WAS I ASLEEP FOR 15 YEARS ?

SON RELATED A STORY TO ME -- HE GOT A BOX OF 35 GR VMAX TO TRY OUT IN HIS AR15 223 WITH A 1:9 TWIST - SAID HE WENT TO A FORUM HE FREQUENTS & ASKED IF ANYBODY HAD USED THEM
SAID HE WAS BOMBARDED WITH STORIES & ADVICE ABOUT USING THEM IN A SLOWER TWIST & PUSHING THEM TO A MILLION FPS
HE SAID THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY EATEN UP WITH FAST TWIST HEAVIER BULLETS FOR THE 223
HE GREW UP WATCHING ME RELOAD THE OLD 222 WITH A 50 GRAIN BULLET & A CHARGE JUST ABOVE STARTING LEVEL FROM THE BOOK
ACCURATE AS CAN BE & NOW THAT OLD 222 HAS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 3000 ROUNDS THROUGH IT & STILL SHOOTS GREAT WITH VERY LITTLE WEAR EVIDENT
HAS MAYBE 3 BOXES OF FACTORY AMMO SHOT THRU IT
WHEN DID THIS OBSESSION WITH HEAVY LONG BULLETS TAKE HOLD
QUESTION IS - WITH THE KINDS OF SPEED & PRESSURE THESE GUYS ARE OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH - DON'T THEY TOAST A BARREL PRETTY QUICK ? AND WASTE A LOT OF COMPONENTS JUST DOING ALL THE TESTING THEY SAY THEY DO
WHAT IS THE OBSESSION WITH TURNING A 223 INTO A 800 YARD TANK KILLER ? I REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND IT
DOES EVERYBODY NOWADAYS HAVE SNIPER FETISH ?