243 Ballistics Chart: 12 Factory Loads, 100 to 500 Yards
Drop, energy and wind drift for 12 .243 Winchester factory loads from 58 to 100 grains, on a 200-yard and a 100-yard zero, built on each maker’s own published numbers.
Author: James "The XDMAN" Nicholas
The XDMAN has a talent for taking complex firearms subject matter and breaking it down into an easy-to-understand format that all experience levels can relate to. James is an 07/02 NFA Firearms Manufacturer, a Professional Gunsmith with over 20 years of experience, and a Firearms Writer, Photographer and Firearms Expert. Connect with him on Instagram, X, and Facebook as @therealxdman.
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Best Thermal Monocular for Hogs and Coyotes, Sorted by Price
Eight thermal monoculars in stock at the maker, $489 to $3,199.97, sorted by the job each fits, plus what 384 vs 640, NETD and detection range mean, and two state rules on carrying thermal with a gun.
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Best Shooting Ear Protection: 9 Picks and the NRR Math
Nine shooting ear protection picks, from $6.99 foam plugs to Bluetooth earbuds, each run through NIOSH’s field derating, plus OSHA’s math for plugs under muffs, measured gun noise levels and why a suppressed rifle still needs plugs.
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Best Gun Safe for What You Own: 7 Picks by the Numbers
Seven gun safes sorted by the job they do, from a $399.99 bedside box to a 63-gun safe, with steel gauge, fire minutes and who rated them, straight from each maker.
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Best Binoculars for Hunting: 8x or 10x, and What to Spend
What 8×42 and 10×42 actually mean, which one fits your deer hunt, eye relief for eyeglass wearers, and Vortex and Leupold binoculars from $184.99 to $2,599.99 with maker specs and warranties.
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Best Muzzleloader for Deer: Picks by Budget and State Rules
Muzzleloaders from $305.95 to long-range rigs, the federal law that makes most of them not a firearm, and the state season rules on powder, scopes, caliber and primers that decide what you can hunt with.
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Best Deer Rifle Caliber, and a Rifle for Every Budget
Pick the cartridge first, then the rifle. Nine deer cartridges compared by recoil and Federal box price, with Savage, Henry and Ruger rifles at every budget and maker prices checked October 4, 2026.
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Best Pistol Red Dot Sights: 7 Top Handgun Optics Ranked for 2026
The best pistol red dots of 2026, ranked by use case—from the value-leading Holosun 507C to the duty-grade Trijicon RMR HD and enclosed Aimpoint ACRO P-2.
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Night Vision vs Thermal: Which Is Better for Hunting?
Night vision vs thermal: night vision amplifies faint light so you see detail, thermal reads heat to find animals in total darkness. 9-point hunter comparison.
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LPVO Scope Explained: 1-6x, 1-8x, 1-10x and Focal Planes
An LPVO scope zooms from true 1x up to 6x, 8x or 10x. Here is how 1-6x, 1-8x and 1-10x compare, first vs second focal plane, and the right mount height.
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How to Sight In a Rifle Scope and Pick the Right Zero
How to sight in a rifle scope: bore sight, group at 25 then 100 yards, and turn about 4 clicks per inch. Plus click math and the best zero for 5 deer loads.
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Buy and Sell Guns on GunsAmerica: The Easy, Legal Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
A step-by-step look at how GunsAmerica makes buying and selling firearms fast, safe, and fully legal.
