Common calibers vs. exotics

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
I have been trying to stick to common calibers (22/32/9/45/30-06/20ga/223/etc.) so that I might find ammo easily and at reasonable prices.

What motivates users of 7-30 Waters, 444 Marlin, 221 and so on to go with less common chamberings? Are ballistic advantages worth the extra cost and lack of availability?
 
Few advantages, but it is fun. Reloaders are of two kinds: those who reload in order to shoot, and those who shoot in order to reload. The wildcat guys are in the latter group.

Jim
 
When you roll your own it's all the same.

Wildcats and propiatary cartridges are taylored to provide superior results in a specific action. For example: the 6x45 - a coyote/deer cartridge for small semi-auto rifles - more punch than a .223 and flatter trejectory than the 7.62x39. The 7x30 Waters - a long range deer cartridge that's short enough to cycle thru common leveraction rifles and effective at (compartatively) low chamber pressures.
 
As a Mill-Surp'er I like the history of the cartridges.

As for wildcat rounds it is just like the guy with the "hot rod" card with 3 original engine parts left.

as an example my I reload the following Rifles 30carb,.308nato,30-06,7x57,8x57,8x56r,7.62x39,7.62x54R,7.5french,6.5x55, 30-30 (for my sister)

Gee come to think about it now I know were all my money went ;)
 
Oleg, It boils down to this scenario. Got a 7x61 Sharpe and Hart, weighs near 15 lbs., you aren't going to pick it up and run towards a firefight and you aren't going to scrounge ammo for it. It sure will do one heck of a job if you can talk your nephew into hauling it up your stand for you though!
Depth in calibers is what it's all about!
 
I suppose the sheer joy of doing something different accounts for a lot of it. My father reloads for a lot of the somewhat odd ball calibers. In some cases it's the easiest way to procure the ammo, for instance the .356 Winchester, or for that matter the .358 Winchester. Cartridges like these and others, such as the .38 S&W are far more economical to load than they are to buy new.
 
#1 because TR had a .405 winchester

#2 Because your dad once had a 351 remington semi auto

#3 because you have more money than sense.

;) Dr.Rob
 
I'm w/ you, Oleg. I have no exotic calibers- the closest I have is 7.62x39mm currently, and I think there are enough of them in America now to take them out of "exotics" by anyone's definition.

I suppose my .45-70 will be close, and if I ever get the .35 Whelen Improved...

Comes down to wants and needs. I need to be able to protect my family and country. I may want something a little "better", whatever my definition of better may be.
 
I'm also a "common caliber" guy. While I could reload for odd-ball calibers, I can't see a good reason. There are so many overlaping calibers to choose from, I see no real need to make the job difficult. :)
 
Oleg,

Some of todays "common" calibers were wildcats not so many years ago. The .22-250, .25-06, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, etc., I could go on, but I think you can see why some like the "exotics".

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Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat!

I hunt, therefore I am.
 
I like to reload any caliber I have because I am vain enough to think that my own ammunition is better.
Actually, I don't go for wildcats and odd calibers either, but it would make no difference from the ammo supply view point if I did.
Someday, though, I am going to get one of those enormous British elephant guns and then there will be little choice but to reload. I am glad I already know how. If it is an odd elephant gun caliber, I should get a better deal on it by a couple of grand and everything will finally pay off.
 
Hmm today's Wildcat is tomorrow's Remchesters factory load.

For two legged varmints, short of T rex, the basic 9mm/45acp/5.56/7.62 are good.

Now if you want to push the envolope say 800 plus meter shooting a 300 mag starts to make more sense (or a 50 BMG).

Or if you want a real supressed weapon one of JD Jones Whisper cartidges make a lot of sense.

Or if you want/need a single rifle to do everything in the world a 300 or 338 or 375 mag makes a lot of sense.

Remember Dirty Harry and his 458 Win mag? Now if he was using a 500 grain bullet he was way off base. But if he had been using a 400 grain speer @ 2400 fps or a 300 grain @ ~2600 that would have had a LOT of "stopping power" IMHO. Because both those bullets are designed for 45-70 velocity levels they would have mushroomed/fragmented more than a little. :D

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There can be only one!
 
The post about today's wildcats being tomorrow's factory calibers is certainly correct. I just prefer until they become factory calibers before I start reloading them. :)
 
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