FYI - Data from RifleShooter Magazine (March/April 2014) article by Layne Simpson et/al:
The top ten rifle (Federal) factory cartridge sales (2011) are:
1. .223 Rem (No surprise here)*
2. .243 Win*
3. 30-06
4. .308 Win
5. .270 Win*
6. .30-30 Win
7. 7mm Rem Mag
8. .22-250 Rem
9. .300 Win Mag
10. 25-06 Rem
*I presently own rifles using these cartridges and owned a couple of .30-06s and .22-250s in the past (re-barreled one of the .22-250s to .243 Win).
RCBS 2012 Die Sales Ranking:
1. .223 Rem
2. .308 Win
3. .45 ACP
4. .30-06
5. 9mm Luger (Parabellum)
6. .40 S&W
7. .243 Win
8. .270 Win
9. .300 Win Mag
10. .38 Special/.357 Mag
The article mentioned other cartridges that made the lists the first year or two when introduced, but have faded since, including .260 Rem and 7mm-08 Rem. (I happen to load 7 of the top 10 die sets sold.)
Layne noted that the most popular deer/big game cartridge is the .243 Win, apparently to the chagrin of many gun writers, and so-called experts.
Note that the order of ammo die sales has changed considerably since the 1980 listings.
The top ten rifle (Federal) factory cartridge sales (2011) are:
1. .223 Rem (No surprise here)*
2. .243 Win*
3. 30-06
4. .308 Win
5. .270 Win*
6. .30-30 Win
7. 7mm Rem Mag
8. .22-250 Rem
9. .300 Win Mag
10. 25-06 Rem
*I presently own rifles using these cartridges and owned a couple of .30-06s and .22-250s in the past (re-barreled one of the .22-250s to .243 Win).
RCBS 2012 Die Sales Ranking:
1. .223 Rem
2. .308 Win
3. .45 ACP
4. .30-06
5. 9mm Luger (Parabellum)
6. .40 S&W
7. .243 Win
8. .270 Win
9. .300 Win Mag
10. .38 Special/.357 Mag
The article mentioned other cartridges that made the lists the first year or two when introduced, but have faded since, including .260 Rem and 7mm-08 Rem. (I happen to load 7 of the top 10 die sets sold.)
Layne noted that the most popular deer/big game cartridge is the .243 Win, apparently to the chagrin of many gun writers, and so-called experts.
Note that the order of ammo die sales has changed considerably since the 1980 listings.