.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. 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
- CCI 40 gr Standard Velocity
- Muzzle velocity
- 1,070 fps
- Ballistic coefficient
- 0.123 (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 | 1,018 | 92 | 0.3 | -0.3 | -1.1 | 0.4 |
| 50 | 976 | 85 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| 75 | 940 | 78 | -2.6 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 |
| 100 | 908 | 73 | -7.6 | 2.2 | 7.3 | 1.3 |
| 125 | 879 | 69 | -15.3 | 3.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 |
| 150 | 852 | 65 | -25.8 | 4.9 | 16.4 | 1.9 |
| 175 | 827 | 61 | -39.2 | 6.3 | 21.4 | 2.2 |
| 200 | 804 | 57 | -55.9 | 7.9 | 26.7 | 2.4 |
| 225 | 782 | 54 | -75.9 | 9.5 | 32.2 | 2.7 |
| 250 | 761 | 51 | -99.4 | 11.3 | 38.0 | 3.0 |
This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so it never passes through the transonic zone that disturbs a supersonic bullet as it slows. The trajectory is steep but predictable.
Learn more
New to reading a table like this? These guides explain the numbers: