375 Ruger vs 416 Ruger for an all-around rifle

[hoytcanon]

Youth these days need to get their priorities straight (I'm one of them!).

I was just thinking about this the other night but is there really any gap that a new DG cartridge could fill today that is not covered by an existing cartridge?

We have magnum length 375's (HH) and long action 375's (Ruger)

We have magnum length 416s (Rem/Rigby) and long action 416's (Ruger, Taylor)

We have magnum length 458s (Lott, Rigby) and long action 458s (WinMag)

We have magnum length 500s (505 Gibbs) and long action 500's (Jeffery).

I'm not sure what else is left, unless someone develops short action (.308 length) big bores? Long action .577 caliber in a bolt action? Long action .404? Not much left.

New cartridges usually come about on a whim... some wildcatters hairbrained idea... they survive by having shooters take notice and then clamoring for platforms and components... these new cartridges generally do not fill a "gap" per sey. However recent specific designs developed in a cooperative effort between ammunition manufacturers and firearms manufacturers have had lack luster results... the Creedmore required a MASSIVE marketing campaign, and as a result has been the most successful. The SAUM lineup is dead, the WSSM lineup is dead, half of the WSM lineup are dead, with the .270 and .300 versions doing better than the others, the Ruger RSM's are all dead, the .375 Ruger case is struggling everywhere except on AH... I believe you can kiss the 6.8 Western case goodbye pretty much by the end of 2025. Given the track records of these other designs, I would not bet the farm on any them.

I feel there are two issues with developing and sustaining new cartridge designs. First, these new cartridges don't really differentiate themselves significantly from well established and currently WIDELY available alternatives. Secondly, corporations MUST make a long term commitment to manufacturing rifles, ammunition and components to supply, NOT the demand, but to saturate the retailer shelves... however there is the crunch... corporations being beholden to their shareholders and boards, gear their supply to the demand in the marketplace... so there is the "catch 22," consumers won't buy if they can't feed their beasts, and corporations won't manufacture if consumers don't buy. This paradigm will only get worse in the current economy. IMO, the cartridge offerings are going to get steeply streamlined by the corporations, and reloaders and wildcatters are going to have to be more and more resourceful in feeding their beasts and plying their whims. Lately, I have been concentrating new builds on readily available cases, all-be-it, new cartridges... they do not fill a gap, they do not do anything new... they just work well and please me. Case in point, my 7.62X57 Hoytcanon and 375 WSM, I could just as easily have gone with the old stand by's of .30-06 and .375 H&H, as I have several of both, but where's the fun in that.

 

[CoElkHunter]

New cartridges usually come about on a whim... some wildcatters hairbrained idea... they survive by having shooters take notice and then clamoring for platforms and components... these new cartridges generally do not fill a "gap" per sey. However recent specific designs developed in a cooperative effort between ammunition manufacturers and firearms manufacturers have had lack luster results... the Creedmore required a MASSIVE marketing campaign, and as a result has been the most successful. The SAUM lineup is dead, the WSSM lineup is dead, half of the WSM lineup are dead, with the .270 and .300 versions doing better than the others, the Ruger RSM's are all dead, the .375 Ruger case is struggling everywhere except on AH... I believe you can kiss the 6.8 Western case goodbye pretty much by the end of 2025. Given the track records of these other designs, I would not bet the farm on any them.

I feel there are two issues with developing and sustaining new cartridge designs. First, these new cartridges don't really differentiate themselves significantly from well established and currently WIDELY available alternatives. Secondly, corporations MUST make a long term commitment to manufacturing rifles, ammunition and components to supply, NOT the demand, but to saturate the retailer shelves... however there is the crunch... corporations being beholden to their shareholders and boards, gear their supply to the demand in the marketplace... so there is the "catch 22," consumers won't buy if they can't feed their beasts, and corporations won't manufacture if consumers don't buy. This paradigm will only get worse in the current economy. IMO, the cartridge offerings are going to get steeply streamlined by the corporations, and reloaders and wildcatters are going to have to be more and more resourceful in feeding their beasts and plying their whims. Lately, I have been concentrating new builds on readily available cases, all-be-it, new cartridges... they do not fill a gap, they do not do anything new... they just work well and please me. Case in point, my 7.62X57 Hoytcanon and 375 WSM, I could just as easily have gone with the old stand by's of .30-06 and .375 H&H, as I have several of both, but where's the fun in that.

I believe you've hit the giant nail right on the head! New cartridges require new rifles and it will never end, leaving those with the LAST newest and greatest cartridges scrambling on the internet looking for ammo and reloading brass. I've played along a little bit with my .416 Taylor, .375 Ruger and possibly/probably a .416 Ruger, but I know what I'm getting myself into. Many don't and head toward the light of the promises of the latest and greatest cartridge. The .375 Ruger case survives somewhat for now, because Hornady makes their new line of PRC cartridges based off that case.