Allen
I can accept your thoughts on the 338 Win Mag with few reservations. I have also had a 338-06 in the past and presently a 338 Win Mag. I think there is reason enough for both, unless the 35 Whelen would make the 338-06 un-needed in a practical argument. Be that it may practically no one in their right mind should debate the fact that the 338 Win Mag is not more versatile than the 338-06.
I myself can see little reason in a practical sense of the word to own a 300 Win Mag if you already own a 338 Win Mag. I myself would much rather own a good 30-06. I have a 30-06 with a 24 inch barrel that will push a 200 grain Nosler right near 2700 fps most any day of the week. It will push 180s considerably more. If more than that is needed I will use the 338 Win Mag. This is the reason I no longer have a 300 Win Mag. However, if you think you need a 300 Win Mag instead of a lesser 308 caliber round I can even live with that. I agree it is a very accurate round in most rifles and does out perform the 30-06 to some degree in ballistics if not practical killing ability in most situations.
However the thing I can't quite see, which you have danced around quite conviently, is why your friend Jim has such a high regard for the 280 Ackley while saying other rounds are some of the most worthless ones ever created. Do you share this line of thought. I know from past posts of yours you are a great fan, as am I, which Jim has also went on written record saying that it is the
LAST rifle he would ever own, of the 270 Winchester. With this in mind what are your thoughts on the practicality of the 280AI? Can't many of the same criteria being given for not having a 338-06 be used for the 280 AI? It is no secret that two of Jim's favorite cartridges are the 280 Remington and the 338 Win Mag. One wonders why this came about, as it is almost a split personality of sorts. By this I mean, one standard and one magnum round, much like my 30-06 and 338 Win Mag. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
One further question, since Jack O'Connor championed the 270 and Warren Page likewise the 7mm Mashburn Mag, which is quite like the 7mm Rem Mag, do you feel that this may have forced Jim to back the 280 and ultimately the 280AI? After all it would seem natural use the 280 vs 7mm mag just like the 338-06 vs 338 mag argument is used. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
To sum things up I am not trying to pick on Jim as much as wondering if you think both lines of this thinking on the 280 AI and the 338-06 are constant with each other? I can't say that I do. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
