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.....

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.

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

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

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.

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 Wonder how many they'd sell then?

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.

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.

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.

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