Top Ten?

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roy reali

New member
I was cruising the internet this morning when I found this.

http://www.brycetowsley.com/tips/tip5.htm

You will notice that this chart is over a decade old. I tried to find a newer one without any luck. But, I bet it hasn't changed much, even with all the new cartridges that have been introduced in the years since.

Do you think the cartridge popularity rankings have changed that much during the last ten years? If anyone finds and posts a newer link, I'd appreciate it. The only change I could imagine is between number one and number two. I wonder if the .223 Remiington is now the number one rifle cartridge in popularity based on sales?

How many of those cartridges do you currently own a rifle for? I own only two of them.

Are you surprised by the ones included in the chart? I am surprised by the fact that Federal has the .22 Hornet in the number five slot.

Are you disappointed by any round that did not make the chart? I would have thought that the .45-70 would have made the top ten.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I have three -- .30-06, .223, and .243.

All of the cartridges on that list have one thing in common -- they've been around for decades, in a couple of cases over 100 years, and have always been popular.

The .223 is probably the newest cartridge on that list, and it's gotten a significant boost from being the current military cartridge.

I doubt that any of the relative new cartridges introduced since 1960 comes close to knocking any of those off the list.
 
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Palmetto-Pride

New member
I am going to go out on a limb and say that every cartridge on that list is pretty much all that is needed. All these new cartridges just "reinvent the wheel" IMO...............:)
 
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mapsjanhere

New member
That list seems a wee bit US centric ;). I think Holland & Holland, Rigby, Mauser and Brenneke came up with some descent cartridges too.
 
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lizziedog1

New member
I am surprised that the .30-06 ranks over the .223. That list is suppose to represent die and ammo sales. I am sure that their might be more .30-06's sitting is safes and gun racks across the country, but I would assume that the .223 is shot more often. The '06 is mainly a big game cartridge. It could be used for varmints and plinking, but I doubt many of them are employed that way. The .223 on the other hand, is used more shooting small creatures, a sport requiring many shots to be fired. Many .223's are semi-automatic, again lending the round to be fired more often.

I could be wrong, as often I am.

Does anyone here use the .30-06 for casual plinking and/or varmint shooting?
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"Does anyone here use the .30-06 for casual plinking and/or varmint shooting? "

Yes.

I'd bet that a lot more people use the .30-06 for varmint shooting, keeping in form for deer hunting season, than use the .223 for deer hunting.

But, I wouldn't be surprised to see the .223 moving up that list. Remember, it's 11 years old at this point, and the .223 has done nothing but grown in popularity since then.
 
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bedlamite

New member
There are several on that list that are redundant, and it's missing one of the most important cartridges: The .22LR
 
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lizziedog1

New member
[QUOTEI'd bet that a lot more people use the .30-06 for varmint shooting, keeping in form for deer hunting season, than use the .223 for deer hunting.
][/QUOTE]

I guess that smart hunters would use their .30-06's for off-season practice. However, even though most folks can handle that round's recoil, fifty or so shots fired in short tome span can start to cause the shoulder to get a bit tender. Now, the .223 can be fired all day with little or no discomfort.
 
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roy reali

New member
re:Bella

I am disappointed that a nonmagnum 7mm cartridge is not in the top ten.
Click to expand...

Good point. I think that the .280 Remington round belongs on this list. For most of North American hunting it is as usefull as any of the other rounds listed.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Not all varmints are prairie dogs offering 100 or more shots in an afternoon.

In the east our varmints are primarily groundhogs. You're lucky if you get 5 shots in a good day.

As for a cartridge "belonging" on the list or not, since it's a function of sales of items to the shooting public, it only belongs on the list if it's popular enough to sell its way to the list.


As for a non magnum 7mm not being on the list?

There is a non magnum 7mm on the list -- the .270 Winchester.

.277 inch bullet equals 7.036mm.


And the reason the .22 isn't on the list? It's because you don't reload the .22 LR. The list, as Towley indicates, is developed from component and ammunition sales, including reloading dies.
 
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roy reali

New member
re:MikeIrwin

And the reason the .22 isn't on the list? It's because you don't reload the .22 LR. The list, as Towley indicates, is developed from component and ammunition sales, including reloading dies.
Click to expand...

You are right about this.

I know that the list represents "centerfire" rifle cartridges. I know that shotgun shells are a different classification. But, I wonder how the sale of 12 gauge ammo would stack up against the cartridges on this list? Would it be number one, or would it not even be on the list?
 
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LateNightFlight

New member
I have 5 of the top 7; 30-06, 223, 308, 243, and 7mm rem mag, with a couple of duplicate guns in those cartridges. (3 .223s & 2 .308s)

I would have a 22-250 except I'm a 220 Swift guy with 2 of those. I guess I need to go shopping to fill out the rest of the list :rolleyes:
 
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PRONE2

New member
?

Do you think the 30-30 is used as much as it was 10 years ago? 15 years ago almost everyone I knew used one, now none of those people ever take it out of it's case. Just my 2cents
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I have no doubt that the .30-30 is still selling well, and is still extremely popular, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it down on the list compared to the .223.

But, I bet its still holding its own compared to the others. The .30-30 is the quintessential starter deer rifle cartridge, and has been for over 100 years now. I'd bet hard money that the 336 chambered in .30-30 is still Marlin's best selling center fire rifle. Neither the rifle or the cartridge is expensive, recoil isn't bad, the round has adequate power... what's not to like?

But, as the people who started out on the .30-30 get older, if they have a nose for guns, they're going to add to their stable and very likely leave the .30-30 behind for something zippier. I'm probably one of minority of people who started hunting not with a .30-30, but with another cartridge (.30-06). My Dad also never had a .30-30, he started hunting with a .30-06, as well. When we started reloading, it was .30-06.

As for the 12 gauge's position on the list, I think it possibly could beat the rifle cartridge, but primarily for one reason: there are only 3 or 4 moderately popular shotgun gauges (12, 20, 16, and take your pick of the .410, 10, or 28 as being FAR FAR behind those others). Of those, the 12 is hands down the most popular.

On the other hand, there are what, maybe 30, 40, possibly more rifle cartridges being chambered or that are readily available today? That thins things out quite a bit.

But, the single most popular per quantity sold in the United States for over 100 years now is the lowly .22 Long Rifle, and it's going to be that way for a long, long time.
 
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taylorce1

New member
I have a few of the cartirdges on the list, .223, .243, .30-06, .270, and .30-30. If you count the take your pick you can add the .25-06 to the list as well. Rifles I'll proabably never own on the list 7mm RM, .22-250, .308, and .300 Win Mag, why because I have other rifles that fill the roles of these cartirdges.

I tried the 7mm Rem Mag and it couldn't replace my .270 Win. I have the .223 and .204 Ruger so the .22-250 doesn't interest me. Have the .30-06 so no need for a short action duplicate like the .308. My .300 is the H&H so I doubt I'll go for the Win Mag version of it anytime soon.
 
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