gun makers slow to chamber new cartridges

[handwerk]

I find it interesting that so many gun manufacturers are slow to understand the trends and desires of their customers.
With the rise of say the 6.5 and 6MM chamberings it amazes me it takes so long to bring new offerings to market.
For instance, look how few factory bolt action rifles are available in 6mm CM? Reamers aren't that expensive.
Maybe they are still way behind from the Covid rush....
Anybody else find this curious?

 

[Musky]

I'm sure they want to, but it's a big investment. The factories are generally already at max capacity with machining centers going to town. Not only do they have to design and prototype the new firearms, but then somehow work it into their already streamlined or not process of manufacturing, not including finding suppliers who have capacity. That sometimes itself lends to finding new suppliers as the current ones may already be at max capacity. Not to mention all the red tape from giant companies starting at the head working down, generally multiple signatures and inspections required. I helped manufacture a prototype for 3 years before they finally released it to the public what they were doing.

Planning and manufacturing take bucket loads of time unfortunately. Especially in today's world when everyone is looking to sue for a quick buck.

 

[MuleyFever]

I'm sure they want to, but it's a big investment. The factories are generally already at max capacity with machining centers going to town. Not only do they have to design and prototype the new firearms, but then somehow work it into their already streamlined or not process of manufacturing, not including finding suppliers who have capacity. That sometimes itself lends to finding new suppliers as the current ones may already be at max capacity. Not to mention all the red tape from giant companies starting at the head working down, generally multiple signatures and inspections required. I helped manufacture a prototype for 3 years before they finally released it to the public what they were doing.

Planning and manufacturing take bucket loads of time unfortunately. Especially in today's world when everyone is looking to sue for a quick buck.

But he isnt talking about designing a new rifle. He is talking about taking every component they already use and chambering it in 6CM rather than 6.5CM. I guess the only change would be the barrel blanks.

 

[handwerk]

Correct MuleyFever.
I'm a model 70 fan, it took years before they figured out the 6.5 CM craze, how hard would it be to make a properly twisted 6MM FWT barrel and chamber it in 6MM CM?
If Ruger can figure it out with their entry level rifle it can't be that hard.
Of course look how many new WSM rifles are out there.....slow learners they are.

 

[Squincher]

Or it could be you aren't as big a part of the market as you think.

 

[Musky]

But he isnt talking about designing a new rifle. He is talking about taking every component they already use and chambering it in 6CM rather than 6.5CM. I guess the only change would be they would probably get the barrel blanks in a 7.5 twist rather than 8.

Correct MuleyFever.
I'm a model 70 fan, it took years before they figured out the 6.5 CM craze, how hard would it be to make a properly twisted 6MM FWT barrel and chamber it in 6MM CM?
If Ruger can figure it out with their entry level rifle it can't be that hard.
Of course look how many new WSM rifles are out there.....slow learners they are.

Sure I get that. Still plenty of prototyping and manufacturing that needs to happen. Hammer forging of barrels, tooling for manufacturing. It isn't like everyone uses the exact same tools all the time. Design process can be lengthy, what if x cartridge doesn't feed well and they need a different feed lip or something. Too many variables to just throw a bigger sized reamer in a barrel that is spec'd out for a smaller caliber.

Then there are different budgets for different companies. Trying to all please their bosses while guessing at the next great cartridge with almost no data until someone takes the plunge first. What if that caliber is a flop. Could cost them millions and all for nothing.

I see both of your points, was just expanding the scope some.

 

[LongWayAround]

During the COVID ammo shortage, one of the only factory ammo options I was seeing on the shelves was 6CM, unless it was 50bmg...

Thinking to myself "wtf is a 6CM?"

Now that I kind of want one, three years later, there really are not that many factory offerings and I also find myself wondering why not more.

 

[t_carlson]

A lot of cartridges have been birthed and died in the last 20 years or so.

Maybe that has something to do with it.