• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

A few cartridges losing popularity? It seems

I heard 22 long became unpopular and even 22 short.

Seriously, 22 short now costs MORE than 22LR - I think even before 2020 when to hell in a handbasket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FireShooter
I would love to get some more .22 shorts. My first .22 rifle is chambered in 22S/L/LR. Putting the target at 50yards and watching the bullet fly through the scope was fun.
 
Bad news guys. Just walked through Cabelea's this morning. Your ammo choices are 6mm Creed, some 6.5 Creed, a lot of the 30 caliber magnum loads, and cowboy loads for pre-smokeless powder levers/revolvers. I think those hipsters with their Creedmore rifles are laughing at us now.
 
Last edited:
@IrishWind - something about old school is fun to me. Nothing like going with the old-school small diameter scope on a rim fire like there was back in the day ;).
 
  • Like
Reactions: IrishWind
@IrishWind - something about old school is fun to me. Nothing like going with the old-school small diameter scope on a rim fire like there was back in the day ;).

The gun does shoot rather well. Next time I go to the range I should, shoot a few groups, and then post a pic of them and the rifle. And maybe a 'roast my rig' since most of the add ons are ones I bought for it when I was a broke college kid back in the 90s.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SilentStalkr
The gun does shoot rather well. Next time I go to the range I should, shoot a few groups, and then post a pic of them and the rifle. And maybe a 'roast my rig' since most of the add ons are ones I bought for it when I was a broke college kid back in the 90s.
Sears still sold "branded" guns then or was this a "find" so to speak? Just curious. I "plink" at 100 yard 6" plates. Once you get the old iron sight (must be 2-4 moa bead) and it's holdover dialed in it's not that terribly hard and quite satisfying (though you have to be the only one at the range or you'll never hear it). Now, I should man up and do this standing up and cheating with any support ;). I'd rather plink some 2" plates at 50 yards but range won't allow steel at 50 yards, even for 22LR.
 
It is a Sears branded rifle. My dad ordered it through their catalog before I was born. This looks just like it here:
If it is really a Winchester made gun, that makes me even happier. I bought a Winchester (Miroku made) 52 for an upgrade. And I love my Winchesters and Brownings. Might have to update the 'family photo'. :D

I do know what you mean about 'old school' guns. Most of the guns on my list date to late Cold War icons or earlier.
 
Sears still sold "branded" guns then or was this a "find" so to speak? Just curious. I "plink" at 100 yard 6" plates. Once you get the old iron sight (must be 2-4 moa bead) and it's holdover dialed in it's not that terribly hard and quite satisfying (though you have to be the only one at the range or you'll never hear it). Now, I should man up and do this standing up and cheating with any support ;). I'd rather plink some 2" plates at 50 yards but range won't allow steel at 50 yards, even for 22LR.

Golf balls on a string...
 
My thoughts on the 300BLK have always been that it didn't make much sense unless you were shooting it suppressed in either a bolt rifle or an AR. Unless in an AR you just wanted to shoot a .30 caliber bullet out of it. Where I think it really makes no sense is shooting it super and unsuppressed in a bolt rifle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IrishWind
My thoughts on the 300BLK have always been that it didn't make much sense unless you were shooting it suppressed in either a bolt rifle or an AR. Unless in an AR you just wanted to shoot a .30 caliber bullet out of it. Where I think it really makes no sense is shooting it super and unsuppressed in a bolt rifle.

I would have totally agreed with you before having a bolt BO in the stable.

The reason I/we now have one is due to buying Rebecca her first rifle years ago.

It's the Ruger ranch with the threaded 16" barrel.
She chose it because it fit her well, was light and she liked the FDE stock. She chose the caliber based on its small size and low recoil.

The performance is pretty much a 30-30 with a pointed bullet.
The difference to the shooter is much milder recoil, no matter what bullet weight is chosen.

She knows it has limitations, but isn't afraid to stretch it out on steel targets.
Will it kill deer and hogs here in Florida? Yup.
She knows those limitations too.

Supressed? With subs it'll make you giggle it's so quiet. The firing pin impact and a tiny, tiny thut is all you hear.
 
Not a bad idea. Or tennis balls. I have some of those from my dog who passed early this year. Tennis balls more my speed too :)

Two furring strips, some screws to put it together. Add some string with a small loop on the end.
A few 1/2" screws and old golf balls. Done.

I would recommend adding an extra cross brace to the main uprights and to the legs or it will start swaying if you get on a run.
That'll cost you another furring strip.

20191222_125940.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: lash
I would have totally agreed with you before having a bolt BO in the stable.

The reason I/we now have one is due to buying Rebecca her first rifle years ago.

It's the Ruger ranch with the threaded 16" barrel.
She chose it because it fit her well, was light and she liked the FDE stock. She chose the caliber based on its small size and low recoil.

The performance is pretty much a 30-30 with a pointed bullet.
The difference to the shooter is much milder recoil, no matter what bullet weight is chosen.

She knows it has limitations, but isn't afraid to stretch it out on steel targets.
Will it kill deer and hogs here in Florida? Yup.
She knows those limitations too.

Supressed? With subs it'll make you giggle it's so quiet. The firing pin impact and a tiny, tiny thut is all you hear.
I totally get what you are saying for youngster or any one starting out that makes a lot of sense. Only thing I will add is you could reload a 308 down to 300BLK speeds and as the shooter progress still have the performance reserved for when they are ready for it. Anyone taking a shot on game isn't going to feel the recoil between a BB gun or a 300WIN albeit they better be holding the rifle correctly.......LOL
 
Cartridges come and go. If the firearms industry didn't continue presenting new products (firearms AND ammo) to the gun buying public, they would probably go broke. The firearms industry needs to make the gun buying public perceive a "need" for the latest, greatest, whiz-bang, cartridge or firearm to keep them buying new products and accessories.

The 30-40 Krag is a very old cartridge, but it will kill deer just fine. While newer cartridges will shoot flatter, they won't make a deer that is properly hit any more dead than dead. Dead is like pregnant...they are, or are not.

For those that feel the need to argue over the effectiveness of cartridges at distance, the anti-tank rifles of WWI have plenty of power.. but my point is that the firearms industry needs to continue creating a perceived "need" for new products so the public continues to buy those products.

Various cartridges come and go in terms of popularity...that has always been the case. Some cartridges have a longer popularity than others. The 30-06, 45ACP, 9mm, 8mm Mauser, 7mm Mauser, 45-70 are among those cartridges that have proven themselves over a very long time. Newer cartridges such as the 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC are great, and while originally designed for a specific purpose, they are also very useful for many other purposes.

I don't get worked up when new cartridges come onto the market place, nor do I mourn when a cartridge's popularity wanes into relative obscurity.

If all ammo makers quit making ammo or components for the 260 Remington, I could easily form cases and make ammo somehow. It is the same for many other cartridges that slip into obscurity.
 
Two furring strips, some screws to put it together. Add some string with a small loop on the end.
A few 1/2" screws and old golf balls. Done.

I would recommend adding an extra cross brace to the main uprights and to the legs or it will start swaying if you get on a run.
That'll cost you another furring strip.

View attachment 7458909
I made little holders sort of like golf T's by bending wire coat hangers around to make a circle that holds the golf ball, then bend the circle over at 90 degrees, and stick the other end into the ground. Of course, the golf balls aren't tethered to anything, so if you hit one right, they REALLY get launched. 99% of the time, they either fall on the ground, or only go a few feet.
 
If all ammo makers quit making ammo or components for the 260 Remington, I could easily form cases and make ammo somehow. It is the same for many other cartridges that slip into obscurity.
My goto factory ammo is Hornady and as much as I like to reload I don't have time for it as much as I would like so I do like knowing their is good factory ammo sitting on a store shelf when / if I need it.
 
I would have totally agreed with you before having a bolt BO in the stable.

The reason I/we now have one is due to buying Rebecca her first rifle years ago.

It's the Ruger ranch with the threaded 16" barrel.
She chose it because it fit her well, was light and she liked the FDE stock. She chose the caliber based on its small size and low recoil.

The performance is pretty much a 30-30 with a pointed bullet.
The difference to the shooter is much milder recoil, no matter what bullet weight is chosen.

She knows it has limitations, but isn't afraid to stretch it out on steel targets.
Will it kill deer and hogs here in Florida? Yup.
She knows those limitations too.

Supressed? With subs it'll make you giggle it's so quiet. The firing pin impact and a tiny, tiny thut is all you hear.

I did the same with my daughter. When she was 9 I bought the Ruger American Ranch rifle in 300 blk. We both used it and took several deer with Barnes 110, Hornady 125 SST, and the only factory round a 150 Deer season XP.

It performed fine for her first 3 deer, and the game I shot with it.

I sold the rifle though. I bought a Howa mini with heavy threaded barrel in 6.5 Grendel. She is now 13, and has taken her last 2 bucks with it.

She doesn’t like any recoil over a 22 magnum, so we dry fire practice with the hunting rifle. She does not notice the recoil when shooting game.
 
Last edited:
I made little holders sort of like golf T's by bending wire coat hangers around to make a circle that holds the golf ball, then bend the circle over at 90 degrees, and stick the other end into the ground. Of course, the golf balls aren't tethered to anything, so if you hit one right, they REALLY get launched. 99% of the time, they either fall on the ground, or only go a few feet.

The thing I like about the rack is that the golf balls spin or flip. If they spin tight, a good shot will unwind it ready for another try. Once in a while a ball hit at the screw will launch it.
BTW, a 58gr V-Max isn't very kind to the ball.
 
The thing I like about the rack is that the golf balls spin or flip. If they spin tight, a good shot will unwind it ready for another try. Once in a while a ball hit at the screw will launch it.
BTW, a 58gr V-Max isn't very kind to the ball.

Yes, the golf balls are fun to hit. I have put them on the t's, on racks like you made, and also on strings that I just staple to cardboard backers. There is a golf driving range near me, and they sold me a couple of boxes of their "unusable" golf balls for around $10...hundreds of them.
 
Two furring strips, some screws to put it together. Add some string with a small loop on the end.
A few 1/2" screws and old golf balls. Done.

I would recommend adding an extra cross brace to the main uprights and to the legs or it will start swaying if you get on a run.
That'll cost you another furring strip.

View attachment 7458909
Sir that looks just like my golf ball target stand, excellent work! It’s the only use I have for golf balls. I’d make one small suggestion though I’d move that truck before shooting the golf balls.
 
Sir that looks just like my golf ball target stand, excellent work! It’s the only use I have for golf balls. I’d make one small suggestion though I’d move that truck before shooting the golf balls.

You're probably right. It might take a few hits. Then again, at that distance from the back of the garage, parallax and bitchy neighbors might be a bigger issue. 😁