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.338 Win Mag Ammo 2026: Big Game Loads From the Makers

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 7 current .338 Win Mag loads on Federal's, Remington's and Hornady's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal, 2 from Remington and 4 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 3 makers, not every .338 Winchester Magnum load sold.

Grouping follows the usage label Federal and Remington print on their own pages. Hornady is listed in its own table, because Hornady prints no usage label. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Hunting loads

These are the loads Federal and Remington label "Big Game, Long Range" on their own pages. Figures are copied from each maker page.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Trophy Bonded Tip338 Win MagP338TT2200 gr Trophy Bonded Tip2,930 fps3,812 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Check With Your Local Ammo Store For Availability
Remington Core-Lokt338 Win Mag22189225 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt2,780 fps3,861 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available
Remington Core-Lokt338 Win Mag22191250 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt2,660 fps3,927 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, such as Outfitter, Precision Hunter and Superformance SST. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Outfitter338 Win Mag823394225 gr CX® Outfitter®2,800 fps3,917 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Precision Hunter338 Win Mag82222230 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®2,810 fps4,032 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance SST338 Win Mag82223200 gr SST® Superformance®3,030 fps4,076 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance SST338 Win Mag82233225 gr SST® Superformance®2,840 fps4,029 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 200 gr to 250 gr. The lightest is 2 loads at 200 gr, including Federal Trophy Bonded Tip (P338TT2) and the heaviest is Remington Core-Lokt (22191). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 3,030 fps, Hornady Superformance SST 200 gr (82223), from a 24 in test barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 4,076 ft-lb, Hornady Superformance SST 200 gr (82223), from a 24 in test barrel. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 7 loads, 4 list 24 in, 3 list no test barrel. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal and Remington. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .338 Winchester Magnum is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .338 Winchester Magnum, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges. The closest we have are .300 Win Mag barrel length data, for the .300 Winchester Magnum (a similar belted magnum case, but a .308 bore), so do not read those numbers as .338 Winchester Magnum data.

.338 Win Mag: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM [338 WIN MAG]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 04/21/1980 and revised 02/15/2022. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 64,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 640 in psi/100). SAAMI also lists a crusher maximum average pressure of 54,000 CUP (the table shows 540 in CUP/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 3.180 in minimum to 3.340 in maximum. Case length is 2.500 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .339 in (−.003). Bore is .330 in and groove is .338 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 10.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .338 Winchester Magnum MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 64,000 psi / 640 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .338 Winchester Magnum, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .338 Win Mag

The .338 Winchester Magnum is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 200 gr to 250 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .300 Win Mag ammo, .338 Lapua Magnum ammo, .300 WSM ammo, .300 PRC ammo, 7mm Rem Mag ammo, .30-06 Springfield ammo, .308 Win ammo, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .338 Winchester Magnum?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 64,000 psi for .338 Win Mag, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 640 in psi/100).
What grain is .338 Winchester Magnum ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 200 gr to 250 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .338 Winchester Magnum ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 2,660 fps to 3,030 fps, and muzzle energies from 3,812 ft-lb to 4,076 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .338 Winchester Magnum ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Trophy Bonded Tip .338 Win Mag 200 gr Trophy Bonded Tip, item P338TT2 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Remington: Remington Core-Lokt .338 Win Mag 225 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt, item 22189 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. Remington: Remington Core-Lokt .338 Win Mag 250 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt, item 22191 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  4. Hornady: Hornady Outfitter .338 Win Mag 225 gr CX® Outfitter®, item 823394 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  5. Hornady: Hornady Precision Hunter .338 Win Mag 230 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®, item 82222 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  6. Hornady: Hornady Superformance SST .338 Win Mag 200 gr SST® Superformance®, item 82223 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  7. Hornady: Hornady Superformance SST .338 Win Mag 225 gr SST® Superformance®, item 82233 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  8. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .338 Winchester Magnum drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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