Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.405 Winchester
Theodore Roosevelt's African safari cartridge.
- Caliber
- 0.4115″ · 10.452 mm
- Introduced
- 1904
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Big Game, Dangerous Game
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1904
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- Winchester
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 90 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:14
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 46,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
- Max range
- 700 yd
- Recoil
- 15–22 ft·lb
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,900–2,250 fps · 18 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .405 Winchester 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 ⌀ | 10.45 | 0.411 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.07 | 0.436 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 11.71 | 0.461 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.79 | 0.543 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.91 | 0.075 | ~ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 65.61 | 2.583 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 80.65 | 3.175 | ✓ |
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. .405 Winchester is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 18 active loads across 13 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | LEVERevolution | 300 | DGS | 2,250 | 3,372 | — |
| Winchester | Super-X | 300 | Lead Flat Nose | 2,250 | 3,372 | — |
| HSM | HSM Trophy Gold | 300 | TSX | 2,250 | 3,372 | — |
| Doubletap | Hardcast | 300 | Hard Cast | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Federal | Federal Premium | 300 | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Hornady | LEVERevolution | 300 | DGX Bonded | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Winchester | Super-X | 300 | Flex Tip | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Norma | Africa PH | 300 | Soft Point | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| PPU | SP | 300 | Soft Point | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 300 | Soft Point | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Graf | Standard | 300 | Soft Point | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Black Hills | Cowboy | 300 | Soft Point | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| HSM | HSM Trophy Gold | 300 | Monolithic Solid | 2,200 | 3,224 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom SP | 300 | Soft Point | 2,180 | 3,165 | — |
| Wolf | SP | 300 | Soft Point | 2,180 | 3,165 | — |
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 .405 Winchester
9 models in the database chamber .405 Winchester. Browse all →
Connected reference
History
Introduced by Winchester in 1904 for the Model 1895 box magazine lever action. Roosevelt used it exclusively on his 1909 African safari, killing lion, elephant, rhino, hippo, and water buffalo. His writings about the cartridge made it internationally famous. Declined after the 1920s as bolt-action magnums offered better options.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .405 Winchester use?
- .405 Winchester typically uses a 1:14 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .405 Winchester?
- .405 Winchester uses a 0.4115″ (10.452 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .405 Winchester still in production?
- .405 Winchester is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .405 Winchester used for?
- .405 Winchester is primarily used for big game, dangerous game.
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 →