The 243 Win is one of the best rifles to take to the range due to its low recoil and flat trajectory.
However, the rifle ammo you choose significantly impacts the performance you get out of target shooting and hunting rifle.
Most of us use our 243 Winchester to hunt and take it to the range during the offseason. This is great, except if you use the same ammo, you know that gets expensive.
So we need a round that won’t break the bank yet will perform similarly to our varmint or deer hunting rounds.
So with this in mind, I began searching for a worthy compromise, and I found it!
Best .243 Ammo Overall
Fiocchi 243 Win 95 Grain SST
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 95gr
- Casing Type: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,950 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 1,835 ft-lbs
Pros
- Intermediate price
- High-quality ammo
- A good compromise between big game hunting, varmint hunting, and target shooting ammo
Cons
- Not the least expensive
- The bullet is a little heavy for some varmint hunting.
Why We Chose It
The Fiocchi 243 Win 95 Grain SST is one of the best compromises between a hunting round and a target round because it has heavier projectiles better suited for big game. Still, they’re not too big to be overkill for most medium-game animals like coyotes, antelope, and other deer-sized game.
However, they are a bit overkill for small game animals like prairie dogs.
Because these aren’t cheap centerfire rifle rounds, you can expect to get your money’s worth out of them. Meaning they’ll fire when you pull the trigger.
They’re not the cheapest nor the most expensive rounds, which makes it a little easier to convince your significant other that these rounds are a good deal!
I like that you can use this ammo year-round, so you won’t accidentally get differing bullet weights mixed up and miss the buck of a lifetime because you were sighted in for your target ammo. It’s all the same, so once you’re zeroed in, you’re good to go with only minor adjustments.
The polymer-tipped bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient (BC) than traditional soft-point bullets, meaning they cut through the air better.
Honorable Mentions
The Hornady 75-Grain V-MAX is a little more expensive, but the bullet travels faster because it’s lighter. This also means it will have a light recoil compared to heavier bullets.
Hornady is a brand trusted by many shooters and hunters that makes high-quality ammo for handguns, semi-auto, and bolt action rifles.
The Hornady American Whitetail 100 Grain Interlock Spire Point Boat-Tail is an excellent choice if you’re primarily a deer hunter who enjoys occasionally going to the range. The 100-grain bullet is less than ideal for small game animals and has a little more kick, but these rounds are reasonably priced.
Best 243 Ammo for Accuracy
Federal Vital-Shok 100-Grain Nosler Partition SP
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 100gr
- Casing Type: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,850 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 1,803 ft-lbs
Pros
- The heavy bullet is less affected by wind
- Trusted brand
- Make excellent deer hunting cartridges
Cons
- Tough to find
- Designed for deer hunting
- More recoil than lighter bullets
Why We Chose It
Federal Premium is another brand trusted by many shooters and hunters. Despite having premium in the name, the prices are reasonable, and you still get high-quality ammo.
The Federal Vital-Shok 100-Grain Nosler Partition SP has a 100-grain bullet that will resist wind drift better than lighter bullets. However, it will have more recoil and a more arched trajectory than the lighter, faster bullets.
Because the 243 Winchester is a popular rifle cartridge for deer hunting, this ammo is often challenging to find, especially during deer season, because it’s designed for mule deer, whitetail deer, and antelope hunting.
The heavy bullet also lowers the bullet’s velocity, so if you’re looking for a high-velocity bullet, this one isn’t for you.
However, if you’re looking for a bullet with solid ballistics for hunting and target shooting that’s reasonably priced, Federal Premium Vital-Shok is worth a look.
Honorable Mentions
Suppose you’re looking for a bullet with a little less kick but isn’t drastically affected by wind drift; check out the Nosler BT Ammunition 90-Grain Ballistic Tip.
These Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets have set the standard for polymer-tipped ammo, with many 243 Winchester ammunition manufacturers using them in their rounds.
They’re primarily designed for hunting; however, the boat-tail and polymer-tipped bullets increase the accuracy of this round for target shooters as well as hunters.
The Remington Core-Lokt 95-Grain Polymer Tip offers hunters match-grade accuracy and long-range ballistic performance at a very reasonable price without sacrificing much bullet weight. I especially like that Remington loads this 243 Winchester ammo in the USA.
The least expensive to make the honorable mentions is the Winchester Power-Point 100-Grain. Instead of a polymer-tipped bullet, it’s a jacketed soft-point, so the accuracy will slightly decline, but you won’t notice it at typical hunting distances.
Best 243 Win Ammo for Target Shooting & Varmint Hunting
Sierra Prairie Enemy 70-Grain BlitzKing Polymer-Tip
Specs
- Bullet Weight: 70gr
- Casing Type: Nickle-Plated Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 3,450 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 1,850 ft-lbs
Pros
- Low recoil
- Very accurate/ MatchKing accuracy
- Reloadable
Cons
- Expensive
- The light bullet is more affected by wind drift
Why We Chose It
The light recoil of the 70-grain bullet makes the Sierra Prairie Enemy very accurate, plus its high velocity keeps it flat shooting when at longer distances.
The high velocity also helps fight wind drift, but eventually, the wind will win against this lightweight bullet and push it off course.
The brass might look a little different since it’s nickel-plated. However, it’s reloadable, so if you’re looking to save a little money by reloading the brass, you can start with these rounds.
For the price of these rounds, you should save all the brass you can find.
Honorable Mentions
The Winchester Varmint X 58-grain ammo has a higher velocity than the Sierra Prairie Enemy; however, it’s a much lighter bullet that will be affected by wind drift even more.
The polymer tip allows for rapid expansion of the hollow-point bullet to kill a coyote or prairie dog ethically.
A more expensive option for a heavier bullet is the Norma TipStrike 76-grain. The heavier bullet will resist the wind better and maintain a high velocity and solid muzzle energy.
Which 243 Ammo is Best for You?
The reason for so many ammo manufacturers and the variety of ammo they all make within the same caliber is that no one ammo fits the needs of every shooter or hunter.
When choosing the best 243 Winchester ammo, keep your circumstances, rifle, and budget in mind.
Circumstances
Your circumstances will vary depending on the time of year, what you’re hunting, or the distances you want to reach while target shooting accurately.
If you want to spend all day plinking at the range and accuracy isn’t a high priority, then using cheaper ammo will be the best option. However, if you compete, then you’ll need match-grade hand-loaded ammo.
When hunting, accuracy and stopping power are crucial to an ethical harvest. Make sure the ammo you choose allows you to make the best shot possible and has excellent penetration and bullet expansion.
Rifle
Choosing the ammo your rifle likes best is another essential factor to consider. The Browning BLR lever-action rifle will like particular ammo more than others. Most of the time, bullet selection is what factors the most to how well the rounds perform in your firearm.
Whether you have a Ruger American bolt-action rifle or a semi-auto Remington R-25 GII, all rifles will perform better with specific brands and ammo types, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Budget
Apart from safety, your budget is probably the most significant factor you should consider. The price of ammo adds up quickly, especially when it’s over $2.00 per round. Even if you have to sacrifice a little velocity or muzzle energy, staying within your budget is worth it.
Saving Money on Ammo
While we’re on the topic of budgets, I’ve got some tips to help you save money on ammo. However, they both require a higher up-front cost, but over time they will save you money.
Reloading
Reloading your spent brass will help you save money because you will only pay the high price of factory loads once, then you’ll reuse the brass to handload another round.
Handloading also gives you complete control over the process so that you can craft the perfect round for your rifle.
As I mentioned, you’ll need to fork over the money up-front when purchasing the reloading press and all the necessary supplies. The money you save then depends on how quickly you can bust out high-quality rounds.
Buying in Bulk
Purchasing bulk 308 Winchester or 243 Winchester rounds is a great way to save money. Ammo manufacturers and retailers will often be more willing to give a more significant discount per round when you buy in bulk.
So instead of buying 20 rounds at a time, you can buy 1,000 and save some money, but you’ll initially be spending more. You’ll spend less per round, so it’s cheaper each time you pull the trigger.
If you want to dive in, try combing buying in bulk with reloading to save even more money!
Common 243 Bullets
There are many 243 bullets, and each has its place and unique qualities that make it better in certain situations.
SP
Soft Point bullets are primarily used for hunting because they deform on impact and cause a lot of damage. They’re most popular in states that don’t allow hollow points for hunting, but most hunters prefer hollow point bullets when they’re legal to use.
SP bullets are also popular amongst lever-action shooters because they’re less likely to accidentally fire when being loaded.
The JSP or Jacketed Soft Point is an upgraded version of SP bullets, as the jacket helps the bullet maintain its shape when fired. It’s often considered an in-between of a Full Metal Jacket and a hollow point.
Polymer-Tip
Polymer-tipped bullets are hollow points with a plastic tip that increases accuracy and aids in even expansion. They’re most commonly used for hunting, but target shooters also see the benefit of these bullets.
The Super Shock Tip (SST) and Nosler Ballistic Tip are excellent examples of polymer-tipped bullets.
HP
Hollow Point bullets are most commonly used for hunting because they cause a more significant wound channel than an FMJ and are very accurate.
Their accuracy is increased with a polymer tip and a boat tail. A hollow point boat tail (HPBT) is a favorite amongst reloaders because they’re incredibly accurate and easy to work with when reloading.
Hollow points are not legal to hunt with in all states, so check your regulations before purchasing ammo.
Parting Shots
While I believe the Fiocchi 243 Win 95 Grain SST is some of the best 243 ammo for target shooting, many other options are available depending on your needs and preferences.
However, because the 243 Winchester is such a popular caliber, it’s often difficult to find, especially in times of high demand.
The Best 243 Ammo for Target Shooting originally appeared in The Resistance Library at Ammo.com.
I hate to say it but this is pure BS. All of it.
I have had .243’s including standard and Ackley Improved. I have reloaded for them and dialed in spectacular rounds.
The .243 is a barrel burner. It is a 30-06 case pushing a quarter inch wide bullet.
A .243 barrel is good for maybe 1000 rounds if you take great care of it. To take a .243 to the range is pure rifle abuse.
If you were to let less than about five minutes pass between rounds with a .243 you will have the part of the barrel just in front of the chamber red hot if not glowing. You can trash a .243 barrel by running say 100 rounds through it in less than an hour.
You want a target rifle get a round made for punching paper. Taking your hunting rifle target shooting is plain stupid.
That sums it up well. Most 243s are hunting grade rifles that, like you said, may go 1000 rounds if that. They make heavy barrel “varmint” models that may take more of a beating, but they are heavy as shit. I have held many Saturday get-together shoots here on my property and no one has ever brought a 243. It is always 22s, 223s, and small caliber pistols.
TNX. I’ve had a Sako Varmint 20″ barrel since 1967 and put a variety of weights and bullet types through it since; handled everything with no probs over the years from muleys to ground squirrels. Prefer to roll my own with CCI 250s and found I just have to adjust the powder (and weight) to the bullet (style and weight) used. Would not, however, go after anything that might go after me; prefer a Norma/Winchester 300 Magnum for those.
I’ve killed 4 elk with a .243, a few deer, a bunch of coyotes. And all kinds of varmints.
It’s not an elk gun… I had to shoot all 4 twice. When I used a . .338 I never even saw one run. If it weighs more than 200 lbs, the .243 is not enough punch.
Must have missed the review of
I’d never argue ‘tween the 7mm Mag to the .338 Mags; they’re all good for single shot (well-placed) kills. I just happen to have a 300 custom Norma Mag. Some firm out in Azusa was offering them on a clean Mauser action for a just couple of bucks back in the mid ’60s; no way I could refuse to support the industry. It’s a bear to carry on a several mile hike, but I wouldn’t be without it when I was going into brownie or big cat country – yeeears ago.
You don’t target shoot with a 243…
Agree – strongly! but I do have to sight it in with the different loads I employ – and that’s usually 5 shots per load (powder, bullet, and seating) at paper for the one shot in the field.
If you’re target shooting and can afford to reload a better cartridge the 6.5 Grendel could be a better choice. It was purposely developed for this purpose and isn’t a “barrel burner”. Grendel uses a .220 Swift or 7.62×39 casing for short action/AR-15 rifles, has a muzzle velocity under 2800fps, and can be used in bolt actions – or AR-15 DMR, if that’s your style.
Back in the day I’d reload my heavy-barreled .308 and learned the hard way that all brass isn’t created equally. I wasted money on a bag of old military-grade 7.62×51 casings and couldn’t de-prime them in my press. The damned primers were crimped so tightly they wouldn’t come out, literally bending the pin in the punch of my Lee tool.