Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.577 Snider
The British Army's conversion from muzzle-loader to breech-loader.
- Caliber
- 0.57″ · 14.478 mm
- Introduced
- 1866
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Military (Historical)
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1866
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Inventor
- Jacob Snider
- Manufacturer
- British Military
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 110 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:72
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 15,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
- Max range
- 1000 yd
- Recoil
- 25–38 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .577 Snider 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 · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 14.48 | 0.570 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 15.29 | 0.602 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 16.76 | 0.660 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 18.97 | 0.747 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.65 | 0.065 | · |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 50.80 | 2.000 | · |
| Overall length | 62.23 | 2.450 | · |
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. .577 Snider is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 5 active loads across 4 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 18 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodleigh | Woodleigh Safari | 480 | Weldcore SP | 1,260 | 1,692 | — |
| Ten-X Ammunition | Lead RN | 480 | Lead RN | 1,250 | 1,665 | — |
| Bertram | Lead RN Reproduction | 480 | Lead RN | 1,250 | 1,665 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Lead RN | 480 | Lead RN | 1,250 | 1,665 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Lead RN Reproduction | 480 | Lead RN | 1,250 | 1,665 | — |
| Bertram | Custom | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Norma | Africa PH | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Graf | FMJ Standard | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| PPU | SP | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Kynoch | Soft Nose | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom SP | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 480 | Soft Point | 1,280 | 1,746 | — |
| Graf & Sons | Graf Heritage | 480 | Lead RN | 1,260 | 1,692 | — |
| Imperial Chemical Industries | Lead RN | 480 | Lead RN | 1,250 | 1,665 | — |
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 .577 Snider
4 models in the database chamber .577 Snider. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Jacob Snider's breech conversion won a British Army competition in 1866. It converted the massive stockpile of Pattern 1853 Enfields by hinging the breech open for loading. The British Army adopted it as an emergency measure while developing the Martini-Henry. Used in the Abyssinian Expedition and early Zulu conflicts.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .577 Snider use?
- .577 Snider typically uses a 1:72 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .577 Snider?
- .577 Snider uses a 0.57″ (14.478 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .577 Snider still in production?
- .577 Snider is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .577 Snider used for?
- .577 Snider is primarily used for military (historical).
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 5 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →