Just read this in the latest edition of Handloader, very interesting!! The 300WSM and 300 ULTRA both made the top 15, while the 338 failed to make top 20.
1. 30/06
2. 357mag/38Spcl
3. 44mag/44Spcl
4.9mm Luger
5. 223 Rem
6. 270 Win
7. 45Colt/45ACP
8. 308 Win
9. 45-70
10. 243 Win
11. 22-250 rem
12. 300 Win mag
13. 300 Rem ULTRA
14. 7mm Rem mag
15. 300 WSM
16. 25-06 Rem
17.30-30 WCF
18. 7mm Rem ULTRA
19. 7-08 Rem
20. 22 Hornet
21. 338 Win mag
22. 300Wby mag
23. 8x57 Mauser
24. 6.5x55 swede
25. 280 rem
26. 222 rem
27. 450 marlin
28. 260 rem
29. 338 rem ULTRA
30. 220 Swift

John, I guess I have funny taste, but if I want a rifle in one of the Ultra-Mag calibers, the .338 would be the one I'd pick..

Those rankings surely are indicative of the current trends in new rifle sales. It'll be interesting to see how they stack up next year!

AD

I think on the Ultra mags, what you are seeing is a rush to the market and it will level off and they will drop dramatically in the future...I have seen this happen over the years, with the 264, 284 and a few others..

The real deal is which ones stay in the top 15 over a 5 year period like the 270, 30/06 and 308...Also the steady climb of the 338 is worth noteing, it just crawls up one or two notches each year, from a very poor beginning, as well it should.

I think the 338's not to impressive stats on paper didn't impress the velocity minded public, but the results in the killing fields became apparant and it started its move up the ladder....

Thats my take on these stats...based on past observations and I have no idea how correct I am...It's always a crap shoot.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Of course "new" die sales mean what's fashionable. You could infer therefore that the 30/06 is far more popular in total numbers reloaded as the 338 Win as there are far more dies around before the 2001 production was sold.

It's too early to tell about the .300 WSM series but it's a resonable guess that it will replace the standard belted cases.

The Ultra line is too big a case for most bores. A friend at the range who has been to Africa twice and is going right now again is trying to sell his Ultra and Weatherby 416 stuff. He is now practicing with a .416 Remington and a .375 H&H. The recoil is just too great.

Long ago Elmer Keith said that the .338 Weatherby was the best of the long range big bores. I don't want one but Elmer was usually right.

I'm sure that after 5 years the WSMs will show a bit differently, maybe they'll be in the top five!
Seriously, I would have thought the 338s would have been higher than what they are, given all of the good press they receive. And where is the 375 H&H?

John,

Note that 6 of the top 10 are rifles and 4 of those are military calibers and 2 are straight neck downs of military calibers.

I think with new calibers the figures are higher initially because there are no dies out there that are used dies. Also, many people who buy 338s, 375s, 270s etc. have been there before and already have dies or use someone elses dies.

As to the 375, we have discussed before that these forums are no guide to what the average bloke is buying.

I think the 300 WSM and 300 Ultra will do well simply because any 30 caliber brought out by Winhester or Remington is bound to do OK.

One thing which I think will restrict the 300 WSms success is that it is not really suitable for rechambering existing 30/06s and probably most 308s. Undoubtedly rechambered 30/06s helped the 300 Winchester get going.

Mike

[This message has been edited by Mike375 (edited 05-21-2002).]