I wonder how many people have been hurt/killed by dangerous game wounded by calibers too light for the species? (Either directly or indirectly)

I also wonder how many of these shots with insufficient calibers have attempted as a result of Bells writings?

One things for sure, I am positive Bell would not have advocated that the average hunter should shoot elephant with a 7x57 or similar!!

I have not yet read any of his books but look forward to doing so.

fla3006,

Well, something is strange then. I confirmed for myself, in one of my books, that Bell died in 1951 as you say. But I remember reading an article by Bell (or an interview of him) where he talks about the .308 as eldeguello states. I may have the article saved somewhere but I'll have to look for it. Anyone else remember this or know more about it? (I'm not trying to be agrumentative. This has just got me curious now.)

-Bob F.

"Speaking of Bell, in later years, he wrote that of all cartridges then available, (1954) he thought that the .308 Winchester, loaded with a solid bullet at least four diameters long, (220 grains) would be the ideal load for the kind of elephant shooting for which he once used the 6.5X54mm and 7X57mm. He thought that the short action required for this cartridge would make cycling a new round into the chamber faster and more reliable."

Bell died in 1951. The 308 was introduced as a sporting round in 1952 and adopted by the military in 1954.

I have always liked the 308 and consider it just fine as a deer /hog cartridge. I have seen ot perform perfectly on elk too but these observations come from people that can shoot.