.243 Win drop chart: how far does a .243 Win drop at 300, 400 and 500 yards?
With a 200-yard zero and the scope 1.5 inches over the bore, the Hornady 243 Win 90 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter load (3,150 fps, G1 ballistic coefficient .409) drops 6.2 inches at 300 yards, 18.1 at 400 and 37.0 at 500 at sea level. At 7,000 feet, where much western elk and mule deer hunting happens, the same rifle and zero drop 5.8, 16.8 and 33.8 inches.
Data updated October 2026. Muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficients from Hornady's page for this load, read October 24, 2026; the table is worked out by the FilledTag ballistics calculator.
| Load | Hornady 243 Win 90 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter, Hornady item 80462 |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 90 grains |
| Muzzle velocity | 3,150 fps from Hornady's 24-inch test barrel |
| Ballistic coefficient | G1 .409 (Hornady prints no G7 figure for this load) |
| Muzzle energy | 1,983 ft-lb |
.243 Win drop chart at sea level
Path is where the bullet passes in inches above (+) or below (-) the line of sight. The hold is what to dial or hold, up (U) or down (D), in minutes of angle and in mils. The wind column is a full 10 mph crosswind from 3 o'clock, which pushes the bullet left (L). Standard air: 59°F at sea level.
| Yards | Path, in | Hold, MOA | Hold, mil | 10 mph wind, in | Velocity, fps | Energy, ft-lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.4 | D 0.7 | D 0.2 | 0.2 L | 3,026 | 1,830 |
| 100 | 1.3 | D 1.3 | D 0.4 | 0.7 L | 2,906 | 1,688 |
| 150 | 1.2 | D 0.8 | D 0.2 | 1.6 L | 2,790 | 1,555 |
| 200 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.9 L | 2,676 | 1,431 |
| 250 | -2.4 | U 0.9 | U 0.3 | 4.6 L | 2,565 | 1,315 |
| 300 | -6.2 | U 2.0 | U 0.6 | 6.7 L | 2,457 | 1,206 |
| 350 | -11.4 | U 3.1 | U 0.9 | 9.3 L | 2,351 | 1,105 |
| 400 | -18.1 | U 4.3 | U 1.3 | 12.4 L | 2,249 | 1,010 |
| 450 | -26.6 | U 5.6 | U 1.6 | 16.0 L | 2,148 | 922 |
| 500 | -37.0 | U 7.1 | U 2.1 | 20.2 L | 2,050 | 840 |
| 550 | -49.4 | U 8.6 | U 2.5 | 25.0 L | 1,955 | 764 |
| 600 | -64.1 | U 10.2 | U 3.0 | 30.5 L | 1,862 | 693 |
How far does a .243 Win drop at 7,000 feet?
Thinner air slows the bullet less. At 7,000 feet and 34°F, the standard atmosphere's temperature for that height, the bullet keeps 195 fps more at 500 yards and lands 3.2 inches higher than at sea level, with the same 200-yard zero.
| Yards | Path, in | Hold, MOA | Hold, mil | 10 mph wind, in | Velocity, fps | Energy, ft-lb | Less drop than sea level, in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.3 | D 0.6 | D 0.2 | 0.1 L | 3,050 | 1,859 | |
| 100 | 1.2 | D 1.2 | D 0.3 | 0.6 L | 2,953 | 1,742 | |
| 150 | 1.2 | D 0.7 | D 0.2 | 1.3 L | 2,858 | 1,632 | |
| 200 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 L | 2,765 | 1,527 | |
| 250 | -2.3 | U 0.9 | U 0.3 | 3.6 L | 2,674 | 1,428 | 0.1 |
| 300 | -5.8 | U 1.8 | U 0.5 | 5.3 L | 2,584 | 1,334 | 0.4 |
| 350 | -10.6 | U 2.9 | U 0.8 | 7.3 L | 2,497 | 1,246 | 0.8 |
| 400 | -16.8 | U 4.0 | U 1.2 | 9.7 L | 2,411 | 1,162 | 1.3 |
| 450 | -24.5 | U 5.2 | U 1.5 | 12.4 L | 2,327 | 1,082 | 2.1 |
| 500 | -33.8 | U 6.5 | U 1.9 | 15.6 L | 2,245 | 1,007 | 3.2 |
| 550 | -44.8 | U 7.8 | U 2.3 | 19.2 L | 2,165 | 936 | 4.6 |
| 600 | -57.7 | U 9.2 | U 2.7 | 23.2 L | 2,085 | 869 | 6.4 |
How much does wind move a .243 Win?
A full-value 10 mph crosswind moves this load 6.7 inches at 300 yards, 12.4 at 400 and 20.2 at 500 at sea level (3.9 MOA or 1.1 mil at 500), and 15.6 inches at 500 yards at 7,000 feet. A wind from 1:30 or 4:30 moves it about seven-tenths as far; one from straight ahead or behind barely moves it at all. Time of flight to 400 yards is 0.45 seconds.
How does the .243 Win compare?
Of the 12 factory loads on the calculator, 4 drop less at 500 yards than this one. The nearest at that range are the 6.5 PRC (143 gr, 36.3 in) and the .270 Win (145 gr, 37.8 in), all with a 200-yard zero at sea level.
Checked against Hornady's own table
Hornady prints its own trajectory for this load to 500 yards (200-yard zero, 1.5-inch sight height). The calculator, given only the muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient, lands within 1.3% of Hornady's drop at 300 yards and beyond.
| Yards | Hornady path, in | Calculator path, in | Hornady velocity, fps | Calculator velocity, fps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2,911 | 2,906 |
| 200 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,685 | 2,676 |
| 300 | -6.1 | -6.2 | 2,469 | 2,457 |
| 400 | -18 | -18.1 | 2,264 | 2,249 |
| 500 | -36.6 | -37.0 | 2,069 | 2,050 |
Before you take a long shot
A chart is a starting point, not your rifle. Your barrel, scope height and ammunition lot change the numbers, so shoot your own rifle at 300 and 400 yards and adjust the velocity until the calculator matches your hits. Know your effective range, the distance at which you can put every shot into a vital zone from field positions, and pass on any shot beyond it.
Open the calculator with this load
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