Was it the .375 Win?

Quoted: Was it the .375 Win?

Whatever the last super short magnum was.

Don't know, but folks had better start stockpiling brass now.

I believe that would be the .325 WSM released just last year.

ETA: I'm not sure that's proprietary though, as they do let other manufacturers chamber the WSM's.

CO

Quoted: Don't know, but folks had better start stockpiling brass now.

Winchester Ammo (OLIN) and Winchester Firearms (USRAC and is owned by "FN") are different companys...

Quoted: Quoted: Don't know, but folks had better start stockpiling brass now. Winchester Ammo (OLIN) and Winchester Firearms (USRAC and is owned by "FN") are different companys...

While this is true, it's still not a bad idea to stockpile some brass.  This is particularly true if your favorite cartridge isn't one of the real popular ones.  Winchester(ammo) has a bad habit of dropping things from their product line with little or no warning.

CO

Proprietary means that other companies can not make the cartridge or guns chambered in the cartridge.  It is somewhat similar in concept to a patent, but does not enjoy the same legal protections.  The specs are kept private and no one else can use the cartridge name without permission.  For instance, all of the Weatherby cartridges used to be proprietary.  When the specs for most of the Weatherby cartridges were registered with SAAMI a few years ago, other companies could then make Wby ammo and rifles chambered in those calibers.

None of the WSM cartridges are proprietary.  6.5 Grendel is proprietary, 6.8 SPC is not.

I'm not sure what the last Winchester proprietary cartridge was.  It would have been pre-USRAC.

Quoted: Quoted: Don't know, but folks had better start stockpiling brass now. Winchester Ammo (OLIN) and Winchester Firearms (USRAC and is owned by "FN") are different companys...

Yup, and how long do you think they'll continue to manufacture ammo for niche guns that are not in production any more?

I give them  three years production.  Maybe a special run or two.

Quoted: Was it the .375 Win?

I don't think that was a proprietary cartridge.  Marlin produced 16,135 guns chambered in .375 Win between 1980 and 1983.

US Repeating Arms is owned byu the same company that imports Browning rifles. Brownings are chambered for WSM cartridges also.

Quoted: Yup, and how long do you think they'll continue to manufacture ammo for niche guns that are not in production any more? I give them  three years production.  Maybe a special run or two.

Well, since Remington still makes factory ammo for the 35 Whelen and they only chambered those for a few years,  and since Federal(IIRC) as well as others  still makes 300 H&H ammo (who  knows how long ago that was available in a US factory rifle), I don't think WSM and WSSM brass or even ammo will dry up that quick.

In fact, I ordered some headstamped 400 Whelen brass from Midway for a friend the other day.  UPS the next day.

Getting brass mailorder is just not a big deal anymore.

Quoted: Quoted: Yup, and how long do you think they'll continue to manufacture ammo for niche guns that are not in production any more? I give them  three years production.  Maybe a special run or two. Well, since Remington still makes factory ammo for the 35 Whelen and they only chambered those for a few years,  and since Federal(IIRC) as well as others  still makes 300 H&H ammo (who  knows how long ago that was available in a US factory rifle), I don't think WSM and WSSM brass or even ammo will dry up that quick. In fact, I ordered some headstamped 400 Whelen brass from Midway for a friend the other day.  UPS the next day. Getting brass mailorder is just not a big deal anymore.

35 Whelen was BIG on the wildcat side of the house before it was legitimized.  I have two I picked up back in the 70's built on Springfield actions.  A ready market for the cartridge was already there.

These  Winchester cartridges will be different than the STW cartridges.   My local gunshop has the same 4 boxes on the shelf he's had since 1998.

The only hope for these cartridges to continue is if reloaders and wildcatters pick them up, like the .284 Winchester.  Ill bet they sell more .284 brass now then they did when the rifle was in production.

Most of the WSMs have done pretty well.  They are chambered by Browning, CZ, Kimber, Ruger, Savage and Remington.  In other words, they are chambered by everybody.  The 300 has been a hit, the 270 has done well and the 7mm has a following.  The 325 will probably have an uphill battle, but that has more to do with the fact that it is an 8mm than any problems USRAC may be having.  I know that Kimber and Ruger are already selling rifles in 325 WSM.

The WSSMs have been a bust I think, and they may go the way of the dodo eventually.  But, as Bubbatheredneck pointed out, few smokeless cartridges become completely unavailable.