Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters The past 100 years.

There's an article by John Barsness in the latest Rifle mag that makes this case.

Development of slower burning powders, primarily post WW2, dramatically enhanced performance of many calibers.

The 25.06 Remington, during its early wildcat beginnings wasn't a terribly exciting round...until advancements in powder brought about its real potential, enough so that Remington finally made it legitimate.

Look at what's happening with the .45-70. One doesn't dare load modern ammo into many of the older rifles built around this cartridge.

Barsness notes that the once flagging .22 Hornet has regained popularity because new powders have upped its velocity by as much as 500 fps.

And now one can load perfectly sane and efficient hunting bullets such as a 130 gr Barnes TTSXs into a 30.06 and very safely spit 'em out the end of the barrel at 3300 fps, and thus rivaling a 150 gr .270 Win. for flat trajectory out to 350 yds! This wasn't even remotely dreamed of not all that long ago. It's only the quality of modern bullets over older cup & core versions, coupled with modern powders, that make this sort of performance achievable...all done without exceeding SAAMI specs regarding pressures.

Indeed, it's just such advancements in both powder and bullets that's giving additional life to the 30.06, simply because it brings into question the actual need for the greater costs/recoil in exchange for relatively marginal gains by moving up to magnum status.