Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.338 ARC
Hornady's AR-15 compatible .338 caliber cartridge offering both supersonic hunting performance and 1.6x the subsonic energy of .300 Blackout..
- Caliber
- 0.3383″ · 8.593 mm
- Introduced
- 2025
- Case
- Rebated
- Parent
- 6mm ARC
- Primary use
- Military, Tactical, Hunting
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2025
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Hornady
- Manufacturer
- Hornady
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 35 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:8
- Primer
- Small Rifle
- Case type
- Rebated
- Max pressure
- 52,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 1200 yd
- Recoil
- 20–28 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Hornady BLACK ELD Match 265 gr, 2,750 fps, BC 0.418 G7 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2750 | 4448 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2642 | 4106 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2536 | 3783 | -3.5″ | -1.7 |
| 300 yd | 2432 | 3479 | -12.4″ | -3.9 |
| 400 yd | 2331 | 3196 | -27.2″ | -6.5 |
| 500 yd | 2232 | 2930 | -48.4″ | -9.2 |
| 600 yd | 2135 | 2683 | -76.4″ | -12.2 |
| 700 yd | 2041 | 2450 | -112.3″ | -15.3 |
| 800 yd | 1948 | 2233 | -156.4″ | -18.7 |
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
Buy links open .338 ARC 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.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 8.59 | 0.338 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.37 | 0.369 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.97 | 0.432 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.20 | 0.441 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.20 | 0.441 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.50 | 0.059 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 7.80 | 0.307 | ≈ |
| Case length | 33.02 | 1.300 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 57.40 | 2.260 | ✓ |
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. .338 ARC is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 18 active loads across 7 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 18 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | BLACK ELD Match | 265 | ELD-M | 2,750 | 4,449 | 0.418 G7 |
| Hornady | Precision Hunter ELD-X | 270 | ELD-X | 2,650 | 4,209 | 0.320 G7 |
| Hornady | BLACK ELD Match | 185 | ELD-M | 2,550 | 2,671 | 0.316 G7 |
| Hornady | Precision Hunter ELD-X | 185 | ELD-X | 2,550 | 2,671 | 0.308 G7 |
| Barnes | TTSX | 170 | TSX-BT | 2,850 | 3,066 | — |
| Ammo Inc. | Streak | 185 | OTM | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| Federal | Fusion | 185 | Fusion | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| SIG Sauer | Elite | 185 | HT | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| Black Hills | OTM | 185 | OTM | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| Nosler | RDF | 185 | RDF | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| Federal | Gold Medal | 185 | Match | 2,800 | 3,220 | — |
| Federal | Terminal Ascent | 250 | Terminal Ascent | 2,750 | 4,197 | — |
| Barnes | VOR-TX TTSX BT | 250 | TTSX BT | 2,750 | 4,197 | — |
| Hornady | ELD-X | 210 | ELD-X | 2,750 | 3,526 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade AccuBond LR | 265 | AccuBond LR | 2,700 | 4,289 | — |
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.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced by Hornady in 2025 as a direct competitor to the 8.6 Blackout. Designed to function in AR-15 platforms with a standard bolt face. Targets both military special operations and civilian hunting markets with one cartridge covering the spectrum from suppressed subsonic to 600-yard supersonic.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .338 ARC use?
- .338 ARC typically uses a 1:8 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .338 ARC?
- .338 ARC uses a 0.3383″ (8.593 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .338 ARC still in production?
- .338 ARC is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .338 ARC used for?
- .338 ARC is primarily used for military, tactical, hunting.
- What is .338 ARC based on?
- .338 ARC is derived from the 6mm ARC case.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 18 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →