough to ever let yourself be beholden to supply chain. Buy enough to cover your needs for two years, have it on the shelf, and it will be resupplied as you need it. Be realistic about your volume, and accept that if you ran out because you shoot 5 boxes per year and only had 3 on the shelf, you’ll survive the few months waiting as penance for lacking foresight.

Alternatively, if you’re at the other end where you’re shooting thousands and thousands of rounds every year, you should be sensible enough to keep your pantry stocked well enough to survive the winter. Same deal as above - acknowledge your needs and market trends. I tell new competitive shooters all of the time: buy enough to have on hand to keep yourself fed for the winter, it’s pretty simple math.

It’s the silly guys in the middle shooting several hundred or a couple thousand rounds per year and living hand to mouth with hundred ct boxes of bullets and one pound jugs, or single boxes of ammo, then complaining when their (non-existent) supply runs out - I have no sympathy for these folks at all.
 
gotboostvr said:
Still trying to figure out how the 7WSM died and the 270WSM took off. If at the very least, why didn't they speed up the twist on the 270WSM.
Click to expand...
Yeah, i dont even have any good theories since the old "cause 7mms from those wierdos across the big water" should have played out by the time the WSMs were announced.

The 270wsm carrying a slow twist, while i guess not surprising (what bullets in general, much less hunting bullets, NEEDED a faster twist then?) Is one of the more vexing decisions to me.
Ive got a few buddies who own .270wsm, all tikka, all long action. So far the longest bullet that will stabilize is the 145eldx. Tho to be fair i havent tried the 150ablrs in the newest t3x of the bunch.....dont have them anymore.
 
.455_Hunter said:
As soon as that "less popular" ammo is sold, it's going to be a long time before it's gets replenished. Part of the reason why I stocked-up on that type of ammo just after this whole thing kicked-off.
Click to expand...
I have to go with this. Your new and exotic rounds may be available now, but those are the last rounds to be loaded after the more popular rounds are brought back into market. Most companies only have one run of these calibers a year. You might not see them for another 12 to 18 months, and that is during "Normal" times. Probably be longer now. I heard from my LGS that the distributors were saying that the ammo factories were a year behind.
 
Yes. One local dealer has a couple of new rifles that chamber a classic old cartridge, and I have, from time to time, checked a different local dealer that had the ammo. I will check again, later this week, after my payday deposit. I’d rather wait until the end of the month, when I get a quarterly infusion of cash, but could start a lay-away, and buy the ammo, at the end of this week. Notably, however, the on-line dealers do NOT have this cartridge in stock, so, I have to look, both places, before I leap. I can monitor the rifles’ real-time availability, with my iPhone, so I would check on the ammo, first. I am not going to jinx myself, by being more specific. ;)

Earlier this year, I very nearly bought a local, pre-owned, pristine Tikka CTR, .260 Remington, with the ample availability pf .260 ammo being a factor. The rifle had been in the rack, unloved, for many months, but then someone bought it a mere hours before I was scheduled to act. (This was what taught me to avoid posting specifics about future potential purchases on-line.) I know that .260 Remington is not so trendy, anymore, but it would be sufficient for my plans.
 
I’ve been looking at other calibers, but not as a way to bypass ammo shortages. For me, it’s based purely on what I want to add and would’ve added anyway.

I’ve been wanting a 30-06 and want to get an all weather hunting rig

My daughter is beginning to hunt so I’m looking at 243 or 7-08

Would like to have an AK from an old Com Bloc nation, so 7.62

But for no other reason than I just would enjoy having these.
 
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