Sorry Daryl

I did not read your response to the comments from nei411...which are by the way 100% correct.

For you to state that an inherint design feature in one of the worlds greatest ever big game cartridges is " silly" will Im afraid leave you open to a certain amount of flack!

Further to " suggest" that the design feature in question came about by: "H&H was looking for an easy way to use a chambering reamer way past it's useful life".... is something of a mystery to me.

Perhaps you could explain what you mean here, and from what source did you obtain this information??

Essential the benefits of headspacing off a belt where there is little shoulder are well documented by experts in cartridge design, with greater levels of expertise than you and I, so no need to rehash it all here.

Not withstanding that in later years many belted cartridges appeared for no other reason than they looked cool ,and the fact that some reference to the word magnum made for good marketing.

As has been pointed out many great cartridges dont have a belt, but many do. this doesnt make them any less of a good cartridge.

I do know though that I personally prefer to be loading both the 375 and the 300 ( in particular), with a belt than without.

In summary I think you very broad and general description of any cartridge that has a belt as been " silly" is something of a generalisation ...at the very least.

Best

Eric