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As much as I like my doubles in classic double cartridges, I also like the challenge of long distance target shooting. I won't do it on animals, but for me, paper and in particular reactive targets like steel gongs are a lot of fun when the distances are long..... For example, the TRG in .308 is a lovely long distance toy for the range and even more so in .338 Lapua when one really wants to go far.

For hunting, I do have a .257 Weatherby that I load with 115 grain TSX bullets. They're hard and don't self destruct at close ranges in a cartridge that reaches out easily to 400 yards with very flat hold on hair trajectory. I once was presented with a 30 yard broadside caribou shot with the .257 in hand. I was expecting to see them cross the distant ice between the eskers at a good 350 yards, but lo and behold, Mr Bou showed up right on top of me. The shot literally spray painted the evergreen bush behind it a lovely red colour and I had my Bou. The damage and tissue destruction was unbelievable but I did have the hind quarters and most of the back straps to salvage. It was a pity that I held on the shoulder instead of just behind them...... The bullet was a pass through and was not recovered.

I really like that .257. It does catch me by surprise every time I shoot it with the muzzle blast of the high intensity overbore cartridge. A .25-06 is a lovely cartridge and would undoubtedly be almost as effective but would not shoot as far nor as flat.

All this to say that I don't mind magnums but I'm not totally fixated on them as the be all and end all. Maybe if I was fixated on them, I'd have been kinder to my dearly departed .378 Weatherby and would be shooting it as a primary rifle. They have their place. So does a boat anchor heavy slow .45-70...... One doesn't use a sledge to drive tacks, nor does one use a tack hammer to drive railroad spikes...... There's a place for everything but some tools are more optimal for a given situation.

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