Do we really need the magnums?

**Webster** · 26-01-2010, 14:28

Here is a question that has been on my mind for a while now. Do we really need the Magnum calibers? What is a magnum caliber? We have them so we use them but for what purpose? Bigger? Better? Faster? Further? What is the point? What can these calibers do that the "older standard" calibers cannot do? A 30-06 pushing a 200gr bullet from Sierra, Hornady, Speer, PMP etc will knock any non dangerous game flat! The 7x57 and 303 of yesterday accounted for more dangerous game than we would ever like to believe. Is the magnum craze an ego thing? If the answer is that I can shoot further then I say you are not hunting but rather shooting and then its fine - just do not call it hunting! If we had no magnums we would probably not need premium bullets????
Would someone please educate me as to why we need magnum calibers. Please provide a definition for Magnum calibers.

**camouflage762** · 26-01-2010, 14:30

**swapo** · 26-01-2010, 15:40

30-06 180gr at 2700fps muzzle and 300 Winmag 180gr at 2950 fps,trajectory difference at 300m is a mere 6.8cm(Arrowhead,sako factory ammo)???Comes down to personal preference,i would think??

**Paul** · 26-01-2010, 15:46

Originally Posted by swapo

30-06 180gr at 2700fps muzzle and 300 Winmag 180gr at 2950 fps,trajectory difference at 300m is a mere 6.8cm(Arrowhead,sako factory ammo)???Comes down to personal preference,i would think??

Yeah, but you're not comparing apples with apples, are you?

180gr is the 30-06's sweet spot. Try comparing 200gr bullets which are sort of a common 'cross-over' weight from 30-06 to 300WM.

**umshiniwam** · 26-01-2010, 15:53

Dave, no I don't believe that we need magnums but if that is what floats your boat I don't think that there is anything wrong with using a magnum rifle.

Whatever works for you as an individual is the way forward.

**Webster** · 26-01-2010, 16:02

The point of my question is really aimed at those buying new rifles/first rifles and being bamboozled by a pile of nonsense. In the fishing community we say that lures catch anglers (wallets) not fish! How many people now believe that magnum calibers is all that works and the "old guns" are no good any longer! As I said earlier - bigger better faster therefore I want it.
BTW - I certainly agree with the freedom to choose thing!

**THOMAST** · 26-01-2010, 16:13

I have a 7mm Rem Mag, the first rifle I bought, when the Dead Sea was still ill. Its a Ruger No1 and I fell in love with the rifle, not the calibre. But I have it, it is mine, all mine! (purchased with the heart, not head)
Not having too much experience with other calibres at that stage, I thought that they all recoiled like a sumbich, so I made the best of it.
Using Hornady Interlocks (175gr) I loaded it up to allmost 3000fps! I felt that I could flatten anything I came aross in the veld..
Then reality set in.
It really messed up the antelope species if you went for body shots, so I became a "selective" headshot hunter/shooter.
Then premier bullets came to be and I had less meat damage, but it still recoiled like a sumbich.
Gradually the obsession with magnum velocities faded and the ol ruger now pushes a 175gr at a quite sedate pace of around 2700fps, far more manageable. Still flattens the larger antelopes at that velocity.
So I am in full agreement with Dave that I dont think magnums are really needed for hunting plains game at normal hunting distances.
Animals cant be deader than dead.
They might result in teaching you to flinch and that would be disasterous for the game hunted.

**umshiniwam** · 26-01-2010, 16:21

Originally Posted by dave schenck

The point of my question is really aimed at those buying new rifles/first rifles and being bamboozled by a pile of nonsense. In the fishing community we say that lures catch anglers (wallets) not fish! How many people now believe that magnum calibers is all that works and the "old guns" are no good any longer! As I said earlier - bigger better faster therefore I want it.
BTW - I certainly agree with the freedom to choose thing!

I see your point. A magnum as a first rifle is not ideal in my opinion.

This runs parallel to the current school of though which considers conventional soft point bullets useless for hunting purposes and the use of these as irresponsible. Premium bullets are fantastic, but the truth is that conventional bullets have gotten the job done for many years and the same can be said for non-magnum cartridges.

**Teufel Hund** · 26-01-2010, 16:28

Originally Posted by dave schenck

The 7x57 and 303 of yesterday accounted for more dangerous game than we would ever like to believe.
If the answer is that I can shoot further then I say you are not hunting but rather shooting and then its fine - just do not call it hunting!
If we had no magnums we would probably not need premium bullets????
Please provide a definition for Magnum calibers.

Yeah, and they also accounted for even more wounded dangerous game that would never get mentioned.
Magnum calibers are mostly better performing than standard calibres, thus you can now finnish off dangerous game with one shot instead of shooting it 10 times with a small standard caliber ie .303 or 7x57( having to keep shooting a animal untill it goes down with a insufficiant caliber is also just shooting and not hunting)

IMHO. Taking game at long distance is also hunting and not just shooting, some hunting terrain does'nt allow you to get close to animals and thus you have to take long shots. If you don't have the skill to do it and your equipment does'nt allow you to do it, then don't do it. If you have the skill to do it and your equipment are'nt capable, upgrade your equipment. Every caliber has it's applications, apply it wrong and the result will be disapointing.

Thank goodness that the Magnum calibers sparked better bullet designs, for even standard calibers firing crap quality bullets fail miserably.

Magnum Calibers = Ensuring you have enough gun for what ever nature throws at ya!

**HoggerNaut** · 26-01-2010, 16:50

My poison of choice is 300 WinMag. Started hunting with a 243 (raised in the Karoo unlike the 30-06 bushvelt hunters). I hear your argument and you raise good points, but then we might aswell argue that we dont need flat screen TV's. the old ones did the job. Nor blue ray discs nor performance motors. If you can take something great and make it better, why the hell not. I mean you must have something in your house which you bought because of the coolness factor even though the plain model would be enough!

PS. I hunt I dont shoot, most of my game I kill in less than 80yards and with the bow less than 30. But I still love the magnum!

Peace!