hardcastonly

I don,t know how many of you gentlemen have been hunting long enough or with enough friends over the decades to have noticed trends in what the guys are selecting or used.
back in the 1970s I and many of my friends used a 270 win-30/06, and most of us had found they worked well,
some guys stayed with those rifles for decades,
bolt actions were almost a standard.
but the 7mm mag and various 300 mags and 243, 25/06 6mm rem, were gaining popularity.
all the magazines stressed the need for flat trajectory,
in the 1980s-90s the 7mm and 300 mags , even a few 338 mags were more common in use,
many guys still used bolt actions but a few single shots were not all that rare.
by the later 1990s and early 2000s the 35 whelen, 338 win even a few marlin 444, and 45/70s were not all that rare,
in the hands of the guys I hunted with, and while not common the BAR and lever guns like marlins and BLR, were not unknown
but as time went on, the magnums ,seemed too loose favor, many guys reverted to the 308 win 7mm 08 and 30/06,
guys wanted shorter and lighter rifles and carbines, as they realized shots made over 300 yards were not all that common,and dealing with recoil was not all that necessary.
I reload for most of the local guys ,
I noticed as my friends aged, the cartridges like the 358 win,450 marlin,45/70, 308 win, 35 whelen,
and even the 7mm 08 gained a following and longer ranges capability were not considered as important.
lately I see guys at the range 25/06, 6.5 creed-more and 270 win , and 308 win, and 270 win are back in favor
Ive reloaded for several guys and I go to the range frequently.
as my friends gained experience , and seemed reluctant too carry a heavy rifle , they seem far more comfortable
carrying a carbine.
now your experiences could easily differ but I find that many of the guys I hunt with have become rather comfortable,
using carbines in moderate power cartridges, like the 308, 358, and 7mm 08
most of the guys I hunt with consider my use of a 340 wby or 375 H&H excessive , yet no one has ever suggested it fails to work, very well.
only that it weights too much and recoils to much, and costs too much.