Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST – Great Load

Description

Hornady built the American Whitetail line to be the ammunition a deer hunter actually buys, rather than the one they admire on the shelf, and the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST is a good example. A polymer tipped SST bullet at 2960 feet per second, priced like a working load rather than a premium one.

• What the SST bullet does
• Full specifications
• The gentlest deer rifle there is
• Honest notes before you buy
• Twist rate, and one thing to check
• The bottom line

What the SST bullet does

The SST is a polymer tipped boat tail with an InterLock ring machined inside the jacket. The tip initiates expansion on impact and improves flight, and the ring locks the jacket to the core so the bullet holds together on the way through. In the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST that combination gives you fast, visible expansion with enough retained weight to reach vitals.

It is not a bonded bullet and Hornady does not claim it is. Expansion is quick and dramatic, which is exactly right on deer sized game and is why the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST drops whitetails decisively. On heavier animals or bad angles a bonded bullet penetrates further.

Full specifications

• Caliber: 243 Winchester
• Bullet weight: 95 grain
• Bullet: SST polymer tipped with InterLock ring
• Muzzle velocity: 2960 fps
• Muzzle energy: 1848 ft-lbs
• Case: reloadable boxer primed brass
• Quantity: 20 rounds per box
• Line: American Whitetail Tipped
• Hornady item 80461

At 95 grains this is the heavier end of what a 243 Winchester runs, which is deliberate. Lighter 55 to 80 grain bullets are varmint weights and come apart on shoulder bone. The Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST carries enough weight and enough sectional density to behave like a deer bullet rather than a fast varmint bullet.

The gentlest deer rifle there is

The 243 Winchester recoils about a third as hard as a 30-06, and that is the whole reason it exists. New hunters, younger shooters and anyone with a shoulder that has had enough can shoot the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST accurately from field positions without flinching, and shot placement beats muzzle energy every single time.

Zero two inches high at 100 yards and the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST runs close to point of aim out to 250. Whitetails, mule deer, pronghorn and hogs are all well within what it handles at those distances, which covers the overwhelming majority of deer shots taken in this country.

Honest notes before you buy

This is value priced ammunition and Hornady is open about that. The American Whitetail line exists so that a hunter can afford to sight in properly and still have plenty left for the season. The Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST shoots well enough that most people never feel the need for anything fancier.

Be sensible about what it is for. A 243 with a fast expanding bullet is a deer and pronghorn cartridge. Elk are past what it should be asked to do regardless of what the internet says, and a quartering shot on anything large is where the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST will disappoint. Inside its lane it is superb and very easy to shoot.

Twist rate, and one thing to check

Nearly every 243 Winchester barrel made in the last forty years is a 1 in 10 inch twist, which stabilizes a 95 grain bullet without any question. If you own an older rifle marked 1 in 12, the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST will still shoot fine. It is only the heavy 105 to 115 grain match bullets that need a faster barrel.

Check your state regulations too. A handful of states set a minimum caliber or minimum bullet weight for deer, and while the 243 is legal almost everywhere, it sits near the bottom of some lists. Worth confirming before you buy a case of the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST for a hunt out of state.

The bottom line

For a deer hunter who wants a mild rifle and ammunition they can afford to practise with, the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST is one of the most sensible boxes on the shelf. You can read more about the bullet design at swiftbullets.com, or browse the rest of our stock on the MAG5 Firearms ammunition page.

MAG5 Firearms keeps the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST in stock and moving, and we are glad to talk through bullet choice before you order. If you are working up a load for a new rifle, a single box of the Hornady Whitetail 243 Win 95gr SST is a sensible place to start.