I can just see it now. The factories introduce the .25-08 (maybe called the .250 Super-Duper) with a 100-grain bullet at 3100 and a 117 at 2900 (about what could be safely accomplished in factory ammo) with great fanfare, and many gun writers slaying unfortunate pronghorns and whitetails right and left. Then the gun writers rush to their computers and desperately try to convince the gun-buying public that somehow these ballistics are new and revolutionary and absolutely necessary for slaying pronghorns and whitetails.
To my way of thinking, that kind of "smoke and mirrors" hype is part of what is done wrong with new cartridge introductions. I would much rather see and hear the advertisments say exactly what are the real advantages of the cartridge. I would think that many folks would appreciate some honesty for a change. In the case of the 25-08, the ads could incklude words like:
- "low recoil but plenty of power for deer out to 300 yards or more"
- "short-action cartridge that is perfect in lightweight rifles"
- "perfect deer rifle"
- "a little larger than the 243, but just as flat-shooting and with similar recoil"
- "performance like the 257 roberts but in a handier short-action rifle"
comparisons to other cartridges like the 250 savage, 257 roberts, and 25-06 can be stated positively and made into assets. there are a lot of guys out there that hold the 250 savage and 25-06 in high regard. i would think that showing all three rounds in an add with a comparison of velocities and trajectories would be a good thing - like dropping a good name during an interview (something that i know works very well). i don't think it is necessary to try to convince folks that the 25-08 is somehow better than a 25-06. the 25-08 is a neat idea. i think it will fly on it's own merit. just accentuate the positive.
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