# Cartridges I Would Junk ~ Article



## Lisa (Aug 30, 2006)

I am sure everyone would disagree with something said in this article, but it is a good read, nonetheless.



> When editor Jerry Lee suggested I do a piece on calibers I would junk, I thought it would be fun--at least I did at the time. Now that I've been able to give it more thought, how do you tell someone who gets his buck every year and is perfectly content with his .35 Remington or .30-40 Krag that he's using the wrong caliber and that he should junk his rifle? Moreover, how could one presume to tell an ammo manufacturer to stop producing an obsolete or duplicitous caliber if it's still profitable?



FULL ARTICLE


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## SFC JeffJ (Aug 30, 2006)

Kewl article, thanks for posting that Lisa.

Jeff


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## Jonathan Randall (Aug 30, 2006)

JeffJ said:
			
		

> Kewl article, thanks for posting that Lisa.
> 
> Jeff


 
Yes, same here. I _hadn't even heard of _some of the cartridges mentioned. Regarding the .17, I'd think one of the new high-powered pellet rifles would be far more cost effective.


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## Grenadier (Aug 30, 2006)

Most interesting article indeed...  



> I'd never choose the .30-06 for any kind of hunting, yet I never hesitate to recommend the caliber as being the very best choice for those who are not handloaders


 
I find it odd that he'd say this, since the .30-06 Springfield cartridge is a most wonderful cartridge for the handloader.  It has quite a wide working pressure range, and is one of the easiest bottlenecked rifle cartridges to load.  

As for the rest of the article, he does make a good point, that for every less-common cartridge that's out there, there's a more common counterpart that offers similar performance / specs.  After all, what does the prey care, if the same weight .30" bullet is launched from a .30-06 or a wildcat cartridge, if the velocities are similar?  

However, I will point out, that cartridges stay alive for a good reason: they work very well for their purposes, and that for every group of naysayers that say it's no longer needed, there's going to be some yeasayers (is that a word?) that can shoot best with it.  

Some folks have designed custom loads with painstaking care, and it will be a cold day in Hell before you pry away their favorite calibers!


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## KenpoTex (Aug 30, 2006)

Interesting article, thanks for posting that.

I agreed with just about everything he said.  The only exception was with regard to his comments about the .30-06.  I've always felt that this was one of the most versatile rounds out there.  If I could only have one rifle, that'd probably be it.

but hey, everyone's entitled to their own opinion.


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## Blotan Hunka (Aug 30, 2006)

Remember this guys main premise.

"if I were heading up a brand-new company just getting into the business of manufacturing centerfire rifle ammunition, which calibers would I produce?"

And I think there he has a really good point. Over the years some calibers have proven to be around for the long haul, others are a niche market. If I were starting up an Ammo factory Id have to say Im in total agreement with the guy. The issue of these other rounds effectiveness well thats a different topic.


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## arnisandyz (Aug 31, 2006)

If I were an ammo company a military cartridge that i would probably not manufacture is the 30 carbine. I believe the only reason it exists today is to feed the surplus M1 Carbines.Don't get me wrong, I love the M1 Carbine, my dad had and old GI Model in the Philippines, and it served its purpose at the time, but I don't believe there are any new firearms designed around the 30 carbine cartridge. Its not a very powerful rifle cartridge and only slightly better than most handgun cartridges, I think its on par with a 357 magnum? Modern technology has caught up and many subguns with the right ammo may be superior. A 10mm would be more compact and close in ballistics to a 30 carbine, probably better. The AK47 shooting a 7.62x39 is far more poweful and only slightly larger.

That being said, I'm glad its still manufactured and people are still shooting the M1 Carbine. One guy was shooting one at the last match and was kicking but with it!


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## KenpoTex (Sep 2, 2006)

arnisandyz said:
			
		

> but I don't believe there are any new firearms designed around the 30 carbine cartridge.


I believe Ruger still chambers a Blackhawk for that round (or if they don't, they just quit within the last few years).  

I do agree that it's not really much of a round.  However, we have to remember that the M-1 Carbine was never intended to be a "combat rifle."  What I mean was that it was designed for close to medium range combat (100 yards, maybe a little more).  For this type of application it did pretty well.  More accurate than a pistol, but lighter and less awkward than the M-1 Garands and '03 Springfields that were the issued rifles of the time.


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