When I first really got into guns in the early 60's, things were booming. New things were right and left, I remember when the 22-250 became factory, and the 600 Remington "Short magnums" came out. A friend of mine and I put in orders for new Remingtons, he for the first year factory 25-06, me for a second year 700 BDL Varmint Special in 243. The Roberts was fading, the 225 Win going out, the 6mm rising. The 264 Win mag was the long range varmint champ. There was something new every month, like I phones today.
Then came a radical slowdown. Literally, for decades there was not much new development in rifles, and short guns and shotguns was even less. The 16 ga died , the 28 almost did. The 12 and 20 are pretty much it. There are only 5 handgun cartridges basically, 3 autos and 2 revolvers. If the 40 S&W had not captured so much police market there would only be 4.......
I picked up a new TC book today and went through it. Kind of amazing really, how little is there. They have all high pressure cartridges in the encores etc. They have 3 Rimmed cartridges, 45/70. 460 & 500 S&W's. I think of all the Ultra Mags, short mags, super short mags, where are they all now?
Has becoming a handiholic just warped my brain, or do weird people just gravitate here, thereby explaining my presence ? I felt some disappointment with the handis until I looked back into the world at large, I feel MUCH better now. There must be some psychiatric reason for this , why else would I get a ripple of excitement from handling that little Trapper, and a large yawn from the Ultra mag and black rifle section ? I even considered cleaning up a bunch of 223 brass just in case this 30 AAC thing becomes a reality, and maybe ordering dies for it. Why is the thought of making one thing that is plentiful into something else scarce thrilling? Is this alchemy ,like the old "lead into gold" thing ? I do know that hard times crimp R&D in many if not most areas and industries. and ours is no different. Perhaps that is why the excitement is here. If you buy a new Remington Ultra mag for a grand, that is what it is. If you buy a 357 barrel for 125$, it could become a Maxi, or a 35 rem, or 356, or 358, or a herrett. And basic 06 brass can become 25,27,7mm, 35 caliber, with 308 brass you become 6mm.6.5mm,7mm,30,338,358. Maybe that is the appeal about the handi, when you buy one, it's not about the gun, it's about YOU, and what you choose to do with it. Like the difference between a painter, and an artist........
Oh well, to much cold medication does this occasionally. Night all.
