Lindcott Armory Rifle · CIP
.338 Lapua Magnum
Extreme long-range military cartridge.
- Caliber
- 0.339″ · 8.61 mm
- Introduced
- 1989
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .416 Rigby
- Primary use
- Military, Target, Hunting
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1989
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- Finland
- Inventor
- Lapua / Research Armament Industries
- Manufacturer
- Lapua
- Standard
- CIP
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 114 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:9.3 to 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 60,916 psi
- Eff. range
- 1800 yd
- Max range
- 5900 yd
- Recoil
- 38–55 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Underwood Ammo ELD-M 285 gr, 2,745 fps, BC 0.461 G7 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2745 | 4766 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2647 | 4433 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2551 | 4116 | -3.5″ | -1.7 |
| 300 yd | 2456 | 3817 | -12.3″ | -3.9 |
| 400 yd | 2364 | 3535 | -26.9″ | -6.4 |
| 500 yd | 2273 | 3269 | -47.7″ | -9.1 |
| 600 yd | 2185 | 3020 | -75.2″ | -12.0 |
| 700 yd | 2098 | 2785 | -110.0″ | -15.0 |
| 800 yd | 2013 | 2564 | -152.7″ | -18.2 |
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 Lapua 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 · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 8.61 | 0.339 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.46 | 0.372 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.82 | 0.544 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 20° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 14.91 | 0.587 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 14.93 | 0.588 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.52 | 0.060 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 8.31 | 0.327 | ≈ |
| Case length | 69.20 | 2.724 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 93.50 | 3.681 | ✓ |
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 Lapua Magnum is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 361 active loads across 54 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 361 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes | TSX | 225 | TSX | 3,060 | 4,677 | 0.215 G7 |
| Lapua | Scenar-L | 250 | Scenar-L HPBT | 3,050 | 5,163 | 0.360 G7 |
| Hornady | American Whitetail | 250 | InterLock BTSP | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.588 G1 |
| Accuracy International | Match | 250 | Sierra MatchKing BTHP | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.360 G7 |
| Black Hills | Gold Hunting | 250 | Sierra MatchKing OTM | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.356 G7 |
| Norma | Oryx | 250 | Bonded SP | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.588 G1 |
| Sako | Hammerhead | 250 | Bonded SP | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.588 G1 |
| Weatherby | Select Plus | 250 | Nosler AccuBond | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.318 G7 |
| Browning | Long Range Pro Hunter | 250 | Sierra MatchKing | 3,000 | 4,995 | 0.360 G7 |
| Federal | Gold Medal Match | 250 | Sierra MatchKing BTHP | 2,990 | 4,962 | 0.360 G7 |
| Lapua | Match Scenar | 250 | Scenar OTM | 2,970 | 4,896 | 0.356 G7 |
| DoubleTap | Hunting | 250 | AccuBond LR | 2,960 | 4,863 | 0.318 G7 |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade Partition | 225 | Partition | 2,960 | 4,377 | 0.550 G1 |
| Lapua | Mega SP | 250 | Mega SP | 2,953 | 4,840 | 0.588 G1 |
| Norma | Alaska | 250 | SP | 2,953 | 4,840 | 0.588 G1 |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
20 reloading powders listed for .338 Lapua 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 .338 Lapua Magnum
12 models in the database chamber .338 Lapua Magnum. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed during the 1980s for military snipers needing capability beyond .300 Win Mag. Lapua partnered with Research Armament Industries, with formal CIP registration and commercial introduction in 1989. Became the standard cartridge for many military long-range sniper programs worldwide.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .338 Lapua Magnum use?
- .338 Lapua Magnum typically uses a 1:9.3 to 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .338 Lapua Magnum?
- .338 Lapua Magnum uses a 0.339″ (8.61 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .338 Lapua Magnum still in production?
- .338 Lapua Magnum is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .338 Lapua Magnum used for?
- .338 Lapua Magnum is primarily used for military, target, hunting.
- What is .338 Lapua Magnum based on?
- .338 Lapua Magnum is derived from the .416 Rigby case.
- What are the best powders for .338 Lapua Magnum?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .338 Lapua Magnum include MRP2, S365, AR 2217, N570, among 20 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- StandardSAAMI — SAAMI cartridge & chamber drawing — .338 Lapua Magnumarchived
- StandardC.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 361 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →