Rifle · SAAMI
.458 Winchester Magnum
American big-bore dangerous game cartridge designed to fit standard (non-magnum) bolt-action rifles.
- Caliber
- 0.4579″ · 11.63 mm
- Introduced
- 1956
- Case
- Belted
- Parent
- .375 H&H Magnum
- Primary use
- Dangerous Game, Hunting
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1956
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- Winchester Ammunition
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 95 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:14
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Belted
- Max pressure
- 60,000 psi, SAAMI transducer
- Eff. range
- 150 yd
- Max range
- 3600 yd
- Recoil
- 60–80 ft·lb
Introduced by Winchester Ammunition
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Federal Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 500 gr, 2,090 fps, BC 0.282 G1 · 100 yd zero · sight height 1.5 in.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2090 | 4849 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 1934 | 4153 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 1783 | 3530 | -7.8″ | -3.7 |
| 300 yd | 1637 | 2973 | -26.6″ | -8.5 |
| 400 yd | 1493 | 2473 | -58.4″ | -13.9 |
| 500 yd | 1350 | 2024 | -105.9″ | -20.2 |
| 600 yd | 1210 | 1625 | -172.5″ | -27.5 |
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
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 ⌀ | 11.63 | 0.458 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 12.22 | 0.481 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 13.03 | 0.513 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| 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. .458 Winchester Magnum is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 53 active loads across 18 brands. Top 3 shown.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 500 | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 2,090 | 4,849 | 0.282 G1 |
| Federal | Safari Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer Solid | 500 | Solid | 1,950 | 4,221 | 0.328 G1 |
| FederalDisc. | Safari Woodleigh Hydro Solid | 500 | Solid | 2,050 | 4,665 | 0.260 G1 |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads are shaded and marked.
Suitable powders
5 reloading powders listed for .458 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 .458 Winchester Magnum
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced by Winchester in 1956 to give American hunters a capable dangerous-game cartridge that fit a standard magnum bolt action — specifically the Winchester Model 70 African. This eliminated the need for expensive British double rifles for elephant and buffalo hunting. Early pressure issues were resolved, and the cartridge has been carried by professional hunters across Africa for nearly 70 years. The .458 Lott was developed as an improved version after high-profile failures, but the Winchester Magnum remains widely available and respected.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .458 Winchester Magnum use?
- .458 Winchester Magnum typically uses a 1:14 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .458 Winchester Magnum?
- .458 Winchester Magnum uses a 0.4579″ (11.63 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .458 Winchester Magnum still in production?
- .458 Winchester Magnum is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .458 Winchester Magnum used for?
- .458 Winchester Magnum is primarily used for dangerous game, hunting.
- What is .458 Winchester Magnum based on?
- .458 Winchester Magnum is derived from the .375 H&H Magnum case.
- What are the best powders for .458 Winchester Magnum?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .458 Winchester Magnum include N120, N530, N130, Vihtavuori N133, among 5 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 — Centerfire Rifle Velocity & Pressure Data · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawings archived
- Standard C.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
- Manufacturer Hornady — 458 Win Mag 500 gr DGX Bonded Superformance (item #85834) · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer Norma — Norma Solid .458 Winchester Magnum 500 gr (20111182) · representative_gun, grain_ballistics
- Manufacturer Federal Premium — Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 458 Win Magnum, 400 Grain (P458T1) · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer Federal Premium — Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 458 Win Magnum, 500 Grain (P458T2) · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
- Manufacturer Buffalo Bore — Dangerous Game 458 Winchester Magnum Barnes TSX · grain_ballistics, representative_gun archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 53 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
