“winchester magnum”

Between the .458 Win. Mag and the .458 Lott, which is the better choice for a prospective big-game hunter? Contributor Philip Massaro takes a closer look at what makes each cartridge tick.

Hunters who enjoy using cartridges that aren’t among the most popular should consider a rifle chambered in .358 Norma Magnum. It’s a flat shooter—mimicking the trajectory of a .30-06 with heavier bullets—and is a fully capable all-around choice.

Hornady has reengineered its popular GMX projectile to be more accurate, aerodynamic and deadly. The new CX monolithic copper-alloy bullet sports a higher BC, and boasts devastating terminal performance with 95 percent weight retention.

Remington’s Premier Long Range now features Speer’s revolutionary Impact bullet—available for the first time in factory-loaded ammunition—boasting match-grade accuracy and terminal performance both near and far.

Loosely based on a shortened .404 Jeffery case with the rim rebated to the .535-inch case head of the H&H family, the .270 WSM was the third commercial cartridge using the .277-inch bore diameter, and betters the velocity of the .270 Winchester by 200 to 250 fps.

If you’re a velocity hound, the 30 Nosler is among the fastest .30-caliber cartridges housed in a long-action receiver.

If you like to hunt North America’s biggest game, take a long look at the 33 Nosler; it puts an exclamation point at the end of the sentence.

If you’re in the market for a cartridge that will do double duty in both the hunting fields and on the target range, with a bit more horsepower than the Creedmoor provides, the 6.5 PRC is worth a hard look.

Here’s a look at 10 of the best magnum cartridges for big-game hunting.