Why is .243 Win factory ammo so scarce right now?

U

Unlicensed Dremel

Moderator
They've caught up on everything else, but not .243.

My hand to gawd, right now at Academy (and for the last few weeks), there are literally TWO stickers showing .243 win products, and one is out, leaving exactly one product (Hornady GMX 80 @ $33.99) in stock, as compared to three selections in 6.5x55, two in 6.5 grendel, and literally two or three dozen different in-stock flavors of .223 rem / 5.56x45. Weird.

What gives?
 
I am guessing it is just your store. Seen quite a selection on the shelf around here, plus Midway, Grafs and Cabelas all have a bunch in stock.
 
hmmmm you can load 308 winchester and that annoying 7.62x51 with the same case, and use the same bullets and powders you use to load the same bullet weights in a 30-06 or other .30 caliber rifle.

hmmm well make 308 and make more money buy not having to make .243 inch bullets and change the powder around so much.

Get the gmx. Its GOOD. very good. it turns your .243 winchester into something like m2 heavy ball for your m1 garand.
 
That's why I reload, I've stockpiled over 30,000 primers probably over 100 lbs of powder, and more bullets in various calibers than I have primers. I'm set for a long time, the only thing I was a little light on was rimfire. I've been shooting reduced .223 loads and lead bullets when I need something in the power range of a .22 lr or WMR.
 
Look at it this way: the buyer base for 6.5x55/6.5 Grendel is pretty small so the store hasn't sold out of those. The demand for .223 is extremely high so the plants are turning out massive amounts of .223. Some stores order on a seasonal basis and some plants manufacture certain calibers on a seasonal basis.
A guy comes in and finds no .xxx(insert common caliber) but sees some .243--he has one of those. Figuring he'd better get SOMETHING while he can, he takes home some .243.
The local(if 40 miles away is local) Walmart just received quite a stock of 243,308, 7mag, 300 mag, 30/06 and several others as did the farm store--mostly Federal but some Remington in the most common deer cartridges.
 
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's just your store or area. 243 is a very common cartridge and one of the few that is not instantly hoarded during ban scares. I've never seen a time where 243 could not be found. it is more than likely peak demand right now and stores haven't caught up yet, hunting season is right around the corner and people are starting to go out and get their pre season zero and target practice in.
 
Well, good to know that it's a regional thing (I hope you're right) - very weird. But it's the same in Bass Pro. Only 3 or 4 selections of .243 in Bass Pro here, whereas normally I'm pretty sure it's a lot more than that. Thanks.
 
Walmart here has some .243 stuff. Im sorta like Tayloce1, I handload and stockpile primers,brass, and powders, bullets...As soon as load developement is final,, then load hundreds of rounds..
 
Yeah, I have the dies (and other components) - but this is one chambering I was planning to just use factory stuff for the time being. Maybe it's time to work up a load. Actually, no, I don't have bullets - just the other components. Maybe should order some Nosler E-tip 85s.
 
If you are looking a bullets for reloading, I use Sierra ProHunter 100gr. Reasonably priced, perform well on whitetail and smaller, can still find them on MidwayUSA and Bass Pro, and they work in well in both my .243's. My grandfather just gave me a box that had from the 80's, gotta load them up in my Remington 788 (first deer rifle) and see if I can still get the job done.
 
.243 Win has seen a huge surge in popularity over the last few years.

There are a lot of new owners out there, snapping up whatever they can get, to put some more rounds through their rifles.
 
U.D. The weird thing is that around here (N.Ga.), .243 Win is one of the few cartridges that never got scarce. It has been on the shelf 99% of the time I have been in Wal Mart. The gun shop I deal with has had it in stock constantly for the last few years. Having said that, .243 win is not a real popular hunting cartridge around here. Maybe we have little supply but due to little demand the shelves remain stocked. I would guess that the .270 Win, 30-06, and .30-30 make up 75 % of the deer rifles used here. I would guess the various 7's make up 10%. Of all the deer hunters I know, only one over 12 years old uses a .243 Winchester (me) and I do not use it often.

Academy Sports, in my experience, never has any rifle ammo I want. They seem to have in stock ultra cheap and ultra expensive. They always seem to be out of stock on anything I would consider normal deer hunting ammo.
 
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