.318 Westley Richards

.318 Westley Richards

The .318 Westley Richards cartridge stands as one of the more fascinating historical rounds from the early 20th century, created by the renowned British gunmaker Westley Richards. Introduced in 1910, this cartridge was chambered for the company’s bolt-action sporting rifles and quickly earned a reputation as a superb choice for medium and large game hunting across Africa and India. Despite its name, the .318 actually fires a .330-inch diameter bullet, a common confusion stemming from naming conventions of the time.

The cartridge is based on a necked-down version of the .375/404 Jeffery case, and it offers impressive performance for its era — pushing a 250-grain bullet at around 2,400 fps or a 180-grain bullet at speeds approaching 2,700 fps. These ballistics made the .318 Westley Richards an excellent flat-shooting, hard-hitting round with manageable recoil. It was particularly favored by professional hunters and sportsmen who desired a dependable cartridge capable of cleanly taking down a wide range of game, from deer and boar to lion and leopard.

One of the cartridge’s defining advantages was its deep penetration and solid bullet construction, which was essential when facing dangerous or thick-skinned game. Combined with the sleek Mauser 98 actions that Westley Richards often used, the rifles chambered in .318 became prized possessions and have since become collector’s items. While it was eventually overshadowed by cartridges like the .375 H&H Magnum and .30-06 Springfield, the .318 Westley Richards is still revered by aficionados for its historical significance and field-proven effectiveness.

Modern handloaders and enthusiasts of British sporting cartridges continue to keep the .318 Westley Richards alive. With modern powders and bullet designs, the cartridge remains relevant, especially for those who own original rifles or build custom rifles in this classic caliber. It serves not only as a reminder of the golden age of safari hunting, but also as a viable hunting round when loaded properly.

For a more detailed breakdown of load data and historical context, refer to the full article published in Handloader #185 (February 1997). You can access it directly here.