I like the 257 Weatherby and the 35 Whelen. I also have more of an affinity for the 25-06 than the 270. I wonder if you guys have opinions on this subject. Do you scorn the oddball calibers or do you like them? I have reasons for liking the ones I have, and I suppose that's good enough. I just respect you guys and wondered about your thoughts.

Thanks!

I like the unusual ones. I have a 338-06 AI and its my favorite rifle/caliber. Its on a Sako action and Hart barrel and it shoots very small groups with everything from 200 B Tips to 225 Horn. interlocks. I like it that I can't just go out and buy a box of ammo. Gotta get busy at the reloading bench if I want to go hunting or shooting. Makes it a bit more rewarding.

I prefer the unusual calibers.

We would all be in a big mess if there was not someone named P.O. Ackley.
Also this method is a little more involved. Take 30-06,270,25-06 thru a forming die that makes these into 7X57. Then run the 7X57 through the full length 6mm die.

Running a 280 AI, 35 Whelen, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 204 Ruger currently.

My favorite rifle growing up was a 257 Roberts A-Bolt.

from experience I will stay away from the real oddball calibers that are either rimfire or cases are a real pain to make from any other cases available. 17Mach II, 5mm Rem Mag and 22 Auto are some rimfires that are almost impossible to find ammo for. The WSSM family of cartridges are another, guess your can make brass from the WSMs but it is a real pain.

Some guns and their ammo have almost been instant collector items when they were introduced like the Ruger hawkeye with the 256 Winchester Mag, the S&W chambered in 22 Jet. TC ICON in 30TC. Ideas filling a void that didn't really exist.

"is it unwise ?. . ."
only if you don't have a stock of
components and a set of dies

If you are a responsible shooter/hunter, No it is not unwise!

I've always been in love with the speed of the 257 Weatherby, and after hunting Nilgai one time with a 300 Win Mag I got really interested in the 35 Whelen. It may be my next oddball. It hits VERY hard on the front end but not as much on the back end. I don't use muzzle brakes because of the noise, so recoil matters to me. If they could just come out with a muzzle brake that wasn't so goldarned loud I'd have them on all my rifles and probably be shooting Nilgai with a 375!

Some of today's oddball calibers were yesterday's staples. Things like .257 Roberts, .25/06, .270 Win., .280 Rem, .30/06 are not near as popular amongst the younger shooters, but they still get the job done, and well.

I have room for the old and the new in my safe !

Wow, I've never heard the .270 Win and .30-06 referred to as oddball calibers. I suspect they'll still be going strong long after many of the newer calibers are ancient history.

I like them here is a list of the ones I currently use. to me they are not all odd but here you go. 22-6mm, 284, 6mm/284, 375/284, 6.5 creedmoor. 257ai, 458 lott 300 h&h then the more normal ones 25-06, 300rum & wbys.

I dont think there's anything wrong with odd-ball calibers if they are for a low round count gun or you have plenty of brass and a set of dies.

It's too bad the 35 Whelen never caught on. It's a fantastic round. More powerful than the 338 with less kick. It's just too hard to get good ammo for it without reloading.

Maybe so, but if it had caught on it would have become ubiquitous and therefore uninteresting. But then again, the .25 and .300 Whelen are both very common and a guy just about has to have both.

What 338 are you referring to? And how would it be "more powerful, with less kick?"

Enquiring minds want to know.

Probably a 338 Federal

Have the 338 federal and it is less energy than the 35 Whelen or the 350 Remington magnum

Its fun to have different calibers,but I always make to sure to have 9MM and 5.56 on hand for when the blue helmets invade. They will donate plenty of ammo.

My dad built a oddball caliber barrel says 25 Neidner. Not oddball for those who know what it is.

Yup...same as .25 Whelen!

The Neidner became known as the 25-06 Rem.

Much like my 275 Rigby

my neighbor is in to wild cats (odd balls), I would guess at least 2 doz., his thing is to build, work up a load and do another one