Rifle · SAAMI
.264 Winchester Magnum
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
- Introduced
- 1959
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- Winchester Ammunition
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 82 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:9
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Belted
- Max pressure
- 64,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
- Max range
- 1400 yd
- Recoil
- 15–22 ft·lb
Introduced by Winchester Ammunition
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .264 Winchester Magnum. Parent case: .375 H&H Magnum.
Performance
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| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 6.71 | 0.264 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.59 | 0.299 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 12.47 | 0.491 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 25° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 13.08 | 0.515 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ~ |
| Neck length | 6.45 | 0.254 | ≈ |
| Case length | 63.50 | 2.500 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 84.84 | 3.340 | ✓ |
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
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .264 Winchester Magnum, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
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 →
Lineage
Connected reference
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.
- What are the best powders for .264 Winchester Magnum?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .264 Winchester Magnum include Norma MRP.
Sources & provenance
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawings archived
- Standard C.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
- Standard SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute) — ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 – 2015 (Centerfire Rifle) — Velocity & Pressure / Cartridge & Chamber Drawings · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer Remington — Core-Lokt 264 Win Mag Ammo, 140 Grain (Part # 29493) · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer HSM Ammunition — 264 Winchester Magnum, 140gr Berger VLD, 20 Rounds · grain_ballistics, representative_gun
- Manufacturer Nosler — 264 Win Mag 130gr AccuBond Trophy Grade Ammunition · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer Nosler — 6.5mm 130gr AccuBond (50ct) — bullet spec page · grain_ballistics, representative_gun
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 59 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →