.401 Winchester Self-Loading, Description and performance
The .401SL proved powerful enough for both deer and other large game at ranges under 150 yards. Both 200gr and 250gr bullet weights were offered by Winchester and other ammunition manufacturers as factory loadings. With extra available detachable magazines holding 4-rounds each, the Model 1910 could provide substantial firepower for the big-game hunter. This feature helped promote the use of the .401SL on dangerous game such as moose and grizzly bear in spite of the lack of controlled expansion bullet designs, which doubtlessly would have improved game-taking performance and the subsequent reputation of the .401SL cartridge.


.401 Winchester Self-Loading, Description and performance
The .401 SL is of similar size to the later .41 Remington Magnum; but the longer self-loading rifle cartridge produced a muzzle energy of 2,000 foot-pounds force (2,700 J) with a 200-grain (13 g) bullet, while the magnum revolver is credited with a muzzle energy of 790 foot-pounds force (1,070 J) with a 210-grain (14 g) bullet. The .41 Rem magnum  revolver comparison is not entirely fitting, however, as in a carbine a cartridge will often product twice the muzzle energy over than when fired from a revolver barrel.


.404 Jeffery
The .404 Jeffery is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting large, dangerous game animals, such as the "Big Five" (elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion and leopard) of Africa. The cartridge is standardized by the C.I.P. and is also known as .404 Rimless Nitro Express. It was designed in 1905 by London based gunmaker W.J. Jeffery & Co to duplicate the performance of the .450/400 Nitro Express 3-inch in bolt-action rifles.


.404 Jeffery
The .404 Jeffery fired a bullet of .422 in (10.72 mm) diameter of either 300 gr (19 g) with a muzzle velocity of 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s) and muzzle energy of 4,500 foot-pounds force (6,100 N⋅m) or 400 gr (26 g) with a muzzle velocity of 2,150 ft/s (660 m/s) and 4,100 foot-pounds force (5,600 N⋅m) of energy. It is very effective on large game and is favored by many hunters of dangerous game. The .404 Jeffery was popular with hunters and game wardens in Africa because of its good performance with manageable recoil.


.404 Jeffery
By way of comparison, the .416 Rigby and .416 Remington Magnum cartridges fire .416 in (10.57 mm) bullets of 400 gr (26 g) at 2,400 feet per second (730 m/s) with a muzzle energy of approximately 5,000 foot-pounds force (6,800 N⋅m). These cartridges exceed the ballistic performance of the .404 Jeffery but at the price of greater recoil and, in the case of the .416 Rigby, rifles that are more expensive.


.404 Jeffery, History
Originally the .404 Jeffery was very popular with hunters in Africa and saw significant use in both British and German colonies. As the British Empire began to shrink, many of the popular British big-bore cartridges also dwindled in popularity, and the .404 Jeffery was one of them. By the 1960s it had all but disappeared from common firearm usage. This condition was mostly the result of the closing of the British ammunition giant Kynoch, which was the primary manufacturer of the .404 Jeffery and many other British cartridges.


.404 Jeffery, History
The introduction of the .458 Winchester Magnum in 1956 in the Winchester Model 70 bolt-action rifle provided an affordable alternative to the big Nitro Express rifles and cartridges. Winchester also started a marketing campaign at about this time called "Winchester in Africa" with much success. Renewed interest in heavy game rifles combined with political stability in Africa has led to a resurgence in African hunting and the rifles suited for it. Several ammunition makers like Kynoch, Norma, Federal, and Hornady are offering .404 Jeffery sporting ammunition.


.404 Jeffery, History
A more recent development by Norma of Sweden has been the introduction of 450 gr ammunition under their African PH banner. The increase in bullet weight and sectional density improves the ballistics of the .404 Jeffery. Fired at 2,150 fps, the cartridge now outperforms most of its peers with a relatively mild recoil due to the efficient design of the cartridge.


.404 Jeffery, Commercial and wildcat variations
In 1908, W.J. Jeffery & Co created the .333 Jeffery by shortening the .404 case, giving it greater taper and necking it down to .333 in (8.5 mm). In 1913, Jeffery further necked down the .333 Jeffery to .288 inches, creating the .280 Jeffery.


.404 Jeffery, Commercial and wildcat variations
In recent times, the .404 case has seen a resurgence in use by wildcatters. This case has no belt, unlike many other magnum cartridges,  which can be desirable for handloading because of possible problems with case head separation with repeated reloading of belted magnum cartridges. The rimless design also contributes to smooth feeding from the box magazine of bolt-action rifles.


.404 Jeffery, Commercial and wildcat variations
Some common commercial children of the .404 Jeffery case are the Remington Ultra Magnum (RUM) cartridge family, which in turn spawned the Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum (RSAUM) cartridges. Also, the Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) and the Winchester Super Short Magnum (WSSM) families are believed to derive from the 404 Jeffery case. Both the Winchester and Remington cartridges have also spawned many current wildcats, like the popular .338 Edge.


.404 Jeffery, Commercial and wildcat variations
All but one (.450 Dakota, based on .416 Rigby) of the proprietary cartridges of Dakota Arms such as .375 Dakota, and the .400 Tembo by Velocity USA, and the once-famous .460 G&A, used by Jeff Cooper in his "baby" rifles, are all based on .404 Jeffery.


.404 Jeffery, Commercial and wildcat variations
More examples of the popularity of creating small-bore, high-velocity cartridges based on the .404 Jeffery design are the .26 Nosler, .28 Nosler, .30 Nosler and, the latest, .33 Nosler, introduced by Nosler  between 2013 and 2016.


.405 Winchester
The .405 Winchester (also known as the .405 WCF) is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 1904 for the Winchester 1895 lever-action rifle. It remains to this day one of the most powerful rimmed cartridge designed specifically for lever-action rifles; the only modern lever action cartridges that exceed its performance are the .50 Alaskan, .450 Alaskan, .475 Turnbull, .348 Turnbull and the .450 Marlin. The .405 was highly regarded by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt during his safari in East Africa.


.405 Winchester, Description and Ballistics
The original Winchester factory load consisted of a 300gr. soft point or metal patch (Full Metal Jacket) bullet at 2200 feet per second. When the Winchester M1895 was discontinued in 1936, the cartridge was considered obsolete. Catalog listings of the cartridge ceased in 1955. However, during the 100 year anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt's presidential administration in 2001, Winchester reintroduced the M1895 in .405 Winchester, and revived the cartridge.


.405 Winchester, Description and Ballistics
In addition to the Winchester Model 1895, the .405 Winchester was also available in the Winchester Model 1885 Single Shot Rifle, the Remington-Lee bolt-action rifle (from 1904 to 1906), and a number of British and European double rifles. The cartridge was also available in the Ruger No.1 Tropical single-shot rifle.


.405 Winchester, Description and Ballistics
Winchester's advertising campaigns during the first decade of the twentieth century took full advantage of Theodore Roosevelt's frequent praise of the .405 Winchester, as well as the Winchester 1895 which chambered it. Roosevelt famously referred to this rifle as his "'medicine gun' for lions." This quote comes from Roosevelt's account of a lion hunt in the seventh chapter of his book African Game Trails:


.405 Winchester, Description and Ballistics
Although it is often said that Roosevelt called the .405 M1895 his "big medicine," this phrase is never used in African Game Trails, and is possibly the erroneous combination of his "medicine gun" quote with his "big stick" speech of 1901. Writer of historical fiction Wilbur Smith attributes the "medicine gun" term to the Roosevelts in his book Assegai.


.405 Winchester, Description and Ballistics
Since the .405 Winchester's introduction, many hunters have used it on African big game, including Rhino and Buffalo; however it is generally considered best used against light skinned game, due to the bullet's low sectional density. The velocity of the cartridge is also low by contemporary standards, which makes shooting at long range challenging due to the allowance the shooter must make for bullet drop.


.405 Winchester, Wildcats
The .277 Elliott Express and .357 Elliott Express are two of a series of wildcats developed by O.H. Elliott & Company of South Haven, Michigan, based on the .405 Winchester cartridge. This custom gunsmith manufactured his own rifle barrels.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical
The .408 Cheyenne Tactical designated 408 Chey Tac (10.36×77mm) by the C.I.P. from 2013 to 2021 is a specialized rimless, bottlenecked, centerfire cartridge for military long-range sniper rifles that was developed by Dr. John D. Taylor and machinist William O. Wordman. The round was designed with a possible military need for a cartridge for anti-personnel, anti-sniper and anti-materiel roles with a (supersonic) precision range of 2,200 yards (2,000 m). It is offered as a competitor to the most common military NATO long-range service cartridges such as .338 Lapua Magnum and the .50 BMG.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, History
The .408 Cheyenne Tactical is based on the .400 Taylor Magnum, which itself is based on a modified .505 Gibbs, necked down to 0.408 inches (10.36 mm). The .505 Gibbs is an old English big game cartridge that was designed to accommodate 39,160 psi (270 MPa) pressure. One of the disadvantages to these old cartridge cases intended for firing cordite charges instead of modern smokeless powder is the thickness of the sidewall just forward to the web. During ignition, the cartridge's base, forward to the bolt face, is not supported.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, History
The case is driven back against the bolt face which results in the stretching of the case, particularly the sidewall immediately forward of the web. When the sidewall resists the outward expansion against the chamber, the pressure stretches the case thereby increasing its length resulting in the sidewall becoming thinner at that stretch point.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, History
In the .408 CheyTac cartridge casing design particular attention was directed toward thickening and metallurgically strengthening the case's web and sidewall immediately forward to the web to accommodate high chamber pressures. In modern solidhead cases, the hardness of the brass is the major factor that determines a case's pressure limit before undergoing plastic deformation. Lapua Ltd. solved this problem when they used the .416 Rigby as the parental case to the .338 Lapua Magnum. They created a hardness distribution ranging from the head and web (hard) to the mouth (soft) as well as a strengthened (thicker) case web and sidewall immediately forward of the web. This method results in a very pressure resistant case.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Cartridge dimensions
The .408 Cheyenne Tactical became officially registered by the Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives (C.I.P.) on 15 May 2013 ending its status as a wildcat cartridge. In 2020 it was deregistered by the C.I.P.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Cartridge dimensions
The .408 Cheyenne Tactical has 10.32 ml (159 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Cartridge dimensions
.408 Cheyenne Tactical maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Cartridge dimensions
Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 22.13 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 330.2 mm (1 in 13 in), 8 grooves, Ø lands = 10.16 mm (0.400 in), Ø grooves = 10.36 mm (0.408 in), land width = 2.57 mm (0.1 in) and the primer type is large rifle.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Cartridge dimensions
According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) rulings the .408 Cheyenne Tactical can handle up to 440.00 MPa (63,817 psi) Pmax piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers. This means that .408 Cheyenne Tactical chambered arms in C.I.P. regulated countries are currently (2016) proof tested at 550.00 MPa (79,771 psi) PE piezo pressure.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, .408 Cheyenne Tactical as a parent case
The .408 CheyTac serves as the parent for several other second-generation wildcat cartridges.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, .408 Cheyenne Tactical as a parent case
By blowing out .408 CheyTac factory cases the wildcatter generally hopes to gain extra muzzle velocity by increasing the case capacity of the factory parent cartridge case by a few percent. Practically there can be some muzzle velocity gained by this method, but the measured results between parent cartridges and their "improved" wildcat offspring is often marginal. An example of a blown out .408 CheyTac variant is the .408 Baer.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, .408 Cheyenne Tactical as a parent case
Besides changing the shape and internal volume of the parent cartridge case, wildcatters also can change the original caliber. Because the .408 CheyTac offers a large and sturdy, pressure resistant cartridge case it has become quite popular among wildcatters. With the .408 CheyTac as the parent case wildcatters have created .338 (.338 Little Dave (8.5×55mm), .338 Snipe-Tac, .338/408 Baer), .375 (.375 CheyTac, .375-.408 CheyTac, .375 Snipe-Tac, .375 SOE), .416 (.416 PGW), and .510 (.510 Snipe-Tac) caliber variants. As of 2007, the .375 in (9.5 mm) caliber variants seemed to attract the most attention. Due to this, CheyTac USA added .375 CheyTac to the factory chamberings for the Intervention.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, .408 Cheyenne Tactical as a parent case, .375 Cheyenne Tactical
The wildcat status of the .375 CheyTac ended on 17 May 2017 when it got Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives (C.I.P.) certified and became an officially registered and sanctioned under the 375 Chey Tac designation. In 2021 it was deregistered by the C.I.P. like the .408 Chey Tac.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
Most .408 CheyTac factory ammunition uses solid projectiles or bullets rather than jacketed lead-core bullets, which are common to most other rifle bullets. The oldest factory .408 CheyTac ammunition uses bullets designed by Warren S. Jensen and originally produced by Lost River Ballistic Technologies. Currently (2009) these projectiles are produced by Jamison International, where they are turned on Swiss-type CNC lathes from solid bars of proprietary copper nickel alloy. The factory claims their diameter is accurate to "one 50 millionth" but does not provide a unit of measurement with this claim, making it somewhat vague.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
One noted downside to the use of solid mono metal projectiles is that they tend to increase the fouling left in the rifle barrel after they are fired. Since the bullets are harder and more abrasive than the gilding metal jackets of normal jacketed bullets, they are made slightly "undersized" so that they may be gripped effectively by the lands of the barrel's rifling. This inevitably reduces the seal of the bullet in the barrel, allowing hot gunpowder gases to reach the sides of the projectile, vaporizing some of the material and depositing it in the bore.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
Other manufacturers, such as Rocky Mountain Bullet Company/Vigilance Rifles, GS Custom Bullets, Lehigh Bullets & Design, Lutz Möller and TTI Armory have developed lead-core or mono metal very-low-drag projectiles for the .408 CheyTac.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
In 2007 Dr. John D. Taylor designed a new class of armor-piercing projectiles known as the .408 CheyCorey and in this configuration, it outperforms the .50 AP (both black and silver tips) cartridge against armor steel and titanium. The projectile has a mass of 370 grains (24.0 g). Claimed penetration of AR500 certified steel is 1 inch (2.54 cm) at 100 yards (91.5 m) and 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) at 775 yards (708.8 m).


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
In 2008 factory loaded .408 CheyTac 420-grain (27.22 g) lead core bullets with 955 copper jackets became available. The very-low-drag bullets are made by Rocky Mountain Bullets in Philipsburg, Montana and have a rebated boattail and a claimed ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of 0.874.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets)
Factory .408 CheyTac ammunition is expensive, starting at around $7 per round with Jamison International 419-grain (27.15 g) very-low-drag projectiles.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Ballistic coefficient of the Jamison 419-grain (27.2 g) projectile
Cheyenne Tactical claimed a Doppler radar-measured G1 ballistic coefficient (BC) for the Lost River Ballistic Technologies/Jamison International 419-grain (27.15 g) bullet of roughly 0.934 and a stated BC for the 305-grain (19.76 g) bullet of 0.611, though these numbers have been disputed by a number of knowledgeable sources. Extreme Firearms claimed the G1 BC of the same .408 CheyTac projectile to average 0.945 to 2000 meters and it drops to the low 0.900s to 2800 meters. The .408 CheyTac projectile remains supersonic up to 2,300 yards (2,100 m) according to Extreme Firearms.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Ballistic coefficient of the Jamison 419-grain (27.2 g) projectile
CheyTac LLC claims that the 26.95 gram (419 gr) projectile has a supersonic range of 2,200+ yards  (2,011+ m) at 'standard air conditions'. The average ballistic coefficient of the 419 grain  (27.15 g) is 0.945 over 3,825 yards (3,500 m). Jamison International states the G1 BC of this bullet on their website currently (2009) at 0.940.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Ballistic coefficient of the Jamison 419-grain (27.2 g) projectile
The above variations can be explained by differences in the ambient air density used for these BC statements or differing range-speed measurements on which the stated G1 BC averages are based. The BC changes during a projectile's flight and stated BC's are always averages for particular range-speed regimes. Some more explanation about the transient nature of a projectile's G1 BC (it rises above or gets under a stated average value for a certain speed-range regime) during flight can be found at the external ballistics article.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Ballistic coefficient of the Jamison 419-grain (27.2 g) projectile
This article implies that knowing how a BC was established is almost as important as knowing the stated BC value itself. Fixed drag curve models generated for standard-shaped projectiles or BC modelling are the most common method used but not an advanced nor desirable method to model the long range flight behavior of projectiles.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Balanced-flight/controlled-spin projectile
Lost River Ballistic Technologies (statement of Mr. Warren Jensen) stated that "the .408 CheyTac is the first bullet/rifle system that utilizes what they call a balanced flight projectile. To achieve balanced flight the linear drag has to be balanced with the rotational drag to keep the very fine nose (meplat) of the bullet pointed directly into the oncoming air. It should result in very little precession and yaw at extreme range and allows accurate flight back through the transonic region. This is hard to achieve for small arms projectiles. Mathematically you are at a great disadvantage trying to achieve balanced flight with a lead core non mono metal bullet. The rotational mass/surface area ratio is too high."


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Balanced-flight/controlled-spin projectile
The balanced flight projectile patent can be found at the US Patent Office, Controlled spin projectile, . According to the patent a projectile engraved and launched in accordance with the patent should decelerate from supersonic flight through transonic to subsonic in a stable and predictable manner effective to a range beyond 3000 yards (2,743 m). It implies that among several other preconditions the rifle barrel has to have specific rifling dimensions to achieve a desired amount of axial air drag on the bullet's surface, which reduces the bullet's spin rate to achieve balanced flight. The patent does not account for normally occurring differences in air density. More about balanced flight can also be found in the CheyTac Information Papers.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Balanced-flight/controlled-spin projectile
The Balanced Flight/Controlled Spin Projectile bullet patent has been questioned/disputed by the German physicist Lutz Möller. Mr. Möller realized balanced flight has to do with the nature of spin stabilized flight and scale of parameters. There were projectiles produced prior to the patent that remain stable through the transonic flight regime. This is a consequence of the spin deceleration and forward deceleration of the projectile being similar enough not to cause undesirable precession and yaw during the transonic flight phase.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Projectiles (bullets), Balanced-flight/controlled-spin projectile
The main parameter for achieving stable transonic transition is controlling the drag coefficients (Cd) and forward velocity loss around Mach 1 and to a lesser degree controlling the spin deceleration. In other words, any bullet with appropriate drag behaviour around Mach 1 and mass (distribution) will do exactly what the balanced flight projectile patent states.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance
The cartridge delivers accurate (sub-MOA) performance from a sniper rifle. The Lost River Ballistic Technologies/Jamison International 419-grain (26.95 g) very-low-drag bullet is the standard, long-range sniping load.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance
Lost River Ballistic Technologies also designed a 305 grain (19.76 g) bullet for the Battlefield Domination Round (BDR). The BDR is loaded with a 305 grain (19.76 g) bullet (claimed G1 BC = 0.612) and is intended for short and medium range application using the point-blank range aiming method.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance, Supersonic range
For a typical .408 CheyTac chambered gun, shooting 27.15 gram (419 gr) Lost River Ballistic Technologies bullets (claimed G1 BC = 0.940) at 884 m/s (2900 ft/s) muzzle velocity, the supersonic range would be 1930 m (2110 yd) under International Standard Atmosphere sea level conditions (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3).


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance, Supersonic range
For a typical .375 CheyTac chambered gun, shooting 24.30 gram (375 gr) Lost River Ballistic Technologies bullets (claimed G1 BC = 1.02) at 930 m/s (3050 ft/s) muzzle velocity, the supersonic range would be 2230 m (2440 yd) under International Standard Atmosphere sea level conditions (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3).


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance, Supersonic range
Improvement beyond this standard while still using standard .375 CheyTac brass is possible, but the bullets have to be very long and the normal cartridge overall length has to be exceeded. The common .375 CheyTac 292 mm (1:11.5 in) rifling twist rate also has to be tightened to stabilize very long projectiles. The use of such a .375 CheyTac based cartridge demands the use of a custom or customized rifle with an appropriately cut chamber and a fast-twist bore.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance, Supersonic range
An example of such a special .375 caliber extreme range bullet is the German CNC manufactured mono-metal 26.44 gram (408 gr) .375 Viking (G1 BC 1.537; this Ballistic coefficient (BC) is calculated by its designer, Mr. Lutz Möller, and not proven by Doppler radar measurements). This bullet has since exhibited dynamic stability problems and is no longer produced. The .375 Viking bullet had an overall length of 70 mm (2.756 in) and derived its anticipated low drag from a radical LD Haack or Sears-Haack profile in the bullet's nose area. Rifles chambered for this wildcat cartridge, with a cartridge overall length of 119 mm (4.685 in), were to have been equipped with custom made 762 mm (30 in) long 203 mm (1:8 in) twist rate barrels.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Performance, Supersonic range
In theory, Mr. Möller calculated that a typical .375 CheyTac chambered gun, shooting his now defunct 26.44 gram (408 gr) .375 Viking bullets (claimed G1 BC = 1.537) at 870 m/s (2854 ft/s) muzzle velocity, would have a supersonic range of 3090 m (3380 yd) under International Standard Atmosphere sea level conditions (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3). However, field testing of this projectile proved it to be completely unstable, and useless at any velocity, or range. This was established in February 2009 by Terry Holstine, an Oklahoma State Trooper, who is the only person to ever have fired the Viking. It would appear that Mr. Möller did not test this projectile prior to public release whereby the dynamic instability would have been discovered.


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Chambering availability
The .408 Cheyenne Tactical chambering is offered for these factory rifles:


.408 Cheyenne Tactical, Chambering availability
Several high quality large tactical and match (semi) custom bolt actions were designed for the .408 Cheyenne Tactical cartridge and were becoming available as of 2007. These semi-custom bolt actions are used with other high grade rifle and sighting components to build custom sporting and target rifles. Such rifles are ordered by long-range accuracy oriented shooters and built by specialized, highly skilled gunsmiths and can cost thousands of dollars. When built to expectation such rifles are very accurate—0.5 MOA or better consistent accuracy for a particular rifle optimized ammunition is considered normal. Only expert marksmen can make use of this extreme accuracy potential.


.41 Action Express
The .41 Action Express is a pistol cartridge developed in 1986 to reproduce the performance of the .41 Magnum police load (which is a reduced load) in semi-automatic pistols.


.41 Action Express, History
The .41 Action Express was designed by Evan Whildin, vice president of Action Arms, in 1986. It was based on the .41 Magnum case, cut down to fit in a 9mmP frame, and using a rebated rim. Performance was compared to the ballistics of the 41 Magnum police load. The .41 AE was thought to be a very attractive concept, as the rebated rim allows a simple change of  barrel, mainspring, and magazine to convert many 9mm guns to 41 AE.


.41 Action Express, History
The powerful 10mm Auto cartridge, which had been suffering from poor acceptance from its start in the early 1980s, was eventually accepted by the FBI in a reduced power, subsonic loading. Smith & Wesson then decided the 10mm Auto was too much cartridge for the reduced power loading, and that the .45 ACP sized guns that chambered it were too heavy and bulky; out of this came the .40 S&W, a shortened 10mm Auto case, designed to fit in a 9mm-sized gun, with a reduced pressure loading that allowed a lighter, easier to shoot gun. Because most ammunition manufacturers backed the .40 S&W, there was little use for the very similar .41 AE, so production of both firearms and ammunition was soon phased out; it was designated as an 'inactive' cartridge by SAAMI in January 2005.


.41 Action Express, History
The .41 AE was doomed by circumstance to obscurity, but the concept of using a rebated rim to allow easy cartridge interchangeability was not lost. The .50 Action Express, developed by Magnum Research for the Desert Eagle pistol, uses a similar rebated rim that is the same diameter as the .44 Magnum. This allows a caliber change with replacement of just the barrel and magazine.


.41 Action Express, Ballistics
The .41 AE can be ballistically similar to the .40 S&W, to the point that many reloading manuals suggest using .40 S&W load data in the .41 AE. Original IMI factory cartridges are much higher powered, pushing a 170 gr (11.02 g) bullet at 1215 ft/s. The .41AE actually outperforms the .40SW by a significant amount. Current (April 2018) production cartridges from Reed's Ammunition and Research lists the following:170 grain JHP at 1230fps; 185 grain JHP at 1180fps and 210 grain JHP at 1150fps. Old Speer reloading manuals also list 210gn JHP at 1150fps.


.41 Action Express, Ballistics
The .40 S&W will NOT duplicate this performance. The .41 AE uses 0.410-inch (10.4 mm) bullets, whereas the .40 S&W uses 0.400-inch (10.2 mm) bullets. However, as it lacks the backing of ammunition manufacturers in making .410 caliber bullets suited to semiautomatic pistols, the .41 AE has not achieved widespread popularity.


.41 Action Express, Usage in firearms
There have been several firearms chambered for this cartridge, most notably the Israeli Uzi and the Jericho 941. The potential for success for the 41 AE was sound, and for this reason, other manufacturers offered firearms chambered at the factory for this round. Additionally, aftermarket conversion kits were available as well.


.41 Action Express, Variants
In 1988, IMI also developed a 9 mm Action Express, which was a .41 AE necked down to 9 mm. It offered a much larger case capacity than the standard 9 mm case, allowing velocities that matched that of the .357 Magnum when loaded with light bullets. This move anticipated the parallel development of the .357 SIG from the .40 S&W in 1994.


.41 Long Colt
The .41 Long Colt cartridge was created in 1877 for Colt's double-action "Thunderer" revolver.


.41 Long Colt, History and description
The .41 Long Colt was a lengthened version of the earlier centerfire .41 Short Colt, which was made to duplicate the dimensions of the even earlier .41 Short rimfire. The front of the bullet was about 0.406–0.408" OD, the same as the case. The barrel was about 0.404–0.406" groove diameter. The bullet lubrication was outside the case. At 0.386–0.388" OD, The base of the bullet was smaller in diameter to fit inside the case. This is known as a "heel-base" or heeled bullet. The only modern heeled bullet is the .22 rimfire.


.41 Long Colt, History and description
In the mid-1890s, Colt redesigned the cartridge. They reduced the entire diameter of the bullet to 0.386" OD and lengthened the brass case in order to put both the bullet and its lubrication inside the case. The overall length of both loaded cartridges was about the same. The barrel of the revolver was reduced slightly to match the more popular .38-40 at 0.400–0.401" groove diameter. This meant that the outside diameter (OD) of the new bullet was smaller than the barrel's bore, let alone its groove diameter. A hollow-base bullet can be dropped down the bore by gravity alone. The newer soft lead bullet was made with a large hollow base, like Civil War Minié balls. The intent was for the base of the bullet to expand with the pressure of the burning gunpowder to grip the rifling.


.41 Long Colt, History and description
The original 41LC brass cases came in three primary lengths, although they vary quite a bit within a headstamp. The first ones were the shortest at about 0.932 to 0.937" long. In balloon-head cases, they held about 20 gr of compressed black powder (BP) with a 200 gr flat-bottom, heel-base, blunt-nose bullet. The next cases were about 1.130 to 1.138" long with a 200 gr hollow-base, blunt-nose bullet and about 21 gr of BP (also in balloon-head cases). Although the brass case lengths were far different, both cartridges were about the same overall length when loaded. The last brass case length was 1.050 to 1.100" long and was created exclusively for hand loaders so that both heel-base and hollow-base bullets could be used interchangeably (note that cartridges made from the longest brass cases and heel-base bullets are too long to fit most .41 LC revolvers).


.41 Long Colt, History and description
The accuracy the .41 LC is adequate for what it was intended; close range self-defense, its drawback had more to do with the heavy double-action trigger pull of the Thunderer. Elmer Keith wrote in his book Sixguns that the "41LC was a better fight-stopper than its paper ballistics would indicate" and it was "better for self-defense than any .38 Special load made". Keith would go onto design the .41 Magnum, possibly influenced by the advantages of the .41 Long Colt. However, .41 Long Colt cannot be fired out of a .41 Magnum.


.41 Long Colt, History and description
The .41 Long Colt worked well considering the mismatch of bullet and bore sizes, but by the beginning of World War I it was in serious decline and it fell from use by the beginning of World War II. The .41 long Colt was a moderately popular chambering in several Colt models. It was available in the Model 1877 Thunderer double action revolver, the series of New Army and New Navy revolvers of 1889, 1892 94,95,96, 1901 & 1903, the Single Action Army, the Bisley Model, the Army Special-Official Police. Today, the .41 Long Colt is a mere relic of the past and is considered obsolete. It is currently only produced sporadically for high prices by a handful of small manufacturers such as Ultramax, as the Thunderer is considered by collectors too valuable to shoot.


.41 Remington Magnum
The .41 Remington Magnum, also known as .41 Magnum or 10.4×33mmR (as it is known in unofficial metric designation), is a center fire firearms cartridge primarily developed for use in large-frame revolvers, introduced in 1964 by the Remington Arms Company, intended for hunting and law enforcement purposes.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
In 1963, Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan, with some help from Skeeter Skelton, petitioned Smith & Wesson, Remington, and Norma to produce a pistol and ammunition in .41 caliber which would fall between the extant .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges in ballistic performance, and at the same time address perceived shortcomings with those loads.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
While as early as 1955 Keith had suggested a new, medium-powered ".41 Special" cartridge, this idea was passed over in favor of the higher-powered "Magnum" option, and the Special survives only as a custom wildcat cartridge, bearing roughly the same relation to the .41 Remington Magnum as the .38 Special does to the .357 Magnum and as the .44 Special does to the .44 Magnum.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
The .357 Magnum suffered from restricted terminal ballistic effectiveness in the early 1960s, as jacketed hollow point bullets were not yet commonly available, and the manufacturer's standard loadings consisted of simple lead bullets. The powerful .44 Magnum, primarily a heavy hunting round, was considered overkill for police use, generating too much recoil for control under rapid fire. In addition, the revolvers chambered for the .44 were considered too large, bulky, and heavy for police to carry.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
Keith's original vision called for dual power levels in the .41, a heavy magnum load pushing a 210-grain (14 g) JHP at a muzzle velocity of 1,300–1,400 feet per second (ft/s), and a milder police loading which was to send a 200-grain (13 g) semiwadcutter downrange at around 900 ft/s.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
These plans went awry due to an ongoing fascination in the firearms community with high-powered cartridges; Remington was swayed by this community's influence and instead of following Keith's blueprint, chose to emphasize the performance of the new cartridge. As a result, the .41 "Magnum" load was released at an advertised 1,500 ft/s, and even the "light" police loading was introduced with a 210 grain lead semiwadcutter "warmed up" to about 1,150 ft/s. However, the police load as delivered was regarded as overpowered by most law enforcement agencies, many of whom were still using .38 Special revolvers.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
Additionally, Smith & Wesson had simply adapted their large N-frame revolvers for the new cartridge, which did not address size and weight concerns. The Model 58, targeted for the law enforcement market, was introduced on July 10, 1964. Weighing 41 ounces, the Model 58 compared unfavorably with other revolvers available at the time, such as Smith's own 34 ounce Model 10 in .38 Special.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
These combined factors mostly eliminated the .41 Magnum from consideration for its intended market as a law enforcement firearm, although it continued to be touted as such and was adopted by a few law enforcement agencies. Ultimately, the greater round capacities of most semi-automatic, magazine fed handguns has eclipsed the traditional six-shot revolver for law enforcement work, though revolvers in general are still more prevalent in the field.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
Smith & Wesson produced a high-end, premium revolver in .41 Magnum, the Model 57, almost identical to the .44 Magnum-chambered Model 29. Magnum Research's Desert Eagle division produced a .41 Remington Magnum in their semi-automatic Mark VII. Sturm Ruger began producing their Blackhawk series single-action revolver in the mid-1960s in .41 Magnum and is still in production today.


.41 Remington Magnum, Development
A couple of manufacturers have produced lever-action rifles chambered in .41 Magnum. Marlin produced four variants of its Model 1894, including the 1894S (20 in barrel, blued, straight stock), 1894FG (20 in barrel, blued, pistol-grip stock), 1894SS LTD (16 in barrel, stainless steel, straight stock) and 1894 CCL (20 in octagonal barrel, blued, straight stock.) However, they no longer offer any model chambered for it. Henry Repeating Arms introduced a .41 Magnum variant of their Big Boy Steel model in 2016.


.41 Remington Magnum, Market reception
The .41 Magnum never enjoyed the popularity and success of either the .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum cartridges, but is still prized by handgun hunters as some feel it generates somewhat lighter recoil and slightly flatter bullet trajectory at long range than the .44. Nevertheless, the .44 Magnum still catalogs a greater variety of heavier bullet weight offerings which are more effective on larger game, and boast a slight edge in power when using the heaviest factory loads, or if pushed to the edge by handloading (heavier bullets or bullets of different types). Marshall and Sanow called the .41 Magnum "one of our most unappreciated calibers".


.41 Short
The .41 Rimfire Cartridge was first introduced by the National Arms Company in 1863 and was also known as the .41 Short and the .41-100. In most designations like this, the second number refers to the black powder load, though in this case it means "41 hundredths of an inch".


.41 Short
The .41 Short was created with the intention that it be used in a small, single-shot derringer, which likely is the reason for the very low ballistics (most derringers were and are chambered for cartridges that were not originally intended to be used in such a small weapon). Remington Arms began producing their famous Remington Model 95 over/under double barrel derringer chambered for the .41 Rimfire cartridge in 1866.


.41 Short
In 1873 the slightly more powerful .41 Long was introduced in the Colt New Line pocket revolver.


.41 Short, Performance
According to Cartridges of the World, the .41 Rimfire consisted of a 130 grain (8.4 g) lead bullet propelled by 13 grains (0.8 g) of black powder in its original load. The round produced a muzzle velocity of 425 feet per second (130 m/s) and a  muzzle energy of 52 foot-pounds force (71 J). However, more recently firearms writer Holt Bodinson has disputed these findings.


.41 Short, Performance
He states that his testing showed the 130 grain bullet traveled at 685 feet per second (209 m/s) so producing 111 foot-pounds force (150 J) of energy - a significant difference in ballistic energy from the earlier tests. The difference in findings can potentially be attributed to variances in the specific ammunition fired or measuring equipment used.


.41 Short, Performance
Moreover, in the guns Magazine's article "Henry Deringer’s Pocket Pistol" by John E. Parsonsthere is an interesting test to be read. With the classic double-barreled Deringer with 3-inch barrels,two types of cartridges were fired,The old yellow-and-blue boxed Western Lubaloy, and a new batch of Brazilian, commissioned by Navy Arms;Both with the normal 130 gr bullet. At 10 feet, both bullets passed through a 5-inch soaked phone directory,also passed through a 3/4-inch piece of pine. Velocity was measured at 10 feet from muzzle with a PACT Professional Chronograph. The Western Lubaloys averaged 532 fps, which is 82 lb/sqf. The modern New Arms gave 621, for 111 lb/sqf.


.41 Short Colt
The .41 Short Colt cartridge was created in 1873 for Colt's single-action "New Line" revolver.


.41 Short Colt, History and description
This revolver cartridge was introduced to the American market for the New Line S A. revolver in 1873. The cartridge has a larger edge diameter than the cartridges of newer designs for trigger-tension revolvers. It can be used in these weapons, but it is necessary to charge every other chamber. After the introduction of revolvers with trigger tensioning, the production of this cartridge was terminated. The .41 Short Colt could be used in revolvers chambered for .41 Long Colt interchangeably. Both cartridges originally had an outside lubricated bullet with a small diameter heel fitting the neck of the case.


.41 Special
The .41 Special—also commonly known as .41 Spl (pronounced "forty-one special"), .41 Spc, or 10.4x29mmR (metric designation)—is a wildcat (non-standardized) cartridge designed for revolvers, made to be a less powerful variant of the established .41 Remington Magnum. The cartridge was intended for police work and personal defense, using a 200 grain bullet at 900 feet per second. While proposed as early as 1955, it remains a niche, custom cartridge.


.41 Special, History
In 1932, Colt researched a proposed ".41 Special" cartridge, but that shared only a name with the modern wildcat, having different measurements and even different bore diameter (.385). The concept of a .41 Special was later brought up by gunwriter Elmer Keith in his 1955 work Sixguns, where he proposed the .41 as an analog to the .44 Special cartridge, but the idea did not gain ground.


.41 Special, History
Keith and Bill Jordan later proposed the .41 Magnum cartridge, which was formally adopted by Remington Arms in 1964. Thus counter to common practice, a "magnum" offering was standardized before a weaker "special" variant was ever introduced.


.41 Special, History
In the 1980s pistolsmith Hamilton Bowen revived the idea of a 200gr bullet at 900fps in his custom designs.


.41 Special, Firearms
While large-scale production firearms have not been produced for this niche chambering, custom gunsmiths have adapted existing firearms to use it, generally by machining a new cylinder and expanding the bore of existing .357 Magnum revolvers. Ammunition is not commercially produced, but boutique runs of brass for handloading, with proper .41 Special headstamps, have been issued.


.41 Special, Firearms
Among the first gunsmiths to make a purpose-built firearm for this chambering was Hamilton Bowen, who modified the .357 caliber Ruger Security-Six and GP100 revolvers to accommodate the .41 Special, as well as a Colt revolver and a S&W 586.


.41 Swiss
The .41 Swiss (officially the 10.4x38mm R Swiss Vetterli M69/81) is a .415 in (10.54 mm) Swiss military rimfire rifle cartridge.


.41 Swiss, History
In 1867, the Swiss military adopted the 10.4×38mm cartridge. As one of the few rimfire cartridges to see military service, the 313 grain bullet and 1,400 fps muzzle velocity was respectable compared to its contemporaries. The most popular arms chambered for this round were the Vetterli series of rifles. This type of round was also used in the 1867 Peabody. Adopted in 1869 along with the Vetterli turn-bolt rifle, it was discontinued, along with the rifle, in 1889. With a 334 gr (21.6 g; 0.76 oz) bullet, it is "barely adequate" for deer, and only at short range.


.41 Swiss, History
The original round's case was made from copper which held a round nosed lead bullet. In 1871 and 1878, the paper patch was improved, but ballistic performance was only marginally improved.


.41 Swiss, History
The round continued to be commercially available in the U.S. until 1942 with 310gr bullets loaded by Winchester(K4154R) and 300gr lead bullets loaded by Remington (R326).


.41 rimfire
The .41 rimfire is in the family of firearm cartridges which were chambered in derringers and revolvers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The .41 rimfire family was first introduced by the National Arms Company in 1863 as the .41 Short, chambered in their derringer. In 1873 the slightly more powerful .41 Long was introduced in the Colt New Line pocket revolver.


.410 bore
The .410 bore is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available (along with the 9mm Flobert rimfire cartridge, and the less common 22 rimfire shot shell). A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small game hunting and pest control. The .410 started off in the UK as a garden gun along with the .360 and the Nos. 3, 2 and 1 bore rimfires. .410 shells have similar base dimensions to the .45 Colt cartridge, allowing many single-shot firearms, as well as some derringers chambered in that caliber, to fire .410 shot shells without any modifications.


.410 bore, Origin
Lancaster's pattern centerfire and pinfire .410 shot cartridges first appeared in Eley Brothers Ltd. flysheets in 1857. By 1874, Eleys were advertising modern centerfire .410 cartridges. It appears to have become popular around 1900, although it was recommended as "suited to the requirements of naturalists, garden guns and for such weapons as walking-stick guns", presumably for self-defense, in 1892 by W. W. Greener. The first ammunition was 2.0 inches (50.8 mm) long, compared with the modern 2.5 (63.5 mm) and 3.0-inch (76 mm) sizes. Aluminum shells are available but are not reloadable, as are paper or plastic shells. Full length brass shells can be found and are reloadable. Brass shells can be made from .444 Marlin rifle cartridges, and these are reloadable.


.410 bore, Origin
.410 shotguns loaded with shot shells are well suited for small game hunting and pest control; including rabbits, squirrels, snakes, rats, and birds. A .410 loaded with 1/4 ounce slugs is effective against larger animals such as coyotes and deer.


.410 bore, Origin
While a .410 is inferior to the traditional 12-gauge shotshell for defensive use, a number of companies market defensive guns chambered in .410, such as the Mossberg 500 Home Security Model, the Smith & Wesson Governor, and the Taurus Judge revolver. Defensive ammunition such as buckshot, slugs and combination loads are common. American Derringer and Winchester market ammunition loaded with five 000 buckshot pellets in 3-inch (76 mm) shells and three pellets in 2.5-inch (64 mm) shells. Combination shells such as Winchester Supreme Elite .410 shells are loaded with three 71 grain disks and twelve BB pellets.


.410 bore, Survival arms
The small size of the .410 bore makes it popular for use in compact firearms carried for emergency use. These are often combination guns, with a .22 Hornet or .22 rimfire rifle barrel mounted over a .410 bore shotgun barrel.


.410 bore, Survival arms
The Snake Charmer is a .410 gauge, stainless steel, single shot, break-action shotgun, with an exposed hammer, an 18 1/8 inch barrel, black molded plastic furniture and a short thumb-hole butt-stock that holds four additional 2 1/2 shotgun shells. These light weight 3 1/2 pound guns have an overall length of 28 1/8 inches and will easily fit under a car seat. They are commonly used by gardeners and farmers for pest control. It originally sold for $89.95 and was marketed as a general purpose utility shotgun perfect for "Fishing - Hunting - Camping - Back Packing - Survival - Home Defense - Truck or Jeep Gun."


.410 bore, Survival arms
The Savage Model 24 is an American made over and under combination gun manufactured by Savage Arms. The basic .22LR over .410 gauge model weighs 7 pounds, has 24-inch barrels and an overall length of 41-inches. It may also be disassembled for ease of stowage. Its predecessor was made by Stevens and sported a tenite stock and forearm. In WWII, 15,000 were ordered and issued in air crew survival kits for Army Air Force bomber crews to be used as survival arms in the event they were shot down.


.410 bore, Survival arms
The M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon was made for the US Air Force, with a .22 Hornet rifle barrel mounted over a .410 bore shotgun barrel and was first issued in the Korean War. The military also lists an aluminum .410 3" shell with a rifle primer as standard issue under the ammunition inventory name M-35. The civilian version Springfield Armory M6 Scout has a .22 rimfire or .22 Hornet over a .410 bore shotgun barrel.


.410 bore, Survival arms
The original M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon had a 14-inch (360 mm) barrel, the same length as the stock, and folds in half for storage, making a compact package. With the short barrel, this is legally classified as an any other weapon in the United States, so the M6 Scout is made with 18.5-inch (470 mm) barrels for civilian sales. Special flare cartridges in .410 were issued with the USAF model.


.410 bore, Handguns and shot pistols
The fact that the .410 bore shell fits in a .45 Colt chamber has resulted in some unusual applications. While shotguns are often limited in minimum length, a firearm chambered in .45 Colt, such as the Contender pistol, is not defined as a shotgun even though it can chamber shotgun shells. In the UK .410 shot-pistols are used around pheasant pens to kill rats where a full-length shotgun would be inappropriate.


.410 bore, Handguns and shot pistols
The Thompson Center Arms Contender pistols are commonly encountered with a special .45 Colt-.410 bore barrel. The barrel is rifled for the .45 Colt, but has a special choke and vent rib to make it function as a shotgun. Due to the rifled barrel, the assembled firearm is considered a rifle or pistol (depending on barrel length) and thus is not subject to the National Firearms Act's 18-inch (460 mm) minimum barrel length.


.410 bore, Handguns and shot pistols
Nonetheless, possession of a Thompson Center Arms .45-.410 pistol barrel is illegal in California, for both dealers and individuals, and such a barrel may not legally be shipped into the state, or even taken into California for a hunting trip, by reason of it being classified as a short barreled shotgun (SBSG) when used with a Contender receiver.


.410 bore, Handguns and shot pistols
American Derringer has long offered .45 Colt-.410 bore Derringers. Bond Arms also offers various Derringer models which chamber both .45 Colt cartridges and .410 shotshell.


.410 bore, Handguns and shot pistols
Also, Taurus, Magnum Research, and Smith & Wesson offer revolvers with extended cylinders, long enough to hold .410 shells as well. Magnum Research offers a single-action revolver in their BFR (Big Frame Revolver) line, while the Taurus Judge is similar in price to their other double-action revolvers, with the Raging Judge model capable of chambering and firing the .454 Casull cartridge. The Smith & Wesson Governor is a double-action revolver also capable of firing .45 Colt as well as .45 ACP cartridges with the aid of moon clips. The discontinued MIL Thunder 5 is also chambered in .410-bore. Over the years, a large number of devices have been made that will convert larger-gauge shotguns to accept .410 shotgun shells.


.410 bore, Capacity, compared to other gauges
Most shotgun cartridges are measured in terms of shotgun gauge. Shotgun gauge is determined by the weight of a round lead ball that is sized to fit into its barrel. For example, the barrel of a 12-gauge shotgun is equal to the diameter of a 1/12-pound lead ball and a 20-gauge can fit a 1/20-pound ball. Using this method a .410 bore is equivalent to a (hypothetical) 67-gauge.


.416 Barrett
The .416 Barrett or 10.6×83mm centerfire rifle cartridge is a proprietary bottlenecked centrefire rifle cartridge designed in 2005. It is an alternative to the .50 BMG in long-range high-power rifles. It was designed in response to a request for a medium/heavy rifle cartridge combination that was issued from Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in late 2004.


.416 Barrett, Design
The Barrett .416 cartridge was designed by Chris Barrett, son of Ronnie Barrett, with the help of Pete Forras. The bullet was designed using some NACA low-supersonic-drag equations to design the shape.


.416 Barrett, Design
The cartridge was designed as an improvement to the .50 BMG cartridge, a common machine gun and rifle cartridge. It is a wildcatted .50 BMG case, shortened to 3.27 inches (83 mm) from its original length of 3.91 inches (99 mm) and necked down to accept a .416 caliber, 398-grain (25.8 g) projectile; however, the case dimensions are proprietary. Because the two cartridges, the .50 BMG and .416 Barrett, have identical base dimensions, all that is needed to convert a rifle to use one or the other cartridge is a relatively quick barrel swap.


.416 Barrett, Design
The Barrett Model 99 was initially the only commercially available rifle using the cartridge. In 2009, Zel Custom Manufacturing released the Tactilite .416 Barrett upper for AR-style rifles Zel Custom Manufacturing curtailed operations in 2018 which was subsumed by another manufacturer, McCutchen Firearms, after the BATFE classified barreled upper assemblies in .50 caliber to be firearms in and of themselves on July 17, 2018. There is now a range of options available from several manufacturers:  Noreen Firearms makes a rifle in .416 Barrett, as does Desert Tech, and Barrett now also has a .416 Barrett option for its semi-automatic M82A1.


.416 Barrett, Performance, Barrett 398 gr solid brass boattail spitzer bullet
The use of a lighter, narrower bullet results in a significantly higher muzzle velocity and superior ballistic performance to the .50 BMG, and the .416 Barrett is claimed to retain more energy than the .50 BMG at distances over 1,000 yards. Barrett claims that this cartridge is capable of propelling a 398 gr solid brass boattail spitzer bullet out of the 32-inch (810 mm) barrel of a Model 99 single-shot rifle at 960 m/s (3,150 ft/s), giving it a ballistic coefficient of .720, and keeping the projectile supersonic out to 1,737 meters (1,900 yards, ~1.2 miles).


.416 Barrett, Performance, Barrett 398 gr solid brass boattail spitzer bullet
In a second-season episode of Future Weapons the host (Richard Machowicz, a former Navy SEAL) engaged in a shooting competition with another sniper. Machowicz achieved a cold-bore first-shot "kill" at 2,500 yards (2,286 m, ~1.42 miles) using a .416 Barrett Model 99 rifle while his competition, using a .50 BMG, required three shots to achieve a "kill". The .416 Barrett Model 99 rifle Mr. Machowicz used during this competition was equipped with a Barrett Optical Ranging System (BORS) module attached to the telescopic sight.


.416 Barrett, Performance, .416 Barrett MSG bullet
Improvement beyond this standard while still using standard .416 Barrett brass seems possible, but the bullets have to be specially designed. An example of such a special .416 Barrett very low drag extreme range bullet is the German CNC manufactured mono-metal 27.5 gram (424 gr) .416 Barrett MSG (G1 BC ≈ 1.103 – this ballistic coefficient (BC) is calculated by its designer, Mr. Lutz Möller, and not proven by Doppler radar measurements).


.416 Barrett, Performance, .416 Barrett MSG bullet
The solid brass .416 Barrett MSG bullet has an overall length of 56 mm (2.2 in) and derives its exceptional low drag from a radical LD Haack or Sears-Haack profile in the bullet's nose area. Rifles chambered for this cartridge bullet combination, with a cartridge overall length of 116 mm (4.6 in), have to be equipped with custom made 1,016 mm (40.0 in) long 279 mm (1:11 in) twist rate barrels to stabilize the .416 Barrett MSG projectiles and attain a projected 1,032 m/s (3,385 ft/s) muzzle velocity.


.416 Barrett, Legality
A few jurisdictions in the United States, most notably California, as well as a few nations such as Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands and Denmark restrict or prohibit civilian ownership of rifles chambered to use the .50 BMG cartridge, but not other calibers (e.g., .416 Barrett).


.416 Barrett, Legality
For California, Section 30905 of the California Penal Code governs exceptions/exclusions to the law:


.416 Barrett, Legality
You hold a valid permit to possess an assault weapon specifically (not just a general concealed carry permit),


.416 Barrett, Legality
You lawfully possessed the rifle before it was made illegal (i.e., before January 1, 2005),You are the executor or administrator of an estate that lawfully holds such firearms,You engage in lawful target shooting and/or police-approved firearm exhibitions, or


.416 Barrett, Legality
You are a non-California resident traveling who is traveling to or from an organized competitive match or league competition that lawfully uses assault weapons.


.416 Barrett, Gallery
.50 BMG cartridge on the left and a .416 cartridge on the right.


.416 Remington Magnum
The .416 Remington Magnum is a .416 caliber (10.57 mm) cartridge of belted bottlenecked design. The cartridge was intended as a dangerous game hunting cartridge and released to the public in 1989. The cartridge uses the case of the 8 mm Remington Magnum as a parent cartridge. When the cartridge was released in 1988, author Frank C. Barnes considered the .416 Remington Magnum to be the "most outstanding factory cartridge introduced in decades".


.416 Remington Magnum
The cartridge was conceived as a less costly alternative to the .416 Rigby cartridge and was intended to replace the latter. While today the .416 Remington Magnum is considered in the field the most popular of the .416 cartridges, the .416 Remington did not replace the .416 Rigby as had been anticipated. Rather, it sparked a renewed interest in the .416 caliber (10.57 mm) cartridges which led to the revival of the .416 Rigby and the introduction of other .416 cartridges such as the .416 Weatherby Magnum and the .416 Ruger.


.416 Remington Magnum
The .416 Remington Magum is one of the more popular dangerous game cartridges used for the hunting of dangerous game in Africa. It also has been increasingly used in North America, Alaska in particular, for the hunting of and as a defense against large bears.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
As former European colonies in Africa gained independence, safari hunting on the continent began a slow decline due to resource mismanagement and political factors. This, in turn, led to a decline in interest in big bore rifles and cartridges used to hunt dangerous African game species. However, by the 1980s African nations recognizing the potential benefits, began developing areas as hunting and safari destinations. As interest in safari hunting in Africa increased so did interest in dangerous game rifles.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
Early on, .416 Rigby had been one of the most celebrated medium bore magazine rifle cartridges during the heyday of African hunting. Today, loaded with modern smokeless powders, the .416 Rigby is considered a big-bore cartridge. The Rigby was a large, voluminous cartridge in comparison to most magazine rifle cartridges of its time, which had used cordite as a propellant and operated at medium pressures. Rifles chambered for the cartridge required not only longer actions but also oversized bolt faces, all of which increased the cost.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
Cartridges such as the .416 Rigby – which was considered an entry level cartridge in countries which mandated 40 caliber (10 mm) cartridges – lost out to cartridges such as the .458 Winchester Magnum and the .375 H&H Magnum which could be chambered in much less costly bolt action rifles. As ammunition for the cartridge became scarce, professional hunters such as Selby put away their .416 Rigby rifles.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
The renewed interest in safari hunting in North America beginning in the 1980s created a market for a specialized African cartridge. African nations mandated minimum caliber legislation beginning in the 1950s which mandated minimum calibers for dangerous game hunting. The minimum cartridges for hunting of dangerous game was set at either the .375 H&H Magnum or at the 40 caliber (10 mm) with a few countries allowing the 9.3 x 62 Mauser as an exception to the rule.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
Remington realizing the opportunity designed what was to become the second dangerous game cartridge to originate in the United States to be commercialized – the first being the .458 Winchester Magnum. The introduction of the .416 Remington Magnum by Remington led to renewal of interest in the .416 caliber (10.57 mm). This in turn resulted in resurrection of the .416 Rigby cartridge when Ruger released the Ruger Model 77 RSM rifle chambered for the cartridge while Hornady began manufacturing .416 Rigby ammunition. Weatherby was to follow Remington's lead soon after, releasing the .416 Weatherby Magnum which was based on its .378 Weatherby Magnum cartridge.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
The design of the .416 Remington Magnum can be traced to wildcat cartridges like the .416 Hoffman cartridge of the 1970s and the .416 Barnes Supreme of the 1950s. George L. Hoffman of Sonora Texas solution to having a .416 in (10.6 mm) chamber in a common rifle action was to neck up an improved .375 H&H Magnum case to .416 in (10.6 mm). The new cartridge named the .416 Hoffman was introduced in the late 1970s. The .416 Hoffman was mainly chambered in custom rifles.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
Remington realizing that a new market had opened, designed the .416 Remington Magnum cartridge to compete with the .458 Winchester Magnum, .375 H&H Magnum and the .416 Rigby. The Remington cartridge had a striking resemblance to the .416 Hoffman. The new cartridge, unlike the Rigby, could easily be chambered in pre-existing rifle models such as the Remington Model 700, Winchester’s Model 70 and any rifle which could fire a belted magnum cartridge based on the .375 H&H Magnum. This avoided the need for a costly new action or redesign of pre-existing rifle models all of which would add to the cost of the rifle.


.416 Remington Magnum, History and origins
The .416 Remington like the .416 Hoffman uses an improved .375 H&H Magnum case as the starting point. The .416 Remington Magnum was based on the company’s then fairly new 8 mm Remington Magnum which was necked up to accept a .416 in (10.6 mm) bullet. The 8 mm Remington Magnum in turn was based on the .375 H&H Magnum which improved by blowing out to reducing the taper and increasing case capacity and then necking it down to accept a .323 in (8.2 mm) bullet. The resulting .416 Remington Magnum emulated the performance of the .416 Rigby and the .416 Hoffman in that like the Rigby and the Hoffman it was capable of launching a 400 gr (26 g) bullet at 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s).


.416 Remington Magnum, Design and specifications
In designing the .416 Remington Magnum, Remington intended to emulate the performance of the .416 Rigby using the smaller case of the .375 H&H Magnum. To be able to reach this performance level, the smaller case would have to work at much higher pressures than the Rigby cartridge. However, the volume of the resulting case allowed for Remington to achieve the anticipated performance level rather easily without reaching its maximum pressure limit.


.416 Remington Magnum, Design and specifications
Remington chose to use the 8 mm Remington Magnum as a starting point when developing the new cartridge. The 8 mm Remington Magnum used a highly improved and strengthened case in comparison to the .375 H&H Magnum and it offered an increase in volume over the latter cartridge. Furthermore, the SAAMI working pressure of the 8 mm Remington Magnum’s case was 65,000 psi (4,500 bar) which was higher than that of the .375 H&H Magnum. In the end .416 Remington Magnum was created by simply necking up the 8 mm Remington Magnum case with no other changes made to the case. Dimensionally, below the neck, the cases of both the 8 mm Remington Magnum and the .416 Remington Magnum are identical.


.416 Remington Magnum, Design and specifications
The .416 Remington Magnum was standardized in May 1989 by S.A.A.M.I. in North America. SAAMI recommends a 6 groove barrel with each groove having a width of .128 in (3.3 mm) and twist rate of one revolution in 14 in (360 mm). Recommended bore diameter is .408 in (10.4 mm) while the groove diameter is given as .416 in (10.6 mm). The case has a capacity of 107 gr. of water (6.95 cm3). Maximum pressure given by SAAMI is 65,000 psi (4,500 bar) or 54,000 C.U.P.


.416 Remington Magnum, Design and specifications
The C.I.P. regulates the .416 Remington Magnum cartridge. No discrepancies exist between C.I.P. and S.A.A.M.I. published values regarding case dimensions; any discrepancies that may exist are due to rounding off when converting from inches to millimeters. However, the CIP provides a pressure rating of 4,300 bar (62,000 psi) for the cartridge. The C.U.P. pressure rating is the same as the S.A.A.M.I. pressure rating of 54,000 C.U.P.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
The .416 Remington Magnum was designed to emulate the performance of the .416 Rigby and by all evidence meets this design criterion. When loaded to within the pressure specification stipulated by SAAMI and the CIP, the cartridge can easily exceed this design criterion by about 100 ft/s (30 m/s). Held to within the respective pressure limits imposed on each of the cartridges by these organizations, the Rigby cartridge has little to no advantage in performance over the .416 Remington Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
In fact, to match the .416 Remington at its maximum pressure mandated by the CIP of 4,300 bar (62,000 psi) the .416 Rigby cartridge will require to be loaded to 3,600 bar (52,000 psi) exceeding the maximum pressure by 350 bar (5,100 psi). Factory manufactured ammunition for both these cartridges launch a 400 gr (26 g) bullet at 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) while handloaded ammunition is able to drive the same bullet at about 2,500 ft/s (760 m/s).


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
When Ruger entered the .416 caliber (10.36 mm) fray, they did so with a cartridge shorter but internally fatter than the .416 Remington Magnum which was based on their .375 Ruger necked up to .416 in (10.6 mm). The cartridge was a co-development between Ruger and Hornady where Ruger developed the rifles and Hornady the ammunition. Compared to the .416 Ruger, the Remington cartridge has a greater case capacity and a higher S.A.A.M.I. recommended pressure level. This means that the Remington cartridge should perform better than the Ruger cartridge.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
The Hornady's .416 Ruger ammunition matches both the Rigby and Remington .416 cartridges it does so working close to its maximum pressure level using a specially blended powder unavailable to the public. Those who handload their ammunition will have some difficulty reaching the performance of the factory loaded ammunition while staying within the maximum average pressure rating of the cartridge. Data published by Hornady provide a velocity for the 400 gr (26 g) of 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s) for the .416 Ruger, 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) for the Rigby, 2,450 ft/s (750 m/s) for the .416 Remington Magnum and 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s) for the .416 Weatherby.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
The .416 Weatherby Magnum on the other hand is capable of a greater performance level than either the Remington, Rigby or Ruger cartridges. Factory ammunition is loaded to 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s) with the 400 gr (26 g) bullet. The .416 Weatherby Magnum uses a slighter more voluminous case than the Rigby cartridge and works at a higher C.I.P. pressure than the .416 Remington Magnum. The .416 Dakota uses a modified Rigby case and is able to attain 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s) using better quality brass than the Rigby cartridge at a higher pressure.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
Factory loaded ammunition generates 5,115 ft⋅lbf (6,935 J) of energy at the muzzle. This exceeds the energy generated by most .458 Winchester Magnum factory ammunition which launch a 500 gr (32 g) bullet at 2,050 ft/s (620 m/s). Many experienced African hunters consider the .416 Remington a more flexible cartridge than the .458 Winchester Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
It is evident that the .416 Remington Magnum is a ballistically superior cartridge to the .458 Winchester Magnum and has a trajectory close to that of the .375 H&H Magnum. While the .458 Winchester Magnum retains4,000 ft⋅lbf (5,400 J) to about the 65 yd (59 m) the .416 Remington Magnum carries that energy level beyond the 100 yd (91 m) mark. The cartridge is flatter shooting than the .458 Winchester Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
When zeroed for 100 yd (91 m) the .416 Remington Magnum drops about5.0 in (13 cm) at 200 yd (180 m) and will be about 22 in (56 cm) low at 300 yd (270 m). The .458 Winchester Magnum in contrast will be 6 in (15 cm) low at 200 yd (180 m) and 30 in (76 cm) low at 300 yd (270 m). This ability to retain a usable energy level to farther ranges makes the .416 a far more flexible cartridge and therefore a more useful cartridge than the .458 Winchester Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Performance
As with any big bore rifle cartridge recoil is a consideration. In a 10 lb (4.5 kg) the .416 Remington Magnum will generate about 54 ft⋅lbf (73 J) of recoil energy at velocity of 18.6 ft/s (5.7 m/s). In comparison, a .458 Winchester Magnum firing a 500 gr (32 g) bullet at 2,150 ft/s (660 m/s) will generate about 61 ft⋅lbf (83 J) of recoil energy at velocity of 19.7 ft/s (6.0 m/s) in a similar weighted rifle.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
The intent and purpose behind the .416 Remington Magnum cartridge was to provide a dangerous game rifle cartridge which could emulate the performance of the vaunted .416 Rigby cartridge. While the .375 H&H Magnum is considered marginal on heavy, dangerous game, the .416 Rigby was recognized as a big bore with definitive stopping power to put down elephant, African Cape buffalo and rhinoceros. The cartridge has been successfully used against these game species in Africa and is a popular cartridge among professional hunters and has been slowly replacing the .458 Winchester Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
Although dangerous game hunting is conducted at fairly close ranges rarely exceeding 60 yd (55 m) the .416 Remington Magnum has the required energy and penetration to kill heavy dangerous game at ranges over 100 yd (91 m). The cartridge has an effective range against lion and leopard out to over 250 yd (230 m). However, due to terrain and habitat such shooting instances rarely ever occur.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
Unlike many of the .458 caliber (11.43 mm) cartridges, the .416 Remington is more flexible, multipurpose cartridge. Since the cartridge can shoot almost as flat as the .375 H&H Magnum, it can be used effectively for heavier plains game with lighter bullets. The 300–350 gr (19–23 g) bullets similar to the Swift A-Frame or Barnes TSX bullets are appropriate for heavier non-dangerous game.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
Lighter dangerous game such as leopard and lion are best served with lighter bullets which open up rapidly or bullets which fragment upon impact such as the A-Square 400 gr (26 g) Lion Load. African countries require a minimum caliber of either .375 in (9.5 mm) or .400 in (10.2 mm) for the hunting of dangerous game. As this is the case the 41 caliber (10.36 mm) is the first acceptable common caliber for the hunting of dangerous game such as the big five.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
The cartridge has found use in North America among guides in Alaska as insurance against large brown bears found in the state. Apart from the big bears such as the Alaskan brown bear, polar bear and perhaps large bovines such as plains and wood bison, no North American game species requires the power and the energy of the .416 Remington Magnum in North America. The cartridge can also be employed as an elk or moose cartridge, however, there are far more appropriate cartridges for these larger deer species.


.416 Remington Magnum, Sporting use
Outside sports hunting the .416 Remington Magnum has found little to no use. While the bullet of high sectional density are commonly available none have the high ballistic coefficients for target shooting. Furthermore, the heavy recoil of the cartridge can have an adverse effect as one would have to shoot long string shots depending on the discipline. An exception to this is the Big Bore shoots sponsored by the Big Bore Shooting Association and its affiliates.


.416 Remington Magnum, Rifles
When the .416 Remington Magnum was released to the public in 1989 it was available in three Remington Model 700 Safari rifle models including the then just released Model 700 Safari KS rifle. Today, Remington no longer offers the .416 Remington as an over the counter chambering but rather through the Remington Custom Shop. When the  Model 700 Safari KS was relegated to the Remington Custom Shop, Remington continued offer the .416 Remington Magnum in this rifle model but dropped the two walnut stocked rifles in this chambering.


.416 Remington Magnum, Rifles
Since then, Remington has discontinued to the .416 Remington Magnum in the Safari KS model and instead switched to the Hunter Series Model 700 ABG (African Big Game) Rifle which sports a wood laminate stock. This is the only current rifle which is available from Remington which is offered in this cartridge and is only available from the custom shop.


.416 Remington Magnum, Rifles
In 1994 the Winchester Model 70 returned to an updated version of the Pre-'64 type action featuring controlled round feed, full length claw extractor, fixed-type ejection and chambered the Super Express version (introduced in 1990 with the Post-'64 push feed action in 375 H&H Magnum, and .458 Winchester Magnum) in .416 Remington Magnum. In 2010 Winchester introduced the Model 70 Safari Express, manufactured (starting in 2008) for Winchester by Fabrique Nationale in Columbia, South Carolina that also featured the Pre-'64 type action and MOA Trigger, chambered in .375 H&H Magnum, .458 Winchester Magnum, and the .416 Remington Magnum.


.416 Remington Magnum, Rifles
Mauser continues to offer the M03 Magnum rifle chambered for the cartridge. For those wanting an authentic Mauser 98 action type, Dumoulin Herstal chambers the cartridge in their Herstal Safari rifle. A-Square offers the Hannibal (right-handed) and Caesar (left-handed) rifles in the .416 Remington. The A-Square rifles are based on the P-14 Enfield design. Apart from these manufacturers several custom gunsmiths offer rifles chambered for this cartridge. The Blaser R8 is also chambered in .416 Remington.


.416 Remington Magnum, Rifles
Building custom rifles or having a rifle re-chambed for the .416 Remington Magnum is a fairly straightforward and easy option. Any rifle action which can handle the full length magnum cartridge such as .375 H&H Magnum requires only a barrel change and perhaps some work on the magazine feed system. On the other hand, the larger Rigby and Weatherby cartridges would require an appropriate extra large magnum action as a starting point


.416 Remington Magnum, Ammunition
The 400 gr (26 g) bullet at 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) is the industry performance standard for the .416 Remington Magnum. Very few ammunition manufacturers offer bullet weights other than the 400 gr (26 g) bullet. Currently Conley Precision, Double Tap, Federal, Hornady, Norma, Remington and Winchester produce ammunition for rifles chambered for this cartridge. Currently only Conley Precision, Double Tap and Norma produce ammunition loaded with bullet weighing something other than 400 gr (26 g). However, the ammunition produced by these companies are generally available only through mail order (Conley Precision) or not commonly found throughout North America (Norma and Double Tap).


.416 Remington Magnum, Ammunition
Federal provides five loaded cartridges in their Federal Premium line loaded with Barnes, Swift and Trophy Bonded bullets. Hornady offers a solid (DGS) and a controlled expansion bullet (DGX) as ammunition for the .416 Remington Magnum. Norma offers a solid and soft point ammunition loaded with Woodleigh 450 gr (29 g) bullets at 2,150 ft/s (660 m/s) in their PH line of ammunition. Remington offers a single load topped with a Swift A-Frame bullet while Winchester offers two loads in their Safari ammunition line using Nosler’s Solid and Partition bullets.


.416 Remington Magnum, Ammunition
Double Tap offers four loads, a 300 gr (19 g) and 350 gr (23 g)  Banes TSX bullets at 2,920 ft/s (890 m/s) and 2,725 ft/s (831 m/s) respectively, a 400 gr (26 g) Nosler Partition at 2,450 ft/s (750 m/s) and a 450 gr (29 g) Woodleigh Weldcore at 2,325 ft/s (709 m/s).


.416 Remington Magnum, Criticism
The .416 Remington Magnum has often been criticized for operating at higher pressures than the .416 Rigby and these high pressures can cause difficulty in extracting spent casings in hot tropical environments. However, such claims appear to be speculative and remain for a large part unfounded. While the cartridge is loaded to higher pressures than the .416 Rigby, Remington loads the cartridge to lower than the maximum stipulated pressure level for the cartridge.


.416 Remington Magnum, Criticism
Although the .416 Remington brass is known for its strength, Rigby brass quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and designed for the moderate working pressure of the Rigby cartridge as stipulate by the CIP and SAAMI. Furthermore, modern smokeless powders are insensitive to ambient temperatures and are stable throughout the working temperature range. The Rigby cartridge had been designed for use with cordite, hence the large case volume and lower working pressures. Furthermore, cordite was highly sensitive to temperatures which gave rise to high pressures in the high ambient temperature environment of Africa and India. The Remington cartridge has always been loaded with modern smokeless powders, however, that is not true of the .416 Rigby which was originally loaded with cordite. Since cordite is temperature sensitive the Rigby cartridge was loaded to lower pressure levels. .


.416 Remington Magnum, Variants
The .416 Hoffman uses an improved .375 H&H case necked up to accept a .416 inch bullet. The Hoffman cartridge is slightly larger than the .416 Remington Magnum in the neck and shoulder area and has a less taper. The Hoffman cartridge has a case capacity of 109.5 gr. of water (7.11 cm3), about 2% greater than that of the .416 Remington Magnum. Consequently, a rifle which is chambered for the .416 Hoffman can fire a .416 Remington Magnum cartridge but not vice versa. The .416 Hoffman had been adopted by A-Square as a proprietary cartridge but later discontinued. The cartridge can be considered an improved .416 Remington Magnum if it had not predated the Remington cartridge by over a decade.


.416 Rigby
The .416 Rigby is a rifle cartridge designed in 1911 by London based gunmaker John Rigby & Company, for hunting dangerous game. It is the first cartridge to use a bullet of .416 in (10.57 mm) diameter. The rifles, as built by John Rigby & Co., were initially made up on Magnum Mauser 98 action (a derivative of Gewehr 98 bolt action rifle), although in later years, some were made on standard length actions, a perfect example being the rifle used by legendary professional hunter Harry Selby. Other famous users of the cartridge were Commander David Enderby Blunt, John Taylor, and Jack O'Connor.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
Two major developments at the turn of the 20th century set the course for the development of .416 Rigby as a successful big game hunting cartridge. The first was the development of cordite in the UK in 1889 and second the development of the Magnum Mauser 98 action based on the Gewehr 98 bolt action magazine rifle which was designed in Germany.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
Prior to the invention of Cordite, rifles used gunpowder (black powder) as a propellant. Due to the slow burn characteristics of black powder it did not produce high pressures and therefore did not produce high velocities required to take large thick skinned game such as cape buffalo, rhino, and elephant. The development of smokeless powder revolutionized the rifle. One version of this smokeless powder, Cordite allowed higher pressures to be developed thereby increasing the velocity and performance of rifle cartridges.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
The next improvement was the development of the Gewehr 98 rifle by Paul Mauser. Paul Mauser did not invent the bolt-action rifle but rather he refined the design allowing controlled round feeding, a stripper clip for fast loading, and a strong action with the ability to withstand high pressures generated by the new smokeless powders. The rifle design would go on to become the most common and successful rifle design in the history of firearms.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
During World War II most Axis and Allied nations with the exception of the British (Lee–Enfield), and the Russians (Mosin–Nagant) used rifles based on the Mauser 98 action. Today this is still the most popular rifle design and is used by Heym, Holland & Holland, Mauser, Rigby, Westley Richards, Winchester, and several other gunmakers. The Mauser 98 action provided the consumers and gun makers an inexpensive alternative to the double and single shot rifles which until that time predominated the dangerous game hunting scene.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
At the turn of the 20th Century, four major British rifle manufacturers, Holland & Holland, John Rigby & Co., W.J. Jeffery & Co, and Westley Richards designed cartridges which could operate in the Magnum Mauser 98 action and could offer big bore nitro express ballistics and performance in a magazine rifle which was what the British called their bolt-action rifles. The result was the introduction of medium bore big game cartridges .375 H&H Magnum, .416 Rigby, .404 Jeffery, and .425 Westley Richards. The performance of these cartridges on game matched the performance of the big bore Nitro Express cartridges. The performance of these cartridges was due to the sectional density (greater than 7.6 millimetres (0.300 in)) and higher velocity (~700 m/s (2,300 ft/s)).


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
The first .416 Rigby rifles used the Magnum Mauser 98 Square Bridge No. 5 action. The large bolt face and the length of the Magnum Mauser 98 No. 5 action was easily adapted for use with the .416 Rigby cartridge. As the Magnum Mauser 98 action became scarcer after World War II, .416 Rigby rifles were built on Enfield P-17 and the BRNO actions. Both the Enfield P-17 and the BRNO actions are in turn based on the Magnum Mauser 98 rifle.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
After World War II, with the dwindling of areas to hunt dangerous game animals, interest in the .416 Rigby cartridge and most big bore Nitro Express cartridges began to wane. By the 1970s with the demise of the British ammunition supplier Kynoch as an entity, the supply of .416 Rigby ammunition was dwindling, and many hunters including Selby set aside their .416 Rigby rifles, taking up the more popular .375 H&H Magnum, .458 Winchester Magnum, and .458 Lott.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
Between 1912 and the beginning of World War II, John Rigby & Co. produced 169 .416 Rigby rifles and 180 between 1939 and 1984. Between 1984 when Paul Roberts took over the John Rigby & Co. and 1997 when the company was purchased by Geoff Miller's investment group, 184 more rifles were produced. It was not until Bill Ruger of Sturm, Ruger & Co. began offering the Ruger Model 77 RSM Magnum Mk II in 1991 that the cartridge finally took off. Ruger produced approximately 1,000 rifles between 1991 and 2001, dramatically boosting the number of .416 Rigby rifles in circulation.


.416 Rigby, Origin and history
With renewed interest in dangerous game hunting in Africa, the demand for big game cartridges increased. Major ammunition manufacturers like Norma, Federal, and Hornady began producing .416 Rigby ammunition to meet the new demand. The Kynoch brand name was licensed by Eley to Kynamco, a British ammunition manufacturer, based in Suffolk, England, which continues to manufacture .416 Rigby ammunition under the Kynoch brand name.


.416 Rigby, Design and specifications
The .416 Rigby cartridge case is one of the most voluminous case and was originally designed to utilize cordite strands as a propellant. The large case allowed the .416 Rigby to operate at moderate pressures, yet turn in a good performance with regard to velocity and energy. The .416 Rigby was intended for use in Africa and India. As cordite was susceptible to high chamber pressure variations dependent on ambient temperature, the relatively moderate pressure loading of the .416 Rigby provided a safety margin against dangerously high pressure levels when used in tropical regions.


.416 Rigby, Design and specifications
The .416 Rigby's dimensions and specifications are governed by C.I.P.. The C.I.P. mandates a 6 groove barrel with a bore diameter of 10.36 mm (0.408 in) and a groove diameter of 10.57 mm (0.416 in) with each groove being 3.60 mm (0.142 in) wide and a twist rate of 420 mm (1-16.53 in). Commencement of rifling is to begin at 7.62 mm (0.300 in). Maximum average pressure given by C.I.P. is 325.00 MPa (47,137 psi) for this cartridge.


.416 Rigby, Design and specifications
SAAMI have listed the .416 Rigby, and there are no discrepancies between SAAMI and C.I.P. regarding the case and chamber dimension specifications for the .416 Rigby cartridge. Maximum average pressure given by SAAMI is 358.53 MPa (52,000 psi). Most ammunition manufacturers in the US are offering the .416 Rigby for hunting Dangerous Game and the cartridge is becoming popular once again.


.416 Rigby, Performance
The original ammunition for the .416 Rigby used cordite as a propellant, firing a full metal jacket or soft-point round nose bullet weighing 27 g (410 gr) at 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s) generating 6,375 J (4,702 ft⋅lbf) . The current standard using smokeless powder is a 26 g (400 gr) bullet at 730 m/s (2,400 ft/s), generating 6,935 J (5,115 ft⋅lbf). This is the standard to which Federal, Hornady, Nosler, and Winchester load their ammunition. In its original configuration, the .416 Rigby compares favorably with its close counterparts of the era: the .404 Jeffery, and .425 Westley Richards.


.416 Rigby, Performance
The .416 Rigby loaded with the 26 g (400 gr) bullet at 736 m/s (2,415 ft/s) as the Hornady’s DGS and DGX ammunition are, has an MPBR of 181 m (198 yd). The cartridge is capable of producing over 5,400 J (4,000 ft⋅lbf) of energy at a range of 100 m (110 yd). In comparison, the typical .458 Winchester Magnum firing a 32 g (500 gr) bullet at 620 m/s (2,050 ft/s) manages to stay above the 5,400 J (4,000 ft⋅lbf) just past the 46 m (50 yd) mark.


.416 Rigby, Performance
Since the late 1980s, several .416 cartridges have come to the market. Among these, the .416 Remington Magnum, the .416 Ruger, and the .416 Weatherby Magnum have garnered the most attention of the firearms press. Both the Remington and Ruger cartridges were designed to fire a 26 g (400 gr) bullet at over 730 m/s (2,400 ft/s) to emulate the performance level of .416 Rigby. When loaded to their respective maximum average pressure level, both the Rigby and Remington cartridges are capable of driving the 26 g (400 gr) bullet at over 760 m/s (2,500 ft/s).


.416 Rigby, Performance
However, the Rigby cartridge is loaded to the relatively low maximum allowable pressure of 325 MPa (47,100 psi) while the Remington cartridge has a stipulated maximum average pressure of 430 MPa (62,000 psi). The case capacity of the .416 Remington Magnum is about 82% to that of the .416 Rigby. The larger case of the .416 Rigby allows the cartridge to generate the same velocity and energy as that of the .416 Remington Magnum but does so at far lower pressure levels.


.416 Rigby, Performance
Unlike the Remington and Rigby cartridges, the .416 Ruger, due to its case having even less capacity than the Remington, operates at near its peak allowable pressure to emulate the performance of the Rigby and Remington cartridges’ factory ammunition. The .416 Weatherby Magnum, which uses a case of similar size as the Rigby, is capable of launching the same bullet at 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s).


.416 Rigby, Sporting use
When designed in 1911, the .416 Rigby was intended for use against dangerous game in Africa and India. The original 27 g (410 gr) bullet has a sectional density of .338 and at a velocity of 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s) generated 6,375 J (4,702 ft⋅lbf). The energy generated by the cartridge was on par with that of .450 Nitro Express which, until the ban on the 11.6-millimetre (0.458 in) caliber in India and the Sudan in the early 1900s, had been the standard of measure for dangerous game rifles. The .416 Rigby would go on to become one of the most successful dangerous game cartridges designed for a magazine rifle.


.416 Rigby, Sporting use
Jack O'Connor used a .416 Rigby on his African safari and successfully took elephant and lion with it. Professional hunters such as John Taylor, David Enderly Blunt and Harry Selby used the cartridge extensively for the hunting and culling of elephants and Cape buffalo. John Hunter provided a testimonial to John Rigby & Company stating "You will be pleased to know that the rifle which accounted for all the rogue lions on my last hunting expedition was the .416 Bore Magazine Rifle you supplied me with. I cannot speak too highly of it.


.416 Rigby, Sporting use
Its stopping power was extraordinary, and the fact that all the lions, rhino, buffalo, etc., were shot at comparatively short range, and no other rifle to back me up, speaks volumes for the accuracy and efficiency of your rifle." Today the .416 Rigby is favored by professional hunters and safari guides in Africa.


.416 Rigby, Sporting use
While considered overpowered for the big cats, the .416 is regularly used for the hunting of these felines. In African nations which have enforced a ban on the use of sub 10.2-millimetre (0.400 in) rifle cartridge for dangerous game, the .416 Rigby can be considered for the hunting of lion or leopard. Prior to the ban on hunting in India, the .416 Rigby was successfully used to hunt dangerous game there which included the Bengal tiger, Indian rhino, and elephant.


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge
The .416 Rigby cartridge case is of a unique design in that it had no prior cartridge case acting as a parent cartridge during its development. Due to the volume of the case, the .416 Rigby case has gone on to act as a parent cartridge to several modern cartridges and provide the inspiration to many others. The .378 Weatherby Magnum family of cartridges which include the .30-378, .338-378, .378, .416 and the .460 Weatherby Magnums use a case similar to the .416 Rigby albeit with a belt added to the case design.


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge
The .416 Rigby is the parent cartridge for the following cartridges:


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge, .300 Lapua Magnum
The .300 Lapua Magnum cartridge was designed by Lapua of Finland using the .338 Lapua Magnum case which in turn was based on the .416 Rigby. Lapua does not manufacture ammunition for the cartridge and should be considered a wildcat cartridge.


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge, .338 Lapua Magnum
The .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge is a redesign by Lapua of a prior designed by Research Armament Industries (RAI) and Brass Extrusion Labs Ltd. (BELL) known as the .338/416. The Lapua uses a modified .416 case shortened and necked down to accept a 8.59 millimetres (0.338 in) bullet. The cartridge is capable of firing a 15.0 g (231 gr) bullet at 920 m/s (3,000 ft/s).


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge, .450 Dakota
The .450 Dakota was designed by Don Allen of Dakota Arms. It is virtually identical to the .450 Rigby which it predates by a few years. The cartridge is based on the .416 Rigby necked up to 11.6 millimetres (0.458 in). The .450 Dakota fires a 32 g (500 gr) bullet at 780 m/s (2,550 ft/s).


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge, .450 Rigby
The .450 Rigby was designed by Paul Roberts of John Rigby & Company. The cartridge was designed to fire a 31 g (480 gr) bullet at 725 m/s (2,378 ft/s).


.416 Rigby, As a parent cartridge, .510 Whisper
The .510 Whisper is a subsonic rifle cartridge developed by SSK Industries for use in suppressed rifles, with the noise similar to that of a .22 short. [ 2] It fires a .51-caliber bullet weighing 750 gr (49 g) at roughly 1,050 ft/s (320 m/s).


.416 Ruger
The .416 Ruger is a .41 caliber (10.4 mm), beltless, rimless, bottlenecked cartridge designed as a joint venture by Hornady and Ruger in 2008.Designed to equal the 416 Rigby and 416 Remington magnum but in a standard length 30-06 length action. The standard length actions are less expensive to manufacture thus making a dangerous game caliber available to a greater amount of customers. Unfortunately gun manufacturers have not followed Ruger's lead. This also applies to the 375 Ruger. The 416 Ruger is suitable for the biggest land animals and dangerous game.


.416 Ruger, Description
The cartridge is based on the .375 Ruger case which was necked up to accept a .416 in (10.6 mm) bullet. It was designed as a dangerous game cartridge particularly for use in Alaska and Africa. The .416 Ruger duplicates the performance of the .416 Rigby and the .416 Remington Magnum. All three cartridge fire a 400 gr (26 g) bullet at 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) generating 5,115 ft⋅lbf (6,935 J) of energy. However, unlike the Remington or Rigby .416s, the Ruger .416 can be chambered in a standard length action, as the cartridge has a length of 3.34 inches. The cartridge has the same diameter of belted magnum cases but without the belt. This provides the cartridge a larger propellant capacity than a standard length magnum cartridge of the same length. The rimless design allows for smoother feeding and extraction of the cartridge.


.416 Ruger, Description
The .416 Ruger is chambered in the bolt-action Ruger M77 Hawkeye "African" and "guide gun" rifles, and Krieghoff rifles. No other manufacturer currently chambers this cartridge. Ammunition is available from Hornady and Buffalo Bore.


.416 Taylor
The .416 Taylor is a rifle cartridge. According to Ken Waters in Pet Loads, it was created by Robert Chatfield-Taylor in the early 1970s, with the first rifle in this caliber being a factory barreled Winchester Model 70. The case is based on the .458 Winchester Magnum necked down to accept .416 caliber bullets.


.416 Taylor, Usage
The .416 Taylor uses a .416 in (10.6 mm) bullet diameter. With maximum loads, the cartridge is capable of propelling a 400-grain (26 g) bullet at an average of 2,350 ft/s (720 m/s) from a 24 in (61 cm) barrel  yielding a muzzle energy of 4,903 ft⋅lbf (6,648 J). The work on this caliber (performed by Waters) was done with an experimental factory Ruger Model 77.


.416 Taylor, Usage
He reported that an absolute maximum load of certain listed powders would push a 400-grain (26 g) bullet to 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s), thereby equaling (and perhaps exceeding) the performance of the .416 Rigby (presuming moderate temperatures and barometric pressures). Waters also reported that 400-grain (26 g) bullets could exceed 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s) when propelled by certain listed powders. Under normal hunting conditions, the Taylor cartridge is therefore capable of taking any of the largest and most dangerous game animals in the world.


.416 Taylor, Usage
Reports from various internet gunboards indicate that shooters and gunsmiths are rebarreling Browning BAR .338 Winchester Magnum rifles with .416 Taylor barrels thereby creating semi-automatic hunting rifles in a true dangerous game caliber.


.416 Taylor, Origin
The cartridge was created to replace the magnum length .416 Rigby which at that time was nearly obsolete, with a cartridge that would fit into a standard length bolt-action rifle. The shorter action rifles are not only easier to carry in heavy cover, but also make it more convenient to carry more ammunition. The advantages to cartridges in .416 inch bullet diameter are that they generally present the shooter with less recoil and flatter trajectory than the larger .458 caliber dangerous game rifles (like the .458 Winchester Magnum).


.416 Taylor, Origin
They also have more striking power and penetration than medium bores like the .375 H&H Magnum. The Taylor cartridge is simply a necked down .458 Winchester Magnum with no changes. They have the same shoulder height and angle as the .264 Winchester Magnum. The 416 Taylor was a SAAMI standardized cartridge, and was offered as a standard production item by A-Square until it closed in 2011.


.416 Weatherby Magnum
The .416 Weatherby Magnum is a belted, bottlenecked cartridge designed by Ed Weatherby and launched commercially in 1989. It is a dangerous-game cartridge intended for the hunting of heavy dangerous game such as elephant and African Cape buffalo. It is considered the most powerful commercial .416 cartridge, besting the Remington, Rigby and Ruger .416s by a velocity of 300 ft/s (91 m/s). Unlike earlier Weatherby cartridges which were designed by Roy Weatherby, this cartridge was designed by his son Ed Weatherby.


.416 Weatherby Magnum
Beginning in the 1960s and through the 1970s, safari hunting in Africa was on the decline, and in turn demand for big-bore cartridges waned. Furthermore, the introduction of the .458 Winchester Magnum, which could be chambered in inexpensive rifles, further put a nail in the coffin of other big-bore cartridges such as the .416 Rigby, which required an oversized rifle action. Due to the lack of interest, ammunition manufacturers like Kynoch ceased operations.


.416 Weatherby Magnum
However, by the 1980s, a renewed interest in safari hunting created a demand for big-bore dangerous-game cartridges. In 1988 Remington stepped up to the plate with their iteration of the .416 Hoffman, which was given the name .416 Remington Magnum. Unlike the Rigby, the Remington cartridge utilized the .375 H&H Magnum case and therefore, unlike the .416 Rigby, could be chambered in most firearm actions.