The latest new hunting round isn’t always the best choice. Here’s why

THE MAGNUMS

Over the past 25 years, we’ve seen a series of different cartridge trends. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, new magnum cartridges, including the short-actions, were all the rage. They became popular very quickly, but 10 years later, most had all but disappeared from the scene. Sure, the .300 Winchester Short Magnum (above) has enjoyed staying power, and the .300 Remington Ultra Mag. still has a small but ardent following. Most of the others, however, enjoy little popularity today.

There was nothing wrong with any of those cartridges, but several influencing factors conspired against their longevity. That included declining interest from the gun- and hunting-related media, as well as rifle and ammunition makers not willing or unable to include them in their production lines. And with many of the magnum cartridges, there was a trade-off many hunters weren’t willing to accept—marginally improved ballistics for increased recoil and a higher price tag.