Why is there not more out there on the .338 Razorback? I've got one and it's quieter than any of my 300 Blackouts and my 8.6 blackouts. Way easier to load for than the 8.6. Is it because the .427 bolt face? I'm really wanting to build one in a bolt gun but the bolt face has been an issue.
I’ve only seen 2 cartridges that came from small shops gain widespread market acceptance in the AR-15 over the last 35 years:
1. 300 Whisper, which was taken by Remington/AAC and re-branded as the 300 Blackout. It was originally conceived and developed by JD Jones of SSK.
2. 6.5 Grendel
The rest of the successful ones have been born from large ammunition manufacturing companies like Hornady, Winchester, Remington, Federal, and Nosler. Most of the new cartridges have not gained much traction in the market either, even when launched by the big names due to not providing much over existing cartridges, bad marketing, or failures to properly develop them.
The cartridges that have caught-on have been few and far-between.
For a cartridge that really tickles your interest, it’s best to get as much brass as you can while you can, especially if there isn’t a well-established, readily-available parent case that lends itself to forming into the wildcat.
The 338 Razorback is specifically limited to subsonic use, which cuts out most of the market off the bat due to the need for a suppressor. 300 Blackout got around this by also being able to be loaded at supersonic speeds and take over the role that 7.62x39 typically covered, while also being a great little subsonic round as well.