OK, I think I read through ALL the posts (unlike some other threads
) so I'll toss in my idea about "what's next".
I see a distinct decrease in interest for long range hunting in the not too distant future.
Folks will get interested in ..................
Wait for it now,
Short Range Hunting!
They will brag about getting within 10 feet ( +/- 3 meters for you foreigners) instead of "over 600 yards" and will be breaking out certified tape measures or laser measuring devices to get the actual distance from muzzle to the animal (all able to be recorded in real time if one has the money) so they can have friendly competition with their compadres in hunting camp.
The technological advances in measuring to the nearest mm (+/- 1/25th of an inch for those metrically challenged) will allow companies to have an "arms race" of sorts to see who comes out with the fanciest product with the most exciting bells and whistles on it, able at a moment's notice to link to your "devices" or across the world by satellite to the governing board of the Close Up Hunters Social Club.
Stainless new age alloys will predominate as hunting up close will get folks out of their tower blinds, pop up blinds, back porch windows, and pick up trucks. They will have to expose all that newly purchased gear to the elements.(so they can keep up with the times and not look like some old fuddy duddy STILL doing the long range thing).
Ammunition technology will go to uncharted territory with big fat bullets at reasonable speeds and no BC to speak of. Powder technology may change too, to really fast, some might say explosive powders of only a few gradations. The ammo companies will develop brightly colored packaging and new catchy slogans to convince the newbie short range shooters that they just have to go out and purchase their product to get the ultimate in short range accuracy. Some bullets may even come with a wonderful space age cellulosic coating applied in special folding machinery.
Firearms will come with a "one hole group" guarantee at 10 feet when using the manufacturer's preferred (read that as "our powder subsidiary") recipe. Bug hole groups will be passé, as a rather large bug will be able to pass through the one hole group of these new short range bullets. Using an appropriate caliber, a 3 shot one hole group might even let a small mammal (vole, shrew, meadow mouse?) pass through, to heck with bugs.
Some hunters of a certain age, should we survive long enough to see the fad in long range technology they call "hunting" end, will be WAY ahead of the game as we still use ancient technology to hunt; like quiet wool clothing, moccersins, smokepoles, we watch the wind but not for the effect on the bullet, and sometimes we even wear a Fedora or tuque. Perhaps more importantly, we enjoy getting close to the quarry rather than shooting at extended ranges.
I await your responses, but not right now, I'm going to go make an investment in Goex!
Geno
PS I'm not a gunwriter, just a guy who hunts occasionally. So perhaps my comments don't count?
