Dead and Dying Cartridges...

[Xrayist]

Long live the .41mag! Perfect for every occasion.

When I bought my first handgun, in 1973 at the age of 16, (yes, technically my Dad bought it, but I paid for it), it was a Blackhawk in .41 Mag., 6.5" barrel. About a week later, I went to a local gun shop to buy some components. The owner told me I made a big mistake buying a gun in a caliber that was going to be obsolete, no more components or ammo manufactured for it, within a year, 18 months at most. Even back then I had little tolerance for ignorant people, so found another, much, much better gun shop to do business with. Sold it many years ago, a really stupid thing, but have since owned more than half a dozen .41 mags.

 

[GunnyGene]

She wants to know what the hell you mean by that comment.View attachment 39641

The other Carrie :

 

[Boxhead]

All of the short mags, Win, Rem and Ruger. That said, I recently bought a well scoped stainless synthetic M70 dirt cheap. Once fired Win and new Norma brass was easy to find as was some factory ammunition. I always wanted to fiddle with one.

 

[wwb]

Back in the early 70s, I lived in Colorado. Bought a M70 in .264 Mag for those long shots. Sold it out there when we moved back to the midwest. I haven't looked for any .264 ammo, but I'll bet it's darn hard to find.

 

[Joe Reilly]

Almost bought a Ruger 77 in .300 RCM because it was left handed. Maybe I should have.

 

[Zonker5]

Once had a Policeman tell me he got rid of his.40. When I asked why he said "The guy I shot with it didn't die.".

 

[the_leper_colony]

Once had a Policeman tell me he got rid of his.40. When I asked why he said "The guy I shot with it didn't die.".

Wonder if he replaced it with a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range? I hear those things are 100% lethal, 100% of the time.

 

[kcsteve]

Wonder if he replaced it with a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range? I hear those things are 100% lethal, 100% of the time.

The 1.2 gigawatt is also very good.

 

[Hankus]

I thought everyone had one.

I like the .454 Casull, especially since I can run .45 Colt through it too. I just ordered some more Starline brass for it, and oh yeah, some .327 brass too.

 

[Rich/KY]

For those of us who reload, and particularly for those of us who reload and cast our own bullets no cartridge really dies until brass, or donor cases that can be reformed, disappears. For those who do not reload once ammo production ceases the cartridge is effectively dead.

 

[FFguide]

Cab32, I have the exact Ruger revolver in 480 Ruger and love it. Hand loads of 400 gr WFPGC @ +- 1100 FPS. Over kill for Whitetails, but it carries comfortably in a Simply Rugged chest holster.

 

[Pál_K]

There's also .35 Remington, which I consider an aesthetically beautiful cartridge. In fact, I liked the .35 Rem so much that I bought a Marlin 336 RC just to shoot that caliber. It's a 1966 rifle with a period-correct 4x Weaver scope I added. After sighting-in, I fired 11 shots on my target, shown below.

There's the .358 Winchester, which should've replaced the .35 Rem if you look at performance, but it didn't. I don't think I've ever seen a box of .358 Win.

 

[MHtractorguy]

I own, carry and shoot a converted Norinco 213 in 7.62x25.
I do reload for it but components are harder to find than factory loaded ammo.
The fireballs coming from that muzzle make me wish I could find a carbine to shoot these from.

 

[FFguide]

Pal_K, I could not agree with you more about the 35 Remington. Like you, I own a Marlin 336RC in 35 Rem. Absolutely love the rifle and caliber. It is so comfortable to carry and quick to get on target. Most likely my fondness is associated with hunting with lever actions as a young man in my home state of Maine. I am a fan of the 35 Caliber that I had a custom 358 Winchester 15" barrel made for my Encore Pro Hunter handgun by Bullberry Barrels in Hurricane, UT. It is a sweetheart with an attitude.

 

[RSIno1]

I think the only way to tell what is dying is track sales over the last 10 years.

 

[Pál_K]

I'm surprised the .22 Short and .22 Long were not totally obsoleted by the .22LR. I see a lot of them in sporting goods stores, so they must be popular.

 

[gnappi]

No cartridge is dead if there's a parent cartridge it can be made from. Luckily the .480, .357 Sig, .40 all have a more ready supply of parent brass, for now.

 

[eveled]

I think the only way to tell what is dying is track sales over the last 10 years.

The numbers would be influenced by shortages panic buying and the pandemic.

Pretty much everything they made sold quick. The last ten years probably used up all back stock that had been sitting for years.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Long live the .41mag! Perfect for every occasion.

That reminds me, a neighbor gave me an old tool bag, loaded down to busting with various brass, bullet heads and even a few ancient loaded rounds of "thurty-thurty". But MOSTLY .41 mag brass and heads. Since I don't HAVE a .41 mag anything, I'll want to trade those off for something...

As far as "old timey" "obsolete" cartridges go, HA! Try to find a decent supply of .375 Winchester! I bought a mint Marlin in that caliber, intending on making it a fine black bear rifle, until I couldn't find any ammo for it at all. (Okay, the tiny amount I DID find was so outrageous, it was hopeless!) That was, of course, until JUST after I sold the rifle for a 45-70, THEN I couldn't go through a gun show without tripping over some... (my luck!) It would have stayed like that had I kept that .375 for 20 more years, too!

My cartridge that I love that everybody calls "obsolete" is that darn .357 Sig, I LOVE that round in both my G32C and a KKM barrel converted G35, best compensated gun I've every used for the 32C and crazy accurate in both. Luckily, I bought a bunch of .357 Sig from TSUSA years ago.

 

[gnappi]

>>SNIP<<

My cartridge that I love that everybody calls "obsolete" is that darn .357 Sig, I LOVE that round in both my G32C and a KKM barrel converted G35, best compensated gun I've every used for the 32C and crazy accurate in both. Luckily, I bought a bunch of .357 Sig from TSUSA years ago.

The .357 Sig was the darling of many LEO organizations, then someone must have complained about the volume or recoil and it was gone. Down here .357 Sig brass was ankle deep after LEO's finished training at a local outdoor range.

The sig is a near perfect round... higher cap than a .45, unbelievably reliable feeding, enough power to outclass other 9's like the super and 9mm.

As long as the 10mm stays alive this time, I can make .357 Sig. Too bad even Sig dropped the round.