.33 Winchester

The .33 Winchester Center Fire (colloquially .33 WCF[1] or .33 Win) is an American centerfire rifle cartridge.

.33 Winchester Center Fire
.33 Winchester Center Fire (center) with .223 Rem (left) and .308 Win (right).
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designed	1902
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.338 in (8.6 mm)
Neck diameter	.365 in (9.3 mm)
Shoulder diameter	.443 in (11.3 mm)
Base diameter	.508 in (12.9 mm)
Rim diameter	.610 in (15.5 mm)
Case length	2.11 in (54 mm)
Overall length	2.80 in (71 mm)
Rifling twist	1:12
Primer type	large rifle
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 200 gr (13 g) (factory load) 2,200 ft/s (670 m/s) 2,150 ft⋅lbf (2,920 J) 200 gr (13 g) 2,220 ft/s (680 m/s) 2,198 ft⋅lbf (2,980 J) 200 gr (13 g) (maximum) 2,420 ft/s (740 m/s) 2,608 ft⋅lbf (3,536 J)
Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972

Introduced by Winchester for the Model 1886 lever rifle in 1902, it survived until the Model 86 was dropped in 1936.[2] It was also offered in the Marlin Model 1895 and Winchester's own single-shot Model 1885.[2]

A good round for deer, elk, or black bear in wooded terrain at medium range, it out performs the longer range ballistics of the similar factory ammunition for .35 Remington and can be improved with modern powders. Elmer Keith placed these two cartridges - the 33 Winchester and 35 Remington - in a tie dependent on distance - with the longer distance shots favoring the 33 Winchester, and the closer range shots favoring the 35 Remington. In this regard,both cartridges are somewhat underloaded and shooters could see excellent performance increase by adhering to safe reloading practice using modern gunpowders. Its a shame current production manufacturers are not chambering rifles for the 33 Winchester as doing so would fill a mid power longer range gap for a lever gun platform. The 33 Winchester bullet diameter of .338 has excellent B.C for potentially longer shot accuracy potential in a lever action rifle platform. It shouldnt be a surprise that the 338 Winchester Magnum was conceived from the 33 Winchester platform, with the work of Elmer Keith, Charles O'Neil and Don Hopkins with their brainchild improved 33 caliber - the 33 OKH cartridge - from there, the current and popular 338 Winchester Magnum was an obvious conclusion. [2] The .33 WCF was replaced by the more powerful .348 Winchester and stopped being commercially offered in 1940.[2]

See also

• 8mm caliber
• List of cartridges by caliber
• List of rifle cartridges
• List of Winchester Center Fire cartridges

References

1. Barnes, p.122.
2. Barnes, p.83, ".33 Winchester".

Notes

• Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".33 Winchester", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 83, 122, & 123. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.