.243 Winchester Ammo
.243 Winchester ammo for bolt-action rifles — varmints, deer, and youth hunters. Ballistics by bullet weight, .243 vs 6.5 Creedmoor comparison, and the best hunting and varmint loads.
Price History
Best Prices Now
$/rd = listed price + estimated shipping. Sorted by true cost.
| Product | $/rd | |
|---|---|---|
| 500 Round Case – 243 Win 100 Grain Soft Point Ammo by Sellier Bellot – SB243A Best 100gr · soft point | $1.00 | Buy → |
| Fiocchi 243 WIN 100 GR PSP 20 ROUNDS (243SPD) 100gr · PSP | $1.18 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 243 Win 87 Grain V-Max Hornady Custom Ammo – 80468 87gr · V-Max | $1.65 | Buy → |
| Federal - Varmint & Predator - 243 Win - 75 Grain - JHP - 40 Rounds 75gr · JHP | $1.65 | Buy → |
| Federal Premium .243 Win Hunting Ammo - 90 Grain ELD-X, 20 rounds, New 90gr · ELD-X | $1.73 | Buy → |
| Prvi Partizan (PPU) - 243 Win - 90 Grain - SP - 20 Rounds 90gr · SP | $1.75 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 243 Win 75 Grain V-MAX Hornady Superformance Varmint – 83433 75gr · V-MAX | $1.80 | Buy → |
| 20 Round Box – 243 Win 100 Grain Soft Point Ammo by Sellier Bellot – SB243A 100gr · soft point | $1.85 | Buy → |
| Freedom Munitions 243 Winchester Ammo- 80 Gr Soft Point (SP), 20 rounds, New 80gr · soft point | $1.87 | Buy → |
| 200 Round Case – 243 Win 80 Grain CX Hornady Outfitter Ammo – 804574 80gr · CX | $1.90 | Buy → |
| Freedom Munitions 243 Winchester Ammo- 100 Gr Soft Point (SP), 20 rounds, New 100gr · soft point | $2.00 | Buy → |
| 243 Win – Fiocchi 100 Grain Pointed Soft Point – 20 Rounds 100gr · pointed soft point · brass | $2.10 | Buy → |
| Federal - Power-Shok - 243 Win - 80 Grain - JSP - 20 Rounds 80gr · JSP | $2.11 | Buy → |
| Hornady - American Whitetail - 243 Win - 100 Grain - Interlock BTSP - 20 Rounds 100gr · Interlock BTSP | $2.17 | Buy → |
| Remington - Core-Lokt - 243 Win - 100 Grain - PSP - 20 Rounds 100gr · PSP | $2.20 | Buy → |
| Federal - Fusion - 243 Win - 95 Grain - BSP - 20 Rounds 95gr · BSP | $2.22 | Buy → |
| 243 Win – Norma 100 Grain White Tail Soft Point – 20 Rounds 100gr · soft point | $2.25 | Buy → |
| 20 Round Box – 243 Win 87 Grain V-Max Hornady Custom Ammo – 80468 87gr · V-Max | $2.50 | Buy → |
| 243 Win – HSM Tipping Point 95 Grain Hornady SST – 20 Rounds 95gr · SST · brass | $2.52 | Buy → |
| 20 Round Box – 243 Win 75 Grain V-MAX Hornady Superformance Varmint – 83433 75gr · V-MAX | $2.65 | Buy → |
Best .243 Winchester by Use Case
Deer Hunting
80–100gr soft points or bonded bullets are the deer standard. Remington Core-Lokt 100gr PSP, Winchester Power Point 100gr, and Federal Power-Shok 80gr HP are the affordable classics. For longer shots or larger deer, Hornady SST 95gr or Federal Fusion 95gr provide more controlled expansion. Effective to 300 yards on deer-sized game.
- · Remington Core-Lokt 100gr PSP
- · Federal Fusion 95gr SP
- · Hornady SST 95gr
- · Winchester Power Point 100gr
Varmint Hunting
With 55–70gr varmint loads, .243 Win reaches out to 400+ yards on prairie dogs and coyotes with authority. High-velocity varmint loads at 3,500–3,800 fps fragment explosively on impact. Hornady V-MAX 58gr, Nosler Ballistic Tip 55gr, and Federal V-Shok 55gr HP are top choices. Requires fast twist rate (1:10 or faster).
- · Hornady V-MAX 58gr
- · Nosler Ballistic Tip 55gr
- · Federal V-Shok 55gr HP
Youth & New Hunters
The .243 Win is one of the best starter hunting cartridges. Manageable recoil, flat trajectory, and adequate power for deer make it ideal for youth hunters or recoil-sensitive adults. 80–95gr soft points are the practical choice. The rifle options are plentiful and affordable.
- · Winchester Power Point 80gr SP
- · Federal Power-Shok 80gr HP
- · Remington Core-Lokt 80gr PSP
Long-Range Target
Heavy-for-caliber 6mm bullets (87–105gr) with high BC perform well at long range. .243 Win pushes these bullets at 2,800–3,000 fps, staying supersonic well past 800 yards. Factory hunting options are limited at the heavy end; this use case is mostly for handloaders. Sierra 107gr MatchKing and Berger 105gr VLD are the precision standards.
- · Hornady Match 87gr BTHP
- · Federal Gold Medal 85gr Sierra SMK
Common Questions
What is .243 Winchester?
.243 Winchester was introduced in 1955, based on the .308 Winchester case necked down to .243 caliber (6mm bullet diameter). The idea was simple: take a proven large-capacity case, shrink the neck to accept the aerodynamically efficient 6mm bullets that had performed well at long range, and get a high-velocity, flat-shooting cartridge that could serve double duty.
It became one of the most successful dual-purpose cartridges ever made. Light bullets at screaming velocity for varmints; heavier controlled-expansion bullets for deer season. Switch between them without changing rifles or zeroes (approximately). Few cartridges cover that range as cleanly.
The dual-purpose case: how bullet weight changes everything
The .243 Win’s versatility comes from how differently it performs with light vs. heavy bullets:
| Bullet Weight | Velocity | Energy | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55gr V-MAX | ~3,850 fps | ~1,812 ft-lbs | Varmints to 400+ yards |
| 70gr HP | ~3,400 fps | ~1,797 ft-lbs | Varmints, predators |
| 80gr SP | ~3,300 fps | ~1,934 ft-lbs | Deer, transition bullet |
| 95gr SP | ~3,050 fps | ~1,960 ft-lbs | Deer standard |
| 100gr PSP | ~2,960 fps | ~1,945 ft-lbs | Deer, larger game |
The same cartridge that disintegrates a prairie dog at 400 yards will take a deer at 250 yards with the right bullet. The only hardware change is bullet weight.
Important: Switching from varmint to deer loads requires verifying your zero. Lighter, faster bullets often hit flatter at 100 yards but may cross or diverge from heavier loads at other distances.
The youth hunter reputation
The .243 Win earned a specific, well-deserved reputation as the best first centerfire hunting cartridge:
- Recoil: roughly half of .308 Win. A 100-pound kid can shoot it comfortably from a bench and field positions.
- Trajectory: flat enough that minor range estimation errors inside 200 yards don’t matter much.
- Terminal performance: 95–100gr loads reliably take deer inside 300 yards with good shot placement.
- Platform cost: .243 Win bolt-actions are available at every price point.
The Ruger American, Savage Axis, and Remington 783 in .243 Win are all available under $500 and will kill deer reliably for decades.
.243 Win vs. 6.5 Creedmoor
The 6.5 CM replaced .243 Win in many applications after 2010. Understanding where each wins:
| .243 Win | 6.5 Creedmoor | |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity (100gr equiv) | ~2,960 fps | ~2,700 fps |
| BC (typical hunting bullet) | ~0.370 | ~0.500 |
| Wind drift (10mph @ 500yd) | ~16” | ~11” |
| Recoil | Low | Moderate |
| Dual-purpose (varmint/deer) | Excellent | Poor (no varmint loads) |
| Factory ammo selection | Good | Excellent |
At moderate ranges (under 300 yards), .243 Win is competitive or superior. Past 400 yards, the better BC of 6.5 CM bullets matters more. For a hunter who occasionally shoots varmints AND deer from the same rifle, .243 Win is the right choice. For a dedicated deer/precision shooter, 6.5 CM is probably better.
Brand guide
Remington Core-Lokt 100gr PSP — the deer standard. Reliable expansion, affordable, wide distribution. ~$1.00–1.40/rd.
Federal Fusion 95gr SP — bonded construction at near-budget prices. Better than cup-and-core on tough shots. ~$1.10–1.55/rd.
Hornady SST 95gr — polymer-tipped, controlled expansion, flat-shooting. Good for longer shots. ~$1.20–1.70/rd.
Winchester Power Point 100gr SP — the classic affordable deer load. Consistent, widely available. ~$0.95–1.35/rd.
Hornady V-MAX 58gr — the varmint benchmark. Explosive fragmentation, excellent BC for the weight. ~$0.75–1.05/rd.
Nosler Ballistic Tip 55gr — long-range varmint standard. High velocity, consistent. ~$0.90–1.25/rd.
Federal Power-Shok 80gr HP — affordable dual-purpose load, good for transitional bullet weight. ~$0.90–1.25/rd.
Price guide (2025–2026)
| Category | Good deal | Fair | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varmint (55–70gr HP/VMAX) | $0.65–0.90/rd | $0.90–1.20/rd | $1.40+/rd |
| Budget hunting (Core-Lokt, Power Point) | $0.85–1.15/rd | $1.15–1.50/rd | $1.75+/rd |
| Mid-tier hunting (SST, Fusion) | $1.00–1.40/rd | $1.40–1.80/rd | $2.10+/rd |
| Premium hunting (Partition, AccuBond) | $1.60–2.20/rd | $2.20–2.80/rd | $3.20+/rd |
Firearms chambered in .243 Winchester
- Remington 700 — the most-produced bolt-action; .243 Win is a core chambering
- Winchester Model 70 — Featherweight in .243 is a classic lightweight hunting rifle
- Savage Axis, 110 — affordable entry points; Axis in .243 Win is a popular youth first rifle
- Ruger American — good value, adjustable trigger
- Tikka T3x Lite — Finnish manufacture, excellent trigger, lightweight
- Browning X-Bolt — mid-premium market, good accuracy
- Weatherby Vanguard — budget Weatherby option with a MOA accuracy guarantee
What could be better?
- Best price
- $1.00/rd
- Avg tracked
- $2.21/rd
- Products tracked
- 28
- Retailers stocking
- 4
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