Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.243 Winchester
A 6mm-class centerfire with a broad factory range spanning varmint bullets and hunting designs. Bullet construction is central to those different uses.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.540–2.710 in
64.516–68.834 mm - Case length · max
- 2.045 in
51.943 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.243 in
6.172 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.473 in
12.014 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2430 in / 6.172 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 19 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 58–100 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.243 Winchester is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 243 Win. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
A light varmint bullet and a controlled-expansion hunting bullet should not be treated as equivalent because both fit .243 Winchester.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Winchester introduced the .243 in 1955 as a dual-purpose sporting cartridge, using the .308 Winchester case family with a 6 mm bullet. Its arrival followed growing interest in 6 mm experimentation among gun writers and shooters, including Warren Page. The commercial goal was to serve both varmint shooters and deer hunters with one rifle chambering.
That broad intended audience helped distinguish its history from a narrowly specialized target or military cartridge. Lighter bullets supported varmint use, while heavier hunting bullets gave the same case a different sporting role. The .243 also moved into match shooting, where later long, streamlined projectiles added another chapter to its development. It became one of the most durable commercial descendants of the .308 family. Its history is a useful example of a cartridge succeeding through an adaptable rifle-and-ammunition market, rather than through military adoption or the highest possible velocity.
Historical sources: Sierra: .243 Winchester cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .243 Winchester examples, bullet weights are 58, 75, 80, 85, 87, 90, 95, 100 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
58 grains
3,925 fps
V-MAX®
80 grains
3,330 fps
SP
87 grains
2,800 fps
SST®
Compare all 19 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady8343 | 58 gr 3.76 g | V-MAX® | 3,925 fps 1,196 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| FederalAE24375VP | 75 gr 4.86 g | JHP | 3,375 fps 1,029 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalV243VM75 | 75 gr 4.86 g | HORNADY V-MAX | 3,425 fps 1,044 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady83433 | 75 gr 4.86 g | V-MAX® | 3,580 fps 1,091 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Federal243AS | 80 gr 5.18 g | SP | 3,330 fps 1,015 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady804574 | 80 gr 5.18 g | CX® | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Federal24385LFA | 85 gr 5.51 g | COPPER HP | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalP243K | 85 gr 5.51 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP243TC1 | 85 gr 5.51 g | TROPHY COPPER | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80466 | 87 gr 5.64 g | SST® | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Hornady80468 | 87 gr 5.64 g | V-MAX® | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| FederalP243ELDX1 | 90 gr 5.83 g | ELD-X | 3,150 fps 960 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80462 | 90 gr 5.83 g | ELD-X® | 3,150 fps 960 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| FederalF243FS1 | 95 gr 6.16 g | FUSION | 2,980 fps 908 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalP243BCH1 | 95 gr 6.16 g | BERGER HYBRID HUNTER | 3,050 fps 930 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80461 | 95 gr 6.16 g | SST® | 2,960 fps 902 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Hornady80463 | 95 gr 6.16 g | SST® | 3,185 fps 971 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| Federal243B | 100 gr 6.48 g | SP | 2,960 fps 902 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady8047 | 100 gr 6.48 g | InterLock® BTSP | 2,960 fps 902 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.243 Winchester: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 58 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3,925; 100: 3,465; 200: 3,052; 300: 2,676; 400: 2,330; 500: 2,010 |
| 75 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 3,375; 100: 2,943; 200: 2,551; 300: 2,191; 400: 1,861; 500: 1,569 |
| 80 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3,330; 100: 3,051; 200: 2,790; 300: 2,543; 400: 2,309; 500: 2,088 |
| 85 gr Federal COPPER HP | Federal | 0: 3,200; 100: 2,783; 200: 2,403; 300: 2,054; 400: 1,737; 500: 1,459 |
| 87 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2,800; 100: 2,574; 200: 2,359; 300: 2,155; 400: 1,961; 500: 1,778 |
| 90 gr Federal ELD-X | Federal | 0: 3,150; 100: 2,910; 200: 2,684; 300: 2,468; 400: 2,262; 500: 2,066 |
| 95 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2,980; 100: 2,730; 200: 2,493; 300: 2,268; 400: 2,056; 500: 1,854 |
| 100 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 2,960; 100: 2,697; 200: 2,448; 300: 2,213; 400: 1,991; 500: 1,783 |
| 75 gr Federal HORNADY V-MAX | Federal | 0: 3,425; 100: 3,111; 200: 2,819; 300: 2,545; 400: 2,286; 500: 2,044 |
| 75 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3,580; 100: 3,254; 200: 2,953; 300: 2,672; 400: 2,407; 500: 2,158 |
| 80 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3,200; 100: 2,842; 200: 2,513; 300: 2,206; 400: 1,921; 500: 1,661 |
| 85 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 3,200; 100: 2,904; 200: 2,628; 300: 2,367; 400: 2,122; 500: 1,891 |
| 85 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 3,200; 100: 2,947; 200: 2,708; 300: 2,481; 400: 2,265; 500: 2,061 |
| 87 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,990; 200: 2,754; 300: 2,530; 400: 2,317; 500: 2,114 |
| 90 gr Hornady ELD-X® | Hornady | 0: 3,150; 100: 2,911; 200: 2,685; 300: 2,469; 400: 2,264; 500: 2,069 |
| 95 gr Federal BERGER HYBRID HUNTER | Federal | 0: 3,050; 100: 2,829; 200: 2,619; 300: 2,418; 400: 2,226; 500: 2,043 |
| 95 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2,960; 100: 2,693; 200: 2,441; 300: 2,203; 400: 1,979; 500: 1,770 |
| 95 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 3,185; 100: 2,908; 200: 2,649; 300: 2,404; 400: 2,172; 500: 1,953 |
| 100 gr Hornady InterLock® BTSP | Hornady | 0: 2,960; 100: 2,729; 200: 2,509; 300: 2,300; 400: 2,101; 500: 1,912 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .243 Winchester?
A 6mm-class centerfire with a broad factory range spanning varmint bullets and hunting designs. Bullet construction is central to those different uses.
What diameter does .243 Winchester use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2430 inches (6.172 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
A light varmint bullet and a controlled-expansion hunting bullet should not be treated as equivalent because both fit .243 Winchester.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
Factory datasets show manufacturer specifications and any published downrange projections. Chronograph and barrel-study datasets identify recorded measurements and the original test source. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values are labeled linear estimates; single source points are not extended into invented curves. Energy is calculated from bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 87 ↗
- Sierra: .243 Winchester cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.