Reeder Custom Guns - Under Appreciated GNR Cartridges...

We all talk about the popular Reeder Cartridges. But, so many that are never mentioned and never see guns in. I'm sure Gary builds them, but never posted.

Figure it would be interesting to have Misfits post their opinions of the Unappreciated GNRs.

I'll start by saying my vote goes to the 307 GNR. I ordered one early on and had to wait on dies. Mine is a 12" G2, full custom barrel and frame.

The huge selection of bullets is just the start. Need to add a Carbine so chambered.

Interested to hear others votes...

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it is hard to promote all of them. And with the HHC only once a year it is hard to use more than two or three on animals. And naturally I tend to go to my favorites like the 41 GNR, 410 GNR, 429 GNR, 378 GNR, 450 GNR and 510 GNR.

Lately I have expanded my favorites to my 310 GNR,257 Raptor, 356 GNR, 41 GNR#2, 366 GNR, 500 GNR, and the 416 GNR as I have taken animals with each of them. That still leaves about 40 other cartridges that I need to promote. Not enough hours in a day.

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Lots of great ones in the background.

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For instance I began with the .300 GNR (on the .30-30), which progressed to the 7mm GNR (sort of a all maxed out 7X30 Waters). With all that brass scrounging it was easy to progress to others like the .256 Falcon. I still have room for the .355 and .400 GNR's too. All on the G2 chassis by the way.

One might also argue as to the influence of the firearm chassis choice. What a pity to limit the big Encore to such small capacity cartridges (excluding "Pirate gun" configurations). The huge .416,.440,.450,476 on that big .50 AK/.348 case are more befitting. Or if you need flatter trajectory the .405 based rounds provide and have generous limits in the bigger gun. (although I have a 9" .327 Federal Encore barrel!)

Revolvers are broken up into simple 6-shot conversions vs 5-shot more complex package rigs and even into the Long frame customs. Finally, one might consider the small frames. I think the chassis is more dictating here.

Almost too much to choose from. What guides you? The cartridge platform or firearm? I know for me it's both.

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But, pretty much like guns that go bang.

Was looking at ballistics and thinking about the old cartridges. My 10mm Trail Gun easily matches warm loads from 38-40s from 100 years back. Even the old big bores didn't produce flashy ballistics, but all game was taken with them.

Recently reading one of my old gun books and a story about hunting with the 30-30. The writer stated he only used his "Big 30" for elk and moose. Later in the story he revealed his "Big 30" was a Savage 99 in 300 Savage.

I wonder what game has done to get tougher throughout the years. Modern powders provide better ballistics in almost all rounds. Bullets are definitely better today than in the past. So what was heroism in the past is careless today.

It seems a combination of gun writers paid to sell new products and hunters depending on magazine capacity instead of shot placement.

Just my opinion of course.

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. . .it's also very likely true that the failures on game of many of those older rounds was not published by the old-timers. Elmer called 'em as he saw 'em, good or bad.

And yes, I have often wondered about the genetic mutations that have taken place over the last 150 years or so that have required the development of so many "super killer" chamberings.

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weren't for wildcatters we wouldn't have many interesting cartridges. Look at all the new cartridges that came from the '06, and the 308 brass. Then several from the 223. The progression of hotter, more accurate rounds (not necessarily the same cartridge) is normal. If it weren't that way it would be a damned boring life, driving Model T cars and using 200 year old firearm designs. Gun people, for the most part, are experimenters, constantly looking for better, more accurate rounds, except for the mindless cretins that rave about the 6.5 Creedmore. I am glad for folks like J.D.Jones, P.O. Ackley and others that give us something special to work with. It would be a damned boring world without wildcat cartridges to make us want to try something better.

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If the 35 Remington has killed big game for well over 100 years with a 200 grain bullet at 2000 fps, then my 358 GNR is good for the same game.

I've seen and bought a number of your guns in 44 Special and 45 Colt. But, you've never tried to convince me they didn't work anymore.

When someone tells me my 300 Savage doesn't kill deer anymore, it annoys me...

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.410, .378 and .510. I have taken everything from deer to large hogs with each. I did not notice the animal had a preference, they just flopped down. That said, I also like the .475 Linebaugh to take to the range to make the other shooters flinch.... Old men have to have their fun somehow!!!

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I have over 70 sets of dies. I have the following GNR dies, 7mm,30,356,355,378,410,41#2,429,457,455,510. If I could only have one 378 GNR. Most neglected, maybe 41GNR#2. Why, because 41 GNR and 410 GNR are so GREAT.

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to help us appreciate the potential of the underappreciated calibers. I have a hard time keeping up with what parent case / series. I like to compare the bullet selection with powder use, doing the math gets me interested. The cartridge is really just a launcher for a projectile. Then the fun really comes when dreaming up the launching platform. Gary and crews artfully executed machine work.
Back to your question, a couple of my favorites are 7gnr 16" g2 and 356gnr scoped revolver.

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Under Appreciated GNR Cartridges...

that is mostly my fault. With 70 wildcat cartridges

That's exactly why I started this thread...

I tend to be guided a bit by the parent case

Probably nostalgia more than anything..

True for the most part, but . . .

that sounds like something an old goat would say. If it

Especially true with handguns. My point is simple...

My personal favorites are the .310,

Calibers

410GNR and 378GNR are my fav's.

What we really need is the updated reloading manual

30GNR, 17" NB G2 Carbine scoped 2 -7