.17 WSM ballistics chart
The .17 WSM trajectory with a 20-grain polymer-tipped varmint load: drop, wind drift and retained velocity from a 100-yard zero out to 300 yards.
What is the .17 WSM?
The .17 Winchester Super Magnum is the fastest rimfire in production. Its case started life as a .27-calibre nail-gun blank, and it runs at far higher pressure than any other rimfire, pushing a 20-grain bullet at around 3,000 fps - roughly 450 fps faster than the .17 HMR with a heavier bullet.
That extra speed buys a flatter trajectory and noticeably less wind drift than the HMR, stretching practical varmint range to 200-250 yards. It needs its own, larger rimfire action, ammunition is pricier and less common than .17 HMR, and it is still a small, light bullet that a gusty crosswind moves a long way.
Typical uses: Fox, coyote and other varmints to 250 yards, and long-range rimfire shooting where the .17 HMR runs out of steam.
Sample load
The trajectory below is calculated for this representative factory load in a standard ICAO atmosphere. The bullet is an entry from the app’s bullet library, so the calculator opens with it already selected. Your rifle will differ — enter your own chronographed velocity and verified BC in the calculator for numbers you can dial.
- Bullet
- Winchester 20 gr Varmint HV
- Muzzle velocity
- 3,000 fps
- Ballistic coefficient
- 0.185 (G1)
- Zero
- 100 yd
.17 WSM key figures
- Muzzle energy
- 400 ft⋅lb
- Supersonic to
- About 490 yd
- Point-blank range, 6 in zone
- 256 yd (222 yd zero)
- Point-blank range, 3 in zone
- 204 yd (178 yd zero)
- Drop at 300 yd, 100 yd zero
- 16.8 in
Point-blank range is how far you can hold dead on and still hit a target zone of that height, using the zero shown. Work it out for your own load with the maximum point-blank range calculator , or see how the .17 WSM stacks up in the cartridge comparison chart .
.17 WSM trajectory table
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft⋅lb) | Drop (in) | Elevation (MIL) | Elevation (MOA) | Wind 10 mph (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 2,868 | 365 | -0.7 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 2,741 | 334 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| 75 | 2,617 | 304 | 0.1 | 0.0 | -0.1 | 0.4 |
| 100 | 2,496 | 277 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 125 | 2,378 | 251 | -0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| 150 | 2,264 | 228 | -1.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 175 | 2,153 | 206 | -2.5 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| 200 | 2,045 | 186 | -4.2 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 1.1 |
| 225 | 1,940 | 167 | -6.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 1.2 |
| 250 | 1,838 | 150 | -9.2 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.4 |
| 275 | 1,740 | 135 | -12.6 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| 300 | 1,646 | 120 | -16.8 | 1.6 | 5.3 | 1.8 |
Learn more
New to reading a table like this? These guides explain the numbers: