Great Cartridges But NOt Popular

[MachIVshooter]

I see a lot of ".280 Rem" replies, but I don't think that cartridge really fits into this category. No, it doesn't enjoy the sales that the .270 or .30-06 do, but it really is somewhat common.

Iv always loved the 8mm remington magnum. Id love to own a rifle chambered in it even tho I have no use for a cartridge that powerful. for what ever reason it never caught on

You don't need justification to buy one. I wanted one since I was 13, took me until last year to finally get one (I'm 31 next month). I love it. Recoil is stiff, but manageable. It is a bona-fide long range game cartridge that really outperforms both of it's more popular contemporaries, the .300 WM and .338 WM. I'm pushing 180 grainers at 3,315 FPS from a 24" 700 BDL, and that's not even a max load.

I don't think anyone really knows why it didn't catch on. By all means, it should have, being introduced during the height of the "magnum craze". Best theory I've heard is that Americans by and large just aren't enamored with 8mm bore. Seems plausible, especially considering the dismal sales of the .325 WSM.

 

[helotaxi]

I see a lot of ".280 Rem" replies, but I don't think that cartridge really fits into this category. No, it doesn't enjoy the sales that the .270 or .30-06 do, but it really is somewhat common.

I've seen one, exactly one, rifle in .280 in person in my life. It was almost 20 years ago now and it was a Steyr. To my knowledge, only Browning currently chambers the basic .280 and Nosler chambers the .280 AI. Not exactly common at all.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

30-40 Krag.

Also, my grandpa never stops talking about his 250-3000 that he rebarreled to a 22-250. I think there might be a little regret there. Haha!

 

[RPRNY]

I've seen one, exactly one, rifle in .280 in person in my life. It was almost 20 years ago now and it was a Steyr. To my knowledge, only Browning currently chambers the basic .280 and Nosler chambers the .280 AI. Not exactly common at all.

Well, here's another: the ubiquitous Handi Rifle

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/89056

 

[helotaxi]

Cool.

 

[oneounceload]

I will add, (if someone hasn't already) the 6mm BR and the 7mm BR - both outstanding accuracy to 300 yards and capable for varmints, predators, and smaller big game like antelope and white tail - as well as target shooting

 

[Voodoochile]

.218 Bee

.32-40 WCF

 

[MachIVshooter]

To my knowledge, only Browning currently chambers the basic .280 and Nosler chambers the .280 AI. Not exactly common at all.

Currently or very recently (as in still available NIB) chambered rifles in .280 Rem/.280 AI (and I'm sure I've missed a few):

Browning
Kimber
Ruger
Remington
H&R/NEF
Winchester
Sako
Tikka
Thompson-Center
Weatherby

Ammunition:

Federal
Remington
Hornady
HSM
Norma
Winchester
Nosler
Corbon
Doubletap


The .280 has pretty much always had steady (though unspectacular) sales.

 

[Fiv3r]

I've always thought the .303 British should be more popular than it is stateside. It's got a lot of things going for it. While it's not hen's teeth, I don't see any of it on the shelves at the sporting good stores.

 

[Toml]

Add the 6.5X50SR to the bottom of the heap. A well-behaved round in the uncommon Type 38 Arisaka carbine.

 

[Float Pilot]

250 Savage (aka 250-3000) a real medium game getter.

300 Savage ..... it was the 308 before there was a 308.

308 Norma Mag. almost the same as the 30-338 Mag wildcat 3 years before the 300 win .

358 Win.... A great cartridge that never really caught on.

9x57mm .... almost the same as the 358 win, but 50 years earlier.

348 Winchester ... A super excellent big game lever-gun round.

350 Remington Mag. the original Short Magnum. Suffered from the wrong rifle & rifling.

358 Norma Mag. Intro 1959m what the 338 win mag wants to be when it grows up.

416 Taylor.... A 416 bullet at a reasonable velocity and a reasonable recoil.

458-two inch American. A short 458 invented by Barnes 50 years ago so it would work in Standard mauser action with teh bullets loaded long. A change in the belt location made it the 450 Marlin.

 

[ttheel]

I have seen .280 listed several times in this thread. It is pretty widely used around where I live. Not sure that I would call it not popular in my neck of the woods.

 

[tahoe2]

the problem with a thread like this? It just makes me want more unpopular calibers/guns to reload and shoot !