Let me explain
First, we have what we really NEED.......which could actually be met by a modified choke pump 12 ga. Period
Then there is everything else..... ie what we WANT......
Most of us will never shoot at elk, moose or anything big. Deer season for most of us is a few weeks at best. Most of us do not have access to long range shooting. Most of us live and shoot relatively close to populated areas. Most of us want to be at least moderately frugal. Most of us I think would like to have something that is at least somewhat rare or exotic, that not every person on your block has.
Not everyone has a macho complex and wants to experience bone crushing recoil. Not everyone wants to get a tan from muzzle flash. I have several handi's. Only two of them are not basically stored away. A Hornet, and a 357. The rest are fun, and have a purpose, but for 90% of what I actually do with a gun, they are useless. I cannot justify the expense, noise, recoil, range, power, and danger factor of using them. Even as we speak I have the 357 on the table waiting for the coon that keeps tearing up my wife's bird feeder to come back into the yard. I am surrounded by neighbors, not extremely close, but several within 1/4 mile. They have livestock, some as close as 150 yards. I sat down and thought about characteristics of the gun that fit what I do with one.
It needed to be able to throw bullets heavier than the Hornet, at 34 gr .
It needed to be quieter than the 357. It also needed to throw lighter bullets than the 158 gr 357's.
It needed to be cheap and easy to load.
It needed to be able to handle cast bullets as well as jacketed.
There needs to be more or less frangible bullets available for it, to prevent ricochet.
I want a case small enough to use pistol powders and have reasonable load density.
It should be a case that is readily available or could be made from one that is.
It needs to be reasonably accurate with various loads from 50 to 150 yards.
It needs to be factory available.
I set down and analyzed. I want a 32/20. They don't and won't make it. I want a 256 winchester (or 25/20) They don't and won't make it. I want a 327 Federal. They don't and won't make it. Even a 30 carbine (I really don't like rimless cartridges) OK.
I want a 300AAC. At least for the moment, THEY MAKE IT.
Now, I don't want to hear about how you can download a 30-06, and I won't tell you to take the grand kids to the park in a semi. I don't need to hear about killing them just as dead with a 7-08, and I won't recommend you buy size 14 shoes even though you have size 8 1/2 feet. Not that I would object to you wearing them, it is just that I want a fit.
SO. We want one because it fits what we like to do. How hard can that be?
