The deer are getting tougher and the shooters are getting softer? Surely you guys can handle the recoil of a 308.
As to the original post; Is the advancement of bullet design making the 30 caliber obsolete as far as hunting is concerned? I would say the exact opposite is true.
30 or 40 years ago there was 180 grain SP or PSP to choose from in 30-06 at the vast majority of stores. On the odd occasion a person might see some 150 Sabre Tips. The quality control was so poor you could feel a difference in recoil on several rounds per box. Everyone thought that one day they would pick up a custom "whiz bang" with pin point accuracy.
Today there is dozens of factory loads to choose from in numerous weights and construction. The QC and accuracy is generally as good as hand loads. I use to pine over a custom 280 but with modern loads my 06 will do everything a 280 can do and more.
As far as hunting is concerned, the vast majority of people shoot less than a box a year, shoot at less than 200 yards, couldn't hit a mini van at 300+, choose a rifle over the cartridge, shoot whatever their father/grandfather/uncle shot and have never heard of or handled a 6.5 Creedmoor.
People forget that tradition, sales and marketing trump facts and ballistics every time. We are basically a part (and a very small part) of the US market. I would bet the number of 30-06/308 sold in the US each year would out sell the entire Canadian market combined. That's what they want, and that is what we are going to find on our store shelves. They just kill stuff dead, and that is all most are concerned about.
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