Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.338 Winchester Magnum
A belted .338-caliber sporting magnum with established factory hunting offerings. Bullet construction and weight vary considerably across its product lines.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 3.180–3.340 in
80.772–84.836 mm - Case length · max
- 2.500 in
63.500 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.339 in
8.611 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.532 in
13.513 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.3390 in / 8.611 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 3 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 200–225 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.338 Winchester Magnum is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 338 Win Mag. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
Do not confuse it with the shorter .338 Federal or the longer, differently shaped .338 Lapua and RUM cases.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .338 Winchester Magnum joined Winchester’s sporting-magnum family in the late 1950s. It was intended to provide a powerful medium-bore cartridge in a standard-length bolt-action rifle, rather than require the extra-long actions associated with some established large magnums.
That combination helped define its North American identity. It became closely associated with elk, moose and large bears, including the hunting conditions of Alaska, while also finding users on African plains game. Its commercial position sat between familiar small-bore hunting rifles and the larger dangerous-game cartridges. Later .338-caliber introductions offered more case capacity or different rifle packages, but they were measured against a market the Winchester round had already helped establish. The .338 Win Mag’s historical importance is the standard-action, factory-supported medium-bore magnum, not simply the use of a larger bullet than a .30-caliber hunting cartridge.
Historical sources: Sierra: .338 Winchester Magnum cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .338 Winchester Magnum examples, bullet weights are 200, 225 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
200 grains
3,030 fps
SST®
225 grains
2,840 fps
SST®
Compare all 3 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady82223 | 200 gr 12.96 g | SST® | 3,030 fps 924 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady82233 | 225 gr 14.58 g | SST® | 2,840 fps 866 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady823394 | 225 gr 14.58 g | CX® | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.338 Winchester Magnum: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 200 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 3030; 100: 2820; 200: 2620; 300: 2429; 400: 2246; 500: 2071 |
| 225 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2840; 100: 2662; 200: 2491; 300: 2326; 400: 2168; 500: 2016 |
| 225 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 2800; 100: 2615; 200: 2437; 300: 2266; 400: 2102; 500: 1945 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .338 Winchester Magnum?
A belted .338-caliber sporting magnum with established factory hunting offerings. Bullet construction and weight vary considerably across its product lines.
What diameter does .338 Winchester Magnum use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3390 inches (8.611 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
Do not confuse it with the shorter .338 Federal or the longer, differently shaped .338 Lapua and RUM cases.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 142 ↗
- Sierra: .338 Winchester Magnum cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.