Boy there are sure a bunch of new cartridges now

[Don Lovel]

I just heard about AR uppers being available in .375 SOCOM, a .458 SOCOM necked down and can be used on .223 lower.
.224 Valkyrie, pushes a 90gr at 2700fps
.25/45 Sharps, comes close to matching the old.250-3000 cartridge performance
6.5 PRC shoves a 6.5 147gr to 2900 fps
6.5-300 Weatherby, I just watched a video of a guy hammering a big Utah bull elk at 650yds with one, dropped him in his tracks.

Amazing bunch of cartridge engineering going on.
When I was a kid, my dad's cousin, Hervey Lovell got all kinds of acclaim for his .22 Lovell, predicessor to the . 22 Hornet.
I remember when the .264 Win Mag from Winchester and 7mm Remington Mag cartridges were introduced.
.264 Win Mag in a 1957 Winchester Westerner killed a coyote at a measured 675yds in the hands of one of my grandpa's friends, folks were flat out amazed by these wildcat performance cartridges.

 

[Heliman]

I remember the introduction of the 7mm Rem Mag. My Dad jumped in with both feet for that chambering by purchasing a Model 700 in 1962. I didn't get sucked in to a new chambering until the 375 Win. was introduced in the early 80's. I bought one and deer hunted with it for several years until the novelty wore off.... I also just had to have a Model 700 chambered in .300 Rem Ultra Mag. I don't own either one of those rifles now.

Nowadays I hunt deer with a Cooper 52 chambered in 7mm-08. Other than that I rely on such chamberings as .300H&H, .348 Win, and the venerable 30-06. With me, I guess what is old is new!

PS...The '06 is a Ruger American as is my coyote gun, a 22-250. Both of which are tack drivers.....

Dave

 

[pisgah]

I remember decades ago when a certain laundry detergent began advertising itself as "New and Improved!" Turns out the only part that had been "improved" was the box.

Marketing never changes. Take something that's been around for 100 years, change the packaging -- Presto! New and Improved!

 

[gunzo]

I'm calling them "almost" & "nearly" cartridges. According to the articles I've read... The 22 Nosler, almost as fast as a 22-250. The Valkyrie, faster than the Nosler, nearly as fast as a 22-250.

Seems the OP has just coined another term for them "close to", as in "the 25/45 comes close to matching old 250-3000 performance".

The 6.5 PRC just about matches the 6.5-284 Norma. "Just about".... I came up with another one, maybe I could get big bucks in the marketing business. :mrgreen:

Better cartridges & a big selection of them for the AR platform is kinda neat & in some way it might evolve to help our troops. That would be a wonderful thing. The rest are just new ways to spend our money.


New!!!!! & improved??

One outta 2 ain't bad :roll: :lol:

 

[Three50seven]

The problem with all of these is that they are designed for the AR platform, and therefore must give-up some quality attributes already found in cartridges which are already established and commercially successful in order to fit within the parameters required to fit in an AR-15 or AR-10 style rifle. The ammo companies have all jumped on the AR band-wagon as a way to attract a younger generation. By making cartridges for the AR that are "almost" comparable to ones that only work in those old heavy wood-stocked guns that grandpa used to shoot. Gunzo really hit the nail on the head with his post.

I drank the .300 BLK kool-aid for awhile, buying an American Rifle chambered in it. It was a fun, accurate little gun, but it couldn't do anything that the 30-30 doesn't do better and has for over 120 years. So, I sold it and bought another 30-30.

 

[grobin]

IMHO the AR platform-particularly pumped out-appeals to the video games/Star Wars crowd.
Yes I see the advantage of just buying a relatively cheap upper to get a new caliber; but as pointed out these are often compromised by reality and there are better (maybe more money)ways to get there without the AR!

I remember when the 264 came out, nearly bought one, but they radpidly got a rep for eating barrels, so I passed. A new cartridge is not necessarily better.

As for the viability; judging by commercial ammo loads and number of companies loading them: SOCOM, 450 Bushmaster, and 50 beowulf appear to have come and gone. The only AT I own is in 300 BLK. Almost all the ammo I've run through it is subsonic. In an extent it is tied to the hearing protection act (legalize suppressors).

 

[FergusonTO35]

I find myself going backwards, to older and older cartridges. I already have 4 .30-30's, I think my next lever action is going to be a .38-55. One of my .30-30's is sighted in for 8.8 grains Unique/113 grain lead flat point: basically a strong .32-20. BTW I'm 39 years old.

 

[wwb]

If one were to be really honest, all you really need is a .22 rimfire, a .30-06 (or .308), and a 12 gauge. Note that I said "need"......

 

[9x19]

The AR platform is enjoying the same level of cartridge experimentation that bolt action rifles have enjoyed for decades.

It is a good weapon for many uses, including hunting. I only own 8 these days, and only in 4 chamberings, but it is fun to watch. I like those that are based on 5.56 brass just because there is so much of it out there.

The .277 Wolverine may be the next big thing in that regard.

I am only 59 years young.

 

[Psb1911]

I'm waiting for a 5.5 Creedmoor!

 

[BigBlue]

There isn't much that can't be done with the old .30-06.

 

[elkeater]

There isn't much that can't be done with the old .30-06.

Very true, but that new 270 win is the ticket out west. Both rounds are among the least expensive and most available big game ammo.

 

[FergusonTO35]

There isn't much that can't be done with the old .30-06.

But what fun is that?

 

[planetcat]

When i was a kid, the .30-30 lever action did it all, and maybe a .38 special in the home. As i get older, i find myself gravitating back to traditional calibers (hunting and woods carry), like .30-06, .308, .357/.44 mag, .45 acp. The availability is abundant, cost of ammo low, and it does the job. I am intersted in some of these new boutique calibers, but wont trade in what I have for them. If i bought an A/R, it would probably be in .223 or maybe .308.

 

[FergusonTO35]

6.5 Creedmoor is the only cartridge introduced within my lifetime that I am really stoked about. Of course, it's not entirely new as wildcatters have been necking the .250 Savage up and down for decades.

 

[Rocdoc]

6.5 Creedmoor is the only cartridge introduced within my lifetime that I am really stoked about. Of course, it's not entirely new as wildcatters have been necking the .250 Savage up and down for decades.

Did not know anything, or even cared to know about the 6.5 Creedmoore, until it was chambered in a K77RSI. That got my attention instantly.

 

[kmoore]

Some just need (ready want something different). Afew posted the good old 3006 is all that is needed. I agree it is a fine cartridge but, if you look around you will find a lot of guys thought that could be better and wildcated it. Always someone wanting to make a better mouse trap. As long as we keep buying, I am sure someone will come out with a newer widget.

 

[Alan in GA]

I thought we were all required to have a 30/06? Thinking that made it real easy to grab a new No.1S when Cabelas let a few go for $799!!!

 

[Rocdoc]

Truely a smoking deal on the 1S 30-06. We all are required to own a 30-06!

 

[grobin]

Well I don't know. The 06 is a good hunting caliber, I took a bunch of deer when I was in high school and if I wanted meat I had to shoot it. But for long range particularly for target the 6.5 Creedmore is better. I didn't drink the 338 Winchester nor the 5.56 kool-aid; newer isn't usually better in firearms.
BTW I don't own an 06 anymore.