RWS was able to show off with a few ammunition novelties at the IWA Show 2018. We have created an overview of the new products from this well-known brand.
RWS .308 Win. Short Rifle hunting ammunition
The RWS Short Rifle is a new hunting cartridge with the proven HIT or Speed Tip Professional bullet especially designed for short gun barrels, since lighter rifles are increasingly popular among hunters - above all, in situations where the use of silencers is permitted. With the short rifle, RWS has developed a cartridge in .308 Win. that is optimized for shooting with a short barrel. This means there is no decrease in performance or other disadvantages.
The RWS .308 Win. Short Rifle has a specific load with an fast burning powder. This noticeably reduces muzzle flash and muzzle blast from short barrels between 420 and 550 millimeters in length. The complete combustion of the powder also ensures longer silencer service life.
With specially designed loads, RWS’s short barrel cartridges present no hunting limitations in comparison with long barrels and the full efficiency at long ranges.

Once again, the advantages of the RWS .308 Win. Short Rifle in overview:
- Optimized for short barrels
- Reduced muzzle flash
- Best silencer cleaning
- Full velocity and energy
The RWS .308 Win. Short Rifle is available with two bullet types: the lead-free RWS HIT deformation bullet and the lead-containing option with the RWS Speed Tip Professional part fragmentation bullet.
HIT | Speed Tip Professional | |
Caliber: | .308 Win. short rifle | .308 Win. short rifle |
Bullet weight: | 9.7 g / 150 gr | 10.7 g / 165 gr |
Bullet type: | Deformation bullet | Semi-jacketed bullet |
Lead-free/lead-containing: | lead-free | lead-containing |
Content per package: | 20 cartridges | 20 cartridges |
Price (RRP): | € 80 | € 81 |

RWS 10.3x68 Mag. hunting cartridges with HIT and semi-jacketed bullet
Already at the IWA Show 2017, RWS presented the new 10.3x68 Mag. caliber with the lead-containing RWS Speed Tip Pro and the lead-free RWS EVO Green bullet. The new 10.3x68 Mag. universal caliber has now been added two bullet types: the lead-free RWS HIT weighing 13 grams and the lead-containing RWS bonded soft point with a bullet weight of 25.9 grams. The RWS 10.3x68 Mag. covers a wide spectrum of many types of game. Particularly for drive hunts of hard-to-kill game, the large cross-sectional area ensures immediate stopping power.
The new RWS HIT 10.3x68 Mag. with a bullet weight of 13.0 grams is the lead-free alternative to non-fragmenting rounds. The HIT has a stable mass deformation bullet with a rapid expansion and high shock effect on game.
The new RWS TM bonded 10.3x68 Mag. with a bullet weight of 25.9 grams is particularly suited for large game. The semi-jacketed bullet demonstrates a high energy release in the body of game and ensures rapid deformation.
HIT | TM bonded | |
Caliber: | 10,3x68 Mag. | 10,3x68 Mag. |
Bullet weight: | 13.0 g / 200 gr | 25.9 g / 400 gr |
Bullet type: | Deformation bullet | Semi-jacketed bullet |
Lead-free/lead-containing: | lead-free | lead-free |
Content per package: | 20 cartridges | 20 cartridges |
Price (RRP): | € 114 | € 119 |
Additional calibers with the RWS Speed Tip Professional bullets
The RWS Speed Tip Professional fragmenting bullet quickly convinced audiences in previous years. Now the ammunition manufacturer is meeting the high demand among hunters with additional calibers: .270 Win., 7 mm Rem. Mag., 7x64 and the above-mentioned new .308 Win. short barrel.
The Speed Tip Professional is a fragmenting bullet with a lead-containing, dual-core construction. It is based on RWS’s esteemed H-jacket bullet, but is a further development. The soft front core is hollowed out along its length and has a plastic tip. Upon striking, the tip moves into the drilling, which results in rapid expansion. The front core undergoes fragmentation in the body of the game with instantaneous effect. The hard tail core consists of alloyed, hardened lead. The nickel-plated casing ensures that the expanding segment remains stable and ensures a clear exit wound with a clear blood trail even in big game.
The RWS Speed Tip Professional also facilitates precise shots and rapid stopping effect even at long range. We have already presented the Speed Tip bullet.
Overview of the advantages of the RWS Speed Tip Professional:
- High-velocity ballistics with a flat trajectory and aerodynamic long-range bullet form.
- Extreme stopping power with an integrated hollow point and quickly fragmenting front core and hard tail core.
- High precision due to nickel-plated bullet finish and precision V-tail.
Caliber | Bullet weight | Contents | Price (RRP) |
.270 Win. | 9.1 g / 140 gr | 20 pcs. | € 94 |
7mm Rem. Mag. | 9.7 g / 150 gr | 20 pcs. | € 110 |
7 x 64 | 9.7 g / 150 gr | 20 pcs. | € 91 |
.308 Win. Short Barrel | 10.7 g / 165 gr | 20 pcs. | € 81 |

RWS ammunition packaging with a new design
Moreover, at IWA 2018 RWS presented a new design for their ammunition packages. Aside from the basic black color, the packages have only three color options. These also define the cartridge type: Wood-look for hunting, yellow and orange for sport ammunition.
The new viewing window on the package is exciting. This gives the user an immediate overview of the remaining number of cartridges. Each hunting cartridge package additionally contains plastic inserts that can also be divided into 5-groups. This does a wonderful job of securing and protecting the cartridges. As a result, the cartridges don’t rattle while hunting and no longer scare away game. The package is also more robust.
On the back of the package there is a removable folding card. There you will find all data relevant to cartridges and bullets, such as bullet type, ballistic data, bullet deformation, weight in grams and grain, caliber information and recommended application. This ensures that hunters and shooters always have support for the ammunition being used.
RWS is progressively introducing the new packaging into stores. Since the ammo currently in the warehouse will be delivered first, the transitional phase will presumably last until the middle of the year.

Further information about ammunition from RWS can be found here, directly on the website.
All novelties of the IWA Show 2018 can be found here at all4shooters.com.