.22 Long Rifle ballistics chart
The .22 LR trajectory: drop, drift and retained velocity for a 40-grain standard-velocity load zeroed at 50 yards.
Overview
The .22 Long Rifle is the most widely produced cartridge in the world and the default choice for small-bore target shooting, plinking and small-game hunting. A heavy, slow, low-BC bullet leaving the muzzle around 1,050-1,100 fps means the trajectory is steep: useful drop starts almost immediately and the round is transonic within the first 100 yards.
Because velocity is low and consistency between lots matters enormously, serious rimfire shooters chronograph and lot-test their ammunition, then build a range card in fine increments. Even light crosswinds move a .22 bullet a surprising amount at 100 yards and beyond.
Typical uses: Small-bore competition, rimfire steel and NRL22-style matches, training, plinking and small-game hunting.
Sample load
The trajectory below is calculated for this representative factory load in a standard ICAO atmosphere. Your rifle will differ — enter your own chronographed velocity and verified BC in the calculator for numbers you can dial.
- Bullet
- 40 gr lead round nose (standard velocity)
- Muzzle velocity
- 1,080 fps
- Ballistic coefficient
- 0.125 (G1)
- Zero
- 50 yd
.22 Long Rifle trajectory table
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft⋅lb) | Drop (in) | Elevation (MIL) | Elevation (MOA) | Wind 10 mph (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1,027 | 94 | 0.3 | -0.3 | -1.1 | 0.4 |
| 50 | 984 | 86 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 75 | 948 | 80 | -2.5 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 1.1 |
| 100 | 915 | 74 | -7.5 | 2.1 | 7.1 | 1.4 |
| 125 | 886 | 70 | -15.0 | 3.4 | 11.4 | 1.8 |
| 150 | 859 | 66 | -25.3 | 4.8 | 16.1 | 2.1 |
| 175 | 835 | 62 | -38.5 | 6.2 | 21.0 | 2.4 |
| 200 | 811 | 58 | -54.9 | 7.8 | 26.2 | 2.7 |
| 225 | 789 | 55 | -74.5 | 9.4 | 31.6 | 3.0 |
| 250 | 768 | 52 | -97.7 | 11.1 | 37.3 | 3.3 |
This load passes below the speed of sound at roughly 25 yards in standard conditions. Trajectory predictions become unreliable through and past the transonic zone.
Learn more
New to reading a table like this? These guides explain the numbers: