Two semiempirical models for estimating the thermochemical properties of gaseous metal halides, the Rittner electrostatic model and the ionicity‐corrected Birge‐Sponer extrapolation, are reviewed, and the areas of applicability of the models are discussed. Possibilities for application of the Rittner model to metal mono‐, di‐, and trihalide systems are illustrated by examples from the II A and III B metals, and extension to the lanthanide halide series is explored. Over‐all, the Rittner model appears to have much promise as a tool for estimating thermochemical data, but proper usage demands that due consideration be given to the inherent limitations of the model. A simple ionicity correction removes much of the uncertainty associated with dissociation energies derived from the linear Birge‐Sponer extrapolation, providing another useful tool for estimating thermochemical data.