Simply because the 700 nitro had not been thought of yet! While heavy and quite impractical, there are those that like the 700 nitro. Since its developement,there have been over a hundred 700 nitro's made and sold throughout the world. While this isn't alot, they are an expensive gun and the ammunition isn't cheap. Like 500 grains put it,some just think it is fun. Like alot of big bore gun nuts really know, need ain't got nothing to do with it.