So. Many. New. Calibers.

[ZLBubba]

I started shooting precision back in 2008 and got my first custom 308 from Jared Joplin in '09. Since then, the sport became industry and there's all kinds of new gear and calibers. My god, I know we needed better ballistics than the 30-06 and 308 but have we gone overboard? To each his own but man, it's hard to see the roles all of these calibers play beyond niche shooting matches, and it's hard to believe the industry will sustain those calibers in years to come. I guess this is how its always been, noting all the Winchester rifle rounds that have come and gone. Still, it seems like companies will have to trim their product lines at some point. For what it's worth, I fully recognize that some of the new calibers are vast improvements; I am enjoyer of both the 6.5G and 6.5CM.

Would love to hear your take on whether the industry will sustain all this "innovation."

 

[spife7980]

When will the innovation stop… says the whippersnapper with a hot rod 3006 and 308.
Use a 303 British as it’ll do anything you could ever need.

 

[mark5pt56]

I think it's a good thing, sure drives innovation. I just had a 6BR barrel done, the magazines hurt and I had to gather reloading supplies. In a sense, maybe the 6GT may have been better, who knows. One day I would like to look into a 6ARC bolt, especially when I really trim down.
In the end, boils down to want, need and what may be the best "tool" kind of like I could frame a house with a 4 oz. ball peen hammer, but-there's better choices for that job, etc.

 

[Mike Casselton]

The funny thing about most of these new cartridges is they replicate something from 30-50 years ago.

Yeah, they might have a different twist rate. They might use pointier bullets, but they are mostly ballistic duplicates of something else from a different era.

Someone once said: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[mark5pt56]

The funny thing about most of these new cartridges is they replicate something from 30-50 years ago.

Yeah, they might have a different twist rate. They might use pointier bullets, but they are mostly ballistic duplicates of something else from a different era.

Someone once said: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I do find it funny that some of the "new stuff" is considered earth shattering but look at the .280 British and the German 8mm Kurz as a couple examples.

 

[spife7980]

Someone once said: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[Mike Casselton]

View attachment 8656430

I can literally hear that.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I think it's a good thing,...
...In the end, boils down to want, need and what may be the best "tool" kind of like I could frame a house with a 4 oz. ball peen hammer, but-there's better choices for that job, etc.

There's no better choice if you're looking for a nice case of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Just sayin'.

 

[mark5pt56]

View attachment 8656430

The Talking Heads! Best concert I ever attended, had a blast-even sober

 

[jumrobe]

The funny thing about most of these new cartridges is they replicate something from 30-50 years ago.

Yeah, they might have a different twist rate. They might use pointier bullets, but they are mostly ballistic duplicates of something else from a different era.

Someone once said: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Exactly this. It’s not really that it’s a new idea, it’s that we can now actually make it work as originally ideated.

For example, 6.5 CM and .276 Pedersen

 

[davethedog]

This is a hobby of tinkerers. The rules of physics don’t change but the availability of new manufacturing methods and techniques does.

We will continue to go around in circles though they may get tighter over time.

 

[diggler1833]

I'm one of those guys who has tried a lot of different cartridges as long as it makes sense (in my head...and there's no guarantee there).

I got into "precision rifles" with a .308 about two decades ago, upgrading from the old .30-06 and .30-30 myself. Then there was the .223 as a trainer. Then about 2009 I got into the .260 Master Race for the ballistics and recoil improvement over the .308.

Since then, I've dabbled in quite a few of the .264 diameter cartridges (currently have [3] Creeds, [2] 6.5x47s, and [1] .260). I also dropped to a couple of 6mms (6 Creed and GT). Plus, I fell in love with the 7mm mags for killing deer around here as I feel they balance ballistics with terminal performance amazingly well.

Now that I've tried most all of what I've wanted to, I'll probably slowly narrow my cartridges back to 3-4 as barrels burn out. My problem is that I don't have a cartridge that doesn't do what it was intended to do - very well.

Bonus (for me) that I got a chance to tinker around with stuff. As I don't recycle brass from one barrel to another, really I am only out the cost of a set of dies to experiment. That doesn't bother me.

 

[TorF]

I have not seen a single new cartridge after the IHMSA craze in the 70'ies.
6.5IHMSA = 6.5x47 = 6.5CM.
6mmBR/6.5BR/7BR.
Etc, etc.

The only new cartridges I know of are the defunct Voere 6mm Vec91 caseless, that was emediatly forbidden in BR comps based on Jarrett rifles prototypes that shot too well, 277Fury and the new 280 Federal Whatever..

 

[Bacarrat]

Exactly this. It’s not really that it’s a new idea, it’s that we can now actually make it work as originally ideated.

For example, 6.5 CM and .276 Pedersen

7PRC, 6.5PRC, 300PRC, ect. They just have good marketing behind them.

 

[steve123]

Not a lot has changed, though I learned over the years I prefer temp insensitive powders, long barrel life, low recoil, higher BC, and great precision, and strong well made brass - or the best compromises of.

I tried all kinds of cartridges for varmints and I sold all except for 223 in AR and kept a 5mmFBI/20VTAI bolt gun which is too good not to have.

Sold a bunch of guns and kept 6mmBR for normal long range distances. It's too good as well.

6.5 Saum is a terror and I got temped by speed so 140's at 3240 fps has been fantastic. Probably just stick with it at this point because the recoil is much the same as my 6mmBR being it's a 24 pound gun.

I don't have bigger cartridges any more but kinda want one for ELR. I wonder which one would be the optimal choice, 375-338L maybe??

 

[Supersubes]

7PRC, 6.5PRC, 300PRC, ect. They just have good marketing behind them.

Kind of ironic that the 7 and 300 PRC marketing gimmick was to do away with the marking gimmick from the 60’s.

 

[SmartDonkey]

It's hard to call what has been happening "innovation".... with a few exceptions. Mostly just marketing and trying to get their piece of the pie.

Locally (and it could be completely different in other areas) the 308 seems to be making a comeback and the 6.5 prc is slowing down. At the gun store the shelves were covered with prc rifles and the owner said he ordered the same number of them as 6.5cm and 308- but they both sold out already.

Maybe the next fad will be a .23 cartridge.... the 23 bi-lion to complement the 6gt.

 

[1911Shootist]

Was great to hear Chad & Francis in the latest episode of Miles to Matches discuss how cartridge selection basically doesn't matter (for PRS).

 

[Zebulon]

I started shooting precision back in 2008 and got my first custom 308 from Jared Joplin in '09. Since then, the sport became industry and there's all kinds of new gear and calibers. My god, I know we needed better ballistics than the 30-06 and 308 but have we gone overboard? To each his own but man, it's hard to see the roles all of these calibers play beyond niche shooting matches, and it's hard to believe the industry will sustain those calibers in years to come. I guess this is how its always been, noting all the Winchester rifle rounds that have come and gone. Still, it seems like companies will have to trim their product lines at some point. For what it's worth, I fully recognize that some of the new calibers are vast improvements; I am enjoyer of both the 6.5G and 6.5CM.

Would love to hear your take on whether the industry will sustain all this "innovation."

I’m just shooting .308

And happy as a clam

Why not 6.5?
Because I want it to be a little harder shooting farther and in wind

So I have a mile gun built up in .308
1776 yards is/ was the goal

Why .308. Again

Because it is harder

 

[TrickyPig]

I certainly love my .308, but I have really enjoyed my 6.5 Creeds as well. If I am wanting to make sure I get the hits on a clock, I grab the 6.5. If I want to enjoy my time and enjoy the trace, I grab the .308. If I just want to plink, I have really enjoyed the .224 Valk.

 

[kthomas]

Was great to hear Chad & Francis in the latest episode of Miles to Matches discuss how cartridge selection basically doesn't matter (for PRS).

It really doesn't - to a point.

The biggest problem of the past was trying to get 6 & 6.5mm cartridges to play nice with mag fed systems, especially when utilizing the more modern projectiles.

Once we got past that hurdle, it doesn't really matter much what you shoot when you stick in the 6-6.5mm realm.