Obsolete cartridges and those one their way.

[KegRiver]

Lately I've been occupied working up a load for my 218 Bee and that and the number of posts here concerning much more recent cartridges got me to thinking about the lure of buying the latest and greatest.

I have two examples of where that can lead. I have the 218 Bee and my brother's .284 model 88.

I have trouble finding ammo for both but the 284 is becoming almost impossible to find ammo or brass for. And both have very limited options for bullet selection. Especially for loaded ammo.

There is a good side to that though. The rarity of both rifles has pushed their value to well above the original purchase price.
That is not always the case however.

I have other guns that are not easy to find these days nore is the ammo for them. And they are worth less now then the original purchase price.

Thinking about that has got me wondering what a 300 SSM will be worth in twenty years, or for that matter, any of the Short magnums or super short magnums.
Or how about a 264 or the 224 Valkyrie.

Many of these new cartridges, okay, the 264 is not all that new, but most of these cartridges have only a slight advantage over their rivals if any at all.
Not only that but the field is getting a bit crowded I think.

It also seems to me that a good many of them are sold to people who don't and won't shoot them enough to gain the necessary skill to benefit from any superiority in performance they may have.

I've seen it a number of times among my circle of friends. Of course maybe that's just the kinda friends I keep, but rifle values don't bear that out.

The 218 Bee, the 284, the 264, the 300 SSM and even a 243 SM all belong to friend or family or at least did at one time and all have fallen from grace.

I understand the logic of buying the latest match winning caliber. I've spent my share of time looking at and wanting the "New Shiny"

But a life time of hunting and shooting has taught me that for many, it is a waste of money.

My uncle never recouped a penny from his 218 purchase. My brother has not and will likely not realize one cent gain from his once shiny new 284.
My sister may some day recoup the cost of her 243 SM but the way things are now it doesn't look good.

In the mean time my .303 is still gaining in value as is my .06

I know some people who buy rifles purely for enjoyment of owning that particular rifle. I know others who shoot hundreds if not thousands of rounds per year. For them, each new rifle earns it's keep.

But I suspect that the average hunter would get far better value for his dollar if he spent in on one of the more long living, more available choices.

See the thing is, I have found that more game is taken at ranges under 200 yards then at longer ranges, and that Deer does not die any faster nore does the meat taste any different if it was shot with a 6.5 x 55 or a 6.5 Grendel, or for that matter, with a 338-300 Ultra

Of course there are exceptions. Antelope hunting may be one of those. Hunting Mountain goats may be another.
And of course a fool has every right to part with his money any way he wishes.

But for the average Joe with an average job, and a family to feed, maybe that shinny new rifle is not the best use of you hunting dollar.