For the purpose of this thread "obsolete" implies that they don't make the ammo anymore or they only make it in seasonal runs. I don't consider the .280 Rem obsolete but some might. Anyway the one that strikes my fancy is the .284 Winchester.

.300 Savage


Mike

I have a 25 WSSM in a Winchester Featherweight and it shoots like a varmint rifle. I guess that ammo/brass is hard to find with the hoarding, and Winchester only chambered it 2 years. Brass really never stretches or cracks, and it is super efficient on powder. The short cartridge allows the use of a small receiver. I have no idea why it was abandoned.

MM ,,,for me, I would like to see the 9mm Mauser return.
In today's chambering it would be .358x57
Between the 358 Winchester and the 35 Whelen.

220 Swift - I guess it would fit into the seasonal run category. I know new brass is scarce on a regular basis.

348 Win

7x64

250-3000.

M M -

Yeah Buddy - 284 Win.

I have a 98 Mauser so chambered but "life" got in the way of getting it finished for this season. I plan to finish it after this Winter's hunting season.


Jerry

222 magnum

257 bob

30 Remington.

219 zipper

.375 winchester

356 Winchester. I'll be using one for the first time on Saturday. Should thump the deer pretty good.

.303 Savage and .220 Swift (although it's hard to consider the Swift "obsolete") Also .25-20

358 Winchester

250-3000 and 220 swift

35 Remington for me.. I know they still make it seasonally but I dont see it hanging around for the long haul. Shame too. Lots of leverguns out there still in that caliber and it puts a good thumping on deer.

30-40 Krag

256 Newton.

356 Win here too!

6.5 Rem Mag

Well I guess if the 220 swift can make this list...

Brass for the 7STW and 338RUM isn't exactly easy to find.

While I don't consider it obsolete some might so I'll say 257 robts. I sort of like the 8x57 too

303 Savage, 25/30/32 Rem, 22 Savage Hi Power, 6.5 Jap...

220 swift doesn't cut it. You can find ammunition at any store and brass is more available than 375 and many others not considered obsolete...

.350 Rem Mag.

Followed closely by .455 Webley

I have more than one favorite. 348, 356, and 30 Rem. In that order.

Sounds sweet!

284, 358 and 348.

+1. I'll add the 30 Newton to the list as well.

300 saum

.270 WCF

Jerry

Dats phunny!



But its not obsolete in San Francisco....

And why exactly do you know this?

I heard for $100 and a few kisses Travis will tell you why the .270 is gay...

Ditto.

That and the .222 mag.

probably the .45-90, since I have two of them...





Honorable mention to the .351 Winchester...



but I'm still working on that ancient beast, the .270 Ingwe...

Thats mean.

but at least I didn't post the pic of it beside the parent cartridge...

You will smoke a turd in hell....

350 Rem

The .30-40 does work pretty well, too, in a modern rifle:



or, with moderate loads, in an original Krag

I have an affinity to obsolete rounds, my safes are full of them. Most have already been mentioned- 25, 30, and 32 Rem, 219 Zipper, 22High Power, 303 Savage, and 351 WSL- but a couple others are 401WSL, 35 WSL, 45/60, and 32/40. I guess one could include the 38/55 and 25/35 considering how available ammo currently is.

My real darling is the 6mm Lee/Navy though I have yet to load or shoot any. Getting the nerve to fire it is difficult due to the warnings on the bolt not locking due to improper installation or failure. Dreams can elevate an object far above what reality would dictate.

250 savage, 300 savage, 350 Rem Magnum

I have two custom Arisaka Type 38 carbines in 6.5x50mm, and almost bought a third recently.

Another vote for the .350 rem mag.

6.5x54 MS, 303 Savage, 25-35 Winchester

.308 Norma Magnum or 7x61 S&H.

I think the 303 British would be my favorite obsolete cartridge.

22 rimfire

Based on the OP's definition, I'll go with .35 Remington and .357 max.

401 Herters Powermag, 256 Mannlicher (6.5x53R), and the 25 Remington.

405 Winchester.

38-40.

The 275 H&H magnum, Winchester -Western loaded the ammo and I believe Jack O'Conner had a rifle built in the cartridge.

Doc

9x56 MS

That always intrigued me too. Have NO justification to buy one.


Jerry

.22 High Power, .303 Savage, and any .22 wildcat based on the .25-20 Single Shot case.

9.3x64 Brenneke is my choice for a less than popular cartridge.

.308 Norma Magnum- 300 WinMag equivalent, tackdriver
7.65 Argentine Mauser .308 Win equivalent, I have 4 rifles in this caliber

Yikes! I forgot how nice that piece of wood is. I would like to find its twin to use on my 77 should Shiloh ever start working on them...

We can't forget the 40-72...

350 Rem Mag and 450 marlin for me.

Yep.

He just took $100 from me. Should I be dissapointed?

357 Max.

350 mag and 300 Savage.

7x57

.250 Savage.

YUP!

For blacktail deer, 250-3000.

5mm RM

35 Remington. Seems ideal for black bear and deer in the woods.

30 Newton

Count me in with the .30-40 Krag fans. My cutdown shoots great.

7x57, except I don't like it

25-20 Winchester Center Fire. I hand load for it for my Marlin 1894 CL.

30 U. S. Army and .35 WCF.

Try buying a box of the latter at Bass Pro Shop!!

348

In a rifle it would be 284 Winchester. Pistol would be 455.

My mostest favorite is the .348, also.

7mm SAUM , IMHO a very sweet cartridge

+1

8mm Remington Magnum .... wish I still had my 1998 Rem 700 Classic .... what an awesome cartridge .......

7.65 Argentine ....... 1909 .....lots of history there, My grandfather somehow got that thing out of Europe into South America in the 50's and into the US ..... It was given to me after he passed away 12 years ago ....... still have a box full of old Belgian ammo (or so I was told) he brought with it .....

303 British


I also enjoy hunting with the 405 WCF, 348 Winchester, 32 Win Special and the 300 Savage

Count me in, too. I bought one on a whim here, and it was love at the break of the first trigger press.

FC

.350 RM and the .405 Winchester...

33WCF, 38-55 are two of my favs, with honorable mention to 50-70.
The 250-3000 is also such a pleasure with light recoil & easy reloading.

7x57
Paul B.

Has anyone mentioned any Howell cartridges?

Qualifies because it's seasonal?

Howbout the - 405 Howell-itzer ?




Jerry

.300 Savage

The .358 Norma here. 35's are just cool for every kind of big game. I like the .25 cals that are missing too. (.257 Roberts etc...) I am tired of buying rifles chambered in cartridges that are hard to find and reload.

A 30.06 will do everything I have been doing for years. Yet I don't hunt with any of mine.

I like fast sevens - a lot. But there are only so many you want in your stable. Fast 30's have a place at my campfire, but the .35's ummmm. Good critter medicine.

Here lately I am looking at .308 long range platforms, a short handy .25 something, and a new custom .45 acp. Dont know why just am......

+1

6mm Remington

I think some would consider it obsolete, as the .243 as completely dominated it (except in performance). I rarely see ammo on the shelf for it.

The 6mm Remington is a favorite. I had a Lilja tube screwed on a T3 and when using 85 grain Hollow Point Boat tail Game Kings, it puts a smack down on virtually everything that gets nailed by it.

Yes. The 6mm Remington qualifies.

6.5 Rem Mag and 350 Rem Mag.

.300 H&H

300 H&H

35 Newton for me.

350RM,35Rem,358 and 356 [img:center]http://[/img] [img:center][/img] [img:center][/img]

Well... y'all are right but I've never thot about my 6mm Rem being obsolete.

I have a Rem M 6 pump in 6mm Rem. It occupies the role of varmint rifle now but has killed its share of deer.


Jerry

Sqweeler, now we talkin' man! I have a soft spot for all 600/660's.

This, with the .284 as a third.

I have all three in modern, SS and fiberclass beauties. All built by Greydog and all shoot lights out at great speeds.

If I had to choose only one, it'd be the .350RM with the 200gr TTSX at 2950fps....

That's easy for me. 7x57

38-55 Remington Hepburn, 405 WCF, I have a 450 Howell, but I don't think it's obsolete it's just rare. Rio7

No belts or W's?

.375 Winchester

Fortunately I don't have to rely on factory ammo as I have enough brass and bullets to last a couple lifetimes.

the definition of obsolete something whos usefulness is gone over taken by progress. I do not believe that applies to any cartridge

I like my old 6mm so much, I guess I never thought of it as being obsolete. If that be the case, I hereby declare it my favorite obsolete cartridge.

The 303 British be numba 2.

Then please provide a more suitable word.

38wcf is favorite among others like 401wsl,250sav,

+1 for the 30 Newton. The original 30cal. Magnum. I've been trying for years to find a cartridge for my collection. Not easy to find one.

Elk Country

Another vote for the 8mm Rem Mag. Mine has slain a couple of deer plus three bears. And a shout out for it's little cousin (.002" smaller diameter), the 32 Winchester Special. I have a 1949 Marlin 336 with an aperture sight on it. It has a fair amount of bluing wear from honest use over many seasons before I got it but the rifling is strong and the action is as smooth as glass.

43 Egyptian

Obsolescent

I tend to like obsolete rounds, not because they are unpopular or unusual (although that does play a part) but because often they fill need that no other cartridge can do as well. I do like the look on peoples face when they ask what I am shooting and I say, ".250-3000" as opposed to saying ".243", but generally I am more interested in performance.

The reasons why some chamberings fall from favor and become obsolete are mysterious. Some you can understand but others "should" have been great....and never were.

Some obsolete chamberings are gone for a good reason.....they never filled a need. I don't care for the .284 Win. It never produced any ballistics that couldn't be obtained by the .280 and were surpassed by the 7mm Mag. It did this with a rebated rim that created more problems than it solved. The .284 had no reason for existing.

The 6.5 and .350 Remington Magnums fit into this "no reason to exist" category. They replicated the ballistics of other rounds based on the .30-06 case, were beaten badly by true magnum cased rounds....and did it in some of the ugliest rifles ever marketed. If someone WANTS a cartridge to fail.....they should study these rounds history.

Other rounds that have fallen from favor were exceptional in performance and in some cases never equaled. The .220 Swift is a favorite of mine. It is still the fastest commercial varmit round ever produced. The .22-250 comes reasonably close but falls just short. The .220 was cursed by being introduced too soon. Powders and bullets available at the time gave it a reputation of being hard on barrels...which it was. With modern steels and powders it is no more so than any other high-intensity .22 caliber round....but the damage was already done in the public's mind and it drifted into oblivion.

A round I really like is the .25-20 in a rifle. It is the closest thing to a reloadable .22 LR (with 86 grain bullets) and can exceed .22 Magnum ballistics as well with lighter bullets. I guess there just wasn't a "need" for a reloadable small game cartridge, but I always liked it No other round fills this need as well.

I also like the .32-20. Not so much in a rifle, but in a handgun. I really can't justify this one so well as other rounds perform similarly with less trouble (thin bottle-neck cases). When loaded to it's capability in a modern revolver the .32-20 will outperform the .38 Spl and come very close to .357 performance in the field. I like it a lot.....just wish I could make a more favorable argument for why it shouldn't have failed.

The .250-3000 is perhaps not truly obsolete, but it's close. I love this round. True it will do nothing that the .257 Roberts won't (another round that just barely hangs on), but it does have one trait that makes it a favorite.....it fits in the Savage 99 rifle. That's reason enough to exist.

Another round that is on it's way to disappearing is the .35 Remington. It is truly a great close range round, but unfortunately that type of hunting is mostly in the past. Modern hunters don't seem to want a close range "thumper" no matter how well it does it's intended job.

The .375 Winchester is also a personal favorite, but it will suffer the same fate as the .35 Remington.....for the same reason. No interest by modern hunters. It is a great short range round, but was unlucky enough to have been introduced just as the taste of shooters was changing. It never had a chance and even though it outperforms the .35 Remington was never even as popular as that failing round. Had the .375 been introduced in the 1950's it might have become a legend in the deer woods.....but we'll never know.

One of my favorite handgun cartridges is possibly also on it's way to oblivion. The 10mm seems to keep hanging on....just barely....so it may be a while before it becomes obsolete. It's entire history has been tenuous. Introduced in the Bren 10.....which never really succeeded.....it was left without a platform to use it. Then when the 1911 was modified, it ran into problems with frame cracking. The FBI (and it's limp-wristed shooters) did the 10mm no favors when they decided to download it. Then the .40S&W stole a lot of it's thunder when it was realized the same weak ballistics could be had in a shorter cartridge. Through all this the full-loaded 10mm remains a very powerful round. One of the few that should be considered in a "normal" semi-auto handgun for hunting purposes. The 10mm SHOULD survive, but may not.

The last of the obsolete rounds I like and use often is the 7.63 Mauser (duplicated by the 7.65x25mm at higher pressure). Don't know why I like this one so much but it is one of my favorite "fun" guns in the C-96 Mauser pistol. It is already obsolete and will likely disappear totally due to a lack of firearms so chambered and the potential danger when 7.65x25 ammo is substituted into older guns.

They ain't obsolete...

Texas Rick -

"the 284 had no reason for existing."

The other things you said per the 284 are accurate enuff but or except...

The 284 DID work thru the Win 88 & 100. The same reason you said the 250-3000 deserved to exist is that it would work thru the Savage 99. ** Same-Same**

Also Win attempted to achieve 280 (270) performance in a lever/auto actions. I don't know IF it did or NOT because I have never chronographed 284 Win factory ammo in anything.

But Win 'attempted'.

You also mentioned other cartridges that in 'your opinion' are good rounds and should not be obsolete..

In 'my opinion' some or all of those have NO reason to exist.


Opinions ---- Belly buttons.

Jerry

Yes. The .280 was developed to give .270 ballistics in the 740 autoloader and the .284 was introduced to give .280 performance to the model 88.

.308 Norma mag was good but has been replaced by .300 WSM.

.264 Win Mag was good and has not been adequately replaced.

I have a thing for old cartridges like many of the rest of you, I've got a Newton rifle in .256 Newton and my Great-Grandfathers in .30 Newton, he bought it new. I also shoot a .250 Savage and have a couple rifles chambered in .257 Roberts.
They're only obsolete if you aren't a handloader.

Just poking a little fun. Did not know you owned anything else.

Love the oldies! In fact, I've gone more and more retro as I descend into "Geezerness". Presently, I'm hunting with a 1921 vintage Savage 99 in 300 Savage for hogs. No scope.

Yup. Just enjoy hauling my old wore out stuff to the field. If I can't kill it with whatever I'm toting, I suppose it just don't need killing.

Currently using the 356 win, custom top eject with lyman peep sight. Just took a nice buck with the 200gr PP factory ammo, no bullet recovered, but obviously expanded well. Also love the 358 win, 348 win and the 375 win. Rarely use anything but a winchester lever.

25-20. It covers a lot of ground as a "meat in the pot" type of round.

My current favourite real obsolete cartridge is the 9x57MM Mauser. .358 Winchester ballistics about 50 years before the .358 was invented. I have a svelte little German "guild gun" '98 sporter in that chambering. Sweet!

I just sold another fine gun, a hundred year old Sauer drilling in 16ga.x16ga. ( 65mm chambers - 2.5" ) over 8x57JR ( .318" dia) That one qualifies as twice as obsolete.

Unlike some others who have posted here, I just can't think of the 7x57 as obsolete, or the .303 British, or 7x64 Brenneke either. They are all used widely throughout the world, perhaps not in the USA though.

Favorite obsolete cartridge? Always has been and always will be the 300 Savage. It is what I started hunting deer with many, many years ago and I carried one on opening morning here in Minnesota this year.

222 Rem Mag and 358 Win.

Ken

pretty cool

Yup! I know Federal brand is relatively easy to find at my LGS but I prefer Winchester and that stuff is practically Unobtainium. I haven't seen any in any of my local LGS in I don't know how many years. I did buy up every bit I could find back in the late 1990's and a decent supply of Winchester and Remington brass so I'm reasonably good to go but supplies only last so long if you're shooting a lot. Right now I'm looking for a load for my upcoming elk hunt. Trying the Barnes 140 gr. TSX, Nosler Accubond Long Range 150 gr. and probably the 140 to 150 gr. Partition. Might even give the Speer 160 gr. Grand Slam a try but shots can be a bit way out yonder when I hunt. I've had shots to 350 yards so may have to seek somewhat shorter ranged shots this year depending on what velocity I'm getting from which bullet.
I have three rifles in 7x57. The ranch I hunt does not allow single shot rifles so the Ruger #1 stays home. The Winchester M70 FWT give good speed and accuracy but it's the custom Mauser that I really want to go with. The problem with it is it shows high pressure problems very quickly. Did a short test for spits and grins a while back. Made up a load with the 175 gr. Hornady round nose to duplicate the original 1893 load and shot them in all three rifles. The Ruger and M70 were quite close to the original loads and were very accurate. The Mauser on the other hand shot the very same load over 100 FPS faster. Cartridges from the first two rifles had the typical slight bulge from standard somewhat sloppy factory chambers. The Mauser's fired cases do not show any sign of being fired unless you look at the primer. Accuracy was superb with that load running .50" for five shots. Well, I still have almst a month to find something it likes that I too will like. Guess that half the fun and frustration.
Paul B.

30 Remington.....

Another vote for the 8mm Remington magnum. Whatever I have shot with it goes down including zebra,wildebeest.oryx,kudu and water buck.It is a sure killer on the NA game I have shot with it. The only drawbacks are the recoil,sharp and fast. And the scarcity of factory ammo. If you have one,hand load for it as the factory loads can be easily be beaten. Also I have 6mm Remington ,.257 Roberts, and a 7x57 Mauser. I guess I like odd cartridges. Porsche 73

Paul:

I hear you regarding the Winchester loads. I haven't seen any of it in either my LGS or any of the internet ammunition sites. I believe the 145 grain load is listed as a Hot-Cor, so maybe duplicating the load with a handloaded Hot-Cor would be your best bet.

I have several boxes of Hornady ".275 Rigby" 140 grain Interlocks, but haven't tried them yet. I'll probably run a few through one of my Featherweights and into a pig or two just to see how they perform. My guess is that they'll act like any other C&C. I don't know why I don't just stick with Core-Lokt's and be done with it. But then, I'd be missing out on half the fun of shooting an "obsolete" cartridge, wouldn't I?

RM

250-3000
300................SAV that is
30 WCF..........just seeing if ya'll are paying attention......!

8.8X51

358 Win. Would love to own one in a Savage 99 but, will happily keep my Ruger M77.

348....

Mike, the Winchester's would be Power Points. Core-Lokt's are Remington. Speaking of Core-Lokts, I have a tall Crystal Light can that holds 200 rounds of that remington bullet. I was thinking of using them in my .280 Remington but maybe my very fussy Mauser just might like them. I'll have to give them a try. I even have a large quantity of Remington brass. They'd look just like factory but more powerful.
Now I won't get much sleep tonight thinking about that.
Paul B.

Paul. I bought a case (200 rounds) of 140 grain Core-Lokts last year from Target Sports USA. They shoot well out of all of my 7x57s. I'm working from memory as to what Winchester puts in their 7x57. Am I confusing them with Federal blue box? May that's the load with the Hot-Cor bullet, which would make sense since I believe Federal and Speer are owned by the same company. Mike

Posted this pic several times. Now I'll post just for you Rev.

Winchester Featherweight 7x57 using a 160 gr Sierra GK and an old 4x Weaver. Shot the mule deer at about 110 yds.



The exit wound from the 160 gr Sierra,after going through both shoulders and the forward portions of the lungs.

Though it may not be considered obsolete now, the 9.3 x 74R It was one of those old black powder rounds that survived the crossover to smokeless. I have it in a Ruger #1. It is an absolute pleasure to shoot. Coogs.

Ken:

Excellent! That old obsolete cartridge still gets it done.

Mike

Yup.

The thing about most so called obsolete calibers is that there are so many more modern calibers that are basically the same thing..a deer shot with a 257 Roberts will die just the same as if shot with a 260 Rem...there's nothing wrong with the new stuff,but a lot of the oldies are just as good.

Ken:

Resurrect the 7x57 thread on the reloading forum and post the load data. Or post it here and I'll resurrect it. I'm keeping a book....

RM

Most guns in the safe would be hard to get ammo for if I didn't reload.
A few-

.221 Fireball
250-3000
284
300 Savage
358
.375 Winchester

Here's the load.

IMR-4350 46.0 grains

Winchester Large Rifle primer

160 gr Sierra Game King

R-P case

Average is 2710 fps from a 22" barrel.

.358 win.

This!

Got mine back from my shade tree gunsmith buddy last week. Venezuelan FN action, nice old sporter stock I got from a buddy, and a .358 barrel. Had to order a 9x57 chamber reamer (with .358 pilot) to get the caliber I wanted. I still have to install a barrel band with the front sling stud.



Have only tried one load in it so far, the 250 gr Hornady RN with the top 9x56 Mannlicher load using 4320 powder. Three shot groups ranged from a low of 0.96" to 1.6". With no modern load data available for the 9x57, I'm a little reluctant to start pushing for max loads without a chrono. Plus, it's time to take it hunting and the 9x56 load will do just fine for right now.

This isn't the only 'older' caliber I use. Actually, I try hard to never be caught in the woods with a normal caliber. Here's my Stevens 38-55 with the little buck it busted last year:








This year, I'll be using the two above, plus the 250-3000, 7x57, 8x57, 45-70, and 7mmTCU (not old, but unusual, mine is a rebored M600 Rem).

If you or Castnblast (or anyone else) can share any good load data with modern powders for my 9x57, I would greatly appreciate it.

Wow, did you shoot that buck with the 38-55 or just go old school and club him with that scope?

Forget the scope Azar, the barrel is what would do the job. The whole rig weighs in at about 12+ lbs.....a shooting house rifle only. Not something you want to do a walkabout with. The 9x57 at 8lb-4oz with the 6X Leupold will work a little better for stalk hunting.

270 Win. or 35 Whelen or both!

Paul:

I just saw where Grafs has 150 grain Power Points listed for $32.59 per 100. I know it's not the factory 145, but I'm sure you could duplicate the ballistics.

RM

Whether you want to call them obsolete or obscure, I find that the rifles that interest me are older in more... vintage chamberings. Those are the rifle that appeal to me so I adapt to the ammunition issues.

My favorites are the same as many already posted. .300 Savage, .358, .348, .375 Winchester, .38-55, and .32 Winchester Special.

Those darn old 7mm Express..wish they still made them!

Graf and Sons sells the Argy ammo (Hornady-branded) with hunting bullets at reasonable prices. They usually have it in stock. I bought some for my uncle's old '91 Mauser awhile back. It's exclusive to Graf's, I think.