The Nitro Express series of cartridges are used in large-bore hunting rifles, also known as elephant gun

Elephant gun

An elephant gun is a large caliber gun, rifled or otherwise, so named because they were originally developed for use by big-game hunters for elephants and other large dangerous game. They used black powder at first but then started using smokeless powder...

s or express rifle

Express rifle

The term express was first applied to hunting rifles and ammunition beginning in the middle 19th century, to indicate a rifle or ammunition capable of higher than typical velocities. The early express cartridges used a heavy charge of black powder to propel a lightweight, often hollow point...

s. They are named after the propellant they use, cordite

Cordite

Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...

, which is composed of nitrocellulose

Nitrocellulose

Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...

 and nitroglycerine. The Nitro line is a straight-sided brass cartridge, and fire large diameter bullets.

Some of the Nitro Express cartridges remain popular today, because of their effectiveness on dangerous game. The .470 NE is perhaps the most popular.

Notable calibers

• .400 Jeffery Nitro Express
  .400 Jeffery Nitro Express
  The .400 Jeffery Nitro Express or .450/400 3 inch Nitro Express is a .411 caliber rimmed, bottlenecked cartridge designed by Jeffery in 1902.-General Information:The .400 Jeffery Nitro Express is based on the .450/400 3¼ inch case...
  
  
• .450 Nitro Express
  .450 Nitro Express
  .450 Nitro Express designed for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single shot and double express rifles for hunting at the Tropics or hot climates in general and is a cartridge associated with the Golden Age of African safaris and...
  
  
• .450/400 Nitro Express
  .450/400 Nitro Express
  The .450/400 Nitro Express are a family of .405 - .411 caliber, rimmed, bottlenecked cases which was originally intended for black powder single shot and double rifles. There were multiple variants of each cartridge as variations existed between each manufacturer for each cartridge length...
  
  
• .500/450 Nitro Express
  .500/450 Nitro Express
  Based on the old blackpowder .500/450, the .500/450 Magnum Nitro Express was introduced by Holland & Holland for their single shot and double rifles during the late 1890s. It fires a projectile at over to generate in excess of of muzzle energy....
  
  
• .470 Nitro Express
  .470 Nitro Express
  The .470 Nitro Express is a cartridge developed in England for very large or dangerous game hunting. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single shot and double express rifles for hunting in the tropics or hot climate...
  
  
• .476 Nitro Express
  .476 Nitro Express
  The .476 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge.Introduced by Westley Richards around 1907, it follows on the heels of the .470, .475, and .475 No. 2 Nitro Express rounds. While it was available in single and double rifles, it was less popular than other comparable rounds...
  
  
• .500 Nitro Express
  .500 Nitro Express
  The .500 Nitro Express is a .510 caliber big bore hunting cartridge. It was designed for use in single shot and double rifles. The cartridge is available in two lengths: a and a version...
  
  
• .577 Nitro Express
  .577 Nitro Express
  The .577 Nitro Express is a rimmed cartridge in the Nitro Express series of big-game hunting ammunition. It is also known as the .577 Nitro Express 3" and there is a variant called the .577 Nitro Express 2.75"...
  
  
• .600 Nitro Express
  .600 Nitro Express
  The .600 Nitro Express is a round in the Nitro Express series which was introduced in 1903. It is the second largest calibre in the Nitro Express line, exceeded only by Holland & Holland's .700 Nitro Express round.-Overview:...
  
  
• .700 Nitro Express
  .700 Nitro Express
  The .700 Nitro Express is a big game rifle cartridge made by Holland & Holland, London, England. It was developed in 1988 by Jim Bell and William Feldstein and built by H&H. Feldstein had tried unsuccessfully to get H&H to build a .600 Nitro Express for him, but they had already ceased production...