Because I don’t feel they’re necessary. Hunters as a whole would be better marksmen if the “magnum” was never invented. Every gun writer told people they NEEDED a magnum to kill elk, and we’ve been told we NEED a magnum to shoot long range. The truth is that what we as hunters need is exponentially more trigger time in field positions outside the confines of an organized range.
I don’t care if people want to use them, but it doesn’t change the fact that a magnum is not necessary for any big game hunting/killing. It’s no secret that anyone shoots a lighter recoiling rifle better, no matter how big a guy’s you-know-what is. Doesn’t mean someone can’t use a magnum, but there’s no logical reason to use one. Ryan Avery is the only one I’ve ever heard give a legitimate argument for a big magnum rifle, and that’s to see splash beyond 1k yards. But the number of hunters who have any business shooting at game at even half that distance is so laughably small it’s not even part of the conversation. Everyone would be better served with lighter recoiling rifles and thousands of practice rounds.
And to your point of a 108 vs a 180, if the end result is the same with each, where is the logic in using the 180 over the 108? If the 180 recoils more, is presumably shot from a rifle that’s far more expensive to reload for and shoot, burns more powder, but the end result is the same, why would anyone logically come to the conclusion that the 180 makes sense over the 108? Not an emotional conclusion, but a logical conclusion. Again, unless a guy is consistently shooting beyond 1k and needs to see splash, there’s no logical reason to shoot a 180 over a 108.
I’m not saying someone can’t use a magnum, I’m saying I’m against the idea of the overwhelming majority of hunters using a magnum for ANY reason. Hunters, as a group, spend way too much money on rifles we use and shoot and practice with way too little, stuff them full of crappy projectiles, and shoot way further than abilities suggest is wise.
I don’t care if you want to shoot a magnum. But I’ll stand behind my statement there’s no logical reason to do so inside 1k, assuming the person is practiced (they should be) and is utilizing the right type of projectile with a low minimum upset velocity. For those reasons, I’m against magnums for hunters, because as a group the overwhelming majority don’t have the shooting skills to use them effectively and DEFINITELY don’t practice enough. Maybe you do, I don’t know you from Adam. But if you do fall into the camp of “enough practice with a magnum” you’re part of the <1% without question.