Winchester Magnum
Encyclopedia
Winchester Magnum refers to a "family" of cartridges
developed by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
, one of the oldest firearms manufacturers in the United States, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, all based on the same basic cartridge case. The basic case was a "short" magnum, meaning it would work through a standard (i.e.; .30-06) length rifle action rather than requiring the longer, magnum (i.e. .375 Holland and Holland
) actions.
Originally known as a "short" magnum as compared to the .375 H&H Magnum
, this is now considered the "long" magnum since the development of the family of Winchester Short Magnum
s. So today you would consider the .300 Winchester Magnum to be a "long action" cartridge.
With the exception of the .264, all of these cartridges are still widely used. The .458 has become the #1 cartridge for dangerous game
in Africa
, as well as a very popular round with Alaska
n/Canadian
bear
guides. The .338 is widely used for game ranging from elk
and African plains game to dangerous game such as grizzly
/brown bears and African lions. The .300 is one of the most popular cartridges in the world, used for everything from deer
to brown bears and seeing military use as a sniper
calibre.It is the most popular round for hunting large Alaskan game, and is considered to be a true round for all North American game, including the kodiak bears.
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
developed by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Winchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
, one of the oldest firearms manufacturers in the United States, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, all based on the same basic cartridge case. The basic case was a "short" magnum, meaning it would work through a standard (i.e.; .30-06) length rifle action rather than requiring the longer, magnum (i.e. .375 Holland and Holland
Holland & Holland
Holland & Holland is a British gun-maker based in London, England. They offer hand-made sporting rifles and shotguns. H&H holds two Royal Warrants.-History:Holland & Holland was founded by Harris Holland in the year 1835....
) actions.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the basic case are:| Outside diameter (at base) | .532 in. (13.51 mm) |
| Inside diameter (of case) | .490 in. (12.47 mm) |
| Maximum case length | 2.62 in. (66.55 mm) |
Originally known as a "short" magnum as compared to the .375 H&H Magnum
.375 H&H Magnum
The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is a powerful rifle round and one of the best-known and most popular medium-bore cartridges in the world. The .375 H&H was only the second cartridge ever to feature a belt, now common among magnum rounds. A popular misconception is that the belt is for headspace,...
, this is now considered the "long" magnum since the development of the family of Winchester Short Magnum
Winchester Short Magnum
Winchester Short Magnum, or WSM, refers to a family of rebated rim bottlenecked centerfire short magnum cartridges developed in the early 2000s by the U.S. Repeating Arms Company, the maker of Winchester rifles and one of the oldest firearms manufacturers in the United States...
s. So today you would consider the .300 Winchester Magnum to be a "long action" cartridge.
Cartridge list
The cartridges in this family are, in the order of development:- .458 Winchester Magnum.458 Winchester MagnumThe .458 Winchester Magnum is a belted, straight-taper cased, dangerous game rifle cartridge. It was introduced commercially in 1956 by Winchester and first chambered in the Winchester Model 70 African rifle. It was designed to compete against the .450 Nitro Express and the .470 Nitro Express...
(1956): 0.458 in (11.6 mm) bullet - .338 Winchester Magnum.338 Winchester MagnumThe .338 Winchester Magnum is a .33 caliber belted rimless bottlenecked cartridge introduced in 1958 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company|Winchester. It is based on the blown out, shortened .375 H&H Magnum. The .33 is the caliber at which medium bore cartridges are considered to begin...
(1958): 0.338 in (8.6 mm) bullet - .264 Winchester Magnum.264 Winchester MagnumThe .264 Winchester Magnum is a belted, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. Apart from the .257 Weatherby Magnum, it is the smallest caliber factory cartridge which uses the standard length Holland & Holland belted magnum case...
(1959): 0.264 in (6.7 mm) bullet - .300 Winchester Magnum.300 Winchester MagnumThe .300 Winchester Magnum is a popular, belted, bottlenecked magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963 as a member of the family of Winchester Magnum cartridges. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a magnum cartridge designed to fit in a standard length...
(1963): 0.308 in (7.8 mm) bullet
With the exception of the .264, all of these cartridges are still widely used. The .458 has become the #1 cartridge for dangerous game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, as well as a very popular round with Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n/Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
guides. The .338 is widely used for game ranging from elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
and African plains game to dangerous game such as grizzly
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
/brown bears and African lions. The .300 is one of the most popular cartridges in the world, used for everything from deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
to brown bears and seeing military use as a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
calibre.It is the most popular round for hunting large Alaskan game, and is considered to be a true round for all North American game, including the kodiak bears.