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Rifle · SAAMI

.264 Winchester Magnum

.264 Win Mag

One of the flattest-shooting cartridges ever made for its era.

Caliber
0.264″ · 6.706 mm
Introduced
1959
Case
Belted
Parent
.375 H&H Magnum
Primary use
Hunting, Long Range
Status
Active
Velocity2,900–3,500 fps
Energy1,877–3,282 ft·lb
Typical grains100 · 130 · 140 gr
Identity
Introduced
1959
Type
Rifle
Origin
United States
Inventor
Winchester
Manufacturer
Winchester
Standard
SAAMI
Status
Active
Availability
Common
Build
Case capacity
82 gr H₂O
Twist (typical)
1:9
Primer
Large Rifle Magnum
Case type
Belted
Pressure & range
Max pressure
64,000 psi
Eff. range
500 yd
Max range
1400 yd
Recoil
15–22 ft·lb

Ballistics

Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 143 gr, 3,100 fps, BC 0.320 G7 · 100 yd zero.

overlay up to 2
RangeVelocityEnergyDrop (in)Drop (MOA)
0 yd30993049-1.5″—
100 yd295027630.0″0.0
200 yd28042496-2.5″-1.2
300 yd26622250-9.4″-3.0
400 yd25242022-21.3″-5.1
500 yd23891812-38.6″-7.4
600 yd22591620-61.9″-9.9
700 yd21321443-92.2″-12.6
800 yd20091281-130.1″-15.5

Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →

Performance

Best for HuntingHornady Precision Hunter ELD-X143 gr · ELD-X · 3,100 fps · BC 0.320 G7Buy now →
Best for TargetBerger Hybrid OTM140 gr · OTM · 3,100 fps · BC 0.315 G7Buy now →

Buy links open .264 Winchester Magnum ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.

Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds

Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.

CIP TDCC · verified
Measuremmin✓
Bullet ⌀6.710.264✓
Neck ⌀7.590.299✓
Shoulder ⌀12.470.491✓
Shoulder angle25°—✓
Base ⌀13.080.515✓
Rim ⌀13.510.532✓
Belt ⌀13.510.532✓
Rim thickness1.270.050~
Neck length6.450.254≈
Case length63.502.500✓
Overall length84.843.340✓

Size vs familiar rounds

Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .264 Winchester Magnum is highlighted below.

Factory loads

In production — 209 active loads across 32 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 212 →.

BrandLoadGrainBulletFPSft·lbBC
HornadySuperformance129SST3,2503,0250.249 G7
HornadySuperformance SST129SST3,2002,9330.249 G7
HornadyCustom129SST3,2002,9330.249 G7
BarnesVOR-TX127LRX3,2002,8870.238 G7
HornadyELD-X130ELD-X3,2002,9550.272 G7
Underwood AmmoELD-M130ELD-M3,2002,9550.271 G7
HornadyPrecision Hunter ELD-X143ELD-X3,1003,0510.320 G7
BergerHybrid OTM140OTM3,1002,9870.315 G7
FiocchiExtrema140SST3,0302,8540.275 G7
HSMTrophy Gold140Berger VLD3,0302,8540.315 G7
HSMTrophy Gold VLD 140gr140Berger VLD3,0302,8540.315 G7
BergerHunting140VLD Hunting3,0302,8540.315 G7
BergerHunting Hybrid 140gr140Hybrid OTM3,0302,8540.315 G7
BergerHunting VLD140VLD Hunting3,0002,7970.315 G7
HornadyPrecision Hunter ELD-X 143gr143ELD-X3,0002,8570.320 G7

Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.

Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory

Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.

Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.

Firearms chambered in .264 Winchester Magnum

11 models in the database chamber .264 Winchester Magnum. Browse all →

Remington Remington 700 CDL 6.5 CreedmoorRemington Model 700 Sendero SF IIHowa/Legacy Sports Howa 1500 .300 Win Mag 24-inchRemington Arms 700 Sendero SF II 7mm Rem Mag 26-inchRemington Arms 700 Sendero SF II .264 Win Mag 26-inchRemington 700 Sendero .264 Win MagRemington 700 BDL .264 Win MagRemington 700 Sendero SF II .264 WMSako FinnbearWinchester Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight .264 Win MagWinchester Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight .270 Win

Lineage

Immediate parent
.375 H&H Magnum
Family TreeOpen .264 Winchester Magnum in the interactive cartridge family tree↗

Connected reference

Loads212 factory loads for .264 Winchester Magnum↗FirearmsFirearms in .264 Winchester Magnum↗ToolCompare ballistics↗

History

Winchester introduced it in 1959 as the ultimate long-range cartridge. Its extreme velocity came at the cost of barrel life. The 7mm Remington Magnum arrived in 1962 and offered similar performance with heavier bullets — effectively ending the .264's commercial success.

FAQs

What twist rate does .264 Winchester Magnum use?
.264 Winchester Magnum typically uses a 1:9 twist rate.
What bullet diameter is .264 Winchester Magnum?
.264 Winchester Magnum uses a 0.264″ (6.706 mm) diameter bullet.
Is .264 Winchester Magnum still in production?
.264 Winchester Magnum is active; typical availability is common.
What is .264 Winchester Magnum used for?
.264 Winchester Magnum is primarily used for hunting, long range.
What is .264 Winchester Magnum based on?
.264 Winchester Magnum is derived from the .375 H&H Magnum case.

Sources & provenance

Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 209 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →