Six calibers that are going to be obsolete

[Agsalaska]

Ok, I can see, intellectually, the argument against .45gap--that was a round that made as much sense as an "improved" .280

However, given that there are people still shooting 9mm largo (and various kinds of 9x23) .32 french longue, 8mm nambu, predictions for vanishing are slim.

Obsolete just does not mean out-of-production, not with ammo. Firearms are durable goods and last and last.

This is absolutely correct. I know more people than I can count on both hands that still regularly use guns older than me(1977) for personal protection and hunting. Most are still common calibers but certainly not all.

That same point is why the 30-30 is still around and will be long after I am dead. They made so many of them and they were generally speaking so well made that they will kill deer for another century. When you apply that to .40 especially or even .32 and .25 there are too many guns out there to pretend they will go obsolete.

Obsolete cartridges only happen when gun manufacturers don't produce guns chambered in the cartridge. And even then they are still often made in limited production runs for decades(see .375 Win)

 

[Swing]

Agreed with all except the .32 ACP. It lingers on for a good reason.

I do like the .32 H&R, but it will never be anything other than a niche caliber. And the .45 GAP? The answer to the question nobody asked.

But, no, I doubt any of them will be stopped manufactured in anyone who's reading this article in their lifetime. (Heck, they still make .32 S&W and who's shooting a lot of that?)

 

[Brubz]

I keep thinking of back in the 1980s when the experts said get rid of your vinyl turntables ,CD is here to stay. now vinyl turntables outsell CD players 4 to 1. my point is we don't know what's going to happen in the future. all it takes is some future movie or tv show where the hero carries a so-called obsolete caliber gun and the next thing you know everybody wants one

 

[mcb]

I keep thinking of back in the 1980s when the experts said get rid of your vinyl turntables ,CD is here to stay. now vinyl turntables outsell CD players 4 to 1. my point is we don't know what's going to happen in the future. all it takes is some future movie or tv show where the hero carries a so-called obsolete caliber gun and the next thing you know everybody wants one

Except they are both a small fraction of what they once where when they where the dominate media. They are both still obsolete media formats just vinyl has had a minor resurgence, that does not change that its obsolete compared to network-delivered digital formats.

None of the cartridges in that article are any where near their former peak popularity and probably will never return to the same peak again. And in civilian terms that's as good as obsolete in a non LEO / military use.

Has a cartridge ever become popular, fallen away into obscurity, only to return later and become more popular than it was formerly?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I am inspired. My picks for the six gone-never-returning cartridges are
_8.5mm Mars (1750 fps)
_9mm Mars
_.45 Mars Short Case
_.45 Mars Long Case (1250 fps)
_GyroJet
_Dardick Tround

All the Six Gonna Be Obsoletes are more practical than my Gone And Not Rued.

The first four were chambered in the Mars Automatic Pistol (Webley-Mars 1900-1907).
"No one who fired once with the [Mars] pistol wished to shoot it again."-Royal Naval Gunnery School in 1902.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

In the popular-obscure-return in a niche popularity I'd nominate 7.63 Mauser and 7.62 Tokarev.

 

[Brubz]

Except they are both a small fraction of what they once where when they where the dominate media. They are both still obsolete media formats just vinyl has had a minor resurgence, that does not change that its obsolete compared to network-delivered digital formats.

None of the cartridges in that article are any where near their former peak popularity and probably will never return to the same peak again. And in civilian terms that's as good as obsolete in a non LEO / military use.

Has a cartridge ever become popular, fallen away into obscurity, only to return later and become more popular than it was formerly?

Those of us of a certain age can remember a big bore revolver that was gathering dust in the display cases of the local gun shops.
That's because it was deemed too heavy too big to conceal. the ammo was expensive and hard to find.if you could find a holster for it at all it was ugly and uncomfortable to wear. Because of the recoil it was almost impossible to Rapid Fire with any degree of accuracy.
Then in early 1971 Along came a movie called Dirty Harry and suddenly everyone just had to have a Smith & Wesson Model 29 44 Magnum. So yes it has happened before

 

[gyp_c2]

I'm gonna go do something interesting now, like cut my toenails

last time I bought a paper magazine, it had an article proclaiming the death of 30/30 and 30/06...
Threw it in the trash and haven't bought another...

 

[mcb]

Those of us of a certain age can remember a big bore revolver that was gathering dust in the display cases of the local gun shops.
That's because it was deemed too heavy too big to conceal. the ammo was expensive and hard to find.if you could find a holster for it at all it was ugly and uncomfortable to wear. Because of the recoil it was almost impossible to Rapid Fire with any degree of accuracy.
Then in early 1971 Along came a movie called Dirty Harry and suddenly everyone just had to have a Smith & Wesson Model 29 44 Magnum. So yes it has happened before

I guess, but before the Dirty Harry generated interest the 44 Magnum, it was never a hugely popular cartridge. Its not like it was super popular (think 9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP popular) and then faded to obscurity only to have Dirty Harry Make it popular again. It was just sort of simmering along there since its inception in the 50's and then became moderately more popular due to Dirty Harry. I was thinking more like 40S&W mid 90's popularity, fading to current popularity of 38 S&W only to have it resurge to levels equal to or greater than 40S&W 90's popularity. I don't think any cartridge has managed such a feat.

 

[GEM]

I recall the 356 TSW, designed for competition and then faded away.

 

[mcb]

I recall the 356 TSW, designed for competition and then faded away.

Or 9mm Federal. Did it ever get bright enough to fade?

 

[Brubz]

I guess, but before the Dirty Harry generated interest the 44 Magnum, it was never a hugely popular cartridge. Its not like it was super popular (think 9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP popular) and then faded to obscurity only to have Dirty Harry Make it popular again. It was just sort of simmering along there since its inception in the 50's and then became moderately more popular due to Dirty Harry. I was thinking more like 40S&W mid 90's popularity, fading to current popularity of 38 S&W only to have it resurge to levels equal to or greater than 40S&W 90's popularity. I don't think any cartridge has managed such a feat.

I see your point I can't think of any caliber that faded to near Extinction and then came all the way back either.
By the way with Colts reissue of the Anaconda we might just see another uptick in the popularity of .44 magnum that gun is just awesome

 

[kcofohio]

Or 9mm Federal. Did it ever get bright enough to fade?

That CA is on my "just for kicks" list.

 

[.308 Norma]

Or 9mm Federal. Did it ever get bright enough to fade?

Probably not, but I'd like to have one anyway.

 

[MechAg94]

Judging by how fast the Beretta 81 pistols sold out, I would say 32 ACP is hanging around just fine. That pistol is a great compact plinker with a good capacity. The magazines still sell when they are available.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I own and shoot 3 of the six.
.25acp- maybe not too popular, but still a lot of them out there, including my Lorcin.

.32acp- again, still a lot of them out there. The PPK will never die, nor will my FEG.

.40sw- kept by many just to spite those who think 9mm is superior. It's not, and .40sw ain't going away anytime soon especially since it can also be used in 10mm. 357sig and 10mm will probably die before 40sw does.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Judging by how fast the Beretta 81 pistols sold out, I would say 32 ACP is hanging around just fine. That pistol is a great compact plinker with a good capacity. The magazines still sell when they are available.

Many thousands were gobbled quick. Add the low recoil and fun, what a fun gun to shoot. My guess is it has helped spur boostered sales of .32 ACP.

My P32 from Kel Tec has fired 600 rounds with no problems. Fine little pocket protector.

 

[Nytmstr]

I hope 357Sig stays around for a while. Every semi-auto I own is in 357 Sig and I can still find it...I'm waiting for a new order to arrive this week.

 

[Mark 40]

I guess I'm a weird one cause i like the 32H&R Mag over the 327 Mag.

Lefty, I'm weird right along with ya.

 

[jeff-10]

Lefty, I'm weird right along with ya.

Ditto.

I hope 357Sig stays around for a while. Every semi-auto I own is in 357 Sig and I can still find it...I'm waiting for a new order to arrive this week.

If the 38 Super is still around in some abundance, I cannot imagine the 357 Sig is going to disappear anytime soon.

 

[kcofohio]

I hope 357Sig stays around for a while. Every semi-auto I own is in 357 Sig and I can still find it...I'm waiting for a new order to arrive this week.

I have 2 with 357 SIG barrels. I find it to be an interesting cartridge to reload for.

 

[Dain Bramage]

No pictures please!

Unless He's doing it with a .32 Magnum. I hear it doesn't hurt at all.

 

[Elkins45]

I read a blog that made an interesting point about how the current shortage may cause manufacturers to shrink their ammo offerings for years to come. The lines they normally use for small runs of less popular rounds are all being used to help catch up with the demand for 9mm and 223. Nobody is going to tool up a line to make a few thousand cases of 41 magnum until they have made a substantial dent in their back orders for the stuff that outsells it 500:1.

 

[kcofohio]

I read a blog that made an interesting point about how the current shortage may cause manufacturers to shrink their ammo offerings for years to come. The lines they normally use for small runs of less popular rounds are all being used to help catch up with the demand for 9mm and 223. Nobody is going to tool up a line to make a few thousand cases of 41 magnum until they have made a substantial dent in their back orders for the stuff that outsells it 500:1.

I believe it. Even certain bullets get discontinued for a time.

 

[Hartkopf]

I was thinking more like 40S&W mid 90's popularity, fading to current popularity of 38 S&W only to have it resurge to levels equal to or greater than 40S&W 90's popularity. I don't think any cartridge has managed such a feat.

I wonder if 45LC could have made a resurgence that is selling better now than it was in its heyday. It originally was an army cartridge in 1870-something so volume must have been relatively high. But now we have cowboy action and the disposable income of 8 times the population. Probably not but I’m curious.