If you could resurrect a dead cartridge, which one would you chose?

[Corn-Picker]

Assume that you have the power to make an obsolete cartridge popular again, which one would you choose and why?

I would resurrect the 280 British, as I think it would be the perfect deer cartridge for most beginning hunters. Unquestionably enough power for deer at any range a new hunter would shoot and modest recoil. The 280 British will propel a 140 grain bullet at 2550 fps, producing 2000 ft-lb of energy at the muzzle. The 7mm-08 is a fine round, but at 2600 ft-lbs I see it as being more of a deer/elk cartridge, i.e. it's more than you need (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that).

 

[jim in Anchorage]

.577 express. Easy question.

 

[JeffG]

.458×2-inch American
A wildcat created by Frank Barnes. I suppose all I would have to do is have a rifle chambered for it...but it was a great bolt action cartridge.

 

[hdwhit]

In "ressurecting" the obsolete cartridge, does it have to return the way it was when it became obsolete, or can subsequent developments in technology be applied to it in its resurrected form?

 

[jonnyc]

When I still had my French 1935A, I would have said the French 7.65 Long cartridge.

 

[mokin]

Interesting that you would bring up the 280 British. I think that would've been a cool round as well. I've also been intrigued by the 6mm SAW and the 276 Pedersen.

I don't know about "resurrecting" them though. These days, there has been enough work on wildcats that you could probably find what you want by looking around some. As I handload most of my centerfire ammunition, I guess the biggest benefit to resurrecting such cartridges would be the availability of firearms.

 

[Jimster]

44 Henry

 

[MachIVshooter]

None. Truly defunct cartridges are gone for a reason, and we have so many currently available rounds that overlap each other as well as the obsolete ones. Take your .280 British (or the .276 Pederson), with ballistics that are easily duplicated by the 7mm-08, 7x57 and 7-30 waters, which are soft shooters by any standard.

 

[Gordon]

a modernized version of .267 Remington. One that would give a 75 grain bullet about 2200 fps in a rifle

 

[Varminterror]

I agree with @MachIVshooter, if they're dead, most likely they are dead for a reason.

There are a few NEAR obsolete rounds out there today which I hope don't go down the tubes, like .256win mag, but most of these can be easily wildcatted/recreated in the absence of factory brass.

I wish a few were more popular so their brass supply would become more reliable - like the RSAUM's and RUM's.

But when a cartridge simply fades into obsolescence, for good reason, lamenting over it is like doing so for the Model T... Look up and you'll find a cartridge as good or better which is readily available.

I'll admit too - I think the 6.5 and 7 Mausers are going to be a thing of the past in the not so distant future. Just not enough support for mid-length actions these days, and their popularity is waning fast.

 

[Llama Bob]

.38-70 AI - it could match factory .375 H&H loads in a modern steel (e.g. Miroku) 1886 lever gun. There really is no modern substitute.

 

[Varminterror]

.38-70 AI - it could match factory .375 H&H loads in a modern steel (e.g. Miroku) 1886 lever gun. There really is no modern substitute.

I'd expect there's no modern substitute for this unique pairing because it's doubly obsolete - .38-70 AND dangerous game leverguns! As much as I enjoy them, it's a modern reality that lever action hunting rifle sales are going the way of the Dodo, especially so for dangerous game.

 

[Llama Bob]

I'd expect there's no modern substitute for this unique pairing because it's doubly obsolete - .38-70 AND dangerous game leverguns! As much as I enjoy them, it's a modern reality that lever action hunting rifle sales are going the way of the Dodo, especially so for dangerous game.

I'm not so sure that's the case. The .45-70 1895 continues to be a strong seller despite the fact that the Remarlin guns have not been... ideal. For better or worse there's 141 of the darn things on Gunbroker right now. I see them at the range all the time. Public interest apparently didn't get the memo they were dead.

Dangerous game rifles overall are slow sellers, agreed. But there are more .45-70 1895s on gunbroker than there are CRF .375H&Hs of all sorts. If anything the leverguns are the best performing part of the segment.

 

[Varminterror]

Despite a few one-off fellas applying the Marlin 45-70's above their standard capabilities, I absolutely don't count the Marlin 1895 in .45-70 to be a Dangerous Game cartridge or rifle, as compared to the .375 H&H. Potent, without question, but not really there.

I've been down that road in my own shoes trying to get .45-70 Marlin only loads to match up to .458win mag levels, which we often see touted online, but there's a very distinct offset when you compare apples to apples. The best of the .45-70 might nearly match the least of the 458wm or 375H&H, but when the belted mags put their foot on the gas, the venerable .45-70 gets left behind.

There were Marlin .38-55's made not so long ago, but these also fall short of the .375H&H. If the .38-70 could honestly match .375H&H in an 1886, there's a marked offset in what the Marlin 38-55's and 45-70's can do.

 

[Mr. Hill]

.40 S&W.

A little rainy day gun humor there for ya.

 

[Bart B.]

30 Newton.

 

[Cannibul]

None. Truly defunct cartridges are gone for a reason, and we have so many currently available rounds that overlap each other as well as the obsolete ones. Take your .280 British (or the .276 Pederson), with ballistics that are easily duplicated by the 7mm-08, 7x57 and 7-30 waters, which are soft shooters by any standard.

a modernized version of .267 Remington. One that woud give a 75 grain bullet about 2500 fps in a rifle

That's what I've been wanting for years...almost.

Straight wall cartridge, center fire, around .25 caliber. The 75 gr bullet at 2500 fps would be awesome out of a 20" barrel. Imagine that and a revolver in the same round!

 

[I6turbo]

.40 S&W.

A little rainy day gun humor there for ya.

Haha! I was scrolling through to see if anyone had already posted that.

 

[Llama Bob]

Despite a few one-off fellas applying the Marlin 45-70's above their standard capabilities, I absolutely don't count the Marlin 1895 in .45-70 to be a Dangerous Game cartridge or rifle, as compared to the .375 H&H. Potent, without question, but not really there.

I've been down that road in my own shoes trying to get .45-70 Marlin only loads to match up to .458win mag levels, which we often see touted online, but there's a very distinct offset when you compare apples to apples. The best of the .45-70 might nearly match the least of the 458wm or 375H&H, but when the belted mags put their foot on the gas, the venerable .45-70 gets left behind.

Dangerous game doesn't necessarily just imply Africa. Plenty of people have protected themselves from bears with the .45-70 in the States and Canada. And lots of buffalo have been hunted with it in Australia.

However, the .45-70 is just fine for Africa too. It'll do 2100 ft/s with a Woodleigh 405 soft and Punch Bullet 405 solid in an 1886. About 2000 ft/s in an 1895. That's .404 Jeffery territory, and the .404 was the elephant control rifle of choice for decades. Admittedly, powder and bullet choice is insanely limited to hit those power numbers, but it can be (and has been) done.

There were Marlin .38-55's made not so long ago, but these also fall short of the .375H&H. If the .38-70 could honestly match .375H&H in an 1886, there's a marked offset in what the Marlin 38-55's and 45-70's can do.

The key here is "AI" - .38-70 has such a retarded amount of taper on it that if you don't blow out the shoulder, there's nowhere to put the powder

I don't actually have one to test, but simulation suggests you should be able to get between 2400 and 2500 ft/s with a 300gr bullet in a 24" barrel. That's in line with most factory .375 H&H.

 

[tark]

The 280 Ross. The original 7mm Magnum. And the first cartridge to exceed 3000 FPS. In 1907. the original load was a 145 gr bullet at 3145 FPS. With today's powders it can be loaded to about 90% of a 7mm Remington Mag. Only problem is the .288 dia. bullets it uses. That could be corrected during a re-introduction.

 

[Tommygunn]

44 Henry

Really into those ancient rimfire rounds, huh? Now, if they were to start making Henry Rifles again in that original caliber it WOULD be fun.

 

[1border4manu]

6.5 Rem Mag.

 

[wally]

For me, 5.75 mm Velo Dog. Not because of any merits of the cartridge but to bring back the time when shooting feral and dangerous animals was a public service instead of a crime.

 

[.308 Norma]

6.5 Rem Mag.

I'll second that. If the 6.5 Rem Mag was still around, and chambered in some decent rifles with full length actions, Remington might never have developed the .260 Remington. And if they'd never developed the .260 Remington, we wouldn't being hearing all the hype about the "mighty" 6.5mm-08 (260 Remington).
Just kidding folks - I think the .260 Remington (6.5mm-08) is probably a fine cartridge. But no better than a 7mm-08, and not a lot better than a .243 (6mm-08).

 

[blue32]

32 and 38 short and long rimfire. I'd like to see both in a modern lever and bolt gun.