The classic magnums - will they see a renaissance?

[squirrel_hunter]

I'm recovering from surgery and thus spending a lot more time browsing the information superhighway to keep sane.

It's interesting to see how many 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag rifles are on the used market. Some combination of the aging hunters for whom those cartridges were the "go to" and hunters trending more to smaller cartridges (witness the 223 threat here recently) I suspect.

It will be interesting to see if this is simply a trend and the pendulum swings back to the classic magnums over time. Or if laser rangefinders, dialled turrets, better bullets, etc. have permanently knocked these classic magnums down the pecking order of chosen cartridges in favour of more "friendly" options from a weight, recoil, and muzzle blast perspective.

Silver lining is that those who want to shoot the magnum boomers will have plenty of used options and available ammunition!

Same here . I had rotator cuff surgery. 4 or 5 days ago. It was tore in 4 places. 1 of the tears was tore into. When the Dr why fixing that issue. He fount another issue. He had to reattach my bicep too.

 

[MTLabrador]

I think it's actually worse than that.

Engine designs that needed a carburetor needed a carburetor.

Essentially, the only "magnum" cases that needed a belt were the original H&H's that had very little shoulder.

The useless belt on "magnum" cases was there because of marketing. Due to the wildcatting craze off the H&H's, Joe Average thought a magnum had to have a belt and the ammo makers were happy to oblige this fantasy. Of course there were some, like Charles Newton, that knew better.

We finally have magnums that make sense yet there are those of my generation (baby boom) who cry like little girls if anyone points out the idiocy of the belted cases we grew up with.

As a handloader, I'd always choose a 7 PRC over a 7RM. Of course, I'd sooner use a 6.5 CM or 270 Win over either those lol.

So "no" - since the only generation that pines in their beer over belts are boomers, they will almost certainly, slowly, die out.

I like my .300 win mag on a nostalgic level, but I really can’t find a reason not to just use my .308 or .270 for everything instead. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a difference on an elk between those and a .300. Actually, my favorite .308 load of a 165 ballistic tip does a whole lot more damage than the TTSXs I used to shoot in the .300, with 30 grains less powder and a lot less recoil.

 

[buffybr]

I doubt that any of the classic belted magnums will ever make any comeback. I have 3 belted magnum cartridges, 7mm RM, .300 Wby, and a .375 RM. I've used all of them on hunts in Africa and other international hunts, as well as hunts here at home.

They do everything that I want from a hunting firearm, and I will not be trading any of them for any of the new popular rifle cartridges.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I don't think 300WM will ever go away, more likely some of the PRC cartridges will fail, just as the short magnum craze faded.

H&H, another matter. .375 will be around for a long time due to the Africa buffs. .300 is a different matter. I finally have enough brass to last me and the one I'm passing it on to for our lifetimes, but eventually I think that will go away.

Let's face it, it's rare to see a rifle with a nice walnut stock, much less a classic caliber.

I agree that the 375 H And H will be here for as long as the Magic of Africa is alive. The 300 H and H will die out as the last Boomers Die out myself being one of them. I turned down a truly custom pre-WW2 model 70 in that caliber for $1,000 12 years ago and never regretted it. Too heavy and,,,,,with better powders, great new all copper bullets, options like the short more efficient magnums and new calibers like the 280AI those old magnums are museum pieces.

 

[Ben Lamb]

About 400 years ago, the matchlock and arquebus displaced the crossbow with faster, more deadly fire.
About 300 years ago, the flintlock improved lock speed, accuracy and firing rates.
About 200 years ago, the percussion cap allowed for the creation of revolvers, while also reducing misfires, improving accuracy through increasing ignition timing.
About 100 years ago, the repeating rifle featuring smokeless powder improved rate of fire, increased velocity of rounds and saw the creation of the automic weapon.

We still shoot all of those firearms and their projecticles to a certain level. The modern muzzleloader industry has created entire seasons to justify their continuation. Hell - the 45-70 has had a resurgence. We've been letting holes in people & critters with that round for 150 years or more.

The overall trend is faster, lighter bullets. Early matchlocks & Arquebuses used up to a .90 caliber projectile. Muskets settled in around .69 caliber in the 1700's. The 1861 Springfield was .54 caliber. The 1898 Mauser was first fielded in a .32 caliber and in 2026, NATO standard is .224 caliber or .308. Faster and lighter have proven themselves on the terminal and accuracy side. Some misses along the way, lots that have fallen away, many that have not. Belted mags will be with us for a long time yet.

Shoot what you have or want.