We did not take 2019 lightly. This year we challenged ourselves to push harder, build bigger, and continue to redefine American-made firearms. We achieved all of those goals and more not only with hard work—but also thanks to our employees, our friends, and Christensen Arms owners. Now, we look back on the most popular chamberings that dominated the year. Here’s the breakdown of everything we built in 2019:
Just as it has in previous years 6.5 Creedmoor (6.5 CRDMR) leads the list for bolt-action rifles. This highly versatile do-anything cartridge has a well-deserved reputation for long-range accuracy on the range and a broad array of hunting applications. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a lightweight short-action round that produces less recoil than other popular chamberings. Shooters can generally expect a relatively long barrel life and common availability of ammunition. For hunting, 6.5 Creedmoor is suitable for most game smaller than elk or moose.
Plenty of our owners favor the classic .300 Winchester Magnum (300 WIN MAG) as an all-around hunting and target shooting cartridge. It certainly isn’t a new long-action chambering, but has earned its keep with serious long-range performance that delivers hard hitting shots without the recoil of larger rounds. If you’re only going to ever hunt with one rifle this might be the caliber for you. This cartridge is powerful enough to hunt nearly any animal found in North America, but it is particularly popular for elk, moose, and bighorn sheep.
The 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (6.5 PRC) is a relatively new long-range offering developed by Hornady®. The use of moderate powder charges creates a cartridge that is accurate and enjoys a reasonable barrel life without heavy recoil. Often represented as an attempt to improve on the wildly popular 6.5 Creedmoor, those who choose 6.5 PRC should enjoy the high velocities and long-range potential possible with the short-action round. Although primarily designed for competition, hunters will find the chambering suitable for most game.
Another Hornady invention, the .300 Precision Rifle Cartridge (300 PRC) was first introduced late last year and has quickly grown a sizable following as a powerful long-range option. The round is a .30 caliber non-belted magnum originally developed for precision shooting applications. Popular with bench and tactical shooters, it has also won over hunters and has the capacity to handle the majority of large game.
A more traditional cartridge—the .308 Winchester (308 WIN) has achieved notable recognition as a highly versatile short-action chambering. A firearm chambered in .308 Winchester will not consistently achieve the same long-range performance as 6.5 Creedmoor, but will likely experience a longer barrel life. As one of the most popular hunting cartridges of all time, ammunition is widely available for this chambering. A larger round, the .308 Winchester is well suited for most medium to large sized game including elk and moose.
Our most popular Modern Sporting Rifle offering .223 Wylde (223 WYLDE) allows a firearm to utilize either .223 Remington or 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. The chambering is a top choice for everything from competition shooters to varmint hunters. Ammunition is widely available and responsible users can expect an ample barrel life. Very comfortable on the range, .223 Wylde is also ideal for small predators and small game.
Universally popular, 6.5 Creedmoor (6.5 CRDMR) and .308 Winchester (308 WIN) also dominated our Modern Sporting Rifle category.
Both 9x19mm Parabellum (9MM) and .45 ACP (45 ACP) are well suited for a 1911 platform—and available in all of our pistol offerings. Those who choose 9mm likely do so because it’s fast and light, leading to lesser recoil and extra magazine capacity. Ammunition also tends to be cheaper and more plentiful in contrast. Less popular with Christensen Arms owners this year, 45 ACP is a larger and heavier caliber prefered by those who seek additional stopping power and are willing to tolerate the recoil.
If your chambering didn’t make the list don’t fret—whether you choose to follow the crowd or opt for something less conventional you’re still shooting a Christensen Arms firearm.
Want to see the changes for yourself? View our 2018 report here.
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