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.308 / 7.62 NATO

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.308 Winchester ammo and the 7.62x51 cartridge are very similar to one another but are not technically identical. Despite the minor differences, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute has deemed the cartridges safe to use interchangeably.

The commercial load, .308, is an incredibly popular round among recreational shooters and hunters in the United States. Widely used to take down game such as whitetail deer, .308 with a specialty bullet can also be used to take down much larger game like caribou or black bear. Look for a number of soft point and expanding bullets available to hunters looking to use .308 in the field. Among these, Hornady's Interlock, Remington's Core-Lokt and Federal's Fusion line-up are extremely popular .308 cartridges for sale.

7.62x51 NATO, the military round, was actually derived from .308. 7.62x51mm ammo offers similar ballistics to 30-06 rounds but does so with a case that's slightly shorter, allowing less brass to be used in the manufacturing process and permitting military members to potentially carry more rounds at the same weight. Look for both 7.62x51 ammo and .308 Winchester ammo in stock in the following bullets or categories:

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500rds - 308 Win. Tula 150gr. FMJ Steel Case Ammo Video
☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Review(s)

$194.95

$0.39/ppr

65 In Stock
500rds - 308 WPA Military Classic 145gr. FMJ Ammo

$199.95

$0.40/ppr

68 In Stock
500rds – 308 Tula 165gr. SP Ammo

$199.95

$0.40/ppr

38 In Stock
540rds - 7.62x51mm NATO Malaysian Surplus Ammo Can 146gr. FMJ Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 3 Review(s)

$249.95

$219.95

$0.41/ppr

50 In Stock
20rds - 308 Tula 165gr. SP Ammo

$9.19

$0.46/ppr

104 In Stock
500rds - 308 Silver Bear 145gr. FMJ Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 4 Review(s)

$249.95

$0.50/ppr

7 In Stock
500 rds - 7.62x51mm Lake City 149gr. FMJ XM80 Ammo

$274.95

$249.95

$0.50/ppr

33 In Stock
20rds - .308 Wolf WPA 145gr. FMJ Ammo

$10.00

$0.50/ppr

132 In Stock
20rds - 308 Win. Tula 150gr. FMJ Steel Case Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Review(s)

$10.49

$0.52/ppr

105 In Stock
20rds – 308 Wolf Polyformance WPA 145gr. FMJ Ammo

$10.49

$0.52/ppr

1 In Stock
20rds - .308 Brown Bear 145gr. FMJ Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review(s)

$10.95

$0.55/ppr

4 In Stock
7.62x51mm M80 - 145 Grain FMJBT - Prvi Partizan Ammo Can - 500 Rounds

$309.95

$0.62/ppr

15 In Stock
240rds - 308 Win Hirtenberger Surplus 146gr. FMJ Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Review(s)

$154.95

$0.65/ppr

64 In Stock
20rds - 308 Silver Bear 145gr. FMJ Ammo

$12.95

$0.65/ppr

25 In Stock
500rds - .308 PMC Bronze 147gr. FMJ-BT Ammo Video
☆☆☆☆☆ 16 Review(s)

$334.95

$0.67/ppr

42 In Stock
200rds – 308 Remington UMC 150gr. MC Ammo Video

$139.95

$0.70/ppr

43 In Stock
500rds - 7.62 x 51 NATO Federal Lake City XM80C 149gr. FMJ Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 9 Review(s)

$349.95

$0.70/ppr

5 In Stock
20rds - 7.62x51mm Prvi Partizan 145gr. FMJBT Ammo
☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review(s)

$14.49

$0.72/ppr

20 In Stock
20rds - .308 Sellier & Bellot 147gr. FMJ Ammo

$14.95

$0.75/ppr

111 In Stock
20rds - .308 Prvi Partizan 180gr. Soft Point Ammo

$14.95

$0.75/ppr

10 In Stock

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Common 243 Winchester Ammo Questions

How Far Can You Accurately Shoot with a .243 Winchester?

Quite a distance! Trajectory, of course, depends on many factors, including bullet design, barrel length, and bullet weight, so all cartridges will perform differently. However, Winchester’s Varmint X with 55-grain hollow points when zeroed to 100 yards will only drop 1.7 inches at 200 and 7.7 inches at 300 yards, all while maintaining speeds over 2,000 feet per second. (The muzzle velocity for this round is 3,910 feet per second.)

Even larger bullets loaded into the .243 Winchester have excellent trajectories. Winchester’s 100-grain Power Max Bonded ammunition only drops 3.3 inches at 200 yards when zeroed to 100. At 300, it drops 12.2 inches. For the bullet size, these are excellent trajectories.

What is the Best .243 Winchester Bullet for Deer Hunting?

That’s a tough question, but you should always choose a round that has an expanding bullet for hunting of any type. You’ll want a jacketed hollow point or ballistic tip round to ensure proper expansion, which will result in a larger wound channel and a faster, more humane harvest. For deer, you’ll want something on the larger end of the scale, which for a .243 Winchester cartridge is about 90 to 100 grains. When properly placed, this bullet size can effectively drop a whitetail deer and many other medium-sized game animals. Check out this article if you're unfamiliar with the common bullet types deer hunters use.

What Firearms Shoot .243 Winchester ammo?

The .243 Winchester is a rifle cartridge, and the majority of firearms that load this round are bolt-action weapons. Bolt-action rifles are known for their accuracy and effectiveness, allowing you to place one shot exactly where you want it. You can find semi-automatic rifles that shoot the .243 Winchester, but they are relatively rare. If you're unsure, check your firearm near the barrel area. If it says it's chambered in "243 win" or "243 Winchester", this is the ammo you want.

How Does the .243 Winchester Compare to the .308 Winchester?

Considering that the .243 Winchester was based on the .308 Winchester cartridge, it’s easy to compare and contrast the two. A comparison also reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each. The most notable difference is bullet diameter, which are both reflected in the bullets’ names. This difference is seen in the bullet weight as well; a .243 Winchester has bullets that go up to about 100 grains, while .308 Winchester ammunition will easily go up to 180, giving it far more muzzle energy. Speed, however, goes to the .243, which has cartridges rated over 4,000 feet per second in muzzle velocity; the .308 usually maxes out at about 3,100 feet per second.