Are the magnum calibers like the 300 and 338 loosing favor?
It seems to me they are and am curious what others think. Seems like new bullets are making the big magnums not as necessary.
Not with me. I load for every rifle I shoot (except rimfire of course) and I shoot my magnums a bunch at the range-- just as much as my non-magnum rifles. I carry them all hunting as well. I may deer hunt with a 243 win one outing, and take a 300 win mag the next day. I've taken Black Bears with everything from 25s to a 338 win mag. I've shot more crows with a 300 win mag than probably any other rifle in the safe. I've taken several hogs and various varmints with a 375 H&H. I will not mention all the game that has fallen to my various handguns, but I have witnesses to a running coon catching a 350 grain XTP from my 500 S&W revolver (sometimes it's better to be lucky than good).
In the end, bullet technology has made a better cartridge out of any rifle you shoot, but a 338 Win Mag is still better medicine for Moose, Elk and big bears than a 243,
IF you can put the big bullet where it needs to go.
As said above, the only way to be truly proficient with each rifle is to shoot them all. Often. Isn't it more fun that way?
