.22 LR Subsonic ballistics chart
The .22 LR subsonic trajectory with a 40-grain suppressor load: drop, wind drift and retained velocity from a 50-yard zero out to 150 yards.
Overview
Subsonic .22 LR keeps a 40-grain bullet below the speed of sound - typically 1,040-1,080 fps at the muzzle - so it never produces a sonic crack. Paired with a suppressor it is remarkably quiet, which is why it dominates pest control around buildings, backyard practice and small-bore training where noise matters.
Because the bullet is subsonic from the muzzle it never passes through the accuracy-wrecking transonic buffet that standard and high-velocity .22 LR hit around 75-100 yards, and many rifles shoot their tightest groups with good subsonic match ammunition. The cost is a steep, looping trajectory: useful drop begins almost immediately and every 25 yards past the zero needs its own hold.
Typical uses: Suppressed pest control, quiet backyard practice, small-bore training and close-range small game.
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
- Eley 40 gr Subsonic Hollow
- Muzzle velocity
- 1,040 fps
- Ballistic coefficient
- 0.142 (G1)
- Zero
- 50 yd
.22 LR Subsonic trajectory table
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft⋅lb) | Drop (in) | Elevation (MIL) | Elevation (MOA) | Wind 10 mph (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1,000 | 89 | 0.3 | -0.4 | -1.3 | 0.3 |
| 50 | 965 | 83 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| 75 | 935 | 78 | -2.7 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 0.8 |
| 100 | 907 | 73 | -7.8 | 2.2 | 7.5 | 1.1 |
| 125 | 882 | 69 | -15.6 | 3.5 | 11.9 | 1.3 |
| 150 | 859 | 66 | -26.2 | 4.9 | 16.7 | 1.6 |
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: