That's true. New toys, tools in this case, are fun to have.

That's the only reason my Father switched from his 30-06 to a .270 years ago. It's not that the 30-06 he had was problematic, or inaccurate. He just wanted a different gun.

Now that he's moved to his .243 over the .270 to have less kick, his .270 will never take as many deer as his 30-06 did in his hands.

That still does not change the fact that some people don't use their tools enough to be effective with them though.

Easy one.....a .35 Whelen....because it's big enough and mine is exceedingly accurate and terribly reliable.

Rifles, if well cared for, will last a really long time. It's rare to have to replace a rifle because it's just plain worn out. The most common reason most people who already own rifles buy another one is to get a different caliber. So it is of no benefit to the gun companies, gun magazines and gun stores to tell you that the old standard calibers you already possess will probably serve you just fine in killing virtually any North American game animal. How are they going to sell you anything that way? No, they have to convince you that you need the new super, ultra, whiz, banger, mega, quantum, ballistic, photon, magnum. Only drops X amount of inches at 700 yards and still has enough foot pounds of energy at that range to hit a bucket of goat p**s and transform it into gasoline. Never mind that 95% of the hunters in this country are never going to take a shot that far in their whole life and if they did they would miss because they have never practiced shooting that far. Naaa, to heck with common sense logic. It's a frickin laser beam man and YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE ONE OR YOU ARE A LAME @$$. And as a nice ancillary benefit to the people selling you the new super mag gun they will probably also be the ones selling you the mark 14 torpedo length shells for the thing at about 60 bucks a box. LOL!

This post is a waste of cyber space. WTF?

Typical magnum hater.:confused0024:

I think we can all agree, there is no replacing marksmanship !

Now that we all know that; use enough gun................right tool for the right job !!!


You can bang a nail into a board with a wrench, I prefer to use a hammer.

You can hammer roofing tacks with a ten pound sledge hammer too but I'd rather use a smaller hammer better suited to the task.

Given the quality of your posts in this thread, trust me, you have no firm ground to stand on when it comes to accusing others of wasting cyber space. LOL!

"...........better suited to the task." Todd


Thanks, Exactly my point.............use enough gun !!!

There have been several valid points and opinions in this thread. I agree most hunters don't "need" a magnum but I'd rather have one and not need it, than to need one and not have it.

Furthermore, why does anyone care what someone else hunts with as long as it is legal?

Lots of interesting comments...and I do like Fritz's comments and several others on here,they make sense to me and I feel pretty well the same as several do about the different Cartridges out there.If someone chooses a Magnum Rifle then that fine with me,just learn to be accurate and efficent with it for how far You know it can reach out and be accurate.

I have a .270 WSM Browning Medallion that I have hunted a few times with....do I really need it for where I hunt,not really it would be better suited for more longer range open area type Hunting.The only reason I have it is because it was passed down to me from a Family Member that passed away,personally I wouldn't have went out and bought that Caliber to hunt with myself but for sentimental reason I harvested a nice Buck in memory of them.


I also Hunt with a Compound Bow and have learned to let the Deer get in a lot closer,for me it has made me a more Patient Hunter and with the AR's (Antler Restrictions) in several Counties thru out Missouri we have to be sure if a Buck has the legal amount of points before we can shoot them.