Best Caliber That Never Took-off

[Owen Sparks]

Gentlemen,

There is a world of difference between hard to find but still manufactured rounds like the .41 Magnum, and obsolite handload only propositions like the 9MM Federal. The .41 Magnum never really "took off" but it has survived as a commercial loading for 45 years while the 9MM federal was still born.

 

[BushyGuy]

.243 WSSM was the best i ever shot for long range, i wished there was ammo plentiful in stores -which is why i sold my Winny Model 70 in that caliber , it got too expensive and too hard to find the ammo.

 

[JohnKSa]

The huge success of the .40S&W has always left me wondering why the .41AE died so quickly...

 

[Manco]

The huge success of the .40S&W has always left me wondering why the .41AE died so quickly...

The answer should be obvious: different timing and circumstances. That's how the market usually works, anyway. All of the calibers that made it fully into the mainstream benefited from a positive combination of both, although there is of course no guarantee of how long they will maintain that status. If you want to get more specific regarding .40 S&W, then I'm sure that the FBI's light 10mm Auto load had a lot to do with that, and it is of course also a story of how 10mm might have almost made it.

 

[MinnMooney]

.223 WSSM (and to a lesser degree, the .243 WSSM& .25 WSSM).

The .223 WSSM is an awesome performer and very accurate.

They started out being chambered in several makes and models of rifles but every year there are fewer. I'd wager that in 5 yeaqrs, there'll be zero rifles produced in these calibers. The .223 WSSM will possibly be the last to be produced since it has such a huge performance lead over the .223 Rem.
The other 2 have a much less commanding performance lead over the .243 Win. and the .25-06.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

25-35 Winchester... it's metric twin was sort popular in Europe. Loaded with spire pointed projectile (bolt or box mag fed rifle) it it a very good mid sized game round.

I tend to agree --- 38 Super should have outclassed-outsold the 9 MM Luger for years.

If Glock or SA would build a couple of poly pistols around it... it would probably be popular

 

[Justin Holder]

8mm Remington Magnum

308 Norma Magnum

9.3x57

264 Winchester Magnum

 

[22-rimfire]

The 264 Win Mag had a reputation of being a barrel burner. That is my guess why it was never popular.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

.224 Boz
400 Corbon
.357 sig
10mm
Why the .243 is more popular for deer than the folowing is beyond me
.260
7mm-08

 

[heeler]

Another vote for the 6mm Remington.
And while we are at it include the 280 as well.

 

[oldgold]

41 AE +1

9x23 Winchester

 

[MMCSRET]

22 Jet; as in a S&W Model 53
357/44 Bain & Davis
7-30 Waters
22 Remington Special
All good rounds and all chambered in fine guns, but; OH WELL!!!!!!!!

 

[hillestadj]

.260 Remington

.376 Steyr

 

[Justin Holder]

222 Remington Magnum

6.5mm Remington Magnum

404 Jeffery

405 Winchester

350 Remington Magnum

 

[Bohemus]

5,6mm Superrapid

 

[MMCSRET]

22 Eargensplittenloudenboomer

 

[Sport45]

Has anyone mentioned the .375 Winchester? I like that one out of a "Big Bore '94"?

Have a .400 Cor-Bon barrel and reloading gear for it. I'm not surprised it went by the wayside. Probably only shot mine 3 dozen times before I was underwhelmed enough.... I'll keep the stuff so one of my son's can try it out someday. Maybe they'll like it better.

 

[birdshot8's]

4 pages, and still no mention of 221 fireball. low noise, high accuracy, sexy name. and i also wish the 256 win. had made it.

 

[kludge]

.358 Winchester

.480 Ruger

 

[alsaqr]

The .264 Winchester magnum.

 

[Ronsch]

.44 amp

 

[wow6599]

9x25 Dillon - 125gr at 1700fps & 800 ft lbs.

Why did this one not take off?

 

[Dionysusigma]

The 10mm seems pretty popular. Glock makes 10's.

They also make pistols chambered in .45 GAP...

My vote goes to 7.92x40mm CETME.

 

[dougw47]

best cal. that never took off...

Okay, I'll play...
-.358 Win.
-.348 Winchester...Rem./Marlin...are you listening???
-.32 Winchester Special, just because!
-6mm Remington...much better than the .243
-41 Mag. (sold my Dan Wesson, I'd pay 2x for it back)
-.257 Roberts(Thurs. this week,I have to choose it or the 6mm Rem. rebarrel)
-.444 Marlin...still in production, not really a fit for this discussion
-9mm/.45 Winchester Mag.s
-30-30 Win. (wish some one would buy one)
-.280/7mm Express.4 pages, one vote?
...better ballistics than the .270 OR .30-06 at 500 or a 1,000yds!
-5mm...why stoop to a .17hmr?

ans finally...
+1 for the 9mm Fed.
better performance than 38 +P+, and no extraction problems! Great CCW!

next?

 

[nelsonal]

The .284 Win is probably the most interesting round that never went anywhere.