Just for fun

ligonierbill · September 24, 2019, 07:27 AM

I see we have another 40-bashing thread, and it got me thinking about truly obsolete, odd or just plain strange cartridges. So, what is the "most done" round you load and shoot?

I have a couple candidates, but I nominate the 9mm Browning Long, aka 9x20 Semi-rimmed. Developed by John Moses Browning himself, but it has an odd bore size, relatively low pressure spec, and never really caught on. But it soldiers on in a Husqvarna 1907 I found, one of the few without the 380 chamber insert.

What "done" cartridge are you keeping alive?

**44 AMP** · September 24, 2019, 11:23 AM

44AMP

Sevens · September 24, 2019, 11:39 AM

.357-44 Bain & Davis for me.

Dufus · September 24, 2019, 01:12 PM

I've been doing the 38 S&W since the late 60s and hope to do the 44 Auto Mag in the foreseeable future.

My overall favorite is the 38-55. Smokeless and Black.

MTT TL · September 24, 2019, 04:21 PM

35 Remington. Don't shoot it much. It is a heck of a penetrator for heavy brush. Someone gifted me the gun about five years ago.

I consider 30 Carbine to be obsolete as well.

.303 British. Haven't held a new gun in .303... ever. Still plenty of milsurps out there but once they are gone they will be gone.

I consider .30-30 on it's way out. 25 years from now people will be shooting pappy's hunting rifle for old time's sake but it has nowhere to go.

J.G. Terry · September 24, 2019, 04:37 PM

Wonder if some of the ugly things that were said about the 9mm at that time have been turned around and said about the 40 S&W in this day. My carry guns is a G23.4 loaded with some of those Hornady bullets with plastic nose. Hope they don't bounce off targets.

Load&Shoot most: It would have to be 45ACP in a 1911. Next would be 38 Special for the K frame Smiths. I have not loaded 40 lately.

mikejonestkd · September 24, 2019, 04:50 PM

221 fireball, 6mm TCU and 7mm TCU are my oddballs that I keep alive just for giggles in handguns

.30-40 and .300 savage would be my rifle contenders for almost obsolete cartridges that I still load.

**44 AMP** · September 24, 2019, 11:41 PM

Quote:

hope to do the 44 Auto Mag in the foreseeable future.

Ok, now I'm curious. You HAVE and 44AMP and you hope to load for it, or you hope to get one and load for it, in the forseeable future??

Quote:

truly obsolete, odd or just plain strange cartridges. So, what is the "most done" round you load and shoot?

ok, here's my list, off the top of my head, you can decide which ones fit, where..

.22 Hornet
.221 Fireball
.222 Rem
.223 Rem
.22-250
243 Win
6mm Rem
.25-06
6.5x55 Swede
7mm Rem Mag
.30-30 Win
.30-40 Krag
.300 Savage
.308 Win
.30-06
.300 Win Mag
.303 British
7.7mm Japanese
8mm Mauser
.350 Rem Mag
.375 H&H Mag
.45-70
.458 Win Mag

.32ACP
9mm Luger
.38 Super
.38 Special
.357 Mag
.357 AMP
.44 Special
.44 Mag
.44 AMP
.45ACP
.45 Auto Rim
.45 Colt
.45 Win Mag

Most are pretty common or still produced, but a few of them...aren't and a couple never were...

GWS · September 25, 2019, 12:13 AM

.22-243 Middlestead. A wildcat that didn't catch on.....but it shoots like a laser. So much fun. I have a Redding die set for it. It makes the 22-250 seem....slow. A barrel burner of course.....worth it....so much fun.

I happen to like .40s&w too.....in my Ruger SR40 it's one of the most accurate handguns I have, and it kicks....well honestly, it kicks like a 9mm. I think it must be the double spring. I load it with a Lee die set, my favorite pistol.

And then there is the old Winchester 94 in 30-30 that my Grandfather carried in a scabbard on horseback.....serial number just over the 1 million mark. Thankfully they still make round nosed bullets for it and dies are everywhere.

Old 60's Remington Mohawk 600 in .243. I load it with RCBS dies and it remains one of the most accurate hunters I have.

std7mag · September 25, 2019, 02:21 AM

I re-barreled a Savage 200 in 250 Savage.
Built a commercial Mauser in 284 Win.
And have a Ruger 77 MKII in 257 Roberts.
Building another Mauser for my daughter in 7X57 Mauser.
Should i get a deal i can live with on a used magnum action plan to build a 6.5mm Rem Mag.
Also on build list.
25 Souper
257 Kimber
25-350 Rem Mag
25-284
7mm RSAUM
7mm WSM
6.5X57 Mauser
7mm Canadian Magnum

There are others, but that is my "short" list.

MTT TL · September 25, 2019, 04:25 AM

Quote:

ok, here's my list, off the top of my head, you can decide which ones fit, where..

You sure do load and shoot a lot of oddball cartridges.

AgedWarrior · September 25, 2019, 08:20 AM

.17 Mach IV and .22 BR. Both are fun cartridges to shoot. The .17 is very sensitive to powder level changes. Most everything else I have loaded is pretty common fodder. List may not be complete...but close enough. Thinking about 350 Legend some day...maybe

.223
6.5 Grendel
6.5 Creedmore
.308
.450 Bushmaster

9 mm parabellum
.38 Special
.357 Mag
.40 S&W
10 mm Auto
.41 Mag
.44 Special
.44 Mag
.45 acp
.45 Colt
.454 Casull

Dufus · September 25, 2019, 11:06 AM

Quote:

44AMP wrote:

Ok, now I'm curious. You HAVE and 44AMP and you hope to load for it, or you hope to get one and load for it, in the forseeable future??

I do not have one yet. They are still in back order, but taking orders.

I had the opportunity to shoot one of the originals in the early 80s. I coulda purchased one for about $250 at the time, but there were issues. I didn't want to spend that kind of money on an albatross as it didn't come easy then.

But, the new production guns are quite nice to say the least.

https://automag.com/

hounddawg · September 25, 2019, 11:44 AM

Not exactly sure what the question is but my "most finished" loads would be the old standby's .223 Rem and .308 Win. Close behind is the .260 Remington. I am not overly pleased with my 6.0 Creedmoor, it will be rebarreled with a 6BR soon

gwpercle · September 25, 2019, 11:55 AM

7.5 Schmidt-Ruben

38 A.M.U. Not many have these , if you do you're lucky .

scatterbrain · September 25, 2019, 01:58 PM

22 Remington Centerfire Mag. rifle.

**44 AMP** · September 25, 2019, 01:58 PM

Quote:

I coulda purchased one for about $250 at the time, but there were issues. I didn't want to spend that kind of money on an albatross as it didn't come easy then.

Well, that's an amazing price, back then, and you should have been kicking your past self ever since. If someone had offered me an Auto Mag for $250, I would be wondering if it was stolen!! (sure you don't mean $1250??)

I would be VERY interested in hearing about yours, when you get it. Last time I checked (and its been a while) you could get .44AMP brass from Starline. Certainly a subject worthy of its own thread.

Quote:

You sure do load and shoot a lot of oddball cartridges.

The way I see it, if factory brass is still available, its not an oddball. A niche round, sure. From my list, the only one there isn't, or hasn't been factory brass for is the .357 AMP.

Some folks base "oddball" on whether or not they can buy it at WalMart. I never did, but some folks do. Those folks are going to find out all their handgun rounds (and a few others) are going to be "oddball" soon.

Dufus · September 25, 2019, 03:05 PM

Quote:

I would be wondering if it was stolen!! (sure you don't mean $1250??)

No, not $1250. The original Auto Mag sold retail for $217 up to $275....retail.

That's the main reason the company went belly up. Some stories I heard was they lost $1000 on each one that was sold.

The guy that was letting me shoot his offered it for $250.

Geezerbiker · September 25, 2019, 09:53 PM

The most oddball round I load is the 7.7x58 Arisaka. I don't shoot it much anymore but when I started reloading, it was my only center fire rifle. Now it has plenty of company in the safe so it takes long time for it's number to come up when I go shooting.

I suppose 7.5 Swiss is oddball too but as far as I know, that round is still in service. So it's oddball here but not in Switzerland.

Tony

Tony

paknheat · September 25, 2019, 10:15 PM

My not to common cartridges to load for these days are: 250 Savage, 8mm Mauser , and last but not least...

40 S&W.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Paul B. · September 26, 2019, 05:05 PM

Not really an oddball but one that while it is respected by a few is ignored by most of the averaged shooter. That cartidge is the 7x57 Mauser, disliked because factory ammo is underloaded for several reasons and loading manuals don't give full power level loads. One weak early model rifles like 93 and 95 Mausers or two, the Remington rolling blocks. Another factor is while many have the original long throat designed for the 175 gr. bullet, some companies and custom builders used shorter throats for customer only wanting to shoot lighter weight bullets.
The 7x57 can be loaded in a modern rifle to standards that snap at the heels of the .270 Win.and .280 Remington without straining the action.
Nosler manuals show loads that have higher pressure and I understand the new Speer manual had some spiffy loads for the cartridge. I've got to get the new Speer manual when I get the chance. I do like what I'm getting with Re17 and the 150 gr. Nosler Partition. Great speed, excellent accuracy and case life is great. Nine loadings so far and primer pockets are still tight.

ligonierbill · September 26, 2019, 07:16 PM

I just had my new to me 7x57 out this morning. Going with 150 SGK, also over Reloder 17. Just a nice round.

TX Nimrod · September 26, 2019, 10:23 PM

.25-35 WCF

.38 S&W/.38 Colt New Police

mkl · September 28, 2019, 12:33 PM

.32 S&W and .32 S&W Long loaded with one ball of 00 buckshot.

T. O'Heir · September 28, 2019, 01:49 PM

"...Haven't held a new gun in .303...ever..." You likely couldn't afford a BNIB Lee-Enfield anyway. None made since the 1950's. Mind you, several years ago, one of the lads at Canadian Gunutz, got Ruger to do a special custom run of No.1's in .303 Brit.
Oh and I went nuts years ago and bought a .41 AE barrel for my Inglis BHP. Bought 500 cases and dies at the same time. One loaded round is currently worth $3.95USD. Not seeing brass alone anywhere. Last I heard, IMI would do a run if somebody ordered 1,000,000 rounds.

September 24, 2019, 07:27 AM	#1
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,463	Just for fun I see we have another 40-bashing thread, and it got me thinking about truly obsolete, odd or just plain strange cartridges. So, what is the "most done" round you load and shoot? I have a couple candidates, but I nominate the 9mm Browning Long, aka 9x20 Semi-rimmed. Developed by John Moses Browning himself, but it has an odd bore size, relatively low pressure spec, and never really caught on. But it soldiers on in a Husqvarna 1907 I found, one of the few without the 380 chamber insert. What "done" cartridge are you keeping alive?

September 24, 2019, 11:23 AM	#2
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,908	44AMP __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 24, 2019, 11:39 AM	#3
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,757	.357-44 Bain & Davis for me. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

September 24, 2019, 04:21 PM	#5
MTT TL Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Quadling Country Posts: 2,780	35 Remington. Don't shoot it much. It is a heck of a penetrator for heavy brush. Someone gifted me the gun about five years ago. I consider 30 Carbine to be obsolete as well. .303 British. Haven't held a new gun in .303... ever. Still plenty of milsurps out there but once they are gone they will be gone. I consider .30-30 on it's way out. 25 years from now people will be shooting pappy's hunting rifle for old time's sake but it has nowhere to go. __________________ Thus a man should endeavor to reach this high place of courage with all his heart, and, so trying, never be backward in war.

September 24, 2019, 04:37 PM	#6
J.G. Terry Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2014 Posts: 577	Wonder if some of the ugly things that were said about the 9mm at that time have been turned around and said about the 40 S&W in this day. My carry guns is a G23.4 loaded with some of those Hornady bullets with plastic nose. Hope they don't bounce off targets. Load&Shoot most: It would have to be 45ACP in a 1911. Next would be 38 Special for the K frame Smiths. I have not loaded 40 lately. __________________ Intentionally Antagonizing Another MemberInsults and Ad Hominems

September 24, 2019, 01:12 PM	#4
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	I've been doing the 38 S&W since the late 60s and hope to do the 44 Auto Mag in the foreseeable future. My overall favorite is the 38-55. Smokeless and Black.

September 24, 2019, 04:50 PM	#7
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,717	221 fireball, 6mm TCU and 7mm TCU are my oddballs that I keep alive just for giggles in handguns .30-40 and .300 savage would be my rifle contenders for almost obsolete cartridges that I still load. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

September 25, 2019, 12:13 AM	#9
GWS Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 688	.22-243 Middlestead. A wildcat that didn't catch on.....but it shoots like a laser. So much fun. I have a Redding die set for it. It makes the 22-250 seem....slow. A barrel burner of course.....worth it....so much fun. I happen to like .40s&w too.....in my Ruger SR40 it's one of the most accurate handguns I have, and it kicks....well honestly, it kicks like a 9mm. I think it must be the double spring. I load it with a Lee die set, my favorite pistol. And then there is the old Winchester 94 in 30-30 that my Grandfather carried in a scabbard on horseback.....serial number just over the 1 million mark. Thankfully they still make round nosed bullets for it and dies are everywhere. Old 60's Remington Mohawk 600 in .243. I load it with RCBS dies and it remains one of the most accurate hunters I have.

September 25, 2019, 02:21 AM	#10
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	I re-barreled a Savage 200 in 250 Savage. Built a commercial Mauser in 284 Win. And have a Ruger 77 MKII in 257 Roberts. Building another Mauser for my daughter in 7X57 Mauser. Should i get a deal i can live with on a used magnum action plan to build a 6.5mm Rem Mag. Also on build list. 25 Souper 257 Kimber 25-350 Rem Mag 25-284 7mm RSAUM 7mm WSM 6.5X57 Mauser 7mm Canadian Magnum There are others, but that is my "short" list. __________________ When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!! "Januarary 6th insurrection". Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...

September 25, 2019, 08:20 AM	#12
AgedWarrior Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2019 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 210	.17 Mach IV and .22 BR. Both are fun cartridges to shoot. The .17 is very sensitive to powder level changes. Most everything else I have loaded is pretty common fodder. List may not be complete...but close enough. Thinking about 350 Legend some day...maybe .223 6.5 Grendel 6.5 Creedmore .308 .450 Bushmaster 9 mm parabellum .38 Special .357 Mag .40 S&W 10 mm Auto .41 Mag .44 Special .44 Mag .45 acp .45 Colt .454 Casull Last edited by AgedWarrior; September 27, 2019 at 01:21 PM.

September 25, 2019, 11:44 AM	#14
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	Not exactly sure what the question is but my "most finished" loads would be the old standby's .223 Rem and .308 Win. Close behind is the .260 Remington. I am not overly pleased with my 6.0 Creedmoor, it will be rebarreled with a 6BR soon __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

September 25, 2019, 11:55 AM	#15
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,754	7.5 Schmidt-Ruben 38 A.M.U. Not many have these , if you do you're lucky .

September 25, 2019, 01:58 PM	#16
scatterbrain Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2015 Posts: 162	22 Remington Centerfire Mag. rifle.

September 25, 2019, 09:53 PM	#19
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	The most oddball round I load is the 7.7x58 Arisaka. I don't shoot it much anymore but when I started reloading, it was my only center fire rifle. Now it has plenty of company in the safe so it takes long time for it's number to come up when I go shooting. I suppose 7.5 Swiss is oddball too but as far as I know, that round is still in service. So it's oddball here but not in Switzerland. Tony Tony

September 25, 2019, 10:15 PM	#20
paknheat Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: East Texas Posts: 338	My not to common cartridges to load for these days are: 250 Savage, 8mm Mauser , and last but not least... 40 S&W. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

September 26, 2019, 05:05 PM	#21
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,804	Not really an oddball but one that while it is respected by a few is ignored by most of the averaged shooter. That cartidge is the 7x57 Mauser, disliked because factory ammo is underloaded for several reasons and loading manuals don't give full power level loads. One weak early model rifles like 93 and 95 Mausers or two, the Remington rolling blocks. Another factor is while many have the original long throat designed for the 175 gr. bullet, some companies and custom builders used shorter throats for customer only wanting to shoot lighter weight bullets. The 7x57 can be loaded in a modern rifle to standards that snap at the heels of the .270 Win.and .280 Remington without straining the action. Nosler manuals show loads that have higher pressure and I understand the new Speer manual had some spiffy loads for the cartridge. I've got to get the new Speer manual when I get the chance. I do like what I'm getting with Re17 and the 150 gr. Nosler Partition. Great speed, excellent accuracy and case life is great. Nine loadings so far and primer pockets are still tight. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

September 26, 2019, 07:16 PM	#22
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,463	I just had my new to me 7x57 out this morning. Going with 150 SGK, also over Reloder 17. Just a nice round.

September 26, 2019, 10:23 PM	#23
TX Nimrod Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2009 Location: Zona Posts: 423	.25-35 WCF .38 S&W/.38 Colt New Police __________________ .22LR - .223 - .22-250 - .243 - 6mm REM - .25-20 - .25-35 - .25 BB - .250/3000 - .257 WBY - .260 - .30 M1 - .300 BO - .30 Herrett - .300 Savage - .32 H&R - .303 - .338-06 - .338 WM - .35 REM - .38-55 - .45 LC - .45-70 - .50-70

September 28, 2019, 12:33 PM	#24
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	.32 S&W and .32 S&W Long loaded with one ball of 00 buckshot.

September 28, 2019, 01:49 PM	#25
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Haven't held a new gun in .303...ever..." You likely couldn't afford a BNIB Lee-Enfield anyway. None made since the 1950's. Mind you, several years ago, one of the lads at Canadian Gunutz, got Ruger to do a special custom run of No.1's in .303 Brit. Oh and I went nuts years ago and bought a .41 AE barrel for my Inglis BHP. Bought 500 cases and dies at the same time. One loaded round is currently worth $3.95USD. Not seeing brass alone anywhere. Last I heard, IMI would do a run if somebody ordered 1,000,000 rounds. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!