what are the cartridges that have been forgotten but are still worth remembering?

Well i live and hunt in a caliber restricted area that offers plenty of squirrel and coyote opportunities so a small reloadable centerfire is always great and for this the 25/20 is perfect for calling song dogs and good for small game as well.
The 250 savage is perfect for coyotes and can serve as a mild mannered deer rifle
The old 25/35 can handle coyotes and deer and that rim would be right at home in a classy hinge action or double rifle
Id like to see a return of the 256wm as well. Petite framed lever or pump would be great for calling coyotes and offers alot more zip than the 25/20
Another id like to have is a 275 rigby in a classic stalking rifle pattern without the highlanders pricetag. To match that rifle a slim lil 375 rimless nitro express seems legit.
Others include 404 jeffery the 450/400 3" nitro and the 416 taylor. A 350 rigby or todays 35 whelen as its been basically dropped. Maybe i have a thing for 25s and big bores but this is my list and im hoping to someday complete it

Also rook rifles should make a comeback. Elegant simple little rifles firing low velocity quiet rounds for small edible game. Howd we ever get away from that?
 
brybenn said:
Also rook rifles should make a comeback. Elegant simple little rifles firing low velocity quiet rounds for small edible game. Howd we ever get away from that?
Click to expand...
Agreed. My last custom rook chambered for 32-20 did it all for small game, and was accurate too! Great, mild mannered little round!!
 
Rounds that have designs good enough for today and were ahead of their time but for one reason or another never held on in meaningful numbers,

-.500 Jeffery
-.250 Savage as already mentioned by others
-6mm Lee Navy
-6.5x50 Jap
-.280 British
-.275 H&H
-6mm Remington
-.308 Norma Mag
-10.75x68 Mauser (aka .423 Mauser)
-7mm SAUM (better than the WSM in my eyes)
-8mm Rem Mag (as previously mentioned by another)
-6.5mm Rem Mag
-.350 Rem Mag (thanks Hoyt for introduction to the above two)
-.218 Bee (not a great case design but a great little round, better than the Hornet which eclipsed it)
-.220 Swift
 
They go by the way because something better comes along. My dad shot deer & an elk with a Savage hi power because that was what was in his hands at the time. I like the bee,zipper, and hornet. A 223 can be loaded to do the same. I shoot a 222 more often than my 223. Old single shot BP cartridges are a hoot. Fun at the range with stuff not every one has. 100 gr bullets out of an “06” will work as well as 25-20 on beaver, I just like the old and odd (maybe I identify).
 
Ardent said:
Rounds that have designs good enough for today and were ahead of their time but for one reason or another never held on in meaningful numbers,

-.500 Jeffery
-.250 Savage as already mentioned by others
-6mm Lee Navy
-6.5x50 Jap
-.280 British
-.275 H&H
-6mm Remington
-.308 Norma Mag
-10.75x68 Mauser (aka .423 Mauser)
-7mm SAUM (better than the WSM in my eyes)
-8mm Rem Mag (as previously mentioned by another)
-6.5mm Rem Mag
-.350 Rem Mag (thanks Hoyt for introduction to the above two)
-.218 Bee (not a great case design but a great little round, better than the Hornet which eclipsed it)
-.220 Swift
Click to expand...

I concur... as I see it, there are two aspects when considering cartridges that have either become obsolete or are no longer common. There is a class of cartridges that can for all intents and purposes compete at a ballistic level with the new introductions... Ardent posted some good examples above ie; the 6.5 & .350 Rem Mag's, .220 Swift, 6mm Rem, .308 & .358 Norma Mag's, etc... these cartridges died a slow death due to poor marketing, lack of component and platform support and over exposed marketing of the new offerings driven by an industry need for more sales ($$$$).

Then, there are those old cartridges that really CANNOT compete ballistically, but offer ENOUGH realistically to get the job done. There are legions of hunters out there who have hunted for decades and have never shot an animal beyond 100 yards... others who have shot 95% of their game animals sub-150 yards... for these, a .38-55 or .45-70 is as lethal and effective as a 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7 STW etc... afterall, dead is dead... and yet when it comes time to buy a rifle, 99% of us plan for that 5% of the shots that occur beyond 150 yards... and many plan for 500 yards even though they never practice beyond 100 yards and will likely never see that shot in the field. Having said that, there are regional differences in terrain and species that will adjust these arbitrary numbers, but the concept holds true.

So, if we enter more realistic field conditions into the picture, based on historical experiences, it brings many of the old, tired cartridges back into play for hunters... and MOST of the time, you are not handicapping yourself one iota... but when that 300+ yard shot presents itself in two or three decades, you will hear plenty of moaning and poo-poo'ing...

Most of us have many rifles to choose from... wouldn't it be more interesting having a .220 Swift, .250 Savage, 6.5 Rem Mag, 7X57, .308 Norma, 8mm RM, .358 Win, .375 H&H, .38-55 or .45/70 to choose every now and again rather than closet's full of .223's and .308's???
 
Ardent said:
Rounds that have designs good enough for today and were ahead of their time but for one reason or another never held on in meaningful numbers,

-.500 Jeffery
-.250 Savage as already mentioned by others
-6mm Lee Navy
-6.5x50 Jap
-.280 British
-.275 H&H
-6mm Remington
-.308 Norma Mag
-10.75x68 Mauser (aka .423 Mauser)
-7mm SAUM (better than the WSM in my eyes)
-8mm Rem Mag (as previously mentioned by another)
-6.5mm Rem Mag
-.350 Rem Mag (thanks Hoyt for introduction to the above two)
-.218 Bee (not a great case design but a great little round, better than the Hornet which eclipsed it)
-.220 Swift
Click to expand...

Thats an awesome list. I like em all
 
hoytcanon said:
I concur... as I see it, there are two aspects when considering cartridges that have either become obsolete or are no longer common. There is a class of cartridges that can for all intents and purposes compete at a ballistic level with the new introductions... Ardent posted some good examples above ie; the 6.5 & .350 Rem Mag's, .220 Swift, 6mm Rem, .308 & .358 Norma Mag's, etc... these cartridges died a slow death due to poor marketing, lack of component and platform support and over exposed marketing of the new offerings driven by an industry need for more sales ($$$$).

Then, there are those old cartridges that really CANNOT compete ballistically, but offer ENOUGH realistically to get the job done. There are legions of hunters out there who have hunted for decades and have never shot an animal beyond 100 yards... others who have shot 95% of their game animals sub-150 yards... for these, a .38-55 or .45-70 is as lethal and effective as a 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7 STW etc... afterall, dead is dead... and yet when it comes time to buy a rifle, 99% of us plan for that 5% of the shots that occur beyond 150 yards... and many plan for 500 yards even though they never practice beyond 100 yards and will likely never see that shot in the field. Having said that, there are regional differences in terrain and species that will adjust these arbitrary numbers, but the concept holds true.

So, if we enter more realistic field conditions into the picture, based on historical experiences, it brings many of the old, tired cartridges back into play for hunters... and MOST of the time, you are not handicapping yourself one iota... but when that 300+ yard shot presents itself in two or three decades, you will hear plenty of moaning and poo-poo'ing...

Most of us have many rifles to choose from... wouldn't it be more interesting having a .220 Swift, .250 Savage, 6.5 Rem Mag, 7X57, .308 Norma, 8mm RM, .358 Win, .375 H&H, .38-55 or .45/70 to choose every now and again rather than closet's full of .223's and .308's???
Click to expand...
Well said and plenty true
 
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