243 Ballistics 200 Yard Zero – Complete Guide

Sight a .243 Winchester at 200 yards and the bullet rides slightly high at 100, crosses the line of sight at 200, and gives up ground steadily after that. The chart below gathers the factory loads that makers themselves publish on exactly that zero: 54 loads across nine brands, spanning 55 to 105 grain bullets. Velocity and energy are laid out in 100 yard steps out to 500 yards, one figure per cell, and every path figure comes straight from the maker’s own printed set.

Factory Loads Zeroed at 200 Yards

Brand	Load	Product Line	SKU	BC (G1)	Velocity 0 yd (fps)	Velocity 100 yd (fps)	Velocity 200 yd (fps)	Velocity 300 yd (fps)	Velocity 400 yd (fps)	Velocity 500 yd (fps)	Energy 0 yd (ft-lb)	Energy 100 yd (ft-lb)	Energy 200 yd (ft-lb)	Energy 300 yd (ft-lb)	Energy 400 yd (ft-lb)	Energy 500 yd (ft-lb)	Trajectory 100 yd (in)	Trajectory 200 yd (in)	Trajectory 300 yd (in)	Trajectory 400 yd (in)	Trajectory 500 yd (in)
Barnes	80 gr TTSX BT	VOR-TX	21522	0.331	3325	3019	2733	2465	2213	1975	1964	1619	1328	1080	870	693	1.2	0	-5.8	-17.4	-36.1
Barnes	90 gr Sierra TGK	Harvest	32398	0.390	3200	2946	2707	2479	2263	2058	2047	1735	1464	1229	1024	847	1.3	0	-6	-17.7	-36.2
Browning	65 gr Rapid Controlled Expansion Polymer Tip	BXV	B192302431	0.280	3400	3041	2709	2400	2112	1845	3400	1335	1059	831	644	491	1.1	0	-5.9	-17.9	-37.7
Browning	95 gr Polymer Tip	Max Point	B192102432	0.363	3100	2834	2583	2346	2122	1910	2027	1694	1408	1161	949	769	1.4	0	-6.6	-19.6	-40.4
Browning	100 gr Plated Soft Point	Silver Series	B192602431	0.356	2960	2697	2449	2215	1993	1786	1945	1615	1332	1089	882	708	1.6	0	-7.5	-22	-45.4
Doubletap	90 gr Swift Scirocco II	Doubletap Hunter	013964483932	–	3225	3028	2839	2658	2483	2317	2080	1832	1611	1411	1233	1073	1.0	0	-5.2	-15.4	-31.2
Doubletap	105 gr DT Longrange HPBT Match	Doubletap Longrange	013964487091	–	2925	3028	2839	2658	2483	2317	–	1832	1611	1411	1233	1073	1.0	0	-5.2	-15.4	-31.2
Federal	75 gr Hornady® V-Max®	Varmint & Predator	V243VM75	.330	3425	3111	2819	2545	2286	2044	1953	1612	1323	1078	871	696	1	0	-5.5	-16.3	-33.8
Federal	75 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	Varmint & Predator	AE24375VP	.234	3375	2943	2551	2191	1861	1569	1897	1443	1084	800	577	410	1.3	0	-6.7	-20.6	-45.1
Federal	80 gr Jacketed Soft Point	Power-Shok	243AS	.365	3330	3051	2790	2543	2309	2088	1970	1654	1382	1148	947	774	1.1	0	-5.6	-16.6	-34.2
Federal	85 gr Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet (TSX)	Barnes TSX	P243K	.333	3200	2904	2628	2367	2122	1891	1933	1592	1303	1057	850	675	1.3	0	-6.3	-19	-39.2
Federal	85 gr Copper HP	Power-Shok Copper Rifle	24385LFA	.233	3200	2783	2403	2054	1737	1459	1933	1462	1090	796	569	402	1.5	0	-7.6	-23.6	-51.4
Federal	85 gr Trophy Copper	Trophy Copper	P243TC1	.391	3200	2947	2708	2481	2265	2061	1933	1639	1384	1162	969	801	1.3	0	-6	-17.6	-36.2
Federal	90 gr ELD-X	ELD-X	P243ELDX1	.409	3150	2910	2684	2468	2262	2066	1983	1693	1439	1217	1022	853	1.3	0	-6.1	-18	-36.7
Federal	95 gr Berger	Berger Hybrid Hunter	P243BCH1	.434	3050	2829	2619	2418	2226	2043	1962	1688	1446	1233	1045	880	1.4	0	-6.5	-18.9	-38.4
Federal	95 gr Fusion Soft Point	Fusion	F243FS1	.376	2980	2730	2493	2268	2056	1854	1873	1572	1311	1085	891	725	1.6	0	-7.2	-21.2	-43.2
Federal	95 gr Fusion Tipped	Fusion Tipped Rifle	F243TFS1	.428	3050	2826	2613	2409	2215	2030	1962	1684	1440	1224	1035	869	1.4	0	-6.5	-19	-38.7
Federal	100 gr Jacketed Soft Point	Power-Shok	243B	.355	2960	2697	2448	2213	1991	1783	1945	1615	1331	1087	880	706	1.6	0	-7.5	-22.1	-45.4
Fiocchi	80 gr Barnes® TTSX™ Polymer Tipped Copper HP	Hyperformance Hunt Rifle	243TTSX	.331	3275	2972	2690	2424	2174	1938	1905	1569	1285	1044	840	667	1.2	0	-6	-18	-37.3
Fiocchi	80 gr Copper HP	Backwoods Hunter	243BHC	.340	3415	3111	2826	2560	2308	2071	2071	1719	1419	1164	946	762	1	0	-5.4	-16.1	-33.5
Fiocchi	90 gr Swift® Scirocco® Boat-Tail Spitzer	Hyperformance Hunt Rifle	243SCA	.419	3100	2869	2649	2440	2240	2050	1920	1644	1402	1189	1003	840	1.4	0	-6.3	-18.5	-37.6
Fiocchi	95 gr Hornady® SST® Polymer Boat-Tail	Hyperformance Hunt Rifle	243HSB	.355	2950	2687	2439	2205	1983	1776	1836	1523	1255	1025	830	665	1.7	0	-7.6	-22.3	-45.8
Fiocchi	100 gr Pointed Soft Point	Field Dynamics Big Game	243SPD	.405	3050	2814	2589	2376	2173	1979	2065	1758	1489	1253	1048	870	1.5	0	-6.6	-19.5	-39.7
Hornady	58 gr V-MAX®	Superformance Varmint	8343	–	3925	3465	3052	2676	2330	2010	1984	1546	1200	922	699	520	0.7	0	-4.4	-13.8	-29.6
Hornady	75 gr V-MAX®	Superformance Varmint	83433	–	3580	3254	2953	2672	2407	2158	2134	1764	1452	1189	965	775	0.9	0	-4.9	-14.7	-30.5
Hornady	80 gr CX™	Outfitter	804574	–	3200	2842	2513	2206	1921	1661	1819	1435	1121	864	656	490	1.4	0	-7	-21.1	-44.8
Hornady	87 gr SST®	Custom Lite	80466	–	2800	2574	2359	2155	1961	1778	1514	1280	1075	897	743	611	1.9	0	-8.1	-23.8	-48.5
Hornady	87 gr V-MAX®	Custom	80468	–	3240	2990	2754	2530	2317	2114	2028	1727	1465	1236	1037	863	1.2	0	-5.8	-17	-34.8
Hornady	90 gr ELD-X®	Precision Hunter	80462	–	3150	2911	2685	2469	2264	2069	1983	1693	1440	1219	1024	855	1.3	0	-6.1	-18	-36.6
Hornady	95 gr SST®	Superformance	80463	–	3185	2908	2649	2404	2172	1953	2140	1784	1480	1219	995	804	1.3	0	-6.3	-18.6	-38.3
Hornady	100 gr InterLock® BTSP	American Whitetail	8047	–	2960	2729	2509	2300	2101	1912	1945	1653	1398	1175	980	812	1.6	0	-7.1	-20.9	-42.5
Nosler	55 gr Varmageddon	Varmageddon	65165	–	3800	3355	2954	2587	2248	1936	1763	1375	1066	817	617	457	0.8	0	-4.8	-14.8	-31.8
Nosler	70 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint	Ballistic Tip Varmint	40041	–	3500	3155	2836	2539	2261	2001	1904	1547	1250	1002	795	622	1	0	-5.3	-16.1	-33.7
Nosler	70 gr Varmageddon	Varmageddon	61029	–	3500	3150	2826	2525	2243	1980	1904	1542	1241	991	782	609	1	0	-5.4	-16.2	-34
Nosler	85 gr Partition	Trophy Grade	60002	–	3225	2910	2617	2342	2084	1843	1962	1598	1292	1035	819	641	1.3	0	-6.4	-19.2	-40
Nosler	90 gr AccuBond	Trophy Grade	48263	–	3100	2842	2599	2368	2149	1942	1920	1614	1349	1120	923	754	1.4	0	-6.6	-19.4	-39.7
Nosler	90 gr Ballistic Tip Hunting	Ballistic Tip Hunting	40050	–	3100	2842	2599	2368	2149	1942	1920	1614	1349	1120	923	754	1.4	0	-6.6	-19.4	-39.7
Nosler	90 gr Expansion Tip	Expansion Tip	40030	–	3050	2809	2580	2362	2155	1959	1859	1576	1330	1115	928	767	1.5	0	-6.7	-19.6	-40.1
Nosler	100 gr Partition	Trophy Grade	61046	–	2950	2708	2468	2246	2035	1837	1932	1622	1353	1120	920	749	1.6	0	-7.4	-21.6	-44.3
Remington	75 gr AccuTip-V	Premier Accutip-V	29194	.330	3375	3065	2775	2504	2248	2008	1897	1564	1282	1044	842	671	1.1	0	-5.6	-16.8	-34.9
Remington	80 gr Pointed Soft Point	High Performance Rifle	27800	.255	3350	2955	2593	2258	1949	1669	1993	1551	1194	906	675	495	1.3	0	-6.4	-19.7	-42.6
Remington	85 gr Copper HP	Core-Lokt Copper	R27856	.233	3200	2783	2403	2054	1737	1459	1933	1462	1090	796	569	402	1.5	0	-7.6	-23.6	-51.4
Remington	90 gr Swift Scirocco Bonded	Premier Scirocco	29320	.390	3120	2871	2635	2411	2199	1997	1945	1647	1388	1162	966	797	1.4	0	-6.3	-18.7	-38.4
Remington	95 gr Core-Lokt Tipped	Core-Lokt Tipped	29015	.355	3140	2866	2608	2364	2134	1916	2080	1732	1434	1179	960	774	1.4	0	-6.4	-19.2	-39.5
Remington	100 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt	Core-Lokt	R27802	.356	2960	2697	2449	2215	1994	1786	1945	1615	1332	1089	883	708	1.6	0	-7.5	-22.1	-45.3
Winchester	55 gr Zinc Core Lead Free Rapid Expansion	Varmint X Lead Free	X243PLF	0.195	3910	3333	2827	2374	1965	1603	1867	1357	976	–	–	–	0.8	0	-5.2	-16.7	-37.3
Winchester	58 gr Polymer Tip Rapid Expansion	Varmint X	X243P	0.250	3850	3398	2991	2619	2276	1959	1909	1487	1152	–	–	–	0.8	0	-4.7	-14.5	-31
Winchester	65 gr Extreme Point	Varmint X	X243PXP	0.272	3620	3224	2863	2530	2220	1932	1891	1500	1183	923	711	539	0.9	0	-5.2	-15.9	-33.6
Winchester	80 gr Pointed Soft Point	Super X	X2431	0.255	3350	2955	2594	2259	1951	1670	1993	1551	1195	907	676	495	1.3	0	-6.5	-19.8	-42.3
Winchester	85 gr Copper Extreme Point	Copper Impact	X243CLF	0.344	3260	2969	2697	2441	2199	1971	2005	1664	1373	1124	913	733	1.2	0	-6	-17.9	-37
Winchester	95 gr Extreme Point	Deer Season XP	X243DS	0.363	3100	2834	2583	2346	2122	1910	2027	1694	1408	1161	949	769	1.4	0	-6.6	-19.6	-40.4
Winchester	95 gr Rapid Controlled Expansion Polymer Tip	Ballistic Silvertip	SBST243A	0.400	3100	2854	2626	2410	2203	2007	2021	1719	1455	1225	1024	850	1.4	0	-6.4	-18.9	-38.4
Winchester	100 gr Bonded Rapid Expansion Protected Hollow Point	Power Max Bonded	X2432BP	0.372	2960	2708	2470	2244	2031	1829	1945	1628	1355	1118	915	743	1.6	0	-7.3	-21.6	-44.3
Winchester	100 gr Power-Point	Power-Point	X2432	0.356	2960	2697	2449	2215	1993	1786	1945	1615	1332	1089	882	708	1.9	0	-7.8	-22.6	-46.3

Plotted loads, with the maker’s item number for each: Hornady 58 gr V-MAX (8343), Federal 85 gr Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet (TSX) (P243K), Barnes 90 gr Sierra TGK (32398), Winchester 95 gr Rapid Controlled Expansion Polymer Tip (SBST243A), Nosler 100 gr Partition (61046), Remington 100 gr Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt (R27802).

Loads the Makers Publish on a Different Basis

Brand	Load	Product Line	SKU	Muzzle Velocity (fps)	Muzzle Energy (ft-lb)
Armscor	90 gr AB	ArmscorUSA	FAC24390GRAB-TC	2800	–
Barnes	80 gr TTSX BT	VOR-TX RR	32234	2810	1505
Black Hills	58 gr Hornady V-MAX ®	Black Hills Gold	–	3700	1763
Black Hills	80 gr HornadyCX®	Black Hills Gold	–	3150	1762
Black Hills	85 gr Barnes TSX	Black Hills Gold	–	3100	1813
Black Hills	95 gr Hornady SST ®	Black Hills Gold	–	2950	1835
Doubletap	55 gr DT Varmint™	Doubletap	013964487381	4000	–
Doubletap	85 gr DT LEAD FREE™ SC-HP	Doubletap	013964483925	3320	2080
Fort Scott Munitions	58 gr Solid Copper Spun SCS®	SCS® TUI®	758381721556-0; 758381721556-1; 758381721556-3	3870	–
Fort Scott Munitions	70 gr Solid Copper Spun SCS®	SCS® TUI®	758381721563-0; 758381721563-1; 758381721563-3	3870	–
Fort Scott Munitions	80 gr Solid Copper Spun SCS®	SCS® TUI®	758381721570-0; 758381721570-1; 758381721570-3	3479	–
Gorilla	85 gr Fracturing	Punisher Series	GA24385PS	3210	–
HSM	100 gr Spitzer Boat Tail GameKing	Game King	HSM-243-17-N	3100	2134
HSM	70 gr BlitzKing	Varmint	HSM-243-15-N	3575	1987
HSM	75 gr V-Max	Varmint	HSM-243-2-N	3300	1814
HSM	85 gr Hollow Point Boat Tail GameKing	Game King	HSM-243-9-N	3000	1699
HSM	85 gr Low Recoil	Low Recoil	HSM-243-18-N	2561	1238
HSM	85 gr Triple-Shock X Boattail	Lead Free	HSM-243-16LF-N	3450	2247
HSM	87 gr Match Hunting Very Low Drag	Trophy Gold	BER-24387VLD	3267	2062
HSM	90 gr GameChanger	Tipping Point 2	HSM-243-21-N	3265	2131
HSM	95 gr Match Hunting Very Low Drag	Trophy Gold	BER-24395VLD	3174	2126
HSM	95 gr SST	Tipping Point 2	HSM-243-22-N	3170	2120
Lapua	90 gr Full metal Jacket (FMJ)	Full metal Jacket (FMJ)	4316052	2905	1677
Lapua	90 gr Naturalis	Lead-free copper	N316201	2985	1780
Lehigh Defense	85 gr Controlled Chaos	Controlled Chaos	LA243-85-CC	3000	1699
Norma	100 gr Bonded SP	Norma Oryx	20160332	2986	1979
Norma	100 gr SP	Norma Whitetail	20160462	2953	1936
Norma	76 gr SP	Norma VerminXtreme	20160542	3445	2002
Norma	76 gr Tipped SP	Norma Tipstrike	20160052	3445	2002
Norma	95 gr FMJ	Norma Jaktmatch	20160370	2953	1839
PPU	100 gr SP	STANDARD RIFLE AMMUNITION	PP2432	2960	1945
PPU	90 gr SP	STANDARD RIFLE AMMUNITION	PP2431	3100	1921
SIG Sauer	55 gr Extreme Expansion Tip	Elite Hunting	E243V1-20	3880	1838
SIG Sauer	80 gr Copper Solid	Elite Hunting	E243H1-20	3425	2084
Sellier & Bellot	100 gr SP SB243A	Rifle ammunition SP	SB243A	2854	1809
Sellier & Bellot	80 gr FMJ	Rifle ammunition FMJ	V330762	3232	1855
Sellier & Bellot	95 gr PTS	Hunting rifle ammunition with PTS bullets	V330782	2904	1778

Reading a Row From Left to Right

A row starts with the maker, the bullet and its weight, the product line and the item number, then a G1 ballistic coefficient where one is printed. Six velocity columns and six energy columns follow, muzzle to 500 yards. The last five columns trace the bullet’s path against the line of sight: above it at 100 yards by 0.7 to 1.9 inches, level at 200, and below it from there on.

Speed Belongs to the Light Bullets

The top of the velocity table is varmint territory. Hornady’s 58 grain V-MAX (8343) opens at 3,925 fps and the 75 grain V-MAX behind it starts at 3,580 fps, while the popular deer weights mostly begin between 2,950 and 3,200 fps. Downrange the picture tightens, yet the light Hornady still shows 2,010 fps at 500 yards, and Doubletap’s printed 2,317 fps for its 90 grain Scirocco II is the highest figure in that column.

Energy: Weight Wins the Far Columns

Muzzle energy is a closer contest than muzzle velocity, with most hunting loads bunched between roughly 1,900 and 2,150 ft-lb. One printed exception sits in the Browning row, where the 65 grain load (B192302431) shows 3,400 ft-lb, identical to its own velocity figure and reproduced as printed. Out at 500 yards the heavier bullets pull ahead: Doubletap’s two rows show 1,073 ft-lb as printed, and Federal’s 95 grain Berger shows 880 ft-lb.

The Shape of the Drop Curve

Holdover at 300 yards asks little of any load here, because the whole field falls inside a band from 4.4 to 8.1 inches low. Past 400 yards the curves fan out. At 500 yards the spread runs from 29.6 inches for Hornady’s 58 grain V-MAX to 51.4 inches, a figure shared by Federal’s 85 grain Copper HP and Remington’s 85 grain Core-Lokt load (R27856), so bullet choice matters far more at the long end.

Eight Loads at 100 Grains

The traditional deer weight is well stocked, with eight entries in the main chart. Six of them quote the same 2,960 fps muzzle velocity, and their paths at 500 yards land between 42.5 and 46.3 inches low. Fiocchi’s 100 grain Pointed Soft Point (243SPD) breaks ranks with a 3,050 fps start, the shallowest 500 yard drop of the group at 39.7 inches, and the group’s best retained energy at 870 ft-lb.

What the Fine Print Shows

Coefficients are printed for 36 rows and missing for 18: Hornady’s chart carries no BC column, the Nosler listings give none, and Doubletap publishes none either. Test barrels are just as uneven, with 24 inches printed by Barnes and Nosler, 22 inches by Doubletap, and nothing stated by the rest. Two Winchester loads, X243P and X243PLF, print energy figures that end at 200 yards, and Doubletap prints one identical downrange table behind both of its loads.

Loads That Sit Outside the Main Chart

Another 37 loads from 13 brands are gathered in the listing under the chart because their makers use a different yardstick. Some, like the Barnes VOR-TX RR and the two PPU loads, are charted on a 100 yard zero instead. Norma zeroes its tables at a most recommended distance between 191 and 225 yards, Lapua works in metres, and Sellier & Bellot prints velocity and energy with no path figures at all. Two SIG Sauer listings and two Nosler listings publish no velocity figures and appear in neither table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do shooters zero a .243 at 200 yards?

That zero keeps the bullet within about two inches of the line of sight from the muzzle out past 200 yards, which suits the flat shooting .243 well. The printed charts show the trade clearly: a small rise at 100 yards in exchange for manageable drop at 300.

How far does a .243 bullet fall at 500 yards on a 200 yard zero?

The loads on this chart fall between 29.6 and 51.4 inches at 500 yards. Light, fast bullets hold the shallow end of that range and the slower 85 grain loads anchor the deep end.

Which factory .243 load has the flattest path here?

Hornady’s 58 grain V-MAX (8343), which sits 4.4 inches low at 300 yards and 29.6 inches low at 500. Its 3,925 fps muzzle velocity is also the highest on the chart.

What velocity does a 100 grain .243 load carry at 500 yards?

Figures for the eight 100 grain entries run from 1,783 to 1,979 fps at that distance, depending on the load. Fiocchi’s 100 grain Pointed Soft Point sits at the top of the group.

Why is the 200 yard column all zeros in the path figures?

Each maker built that load’s path table around a 200 yard zero, so the bullet is on the line of sight at that distance by definition. Tables built on other zeros were left out of the main chart rather than converted.

Which load keeps the most energy at 500 yards?

On the printed figures, Doubletap’s 90 grain Swift Scirocco II and its 105 grain match load share the lead at 1,073 ft-lb. Federal’s 95 grain Berger follows at 880 ft-lb.

What does the .434 coefficient on the Federal Berger load mean?

It is the G1 ballistic coefficient Federal prints for the 95 grain Berger bullet (P243BCH1), the highest value shown on the chart. A higher coefficient generally means the bullet sheds velocity more slowly, which matches its strong 500 yard energy figure.

Are any loads on this page zeroed at something other than 200 yards?

Not in the main chart, where every row uses that zero. Loads published on 100 yard or most recommended distance zeros, and loads with muzzle figures only, are grouped in the separate listing instead.

How many brands appear across both tables?

Twenty brands appear across the two tables: nine in the main chart and thirteen in the compact listing, with Barnes and Doubletap in both. HSM contributes the most listing entries, with ten muzzle-only loads.

Will my rifle match these numbers exactly?

Treat the figures as each maker’s published reference rather than a promise for a specific rifle. Barrel length, chamber and conditions all shift real world velocity, and only Barnes, Nosler and Doubletap state the test barrel behind their numbers.