243 ammo

[Wanderer]

Capras in Blaine has some. Those who are looking know why I'm posting...

[hockeybc69]

Is there some shortage on 243 that I am not aware of? Odd post...

[CaptainMusky]

Yes there is. Found 2 boxes in st cloud last week with those being 59 grain. Not real suitable for deer. Had trouble last year too. Many ammo companies are cutting back.

[hockeybc69]

People need to be buying his stuff in non-peak season and you wont have that problem.

The ammo "shortage" has been going on a few years anyway... nothing new.

[Wanderer]

Hockey,

We had scope problem with the kids rifle and burned up most of our supply correcting it. Sometimes you wind up shooting more than one shell during the season. Thanks for the advice though.

I looked in small and big shops from Outing to the north metro and was amazed to see only the 243's out of stock. The store cashiers all said they were selling a ton of that caliber in particular. Heck, 2 Fleet Farms were completely out while having plenty of other stuff on hand. I met two different people looking for them when I was too.

Just thought I'd share the tip for others looking. Going back to my imperfect world now...

[CaptainMusky]

I haven't seen more than a couple boxes of 243 rounds regardless of when I looked. To top it off they were varmit rounds at that.

I guess I picked the wrong round for my son to start rifle hunting with. I was able to trade a guy a box of 80 grain for 100 grain so that will last him years but still frustrating.

[grapeapplepie]

Wanderer...PM sent

[uptracker]

Very short supply here to. I can reload, but it's making me wonder if I should be buying as much brass for 243 I can find right now. My wife shoots a lot of Win PP ammo for practice and I save the brass, but it's been almost obsolete for two years. We've been buying the 80 gr just because it's all we can find here and there. Not sure why you can get 30-30, 30-06, 270, 7mm's, 300's, etc but no 243?????

[candiru]

Last year 243 was in real short supply to non existant in ND, not sure about this year. It is a real popular deer caliber out here.

Are there a lot of AR's chambered for 243?

[Whopper Stopper]

Something to be said for handloading.

WS

[Wanderer]

Are there a lot of AR's chambered for 243?

I'm not really into ARs but I don't recall hearing that as a normal round for em. FF had plenty other small caliber center fires; there was just a big void when you came to the 243 stack. We're thinking it's just the most popular round for youth and possibly women hunters who happen to be making up most of the new hunter ranks these days.

Maybe there's something about production too but I know the demand is high.

[candiru]

I'm not really into ARs but I don't recall hearing that as a normal round for em. FF had plenty other small caliber center fires; there was just a big void when you came to the 243 stack. We're thinking it's just the most popular round for youth and possibly women hunters who happen to be making up most of the new hunter ranks these days.

Maybe there's something about production too but I know the demand is high.

Hunters are also getting older. Maybe they are buying lighter guns with less recoil?

[ANYFISH2]

Or manufacturers are bottlenecking supplies to encourage the sale of more profitable calibers of rifles and ammo?

Conspiracy theory. Really no reason for ammo shortages. There is a reason $$$.

[Archerysniper]

I did a job at ATK you wouldn't believe the ammo sitting in that warehouse, its like a 3 block by 4 block building stacked floor to ceiling with every caliber caliber you can think of.

[laker1]

Some of the manufactors{sp} admitted to not even running some lines at the factory,thus they said they can keep the profit margins higher while creating a demand,thus higher shell prices.

[CaptainMusky]

I checked with a large retailer with some questions pertaining to 243 shortage here was his response... "In the last two months we've gotten in around 100 rounds of .243 and 20,000 rounds of .223, .223 is definitely taking priority in production."

I have read that hornady has dropped production completely of certain rounds and many 243 types were on the list. Apparently the ammo companies are focussing on rounds that have the highest demand. 243 is a common hunting round but a round 223 is a far more common round overall so rather than switching over to make 243 they are focussing on 223 since they sell everything they make there which is more than 243 to begin with.

[Wanderer]

Grapeapplepie is a class act.

Thanks!

[DonBo]

I have a few boxes laying around, who's gonna be the highest bidder?

[nofishfisherman]

Happened to be on the Cabelas HSOforum and they seem to have plenty of .243 ammo (95-100 grain) available. Might want to stock up for the future.

[Wanderer]

Nah, I'm good now.

Thanks

[Pinusbanksiana]

If anyone sees some 257 Roberts anywhere for less that 40 bucks a box let me know.

[hockeybc69]

I was at Cabelas in Rogers today and absolutely no shortage on ammo of any caliber on the shelves.

For 243 they had all the different bullet weights and brands.