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**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2008, 12:59 AM

Re the .243 vs. the .244, Remington really screwed the pooch early on with that one, and it was more than just marketing. Remington pushed the living hell out of the .244, but Winchester's designers realized that hunters want a multipurpose cartridge - varmint and deer-class critters - not just a varmint cartridge, which is what Remington delivered.

By the time Remington finally decided that American hunters did know what they wanted, it was 8 years later and too late for the renamed 6mm to cut seriously into the .243's lead.

As for the .30-caliber? Yep, the Spanish-American War and two World Wars really helped Americans develop the mindset that .30 caliber was the AMERICAN caliber.

Cartridges like the .30-30 Winchester and .300 Savage certainly didn't hurt, either.

The 6.5s and 8mms? For a long time they were seen as foreign military calibers, cheap, ugly military rifles that Grandpa brought back from whatever war he was in because he took it from the defeated enemy. What did he use to defeat the enemy? Why a .30 caliber AMERICAN cartridge, of course!

That's a real pity, too, because rounds like the 6.5 Arisaka, 6.5 Swedish Mauser, and 8mm Mauser are really, really good cartridges.

May 21, 2008, 12:59 AM	#5
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Re the .243 vs. the .244, Remington really screwed the pooch early on with that one, and it was more than just marketing. Remington pushed the living hell out of the .244, but Winchester's designers realized that hunters want a multipurpose cartridge - varmint and deer-class critters - not just a varmint cartridge, which is what Remington delivered. By the time Remington finally decided that American hunters did know what they wanted, it was 8 years later and too late for the renamed 6mm to cut seriously into the .243's lead. As for the .30-caliber? Yep, the Spanish-American War and two World Wars really helped Americans develop the mindset that .30 caliber was the AMERICAN caliber. Cartridges like the .30-30 Winchester and .300 Savage certainly didn't hurt, either. The 6.5s and 8mms? For a long time they were seen as foreign military calibers, cheap, ugly military rifles that Grandpa brought back from whatever war he was in because he took it from the defeated enemy. What did he use to defeat the enemy? Why a .30 caliber AMERICAN cartridge, of course! That's a real pity, too, because rounds like the 6.5 Arisaka, 6.5 Swedish Mauser, and 8mm Mauser are really, really good cartridges. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.