Everything Old is New Again!
 

Well, I see we have another new set of short magnums. Another Ruger/Hornady development, it seems. A short, fat 30-caliber and a short, fat, .338. The .30 is supposed to equal a 24" barreled.300 WSM in a 20" tube, and the .338 is supposed to be as good as a 24" .323 WSM using only a 20" barrel.

This magic is supposedly attainable with the use of "special" powders. Now, just why these special powders could not have been used for special-performance loads in the existingWSM cartridges issomewhat mysterious. Maybe the innovators will explain this to us dummies. Otherwise, I will be among the "great unwashed" who will be skeptical of our need for yet more short .30's - or .338's.....:eek:

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Because now they can sell new guns and cartridges instead of just the powder. The .338 Federal and .204 Ruger are the same with the powder they use.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I think you're correct. i don't think they will ever sell us any of this powder!

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

If they wont sell the powder and publish some loads why do I want one????:eek:

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

It hurts to admit, but i fell hook line and sinker for the rash of new cartridges 4-5 years ago. I had several 300RUM's, WSM. And guess what I shoot now? A 300win mag. It was fun burnign up a few barrels, but we are not really comeing up with anything new and innovative.

The last thingI think was cool was the 204ruger. 22-250 performance with light bullets but twice the barrel life.

But eventually you want to shoot heavier bullets.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Wonder how the ol 30-06 and 270 numbers would look with that new double secret powder? It would be funny to see numbers equalling the wsm's :DWonder how many they'd sell then?

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I completely agree. They definately don't want to publish any handloading data before they start selling rifles. That is one reason I don't have a .204 ruger.

Who needs a rifle than only achieves its magic performance using factory ammo.

Big Country, I thing the RUM cartridges have a place, but it is a small niche. I think the short mags have a place, but again it is a small one.

In the end, guns don't wear out fast enough, so they need a different reason to sell guns. And I like buying guns. If I had more money I would buy more.

It just doesn't take many brains to realize that you run out of practical reasons to buy more guns pretty fast. Then you have to come up with unpractical reasons.

Another cartridge I wonder about is the new .17 rem fireball. It seems like the answer to a question that nobody asked. However, it does have some appeal if you were saving fur on small critters like fox. Not that there aren't a few choices to fit that bill already.

The point of this rambling post is, while the cartridges in question aren't needed (and probably aren't even wanted), there is no need to get too cynical either. What a boring place it would be if the only cartridges were the .222, .30-06, .375 H&H, and .458 Win.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

The only "new" cartridge I've been glad to see is the 338federal. Even the 204 gets a chuckle from me, burn me if you must. I agree, we shouldn't get too cynical, and maybe it would get boring ... but we'd probably better marksmen and reloaders for it! Even that 338 federal is pretty useless to me until it gets some age on it and smarter, and better funded, minds than mine behind it. I think it's a good observation that some of these new things fill a very specific niche...but they're indeed small.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

The newest round to get my attention is the 35 STA, I'd like to see BIG GREEN load that one, fills the magnum nitch between 338 anf 375.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

My thoughts exactly, there are many more cartridges that could benefit from these new powders and loading techniques I am sure.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I like the looks of the new 375 Ruger. I would like to neck it down to 7mm. Should equal or slightly surpass the 7mm mag without the pesky "belt". Is it justifiable? probably not but thats the Wildcatter in me, I guess.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Ahhh the joys of new cartridges. If this continues I am going to have to buy ANOTHER gun safe and put up ANOTHER shelf in my loading room for all the new dies.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Well, we DO have those "hi-energy" , "lite Magnums", etc., loads from Federal and Hornady. I believe there is supposed to be something special about the way they are loaded too.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Stalkingbear is working on it. He's already made the dies I believe.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Will they kill anything my 300 Wby won't already kill? I've also got a 222 Rem and a 30-06. I probably won't have to sit out any hunting seasons.

I do love reading about them, though. There are a lot of days and nights between hunting and fishing season. :D

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

The goal is of course to sell more product. They certainly won't make anything any deader.. They have a winning pattern though, come out with something different, tack MAGNUM on the end and stay back from the doors.;)

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I realize that companies have to keep generating something new to stay in business. But I have to remember Herter's, an outfit that was "ALWAYS FIRST WITH EVERYTHING NEW", and they went belly-up!

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I see a point with a few of them...The 375 Ruger makes sense to me. The 204 ruger and the 358 STA(mentioned in this thread, designed a long time ago by Layne Simpson, dunno if there are new rifles coming out in this) really are good guns too IMO. A commercialized 35 mag would be the cats meow IMO for the larger NA game.

On another note the 30 TC is the dumbest thing I have seen in my entire life.

The 30 and 7mm(.284) cartridge selections are over-flooded.

The 325 WSM and 338 Federal are OK but what would have been wrong with pushing the 8x57??? Mine loves lots of different loads, current load is a 200 Nosler Part going 2700. Moose, bear, deer, whatever beware!

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

This says it all! :D

Mike

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

The more that they keep coming out with new chamberings, the more that I am skeptical of anything being brought out in the last 10 years. Now I know that the 308, 30-06, and all of the old tried and true rounds will be around for many years to come, but these new ones seem to only be a flash in the pan. But then again, I just dont have enough money burning a hole in my pocket to justify buying a new gun just because it is the hot new thing. You just dont need a new ultra short rocket launching magnum to kill deer with lol, or even an elk or moose for that matter. Also, if the new things take "special powder" to acheive these hot new ballistics, then why do I want to be tied into buying only store bought ammo to be able to shoot my new toy? I dont know about you, but I just cannot stand paying $30-$50 a box of ammo.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

That doesn't surprise me at all. As soon as I read about the 375 ruger, I immediately thought about necking it to 7 mm.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

I think (not sure) it should be right inbetween the 7mm Rem Mag and the STW, by looking at powder capacity.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

[/b]

You mean like the .358 Norma magnum?? An excellent .35 Magnum cartridge, which also came and went...... So did the great, belt-less .35 Newton!

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Here is something that has not been discussed. That is liability. Think of it there are rifles out there in 30-06 that may be 100 years old as well as 270s that are 80 years old and 30-30s well over 100 years old. I know the ammo manufacturers take this into account when loading for those really mature calibers. I am just as sure that the reloading companies/powder companies must look at things in this light too.

RE: Everything Old is New Again!
 

Exactly....Some things just dont catch on! I still am not a 7 mag fan....7x57, 280 sure, i dunno the 7 mags do not appeal to me. Maybe i need to get one. For Moose and Elk etc other large game, the 35 caliber just seems to be a fit....