375 Ruger and 308 Marlin Express

[kg42]

Have you guys seen these?

I couldn't find the case specs for the 375 but it looks like a variation on the 9.3x64; nice.



About the 308, well.....déjà-vu...?
http://www.chuckhawks.com/308_marlin_first_look.htm

[versifier]

With its greater capacity, the rimmed .307 can be handloaded to equal the .308Win. This is amusingly naive of Marlin/Hornady. Why not just load the 160gr plastic nose in .307's. Or are they jealous and want their own nme on it instead of Winchester. It just sounds like another .450Alaskan (let's replace the proven and reliable .45-70 with a belted magnum that is its ballistic inferior) fiasco. As much as I like .30cals, this one doesn't make any sense to me at all. I was born at night, but it wasn't last night.
I haven't looked up the specs on the .375Ruger yet, so I will withhold comment on it for now.

[kg42]

They are both made by Hornady and featured on their front page.
From a web search, it seems that the 375 has a beltless .535 case head.

https://www.hornady.com/

kg

[versifier]

Hmmm. In that case, the case has too much volume to be efficient with cast, and it won't do anything the bigger .375's can't do. But, I bet it's a lot easier on the shoulder than the big boys, will feed more easily through any action, and will have much longer case life without a belt. This one seems to make some sense, I suppose. Not that I have any need or want of one. Again though, I have to ask why? It may have some appeal for elk and moose, but there are hundreds of cartridges already that will do the job on them already. Maybe we should buy a few boxes of each and wait thirty or forty years to sell to cartridge collectors when they're long obsolete.

[crgintx]

The .308 Rimmed Marlin Express round looks especially redundant because the .30 WCF AI will give virtually the same ballistic performance. You can pickup a worn model 94 for about half the price of a new Marlin and have it rebarreled. Methinks Marlin wants to sell some ammo with their name on it.

[d-o-k]

Why dose it seem they are trying to reinvent the Wheel ?


Dave

[versifier]

crgintx, welcome. I have a sneaking suspicion you've got their number.

Dave, whenever someone is trying to reinvent the wheel, it's usually because they have found themselves a good deal on odd-sized tires.

I look at it this way.....
The old farmer was looking at the new farm equipment on display at the county fair and he came upon a youngster looking at a huge and complicated piece of machinery and scratching his head trying to figure it out.
The kid asks him, "Any idea what it is?"
"Yup," the old man says without hesitation, "it's a separator."
"Oh, OK. What's it separate?"
"Dang fools from their money."

[kg42]

Some Real light, at last (375 Ruger); and the part about getting the ammo is Real fun:
http://www.realguns.com/archives/134.htm

[lovedogs]

Me thinks lots of gun nuts ain't just redneck fools. Most have at least a modicum of good sense. This is why some calibers don't make it. They just don't make good sense. I believe the .308 Marlin is going to be another, just like the .307. Many of the lever guns just weren't accurate enough at long range to utilize .308 capabilities. If you read the "skinny" on the new Marlin you'll see they've addressed many of these issues, making this new .30 cal. more viable. But I just don't think there's that much market for 300 & 400 yd. lever guns. It's like... who cares? Most bumper jacks get their use in the woods, close range.

Most of us have no use for any .375 cal. rifles. But for those who do, I can see a real place for the .375 Ruger. Whoever dreamt up belts on cartridges should have been spanked anyway. I can think of no advantage and there are some disadvantages. For those who need big bullets the new Ruger holds lots of promise.

The real bottom line, of course, is that the gun industry needs the business. Most of our new cartridges don't have real advantages over what we've had for years. We didn't NEED any of them. But if they can convince some folks that they are a real improvement and we need them, they can sell some guns.

Let's just take a look at the "average Joe" deer hunter. Any good bolt action chambered for anything in power between .243 and .30-06 will take any deer that ever walked. Most can shoot out to 300 yds. with almost the same trajectory, and that's about as far as most "average Joe" hunters are capable. Sure there are a few Boddingtons and David Millers out there who are all into long shots on game. No doubt some of us take some pretty long pokes on ocassion. But on average, we have no need for any of this new crop of cartridges. It's all about marketing!

Personally, I've grown tired of long shots on game. I've done it for years and it's no longer a challenge. I find it's much more of a challenge to sneak up and shoot them 'twixt the ribs with one of my Contenders. I've put the hunting back into my hunting. So much of what people call hunting nowadays isn't hunting, it's just shooting. Like they say... different strokes for different folks. If you want a new caliber that will do the same thing as your "old faithful", go ahead and lay down your money. But when all is said and done you'll probably find that your new wonder isn't doing anything your old one didn't do just as well. Your pockets will just be lighter!

[kg42]

Excellent remarks about long shots and hunting. The guys want the guaranty of a trophy and mile accurate ray-gun...
Lots of hunters don't do the hunting or even the shooting... I knew a guide who sincerely loathed bow hunters; during one season, he had to finish every single caribou shot with an arrow because the hunters didn't do their part.