Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.600 Nitro Express
The largest practical hunting cartridge.
- Caliber
- 0.62″ · 15.748 mm
- Introduced
- 1903
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Dangerous Game
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1903
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Inventor
- W.J. Jeffery
- Manufacturer
- Kynoch / Hornady / various
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 290 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:26
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 36,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 75 yd
- Max range
- 200 yd
- Recoil
- 90–130 ft·lb
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,950–1,950 fps · 21 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .600 Nitro Express 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 ⌀ | 15.75 | 0.620 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 16.46 | 0.648 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 17.78 | 0.700 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 20.57 | 0.810 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.65 | 0.065 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 76.20 | 3.000 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 93.98 | 3.700 | ✓ |
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. .600 Nitro Express is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 21 active loads across 12 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 23 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf | FMJ Standard | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| A-Square | Dead Tough SP | 900 | Dead Tough SP | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Woodleigh | SP | 900 | SP | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Hornady | DGS FMJ Solid | 900 | FMJ Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Hornady | DGS Solid | 900 | DGS Solid FMJ | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Hornady | Custom DGX Bonded FP | 900 | DGX Bonded FP | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Woodleigh | Weldcore | 900 | Weldcore SP | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Northfork | FMJ Bonded Solid | 900 | FMJ Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Bertram | Woodleigh | 900 | Woodleigh WP | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Norma | Soft Point | 900 | Soft Point | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Norma | Solid | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Kynoch | Soft Nose | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Bertram | Custom | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom SP | 900 | Solid | 1,950 | 7,598 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .600 Nitro Express, 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 .600 Nitro Express
12 models in the database chamber .600 Nitro Express. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
W.J. Jeffery introduced it in 1903 as the ultimate dangerous game cartridge. Recoil is approximately equivalent to firing twelve 12-gauge shotgun shells simultaneously. Professional hunters used it for rogue elephant control — animals that had become threats to villages. Production is extremely limited; a .600 NE double rifle typically costs $100,000-$300,000.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .600 Nitro Express use?
- .600 Nitro Express typically uses a 1:26 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .600 Nitro Express?
- .600 Nitro Express uses a 0.62″ (15.748 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .600 Nitro Express still in production?
- .600 Nitro Express is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .600 Nitro Express used for?
- .600 Nitro Express is primarily used for dangerous game.
- What are the best powders for .600 Nitro Express?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .600 Nitro Express include Reloader 25.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 21 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →