The reason short magnums exist is not for the advantage of hunters but for the advantage of gun manufacturers. They present a new opportunity for selling guns to people who already own a .30-06, a .30-30, a .25-06, a .338. When it comes down to shooting at a big game animal, you can get it done with any of these listed cartridges, you don't need the new cartridges. End of story. As far as weight, 6 ounces less weight means more recoil. I don't see shaving a few OZ off an advantage. If you are hunting at high altitude and hiking long distances, I would suggest a little more effort on the treadmill will do more for you than shaving 6 OZ off the weight of your rifle.

As another thought, I would ask those who favor the new cartridges, do you think they are going to stock your flavor of .270 WSM at the bar and gas station in Lone Wolf, Wyoming, when you realize you left your cartridges back at the hotel or back at home on the bouffet and you want to buy some ammo to hunt with? I bet they carry .30-06. And .270. If you are in Elk country, I bet they carry .30-06 and .338 Winchester Magnum.

But it is a free country. It is one of the blessings of our free market economy that if you want it, someone is going to be happy to sell it to you. We don't have to settle for the single offering of bread on the grocery shelf, the single offering of a private automobile, the single offering of toothpaste.

This is so true for the majority of us. There are a few people out there like ridge runner who practice at long range and become proficient at it. It's been my experience that most hunters don't practice enough to become skilled long range shooters, and buying a super duper extra ultra short short fat magnum won't make you magically hit a target beyond your capabilities. I know that location has a lot to do with it, and I live in the east where shots average shorter distances than "out west", but I'm 49 years old and I've been hunting since I was 11. Over those 38 years I have taken only one shot at a deer beyond 200 yards. I paced the distance at 300 paces and my only option was shooting from the sitting position without a backrest. Every time my heart took a beat my crosshairs left the deer. I did manage to break his neck, but I was aiming for his chest. I finally got smart and bought a Marlin 336SS in 30-30 last year. It's not a long range cartridge, but I admit to myself that I'm not a long range shooter. Now that my rifle no longer hurts like heck to shoot, I've become a more accurate shooter.

A lot of great comments - Thank you !

Hopefully, more to come.



I love this one especially....................................


"If I really want to lighten my load when hunting I should look to losing 20 lbs before I start skeletonizing my rifle."

"I think each hunter/shooter should pick the round he really wants in a package that suits him and the round and not lose a minutes sleep over velocity or stroke length."

Very true sir, We often forget that deer were hunted to near extinction with such rifles as the 30-30 and 30-06 or ....gasp..... black powder cartridges like the 30/40 Krag.

Good point. except the 30 / 40 Krag was a smokeless powder round.

Maybe so, I thought it was originally a blackpowder cartridge. I have little or no experience in these matters and revert to fellows who know more. Sorry for the error guys.

maybe there should be a law if you want to create/start loading a new factory cartridge you have to stop reloading one? Or if a company creates a new round, you get to have your rifle rechambered for free, or just a free rifle if you already have say a 7mm RM, you can exchange it for a free/new 7mmWSM.

I remember reading an article on which cartridges we could do without....

Can you imagine if we only had 20 cartridges and every place that sold ammo sold all 20? not sure that would be good or bad...?
Maybe I'll post a 20 rounds only question...

I see your logic but in my opinion limiting any factor of firearm production is a terrible thing.

Jeep,

Haven't been around a reloading bench much have ya? Not busting on you but all the wsm hype is so you go out and buy one. Thats why they do it.

Handload more rounds in a few months then most people shoot in 5 years...

But, I totally agree that the WSM, RUM, and all the other "super mags" are pretty much just hype. Not needed for the average hunter. I also know for a fact that the .270 WSM WILL outrun a .270 Win anyday of the week with ANY bullet...