Some cartridges sound impressive until you start buying boxes of them. They promise blistering speed, long-range precision, or “next-generation” performance that looks great on paper. Then you realize you’re paying three times as much for ammo that doesn’t do anything a more common round can’t handle. Most of these cartridges were born from marketing, not necessity. They burn barrels faster, cost more to feed, and often offer marginal gains over classics that have been doing the same job for decades. The truth is, a cartridge isn’t valuable because it’s rare or fast—it’s valuable when it performs, is easy to find, and doesn’t drain your wallet every time you squeeze the trigger. These are the ones that cost far more than they’re worth.
6.5 PRC
The 6.5 PRC has become the “premium” version of the 6.5 Creedmoor, but the difference is often hard to justify. Sure, it’s faster, flatter, and hits a little harder, but that comes with extra recoil, reduced barrel life, and ammo prices that make you think twice before heading to the range.
Unless you’re routinely shooting past 800 yards, the Creedmoor performs nearly as well for half the cost. The PRC burns more powder and offers minimal real-world advantage for most hunters. It’s an accurate cartridge—but you’ll pay for every click of that precision.
.28 Nosler
The .28 Nosler is a long-range powerhouse with a price tag to match. It shoots incredibly flat, but ammo can run over $100 a box and is often hard to find. You’re paying top dollar for speed and range most hunters never need.
It burns barrels fast and kicks harder than its smaller counterparts, all while offering only a modest ballistic advantage over more available cartridges like the 7mm Rem Mag. It’s a showpiece round—flashy, capable, and expensive enough to make you reconsider every shot.
.300 Weatherby Magnum
Roy Weatherby’s cartridges always carried an air of prestige, and the .300 Weatherby Magnum is no exception. It’s undeniably powerful, but it’s also loud, heavy on recoil, and eats through expensive ammo like candy.
You’ll pay steep prices for marginal gains over the .300 Win Mag or even the .30-06. While it was once cutting-edge, modern powders and bullets have caught up. Unless you’re a die-hard Weatherby loyalist, you’re paying a premium for nostalgia rather than performance.
.338 Lapua Magnum
The .338 Lapua is a legend among long-range shooters and military marksmen—but for most hunters, it’s total overkill. The rifles are heavy, the recoil is punishing, and the ammo prices are brutal. Expect to drop close to $6 a round.
It’s a fantastic round for punching steel at 1,000 yards, but for deer, elk, or anything short of a moose at extreme distance, you’re burning money. You can achieve the same results with far cheaper, more manageable cartridges.
.26 Nosler
The .26 Nosler might be one of the fastest 6.5mm cartridges ever made, but that speed comes at a cost—literally and figuratively. It torches barrels in under a thousand rounds and costs more than $80 per box in most shops.
The performance edge over a 6.5 PRC or .270 Winchester isn’t enough to offset its appetite for powder and barrel life. It’s a flashy cartridge that delivers impressive ballistics but punishes anyone who shoots more than occasionally.
.224 Valkyrie
When the .224 Valkyrie launched, it was billed as the next big thing in long-range AR shooting. It promised .308-level accuracy with less recoil, but reality didn’t live up to the hype.
Ammo costs more than .223 or 5.56, and consistency between manufacturers has been hit or miss. You’ll get tighter groups with match ammo, but at a price that defeats the purpose of shooting a “cheap” semi-auto platform. The Valkyrie had potential, but the cost-to-performance ratio makes it a hard sell.
7mm PRC
The 7mm PRC has been getting attention as the “next great” all-around hunting cartridge. It’s accurate, modern, and powerful—but also expensive and hard to find in many regions. Boxes routinely run north of $70, and rifles chambered for it aren’t cheap either.
In reality, it’s only slightly better than the tried-and-true 7mm Rem Mag, which delivers almost identical results at a much lower cost. The PRC crowd loves the buzz, but it’s a steep price for a few extra feet per second.
.30 Nosler
The .30 Nosler was designed to outperform the .300 Win Mag while fitting into a standard-length action. It does that—but the ammo prices are sky-high, and brass isn’t easy to find.
While it’s a great performer, you’ll spend twice as much to do what a .300 Win Mag already does perfectly. Unless you reload or crave something different for the sake of it, the .30 Nosler doesn’t deliver enough extra value to justify its premium price.
6.8 Western
The 6.8 Western promised to modernize the .270 with heavier bullets and better long-range performance. It succeeded in part, but ammo availability and cost have limited its appeal.
Prices remain high compared to the .270 Winchester or 7mm-08, and few rifles are chambered for it. It performs well but sits in a no-man’s-land between cartridges that are cheaper, easier to find, and nearly as effective. It’s a round that does nothing wrong but offers little reason to switch.
.300 PRC
The .300 PRC is undeniably accurate and has become a darling among long-range shooters. But it’s also pricey and unnecessary for most hunting scenarios. You’ll pay $70–$100 a box for ballistics you’ll rarely take full advantage of.
It’s optimized for extreme distance shooting, not whitetails or elk inside 400 yards. Unless you’re into precision competition or shooting beyond half a mile, the .300 PRC is more investment than improvement.
.375 H&H Magnum
The .375 H&H has history, power, and prestige—but for most shooters, it’s simply too much gun for too much money. Ammo runs well over $100 a box, and the recoil can make practice an expensive chore.
Unless you’re hunting dangerous game, its performance advantage is wasted. It’s a beautiful cartridge for the right continent and quarry—but for most hunters, it’s a status symbol that costs more than it earns.
.280 Ackley Improved
The .280 Ackley is an outstanding round with great ballistics—but that performance doesn’t come cheap. Factory ammo is expensive, and availability is inconsistent outside specialty shops.
You’ll pay premium prices for small performance gains over the standard .280 or .270. It’s a handloader’s dream but a costly indulgence for most hunters. The .280 AI delivers—but it doesn’t deliver enough to justify the tab unless you’re already deep into reloading.
.450 Bushmaster
The .450 Bushmaster gained traction for straight-wall hunting zones, but its ammo prices remain stubbornly high. It hits hard but drops fast, and each box makes your wallet lighter than your rifle.
For most deer hunting inside 200 yards, there are cheaper, equally effective options like the .350 Legend. The Bushmaster performs, but its trajectory and ammo cost make it tough to love unless you have no other legal choice.
.257 Weatherby Magnum
The .257 Weatherby Magnum is fast, flat, and devastating on game—but ammunition costs are eye-watering. It’s accurate and effective but delivers only a modest improvement over the .25-06 or .270 for twice the price.
Every box feels like a financial commitment, and finding ammo outside a specialty store can be a challenge. It’s a fantastic performer, but when you calculate cost against benefit, it lands squarely in the “too expensive for what it offers” column.
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Calibers That Shouldn’t Even Be On the Shelf Anymore
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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
