Surprised at lack of .308 prominence ...
11-20-2015, 01:09 AM
#61
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
Nm, another dependable source should be sales of reloading equipment specific to caliber. (Dies,bullets or manuals particulary)
Last edited by Game Stalker; 11-20-2015 at 01:28 AM.
11-20-2015, 02:24 AM
#62
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: central Ky
Posts: 2,867
That's the way they used to gauge popularity is sales of reloading tools & components per cartridge/caliber. I do know that after .22 rimfire (.22LR), .30 of various forms is hands down in the USA after the .223/5.56. I think the .223/5.56 (lumping them together), 30-06, 30-30, .308, .270, 7mm rem mag, 300 win mag, .243 and after that I don't know.
11-20-2015, 07:30 AM
#63
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
I don't know how dated this info is ??
1. .308 Winchester - The .308 is one of the best selling cartridges in North America and the world (#5 on most lists), so it is no surprise that it interests many readers. It is the premier all-around cartridge for short action rifles.
2. .270 Winchester - The thousands of page views garnered by my article "The Great .270 Winchester" shows that interest in this classic all-around cartridge remains high. It is #3 on most North American sales lists, and it is popular all over the world. The .270 has been the standard of comparison for long range hunting cartridges for three quarters of a century, and it may be the best balanced all-around + long range hunting cartridge ever devised.
3. .30-06 Springfield - In sales, this is the most popular hunting cartridge in North America, and it is one of the elite worldwide cartridges. Many experts regard it as the best all-around hunting cartridge in the world. The .30-06 is in use on every continent where big game is hunted, so it is no surprise that its article gets a lot of page views.
4. .45-70 Government - The interest shown in this cartridge by the readers of Guns & Shooting Online came as quite a surprise. My article "The Good Old .45-70" must have been well named, as it has gotten a great many page hits. The .45-70 is, indeed, a very good old cartridge, and the most popular big bore in North America.
5. .30-30 Winchester - The .30-30 is one of the top selling rifle cartridges in North America (#1 to #4 on the sales lists, depending on which list you read). Interest in the cartridge remains high, probably partly due to its romantic association with the Old West, and partly because it is one of the best 200 yard deer and medium game cartridges ever designed.
6. 7mm Remington Magnum - The 7mm Rem. Mag. is the most popular belted cartridge in North America, number 7 on most ammunition sales lists. It is a fine all-around cartridge, deserving of its world-wide popularity. So it is not surprising that my article "Long Range Power: The 7mm Remington Magnum" regularly gets thousands of page views.
7. .223 Remington - This cartridge owes its popularity to its adoption by the USA and NATO as a standard military round. But it is also a fine, accurate, varmint cartridge and a pleasure to shoot at the range. Ammunition is widely distributed and inexpensive. The .223 (5.56mm NATO) is #2 on most sales lists and the top selling .22 centerfire rifle cartridge in the world.
8. .270 WSM - The .270 WSM has apparently taken the lead in the short magnum sweepstakes, at least among the readers of Guns and Shooting Online. This is not a surprise, as it is probably the most useful of the breed, and the only one that isn't simply a duplicate of another cartridge.
9. .300 Win. Mag. - The world's most popular .300 Magnum is the Winchester version, which is in the top 10 on most sales lists. This popularity is evidenced by the strong interest shown in this cartridge by Guns and Shooting Online readers.
10. .243 Winchester - The .243 is one of the lightest recoiling, long range, medium game cartridges in the world. It is also a capable varmint cartridge. The .243 is a very popular cartridge worldwide (number 6 on most lists in North America). It deserves the interest that its article receives.
Note: All of these cartridges are covered in detail on the Rifle Cartridge Page.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/readers_ch...cartridges.htm
1. .308 Winchester - The .308 is one of the best selling cartridges in North America and the world (#5 on most lists), so it is no surprise that it interests many readers. It is the premier all-around cartridge for short action rifles.
2. .270 Winchester - The thousands of page views garnered by my article "The Great .270 Winchester" shows that interest in this classic all-around cartridge remains high. It is #3 on most North American sales lists, and it is popular all over the world. The .270 has been the standard of comparison for long range hunting cartridges for three quarters of a century, and it may be the best balanced all-around + long range hunting cartridge ever devised.
3. .30-06 Springfield - In sales, this is the most popular hunting cartridge in North America, and it is one of the elite worldwide cartridges. Many experts regard it as the best all-around hunting cartridge in the world. The .30-06 is in use on every continent where big game is hunted, so it is no surprise that its article gets a lot of page views.
4. .45-70 Government - The interest shown in this cartridge by the readers of Guns & Shooting Online came as quite a surprise. My article "The Good Old .45-70" must have been well named, as it has gotten a great many page hits. The .45-70 is, indeed, a very good old cartridge, and the most popular big bore in North America.
5. .30-30 Winchester - The .30-30 is one of the top selling rifle cartridges in North America (#1 to #4 on the sales lists, depending on which list you read). Interest in the cartridge remains high, probably partly due to its romantic association with the Old West, and partly because it is one of the best 200 yard deer and medium game cartridges ever designed.
6. 7mm Remington Magnum - The 7mm Rem. Mag. is the most popular belted cartridge in North America, number 7 on most ammunition sales lists. It is a fine all-around cartridge, deserving of its world-wide popularity. So it is not surprising that my article "Long Range Power: The 7mm Remington Magnum" regularly gets thousands of page views.
7. .223 Remington - This cartridge owes its popularity to its adoption by the USA and NATO as a standard military round. But it is also a fine, accurate, varmint cartridge and a pleasure to shoot at the range. Ammunition is widely distributed and inexpensive. The .223 (5.56mm NATO) is #2 on most sales lists and the top selling .22 centerfire rifle cartridge in the world.
8. .270 WSM - The .270 WSM has apparently taken the lead in the short magnum sweepstakes, at least among the readers of Guns and Shooting Online. This is not a surprise, as it is probably the most useful of the breed, and the only one that isn't simply a duplicate of another cartridge.
9. .300 Win. Mag. - The world's most popular .300 Magnum is the Winchester version, which is in the top 10 on most sales lists. This popularity is evidenced by the strong interest shown in this cartridge by Guns and Shooting Online readers.
10. .243 Winchester - The .243 is one of the lightest recoiling, long range, medium game cartridges in the world. It is also a capable varmint cartridge. The .243 is a very popular cartridge worldwide (number 6 on most lists in North America). It deserves the interest that its article receives.
Note: All of these cartridges are covered in detail on the Rifle Cartridge Page.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/readers_ch...cartridges.htm
11-20-2015, 07:39 AM
#64
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hayes, Va.
Posts: 2,332
It's not just a "smaller bullet" that makes it a better round raf. Significantly less recoil offers 2 things. Better option for younger hunters or those that are highly recoil sensitive, and less muzzle rise for faster target re-acquisition. It's flatter shooting and you can get better performance out of a shorter barreled rifle. Fantastic selection of bullets from the 7mm lineup makes for a VERY good cartridge for everything up to and including Elk. I just had a .338fed built to replace my longer range shot rifle in 7mm08 for the simple reason I wanted a bit more authority on impact at 400 yards on Hogs. The 7mm08 performed well but I wanted something with some more "thump" to put those long range hogs on the ground quicker on "vitals" shots. 338fed is yet another cartridge based on a .308 parent case. The case is wonderful but the .308 is mediocre when there can be SOOOOO much more done with that case.
I was deer hunting the other day and capped a large female coyote, 45 lbs, with a 338 Federal. I love this round and wanted to finally take my Kimber 84M out in the woods. And actually the round was a little over kill on a yote, but would not let this killer go without ending her life.
As to your comments I completely agree!!! Good hunting.
11-20-2015, 08:06 AM
#65
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
I'll pay closer attention to confirm or disprove this, my wife and I tend to keep a close eye on what's on the rack at Cabela's and Gander near us, and - without exaggeration - I don't recall seeing rifle chambered in 30-06 on a shelf in a few years (before Gander Mountain in Wichita remodeled their store.
Most of the Walmarts in Wichita no longer carry guns, but the one on the West side that I know does stock guns hasn't had a 30-06 that I have seen since they built it (I don't go over there too often though).
That's kinda the curiosity that drove my question - I haven't seen 30-06 or 308win rifles on shelves in a long time, so even though I'd REALLY like to believe they're still popular, I really don't think that's true.
I won't touch the 30-30 notion with a 10ft pole while wearing a rubber glove - it's very clear where leverguns in general stand today. 25yrs from now, unless there's a levergun revival between now and then, the 30-30 might be obsolete!
I'll do some calling over lunch tomorrow and over the holiday week, I'll see what companies, or at least which gun counter guys will share their numbers. While I think I'll be disappointed to confirm the 30-06 and 308win don't hold top spot any more, I really can't decide if I have a good idea what cartridge might hold that title these days.
Most of the Walmarts in Wichita no longer carry guns, but the one on the West side that I know does stock guns hasn't had a 30-06 that I have seen since they built it (I don't go over there too often though).
That's kinda the curiosity that drove my question - I haven't seen 30-06 or 308win rifles on shelves in a long time, so even though I'd REALLY like to believe they're still popular, I really don't think that's true.
I won't touch the 30-30 notion with a 10ft pole while wearing a rubber glove - it's very clear where leverguns in general stand today. 25yrs from now, unless there's a levergun revival between now and then, the 30-30 might be obsolete!
I'll do some calling over lunch tomorrow and over the holiday week, I'll see what companies, or at least which gun counter guys will share their numbers. While I think I'll be disappointed to confirm the 30-06 and 308win don't hold top spot any more, I really can't decide if I have a good idea what cartridge might hold that title these days.
11-20-2015, 10:13 AM
#66
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
The "new crowd" is who will buy the ammo for their rifles bought off of shelves tomorrow. So when the older generation of guys that loved the 30-06 die off, and enough of the guys that were given a 30-06 or 308win as a kid by the older generation DON'T give a 30-06 or 308win to their own kids - i.e. the people buying the rifles on the shelves today, then the 30-06 and 308win lose favor on the ammo rack too.
I called pretty much everybody making and distributing bolt action hunting rifles today, I got through to two of them, and both confirmed that the 30-06 doesn't hold a top 5 spot for hunting rifle sales. One said if I call back Monday I can get better numbers, but he thought that 308win was probably still in the top 5, but is not the top seller. Both commented that MSR's and 223/5.56 sales command the market - not surprisingly.
Also not surprisingly, both confirmed there is more volatility and more variety in the market. From year to year, their numbers flip-flop, and there are more cartridges with relatively similar, relatively high sales numbers than in the past.
I'll keep following up with these folks, lots of companies to call...
Last edited by Nomercy448; 11-20-2015 at 10:19 AM.
11-20-2015, 10:34 AM
#67
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
.....
I called pretty much everybody making and distributing bolt action hunting rifles today, I got through to two of them, and both confirmed that the 30-06 doesn't hold a top 5 spot for hunting rifle sales. One said if I call back Monday I can get better numbers, but he thought that 308win was probably still in the top 5, but is not the top seller. Both commented that MSR's and 223/5.56 sales command the market - not surprisingly.
Also not surprisingly, both confirmed there is more volatility and more variety in the market. From year to year, their numbers flip-flop, and there are more cartridges with relatively similar, relatively high sales numbers than in the past.
I called pretty much everybody making and distributing bolt action hunting rifles today, I got through to two of them, and both confirmed that the 30-06 doesn't hold a top 5 spot for hunting rifle sales. One said if I call back Monday I can get better numbers, but he thought that 308win was probably still in the top 5, but is not the top seller. Both commented that MSR's and 223/5.56 sales command the market - not surprisingly.
Also not surprisingly, both confirmed there is more volatility and more variety in the market. From year to year, their numbers flip-flop, and there are more cartridges with relatively similar, relatively high sales numbers than in the past.
My take where hunting arms are concerned is that the usual standards: 30-06, 270, 308, 30-30 300WM and 7mm RM, are well entrenched in the market and are highly recommended. The influence of people known or recommendations by unknown influences considered to have knowledge-such as the recommendation we make on this site- will have a big influence on the buying public for years to come.
