The ARC Bulks Up: Hornady's New .338 ARC
Hornady’s Advanced Rifle Cartridge family has a new member. The .338 ARC joins the 6mm and .22 ARC in the lineup of AR-compatible calibers. Unlike those longer range calibers, the .338 ARC is more akin to the .300 Blackout, but beefier.
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Hornady has two initial loadings of .338 ARC ammunition. One is a 175-grain BTHP match round in the BLACK line, and the other is a 307-grain Subsonic load with a Sub-X polymer-tipped hollow point. Hornady lists a muzzle velocity of 2,075 FPS from a 16-inch barrel for the BLACK load, and 1,050 FPS for the Subsonic load. Hornady also offers reloading dies and other related tools for those who wish to roll their own.
Many will draw comparisons between the .338 ARC and the 8.6 Blackout. Both are .338-caliber, optimized for use in AR-style guns (though the 8.6 Blackout needs to be used in an AR10), and primarily focused on subsonic use. One big difference is the twist rate. Where the 8.6 Blackout uses 1:5 or even 1:3 twist rates, the .338 ARC uses a 1:8 twist rate so it can fire traditional bullets instead of the monolithic bullets mandated by the ultra-fast 8.6 BLK twist rates.
Many companies are collaborating with Hornady and launching .338 ARC products of their own, including:
Aero Precision
Ballistic Advantage
Brownell’s
Carbon Six
CMMG
Faxon
KAK Industry
ODIN Works
Palmetto State Armory
Preferred Barrels
Primary Weapon Systems
PROOF Research
Seekins Precision
Stag Arms
Uintah Precision
Look out for more .338 ARC guns and gear coming soon.
From the manufacturer:
“Purposefully designed for hard-hitting subsonic performance, the 338 ARC delivers 1.5 times more energy than the 300 Blackout Subsonic. Engineered for consistent pressure, the 338 ARC provides consistent and reliable cycling with both super and subsonic loads. Featuring the 307 gr. SUB-X bullet in the SUBSONIC line and the 175 gr. HP in BLACK, the 338 ARC represents the ultimate 338 cartridge that fits in an AR 15 or micro-bolt action.”
Find out more at www.hornady.com
AKA @fromtheguncounter on Instagram. Gun nerd, reloader, attorney, and mediocre hunter. Daniel can still be found on occasion behind the counter at a local gun store. When he is not shooting, he enjoys hiking, camping, and rappelling around Utah.
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Honestly the most interesting/relevant ARC cartridge released, to me. I get why 8.6 was made the way it was, and it'll be useful for those using it like an VSS Vintorez, where this is probably a better cartridge for AS Val style use.
It's a goofy looking little round, but I like it. Q already released a video saying it sucks about twelve hours after Hornady announced it, talk about salty.