Answers to Questions Nobody Asked

[eye5600]

re: .327 Federal

I think the verdict is out. I doubt it will disappear, but I tend to doubt it will stimulate a lot of investment from the manufacturers. My reading of the market is that no one is much interested in the .32 caliber rounds except people who want to get 6 rounds in the same size as a 5 round .38. There are, for example, very few full size .32 pistols. Most of the full size .32 revolvers are not aimed at the SD market, but at cowboy shooting, etc. Current thinking in SD is for a larger caliber or expanding bullet, rather than for deepest penetration.

There is the promise of practicing/plinking with .32, the loading with .327 for HD. I wonder how practical it really is. Ruger warns that accuracy may suffer using the weaker ammo. My guess is most people think they will be better off with a .22 for plinking and different weapon for HD.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Had a local department trade in their .357 Sig Glocks for .40 S&W Glocks because ammo prices per case were too high. Otherwise I do know lots of fans of the .357 Sig.

 

[kanook]

Otherwise I do know lots of fans of the .357 Sig.

US Airmarshalls

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The 45 Gap was designed to give you the power of the 45 auto in a grip (or frame) of the 9mm so you could double stack and fit most hands. Ok Idea but never went anywhere.

Yes and no. The .45 gap most certainly was not an "OK Idea", as has been demonstrated many many many many times. Yes, a more ergo 2-stack WAS/IS an "OK idea". But Taurus made an extremely ergo .45 caliber 2-stack with a 9mm-sized grip, without changing cartridges.

It was PURELY 100% a lack of R&D ( i.e. laziness/greed combo on the part of a certain Austrian company) that led to the creation of the .45 gap. So, sure the question of "smaller grip please for my .45" had been ASKED, but it had also already been ANSWERED with the Mil Pro / 24/7 line of guns (as well as the Wilson KZ45), and copycats that followed, retaining the .45 acp.

So the GAP is arguably the king of un-needed calibers. Wait, drop the "arguably".

 

[ArmedBear]

There is the promise of practicing/plinking with .32, the loading with .327 for HD. I wonder how practical it really is. Ruger warns that accuracy may suffer using the weaker ammo. My guess is most people think they will be better off with a .22 for plinking and different weapon for HD.

The catch here is that factory ammo has gotten really expensive for plinking.

Reloaders already have .38/.357 setups (I've even got two sets of identical dies, one left set for .38 and one for .357 so I don't have to fiddle with them).

The .327 may end up a casualty of the current whack ammo market, for better or worse.

 

[ArmedBear]

OTOH I would have thought that the S&W 329PD is an answer to a question nobody asked (ultralight .44 Magnum revolver?!?), but people sure buy them.

 

[Justin]

Okay,King of Blued. What CAN a .260 Remington DO better than a .270 win,6.5x55 swede or even a 7mm-08? Seriously.

I can't speak to the cartridges that you've listed, but .260 Remington is a fantastically accurate long-range cartridge with commonly available components.

More info here.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

That is true Justin but it still doesn't answer the question because what you stated also applies to the cartridges I listed as well as many others.

 

[ArmedBear]

What CAN a .260 Remington DO better than a .270 win,6.5x55 swede or even a 7mm-08? Seriously.

This is a two-pronged question...

On the one hand, we do have many cartridges with a lot of overlap. Hell, throw in the .30-06 and .308, too if you want, and you still have a legitimate, "If you already have X, why buy a .260?" question.

On the other hand, there are specific answers to your question:

.260 can do what better than...

.270: fit in a standard American short action, and therefore is better for a compact and/or lightweight rifle.

6.5x55: fit in a standard American action/magazine length, period, plus the above.

7mm-08: same bullet weights, longer bullet for long-range accuracy.

How much better? That gets back to my first point, but with the counterpoint in what Justin posted above.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

"If you already have X, why buy a .260?"
The ONLY acceptable or needed answer to this is "Because I WANT one"

 

[DeepSouth]

I can't believe no one has listed the .450 Marlin. I have one and love it , but I think most people say it is pointless. I guess I see their point, but I like mine to much to talk about it like that.

 

[wally]

It was PURELY 100% a lack of R&D ( i.e. laziness/greed combo on the part of a certain Austrian company) that led to the creation of the .45 gap. So, sure the question of "smaller grip please for my .45" had been ASKED, but it had also already been ANSWERED with the Mil Pro / 24/7 line of guns (as well as the Wilson KZ45), and copycats that followed, retaining the .45 acp.

Agreed, but the .45GAP was also little more than a rip-off of the .45HP round designed for countries where "military" calibers are illeagal for civilians.

Compare the XD45 to the Glocks in .45GAP and you'll see the uselessness of the idea.

--wally.

 

[everallm]

All I can say is PLEASE, not yet another .338

* 338 Marlin Express

* 338 Federal

* 338-06 A-Square

* 338-06 Ackley Improved 40-Degree Shoulder

* 338 Ruger Compact Magnum

* 338 Winchester Magnum

* 338 Norma Magnum

* 338 Jamison

* 338 Remington Ultra Magnum

* 338 Lapua Magnum

* 338-378 Weatherby Magnum

And I'm sure I've missed one or two.....

 

[win71]

That's the clue............

"If you already have X, why buy a .260?"
The ONLY acceptable or needed answer to this is "Because I WANT one"

Actually one could have assembled his hunting rifles 70 years ago and probably still been fine. 220 swift, .270, 300 H&H, and 375 H&H. That should take care of just about anything that walks or crawls in this continent.
I have all four of these but alas I have about 20 other calibers too.

Today there's several calibers in and around each of these, a few of which are a little better in some way but there isn't anything that's a whole lot better, practically speaking anyway.

 

[BhmBill]

I can't believe no one has listed the .450 Marlin. I have one and love it , but I think most people say it is pointless. I guess I see their point, but I like mine to much to talk about it like that.

The .45-70 didn't need replacing, I think the .450 marlin was a waste of resources BUT, it doesn't hurt to have more cartridges out and nothing i've ever read or heard has said anything bad about th .450.

 

[CoRoMo]

Remington's R-15 or R-25, its 30 Remington® AR round,
or any other company's attempt to make a feel-good black rifle.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Here Is My Thinking on This...

There is, likely, no need a rifleman could have that hasn't already been filled by some caliber or rifle/caliber combo. We all have our favorites. If firearms manufactureres want a steady supply of customers they HAVE to continually introduce "Bigger,Better and Improved" products. Otherwise we shooters would be content with our old standbys and not buy anything else. If ,say, the Remington 700 or Winchester 70 or Savage 110 only came in 30.06, where would that leave the market? New cartridges come out to generate new buyers NOT to meet an unfullfilled need. And...that is OKAY,by me. Wildcatters do it for FUN and that, too, is OKAY by me.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Winchester certainly backpedaled on their WSSM rifles. The calibers never really 'caught on.' Or they wouldn't have DUMPED the left over rifles on the market at discount prices.

.450 Marlin never made much sense to me. You've got to do something substantially bigger/better to replace the .45/70's intended role.

 

[Kentucky]

He he! My favorite answer every time this question comes up, is the 270 I'll take a 308 or 30-06 any day, both are more capable than the 270. If I dont need a 308, then 223 will get the job done!

I know, I know. It's just my personal opinion but I am sticking with it

Calibers I will never buy:

17 HMR
270
.41
.25
.32

 

[Joe Demko]

You're depriving yourself, then. The .17 HMR is a wicked fun little cartridge.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Okay,King of Blued. What CAN a .260 Remington DO better than a .270 win,6.5x55 swede or even a 7mm-08? Seriously.

In a word, it's efficient. The .270 and 6.5 Swede are both long-action, so the guns will be a bit heavier. Brass for the .260 is also much easier to find than for the Swede. Bullet selection for the .260 allows you to launch higher-B.C. bullets out to distance, consequently the .260 Rem with heavy bullets will stay supersonic further than the parent cartridge .308 Win as well as the 7mm-08.

Those are a few things off the top of my head. Zak Smith has written on the cartridge quite a bit, so if you're interested, you should look for those articles.

 

[Ed Ames]

If I didn't already have a swede I'm happy with the .260 would be on my short list. Once you've already got a 6.5x55 rifle, brass, dies, and everything else there's not much point but if .260 brings 6.5x55 performance to this continent that's a good thing.

 

[BhmBill]

Calibers I will never buy:

17 HMR

You're depriving yourself, then. The .17 HMR is a wicked fun little cartridge.

Very much so. Incredible little cartridge. No recoil, pin point accurate, damn near no drop. Nothing bad to say about that cartridge. You're missing out, Kentucky.

 

[CapnMac]

Let's add the .280 to this list.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

KOB I still don't see anything there that makes the .260 BETTER than other similar calibers. Short action means nothing and a little extra weight makes for a more stable shooting position. ".260 Rem with heavy bullets will stay supersonic further than the parent cartridge .308 Win as well as the 7mm-08." Unless you are shooting 400-500 yards,I can't see where this is particularly important. I'm all for a diverse selection of guns and calibers but most all of them will accomplish what the shooter wants. None are truely BETTER as they will ALL put little holes in targets at ranges limited more by shooter skill than distance or caliber.