Saw an article listing what the writer believes are redundant or overrated rounds, and thought I'd share it and see what you think about it.

http://www.americanhunter.org/...ed-rifle-cartridges/

meh...
I agree with the 300 Weatherby Mag or anything designed as a hunting round that needs 26" of barrel to make a very slight difference in real ability to knock something down as it knocks you down on the other end.

My reaction is that the gun scribes are running out of topics to write about. Pointless article...

7mm Mag

If you read it carefully, it says:

Hi,

my name is Phil, and the editor tells me "we need to generate some E and Snail Mail to justify our paychecks; so write something silly/stupid that will do that..."

It's why print media is in such a downspin.

I agree with the fellow.He must be good as his job.The 270WSM is the worst round ever.I will take note of his name.

No needle pricking dolls on my end.
I agree 100% on all 5 cartridges especially the .223. However, the .223 is here to stay because it was a military selection.

For my thinking you can add the .308, 7-08 and .260 in the feeble design dept.. roger

It's nice to see we have the freedom to speak our minds whether right or wrong.
I don't have a dog in the fight but I'll be the first to approve of a guy's "need" for a new rifle or new cartridge. This includes any of the 5 "outcasts".
Just look at all the "nostalgic" rounds that guys build top-tier customs around. Now THAT'S silly! .... or is it?
Zeke

Feeding issues with short mags...come on...that was first gen rifle issues long ago addressed. Talk about out of touch with reality.

Overrated in these parts

7RM hands down

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
Overrated in these parts

7RM hands down

Around here it's the 45/70 - everyone thinks it's the ultimate grizzly bear defence gun!

I read the article a week or so ago, terrible.
So in his eyes the 300 WBY, 270 WSM, 220 Swift, 458 WM and .223 are overrated?
What bullshit!
Apparently he had nothing to write about that month....
My 2 favorite over rated rounds have already been taken 7 mm Rem Mag, although capable the hype is way beyond it's capabilities and basically has nothing over a 30/06.
45/70 is the other one that has been exaggerated since the Buffalo hunting days.
oh well to each his own.

IMHO these aren't the only ones. opinions vary widely of course. But take high (er) velocity, use by a government somewhere, and the words "new and improved. " Add in some glitzy advertising and the inevitable "testimonials," and you have.... A fishing lure.
As in... guy walks into a tackle shop and sees huge display of fancy lures. Asks salesman if they catch fish. Salesman says,"Dunno about that but that but they sure catch fishermen.. "

I think I could as easily make a case FOR these cartridges as against them. Redundant or not the new stuff keeps it interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
I think I could as easily make a case FOR these cartridges as against them. Redundant or not the new stuff keeps it interesting.

+1

+2 . Excellent summation Mark.
All I can say is he don't have much modern experience reloading the 458. .

I don't know about in recent years but the 300 Whby was about the most popular big game client's rifle in Alaska. Kinda hard to call a round that had taken that much game redundant. I don't personally like the round but it sure does work great at what it s supposed to do. The 223 is my favorite small bore round. If for no other reason than I get so much free brass at the range
The 270 WSM isn't my favorite either . But I know lots of guys that love theirs. Same with the 220 Swift.

And the 7 mag beats the 06 all hollow

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

I agree 100% on all 5 cartridges especially the .223. roger

Blasphemy.....the .223 is everything the .222 should have been and the .222 just might have been the finest cartridge of all time. I only wish that I had purchased one when I was 16 instead of that dreadful .270 pump I bought.....I'd have been far better served with the .222.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian564:
redundant or overrated rounds,

Why, in "sam hill" isn't the .338 Federal on this list.

(That ought to get scottfromdallas' blood roiling..... )

I shoot four .270 WSM's along with my son and six grandsons and grandaughter. I have many rifles from .243 WSSM through .416 Rigby. I hunt all big game along with my son, the grandkids are mainly deer hunters although two grandsons got their Elk. They all want to shoot the .270 WSM's. A 130 grain bullet at 3450 fps up to a 160 gr. bullet at 2960 fps has a wide range of usage. My only problem is I will have to get more when they all want them and I will not hesitate. I load everything we shoot making it easy to pick and choose the ideal bullet for the animal hunted. Don't disparage the .270 WSM in front of any of my bunch. Largest game taken so far is Elk and we look forward to many years of hunting with them. No reloading problems after hundreds of rounds. Good Shooting.

He could've easily added the 378 Weatherby, though the 375 Weatherby is a nice cartridge.

IMHO the 222 should be there. If you want accuracy the 6ppc will outshoot it by a wide margin and for hunting or mid-range target shooting the 223 is a better cartridge; cheap, readily available brass and more velocity, especially with heavy bullets. I re-chambered my 222 700VS to 223AI and I'm glad I did. It now makes a much better PD rifle. 22/250's are kind of short on barrel life.

Whoa, you can't talk about the .222 Rem like that.


It's a perfect cartridge - it looks like someone left his .30-06 ammo in his pocket and then washed the jacket - perfect miniatures.

Out of those, I've only owned the 458, but with new powders it works as it should have all those years ago - a replacement for the 450 NE

I reckon this was written to drum up page views and mail.

I'm quite happy to let everyone shoot with what they want - some of those calibres I will probably never own - doesn't make them bad or obsolete.

Most overrated: 30-06

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Originally posted by Brian564:
redundant or overrated rounds,

Why, in "sam hill" isn't the .338 Federal on this list.

(That ought to get scottfromdallas' blood roiling..... )

It's not overrated because no one cares about it. Should be on an underrated list.

Whoever this writer is, should get on his horse and get back to the real world, oh, by the way--stop payment on his payroll check. Course, opinions are like the person that spouts them.

quote:

Originally posted by thecanadian:
Most overrated: 30-06

Ain't that the truth!!!!

I know it won't go well with many here but the .243 Winchester would be at the top of my list. Too big for serious varmint work, too small for decent deer work. I've owned a couple of .243 Win rifles and I enjoyed shooting the round. But it disappointed me when I used the round it on deer.

The only cartridge that is not over rated is the 50 BMG. Sporting rounds punch paper, flesh, and bone. WE have supported the industry THEY have created with articles like this. All the cartridges then and now do the same thing, exactly. Some do it with more perceived precision, other more authority, while some claim to have cornered the market on efficiency. Ford - Chevy or PPC - BR or Post - Kellogs, pick your poison. The beauty is in the options. All rounds are under-rated and redundant. It's all in who you ask. I would say chalk one up for the writer, he did his job.

Why did they ever invent the 270 Win when the 6.5X55 was around 30 years earlier and killing all kinds of game around the world.

AND they had to make it an odd bore - no really popular round in that bore since!

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

I agree 100% on all 5 cartridges especially the .223. roger

Blasphemy.....the .223 is everything the .222 should have been and the .222 just might have been the finest cartridge of all time. I only wish that I had purchased one when I was 16 instead of that dreadful .270 pump I bought.....I'd have been far better served with the .222.

Golly! There wasn't a .223 when I was 16.

HHmmmm OK I'll buy your dream. roger

Does it REALLY matter what any of us think in the overall scheme of things???

Personally, I have never had the desire to own/use a .270/.308 or 30/06. However, if a beginning hunter asks me to recommend a good caliber to start out with, I automatically recommend, the .270/.308 or the 30/06.

They are proven performers, World Wide, providing the hunter does their part.

Is the .300 Weatherby over rated? I have had both the .300 Win Mag and the .300 Weatherby. I have ended with the .300 Weatherby, can it do ANYTHING a .300 Win Mag or .300 H&H or 30/06 can not do, No.

Can my .375 H&H do anything my .300 Weatherby or a 30/06 not do, not really. Instead of looking at whether a particular cartridge is under rated or over rated, we should be looking at the concept that we have so many choices.

Is there a LOT of overlap concerning the levels of performance among the many chamberings, Yes.

The deal is, what is wrong with that?

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
I know it won't go well with many here but the .243 Winchester would be at the top of my list. Too big for serious varmint work, too small for decent deer work. I've owned a couple of .243 Win rifles and I enjoyed shooting the round. But it disappointed me when I used the round it on deer.

I used it on two elk, did fine. The grizzlies around made me a bit nervous so I stepped way up to a 270 ...

Let's see how many salute this vastly over rated round.....the old .45-70!

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Let's see how many salute this vastly over rated round.....the old .45-70!

About 1953 I was a kid hunting up north in VT with my late dad and staying in a tourist home where the owner was a hunter.

While talking guns there after dinner the senior there brought a Winchester M86 45-70 out to try to sell it to my dad.

It was nickel plated and had pits on it's finish and maybe the bore. He wanted $10 for the 86. (ten dollars $)

I wanted it as all I had was a new Rem. M722 222.

They charged $15 ea. there for adults to say one night including breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My dad said no, he said it was too rusted.)

From the length of this thread I would say that the article was as successful as both the editor and the author had hoped.

Any cartridge appended with: WBY, WSM, WSSM, RCM, UM, SAUM, or the 338 Fed.

375 H and H the way people think its the bulls balls and Nuclear powered

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
Any cartridge appended with: WBY, WSM, WSSM, RCM, UM, SAUM, or the 338 Fed.

Any of you silly asses looking for Universal agreement on this subject, are as I stated Silly Asses!

Just for the fun of it, how many of you commenting on this subject are or would be willing to accept the concept of just being able to choose from the limited number of cartridges that some folks believe are proper?

This should be interesting as I do not remember ever talking to anyone that wanted to be limited to a handful of chamberings that some folks believe are the Cat's Meow.

EVERY cartridge is overrated, depending on which yahoo is doing the talking.