"Underrated" is a bit ambiguous.
A better word may be under-appreciated.
There are many cartridges out there that have solid followings and have great merits.
In the USA the market it driven by "new" and if something catches on it has a tendency to replace the old. It's like that in every place and in every industry, but in the USA it's a fad to replace things with other things that are really not an improvement at all.
That how marketing works.
But its all fun, and if that's what you like then go for it.
As long as it's safe and usable I see not reason to condemn any of them.
But in most cases it's also not a reason to buy the "new and improved" either. The only real reason is "I want, therefore I need".
The ballistics of a cartridge are seldom as important as some seem to think. Once you have enough power, more may be fun, and even something that makes some shots easier, but in most cases It's the skill of the shooter that is 98% important. 2% is what he's got in his hands.
I have killed a deer with a slow wood arrow with a 3/4" wide broad head.
I have killed deer with super fast magnums, and bullets that left the muzzle at 3300+ FPS in 25, 27 and 30 cals.
I have also killed antelope, deer, elk, moose, buffalo and bear with 375H&Hs 416s, 458s and 50-140 Sharps, 44 mags, 357 mags, 454 Casulls and a LOT of other calibers I am bothering to list here. And I have done it plenty of times with lead round balls fired from muzzleloading flintlocks and cap-locks too.
They are all still dead.
If something old or new pleases you, get one.
Learn to use it with a high degree of skill and it's ballistics will not be all that important to the deer or elk.
Last edited by szihn; 01/21/17.
