A .22 LR Trajectory Chart is a highly detailed ballistic reference table that visually displays exactly how much a twenty two caliber rimfire bullet drops across various downrange distances. This critically important ballistic tool helps small game hunters and target shooters perfectly understand the specific flight path of their chosen factory ammunition before ever pulling the trigger. By diligently studying these precise ballistic values shooters can easily select the optimal zero distance for their rifle and confidently make perfectly accurate shots on tiny targets. Reviewing this comprehensive trajectory data completely guarantees you will fully maximize the incredible open field potential of this legendary rimfire cartridge.
.22 LR Trajectory Chart
| Manufacturer | Bullet Weight | Bullet Type | Ballistic Coefficient | Sectional Density | Muzzle Velocity | 25 Yard Drop | 50 Yard Drop | 75 Yard Drop | 100 Yard Drop | 125 Yard Drop | 150 Yard Drop | Recommended Zero Distance | Maximum Point Blank Range |
| CCI | 32 Grain | Stinger Copper Plated Hollow Point | 0.084 | 0.091 | 1640 FPS | Rise 0.2 | Zero | Drop 1.0 | Drop 3.5 | Drop 7.5 | Drop 13.0 | 50 Yards | 95 Yards |
| CCI | 40 Grain | Mini Mag Copper Plated Round Nose | 0.125 | 0.114 | 1235 FPS | Rise 0.5 | Zero | Drop 1.8 | Drop 5.5 | Drop 11.5 | Drop 19.5 | 50 Yards | 85 Yards |
| Federal | 40 Grain | AutoMatch Lead Round Nose | 0.120 | 0.114 | 1200 FPS | Rise 0.6 | Zero | Drop 2.0 | Drop 6.0 | Drop 12.5 | Drop 21.0 | 50 Yards | 80 Yards |
| Winchester | 40 Grain | Super X Copper Plated Hollow Point | 0.120 | 0.114 | 1280 FPS | Rise 0.4 | Zero | Drop 1.7 | Drop 5.2 | Drop 11.0 | Drop 18.5 | 50 Yards | 88 Yards |
| Remington | 36 Grain | Golden Bullet Plated Hollow Point | 0.125 | 0.102 | 1280 FPS | Rise 0.4 | Zero | Drop 1.8 | Drop 5.4 | Drop 11.2 | Drop 19.0 | 50 Yards | 88 Yards |
| Remington | 40 Grain | Thunderbolt Lead Round Nose | 0.143 | 0.114 | 1255 FPS | Rise 0.5 | Zero | Drop 1.8 | Drop 5.5 | Drop 11.5 | Drop 19.5 | 50 Yards | 85 Yards |
| Aguila | 40 Grain | Super Extra Copper Plated | 0.125 | 0.114 | 1255 FPS | Rise 0.5 | Zero | Drop 1.8 | Drop 5.5 | Drop 11.5 | Drop 19.5 | 50 Yards | 85 Yards |
| CCI | 40 Grain | Standard Velocity Lead Round Nose | 0.120 | 0.114 | 1070 FPS | Rise 0.8 | Zero | Drop 2.6 | Drop 7.5 | Drop 14.5 | Drop 24.5 | 50 Yards | 70 Yards |
| Federal | 40 Grain | Gold Medal Target Match | 0.138 | 0.114 | 1080 FPS | Rise 0.8 | Zero | Drop 2.5 | Drop 7.3 | Drop 14.3 | Drop 24.0 | 50 Yards | 72 Yards |
| ELEY | 40 Grain | Tenex Flat Nose Match | 0.140 | 0.114 | 1085 FPS | Rise 0.8 | Zero | Drop 2.5 | Drop 7.3 | Drop 14.2 | Drop 23.8 | 50 Yards | 73 Yards |
| Lapua | 40 Grain | Center X Lead Round Nose | 0.132 | 0.114 | 1073 FPS | Rise 0.8 | Zero | Drop 2.5 | Drop 7.4 | Drop 14.4 | Drop 24.2 | 50 Yards | 70 Yards |
| CCI | 45 Grain | Suppressor Lead Hollow Point | 0.128 | 0.128 | 970 FPS | Rise 1.2 | Zero | Drop 3.2 | Drop 9.5 | Drop 18.0 | Drop 29.5 | 50 Yards | 65 Yards |
| CCI | 40 Grain | Quiet Lead Round Nose | 0.123 | 0.114 | 710 FPS | Rise 2.0 | Zero | Drop 6.5 | Drop 18.0 | Drop 35.0 | Drop 58.0 | 25 Yards | 45 Yards |
This professional trajectory chart clearly provides rimfire shooters with extremely precise bullet drop measurements across various distances so they can accurately compensate for gravity. You should always properly match your chosen factory load with the recommended zero distance to maximize your effective hunting range and ensure perfectly ethical shots.
Understanding The .22 LR Trajectory Chart
Trajectory Analysis
The trajectory table reveals that most standard factory rimfire loads remain remarkably flat out to fifty yards. Shooters will quickly notice a very steep increase in bullet drop once the tiny projectile passes that critical seventy five yard mark.
CCI offers an incredibly flat shooting factory option with their legendary thirty two grain hyper velocity Stinger ammunition. This exceptionally fast round maintains a wonderfully tight trajectory that essentially eliminates complex holdover calculations inside seventy five yards.
The highly popular forty grain bullet from Winchester drops exactly five point two inches at one hundred yards. This impressive measurement clearly outperforms older traditional subsonic loads across similar hunting distances.
Traditional heavier standard velocity loads drop slightly more at one hundred yards than modern high velocity ammunition. The data clearly shows roughly seven and a half inches of drop at one hundred yards for these heavier target projectiles.
Understanding these distinct rimfire trajectory profiles ensures you never guess exactly where your bullet will strike distant small game. You can easily and confidently place the crosshairs perfectly on the vitals of your target animal every single time.
Velocity Analysis
Muzzle velocity plays a critical role in how rimfire cartridges physically perform downrange in open woodland environments. Faster initial speeds directly translate into significantly flatter trajectories and highly extended point blank hunting ranges for small game.
The CCI Stinger factory load represents the absolute fastest standard factory option widely available today. It aggressively leaves the rifle muzzle at a blistering one thousand six hundred forty feet per second.
Standard velocity target bullets leave the barrel much slower and therefore experience more severe drop at extended ranges. The legendary CCI Standard Velocity load only generates one thousand seventy feet per second at the muzzle.
This massive difference in velocity perfectly illustrates precisely why small game hunters must test their chosen ammunition carefully. A significantly faster bullet physically arrives at the target much quicker and spends less time fighting the downward pull of gravity.
Velocity also completely dictates how reliably small lead hollow point bullets will violently expand upon impacting heavy animal tissue. Bullets that slow down too much before finally reaching the target may entirely fail to mushroom correctly at extreme distances.
Ballistic Coefficient Analysis
Ballistic coefficient physically measures how efficiently a heavy bullet cuts through the air and strongly resists wind drag during flight. The higher this specific numerical value is the better the bullet will retain its initial muzzle velocity downrange.
The ELEY Tenex forty grain match load features one of the highest ballistic coefficients which greatly helps it over open distances. Its highly impressive zero point one four zero rating helps it maintain forward momentum despite having slower starting speeds.
Federal pushes their forty grain target load exceptionally well which heavily retains velocity perfectly. Their highly aerodynamic projectile design yields a highly respectable ballistic coefficient of zero point one three eight.
Bullets with much lower ballistic coefficients completely lose their velocity rapidly as they violently push through dense atmospheric air. The hyper velocity CCI Stinger round features a slightly lower coefficient which fully explains its rapidly degrading velocity past one hundred yards.
Studying these aerodynamic efficiency ratings helps precision marksmen easily select ammunition that cheats the wind effectively. Highly efficient rimfire bullets always definitively deliver more kinetic energy to the target at longer hunting distances.
Best Hunting Loads Based On The Chart
Squirrel hunters climbing steep hills should immediately pick the CCI Mini Mag forty grain copper plated hunting load. This highly specific cartridge provides massive energy transfer and deep terminal performance on small woodland game.
Varmint hunters specifically targeting large raccoons will find the Winchester Super X forty grain hollow point exceptionally effective. The incredibly heavy plated hollow point bullet guarantees deep penetration without completely destroying vast amounts of precious fur.
Marksmen shooting tiny paper targets at fifty yards need maximum consistency and match grade precision accuracy. The Lapua Center X forty grain match load perfectly provides the exact consistent velocities completely required for shooting microscopic groups.
Shooters operating in extreme noise restricted environments should strongly consider the CCI Suppressor forty five grain heavy load. The highly advanced heavy construction thoroughly ensures flawless weight retention while completely staying comfortably below the speed of sound.
Hunters facing gusty open field wind conditions should completely rely on the massive Remington Thunderbolt forty grain ammunition. The heavier projectile mass combined with the superior ballistic coefficient helps significantly reduce horizontal wind deflection across open pastures.
Key Takeaways From The Chart
Our extensive trajectory data fully highlights the true capabilities and physical limitations of these highly popular rimfire cartridges. By closely analyzing the numbers you can easily make fully informed decisions about your daily ammunition selection.
The CCI Stinger factory load clearly delivers the absolute flattest trajectory among all standard evaluated commercial options. It perfectly represents a massive technological leap forward for hunters demanding extreme precision from their standard hunting rifles.
ELEY offers the absolute best premium heavy load for competitive shooters needing exact precision on distant steel targets. Their highly optimized flat nose projectile pushes aerodynamic bullets with incredible consistency across vast open target fields.
These modern cartridges easily provide a maximum point blank range extending well past eighty yards with most lightweight high velocity hunting loads. This highly impressive capability completely eliminates complicated mental math during fast paced woodland hunting scenarios.
Many shooters mistakenly assume faster lightweight bullets always drift significantly more than heavier alternatives at every single distance. However the highly efficient aerodynamic design of premium match bullets allows them to eventually retain energy incredibly well at extreme distances.
Common .22 LR Bullet Weights
32 Grain
Lightweight thirty two grain bullets are specifically engineered to perfectly balance manageable recoil with outstanding hyper velocity trajectory paths. These specialized aerodynamic projectiles fly incredibly straight and require almost zero holdover adjustments at standard woodland hunting distances.
The primary advantage includes incredibly explosive terminal performance on extremely sensitive tiny game animals like ground squirrels. The exceptionally optimized light bullet mass absolutely allows standard rimfire powder charges to accelerate the bullet to extraordinary speeds very quickly.
Hunters should strictly avoid using these lighter bullets on massive tough animals like coyotes or large feral hogs. They severely lack the required sectional density physically needed to heavily achieve deep penetration through highly massive shoulder bones.
Open country varmint hunters will quickly find these highly specialized loads exceptionally effective for mid range open country pest control. The perfectly balanced hyper velocity bullet essentially expands completely upon impact which drastically entirely reduces the risk of long tracking jobs.
Finding these unique highly accurate loads on local store shelves is incredibly easy due to massive mainstream popularity worldwide. Shooters can also easily buy them directly from major sporting goods retailers everywhere without any major hassle.
36 Grain
The thirty six grain projectile confidently serves as the absolute classic standard weight for modern high velocity bulk ammunition. These highly accurate bulk bullets typically leave the muzzle at one thousand two hundred eighty feet per second and provide outstanding terminal ballistics.
The main advantage is completely widespread global availability and a highly predictable trajectory curve out to one hundred yards. Every major ammunition manufacturer heavily utilizes cheap bulk copper plated hollow point construction for this specific weight to guarantee extreme affordability.
One minor disadvantage is that the older bulk bullet design remains highly susceptible to severe horizontal wind drift compared to premium match alternatives. However no tin can or casual steel target will ever notice a slight reduction in aerodynamic efficiency on perfectly calm sunny days.
This weight remains a completely spectacular choice for typical backyard plinking applications across the entire country. Countless casual rifle specialists completely rely on this exact bullet mass to clear vast arrays of targets every single summer weekend.
The recoil generated by these standard bulk loads remains entirely completely nonexistent for the vast majority of adult and youth shooters. You can easily and comfortably practice at the gun range all day without experiencing any severe shoulder fatigue whatsoever.
40 Grain
Heavy forty grain lead bullets remain the absolute gold standard for traditional hunters demanding deep penetration on tough small animals. These specialized projectiles physically exhibit a slightly more pronounced arc but heavily cheat the wind better than anything else commercially available.
The absolute greatest advantage of this specific standard bullet weight is its remarkable ability to completely retain lethal energy upon heavy impact. The incredibly tough solid lead nose completely guarantees the projectile cuts through dense squirrel hide with maximum penetration efficiency.
Shooters will certainly notice slightly better kinetic energy transfer when firmly stepping up to this heavier mass class in their rimfire rifles. The incredibly smooth recoil impulse completely allows marksmen to firmly securely hold their rifle to successfully quickly spot their own target impacts.
This bullet weight truly excels when engaging large tough jackrabbits during demanding late season hunting scenarios. The incredible physical consistency guarantees perfectly placed fatal shots even when dealing with tricky shifting winter woodland crosswinds.
Backcountry hunters frequently choose this exact weight when buying factory ammunition for heavily wooded high elevation timber stands. It perfectly represents the ultimate combination of reliable penetration and remarkable physical bone breaking performance on small game.
45 Grain
Heavy forty five grain bullets successfully completely push the extreme limits of what standard twenty two caliber rifles can physically stabilize. These highly specialized extra heavy subsonic projectiles fly incredibly quietly once they completely overcome their initially slow starting muzzle velocities.
The primary advantage includes absolutely devastating kinetic energy transfer and truly quiet operation through suppressed weapon systems. The exceptionally high bullet mass absolutely allows specialized powder charges to push the heavy bullet effectively below the speed of sound.
Hunters should strictly embrace using these massive heavy bullets on small tough animals in areas where noise completely remains a major concern. They perfectly possess the required sectional density physically needed to heavily achieve deep penetration through thick muscle while remaining completely silent.
Backyard pest control shooters will quickly find these highly specialized heavy loads exceptionally effective for discreet neighborhood pest elimination. The heavy bullet essentially ignores light crosswinds upon open flight which drastically entirely reduces the risk of missed unsafe shots.
Finding these unique heavy subsonic loads on local store shelves is becoming slightly easier as suppressed precision hunting gains mainstream popularity. Shooters can also easily order them directly from custom ammunition retailers online without any major purchasing hassle.
60 Grain
The truly gigantic sixty grain projectile confidently serves as the absolute maximum weight for modern extreme novelty rimfire shooting. These highly massive sniper bullets typically leave the muzzle at nine hundred fifty feet per second and provide terrifying terminal ballistics on small game.
The main advantage is completely unmatched short range penetration and a highly unique quiet trajectory curve out to fifty yards. Only a few specialized ammunition manufacturers heavily utilize massive long lead projectiles for this specific weight to guarantee reliable flight stability.
One major disadvantage is that the incredibly long heavy bullet requires unusually fast barrel twist rates to safely properly manage the stabilization. Standard rifles will often completely fail to stabilize these massive bullets which easily results in terrible accuracy and completely keyholed paper targets.
This unique weight remains a completely spectacular choice for extreme specialized tactical applications across various unique shooting environments. Countless specialized pest control specialists completely rely on this exact heavy bullet mass to successfully engage small targets with absolutely massive force.
The quiet report generated by these massive subsonic loads remains entirely comfortable for the vast majority of normal adult shooters. You absolutely must heavily utilize clean firearm maintenance protocols to comfortably extract these giant bullets from the chamber without completely jamming your rifle.
Effective Hunting Range
Small Game
Squirrel hunters can safely and confidently engage small targets out to seventy five yards with proper ammunition and a solid tree rest. This impressive distance firmly completely establishes modern rimfire rifles as highly capable open woodland hunting options for modern traditional sportsmen.
Heavy lead round nose bullets maintain enough velocity and physical energy to ensure perfectly ethical penetration at these extremely extended woodland distances. You must always fully verify your exact bullet drop data before attempting challenging shots across massive open oak tree canopies.
The rimfire cartridge truly shines brightest when hunters completely understand their exact trajectory data and daily environmental conditions. Knowing your precise visual holdover points thoroughly guarantees a clean and highly ethical harvest every single time you pull the heavy trigger.
Varmints
Farm pests feature very small vital zones that heavily require maximum energy for reliable humane long range farm harvesting. These giant tough farm animals have successfully absorbed numerous inaccurate bulk hunting bullets for many decades without dropping in their tracks.
Hunters should strictly physically limit their shots to one hundred yards to entirely guarantee the small bullet retains enough kinetic energy. Hitting these massive farm targets completely requires every ounce of physical kinetic energy your rimfire rifle can safely reliably deliver.
A well placed shot directly in the head remains the absolute best method for dropping large groundhogs instantly. The highly accurate copper plated hollow point bullet completely destroys the vital central nervous system upon violent physical impact when placed correctly.
Plinking And Target Shooting
Casual target shooting completely takes place across incredibly vast open ranges where casual shooters blast empty cans continuously every single sunny day. The small vital zone of a soda can firmly demands absolute laser precision from your flat shooting casual rifle system.
Marksmen routinely accurately engage these small metal targets out to one hundred fifty yards using highly aerodynamic high velocity copper bullets. The fast bullet remains highly physically predictable and stable even as it rapidly cuts through the nasty prairie crosswinds perfectly.
Premium bolt action rimfire rifles absolutely offer the absolute best performance for these incredible extreme distance casual prairie shots. Their unique ability to extract maximum velocity fully ensures you can easily ring steel plates before your friends successfully hit theirs.
Short Barrel Handguns
Hitting tiny targets with compact pistols firmly requires absolute mechanical consistency and premium bulk grade ammunition loaded to exact factory tolerances. Handgun shooters totally demand reliable cartridges fully capable of performing flawlessly in the most difficult dirty action conditions imaginable.
Marksmen routinely accurately engage paper plates out to twenty five yards using highly functional massive round nose bullets. The heavy lead bullet remains highly physically predictable and stable even as it rapidly leaves the unusually short pistol barrel assembly.
Heavy tactical semi automatic pistols absolutely offer the absolute best performance for these incredible fast paced target shots. Their massive heavy slides successfully prevent rapid overheating and fully ensure you can easily compete with heavily customized expensive target revolvers.
Suppressed Shooting
Quiet shooting effectively completely removes the loud completely disruptive supersonic crack that traditional high velocity ammunition heavily produces downrange. These specialized heavy subsonic cartridges gracefully fly incredibly silently once they smoothly entirely leave the perfectly threaded attached suppressor completely unbothered.
The primary stealth advantage essentially includes absolutely totally silent kinetic energy transfer completely suitable for extremely quiet backyard pest elimination completely unnoticed. The exceptionally optimized heavy bullet mass absolutely gracefully allows standard quiet powder charges to rapidly accelerate the projectile entirely below the supersonic threshold safely.
Hunters should strictly entirely embrace utilizing these massive incredibly quiet bullets on entirely tiny pests in areas where absolute stealth firmly remains paramount entirely. They perfectly possess the highly required dense sectional density physically completely needed to heavily achieve fully deep penetration completely silently through completely thick muscle effortlessly.
Factors That Affect .22 LR Trajectory
Bullet Weight
The physical grain weight of the heavy projectile fundamentally heavily alters exactly how the rimfire cartridge performs during sustained open air flight. Lighter bullets absolutely travel much faster and totally maintain a remarkably flat trajectory over the first fifty yards.
This heavily increased speed completely allows the projectile to firmly resist the immediate physical pull of gravity and stay perfectly aligned. Open field hunters strongly greatly prefer these lightweight options to completely entirely eliminate complicated mental holdover math entirely.
Conversely heavier massive target projectiles clearly drop slightly faster initially because gravity fully acts on their slower forward momentum completely. These massive heavy rimfire bullets simply cannot fully cover the short downrange distance fast enough to completely successfully avoid a downward arc.
Hunters must carefully weigh the delicate physical balance between the perfectly flat shooting nature of light bullets and heavier wind resistant alternatives. Your highly specific hunting environment should always heavily deeply dictate exactly which bullet weight will physically perform best.
Muzzle Velocity
Higher muzzle velocities successfully propel the small bullet further downrange before gravity can visibly pull it downward in any truly significant way. Speed entirely remains the absolute ultimate equalizer when trying to safely extend the maximum point blank range of your rimfire hunting rifle.
Ammunition loaded specifically to maximum hyper safe pressures will always completely shoot noticeably flatter than standard pressure factory subsonic loads. Major factory manufacturers frequently utilize extremely custom blended fast burning powders to safely physically achieve these highly impressive hyper velocity gains.
Major daily variations in physical cold powder temperature can easily entirely cause massive fluctuations in your average daily rimfire muzzle velocity. You must fully store your ammunition properly in climate controlled environments to totally ensure consistent velocity readings at the target range.
Barrel Length
Longer heavy rimfire rifle barrels firmly provide substantially more physical time for expanding powder gases to aggressively heavily accelerate the small projectile. A twenty inch heavy barrel consistently totally produces significantly different velocities than a standard sixteen inch tactical compact carbine barrel.
Short tactical pistol barrels fully lose considerable physical velocity which totally causes the heavy bullet to drop much earlier in its flight path. Hunters carrying highly compact tactical pistols must properly completely compensate for this massively reduced speed by firmly adjusting their visual ballistic calculators.
Bolt action precision rifles naturally extract slightly more physical velocity than gas operated semi automatic sporting rifles using identical bulk ammunition. The fully heavily sealed breech of a solid bolt action entirely completely prevents any expanding gases from escaping during the firing process.
Ballistic Coefficient
Aerodynamic rimfire bullets easily slip through the dense atmosphere easily and beautifully retain their velocity incredibly well at extended distances. High ballistic coefficients dramatically deeply reduce the rapid rate at which heavy gravity physically pulls the projectile toward the earth safely.
Blunt round nose flat bulk bullets fully experience massive physical wind drag that visibly slows them down quickly and drastically increases their drop rate. You should entirely avoid heavily using these highly inefficient blunt bullet shapes if you plan on shooting accurately past one hundred yards.
Heavy polymer coated boat tail rimfire bullets completely offer the absolute best ballistic coefficients commercially available for modern rimfire target cartridges. They perfectly fully provide the ultimate aerodynamic physical profile while ensuring extremely rapid violent flight stability upon physical open air travel.
Wind
Strong prairie crosswinds violently deeply push the tiny lightweight rimfire projectiles completely off their intended flight path and rapidly create immense horizontal drift. Even highly aerodynamic heavy match bullets will absolutely catch a significant amount of wind during extended open field flight times.
Slower standard velocity bullets heavily spend more time completely exposed to the physical wind and suffer from significantly greater overall horizontal deflection. Shooters must carefully learn to accurately thoroughly read exact wind speed and direction when heavily attempting shots past seventy five yards.
Always thoroughly verify your physical wind drift calculations using a highly reliable visual ballistic calculator before hunting in totally open windy environments. A sudden strong gust of wind can entirely easily push your tiny bullet completely off the massive vital zone of an unwary squirrel.
Temperature
Cold winter mountain air is incredibly dense and aggressively strongly creates additional physical drag that slows tiny bullets down faster than warm summer air. This incredibly dense atmospheric condition completely forces the small bullet to heavily expend extra kinetic energy simply pushing the cold air away.
Rimfire powder also burns much slower in freezing temperatures which severely physically reduces initial muzzle velocity right out of the cold barrel. Always manually fully verify your zero data during the exact actual freezing cold weather conditions you expect to physically comfortably hunt in.
Extreme summer heat can rapidly strongly cause rimfire ammunition pressures to visually spike dangerously high in certain precision dirty rifle platforms. Never totally leave your premium target ammunition completely sitting in direct hot sunlight during incredibly warm summer casual range sessions.
Altitude
High elevation rocky mountain environments completely feature incredibly thin mountain air that heavily fully generates very little physical drag on flying rimfire projectiles. The complete absolute lack of atmospheric resistance magically smoothly allows the small bullet to totally retain maximum velocity for incredibly long distances.
Bullets fired highly safely at high altitudes will physically shoot noticeably flatter and strongly fully retain far more energy than identical rounds at sea level. Hunters eagerly traveling from warm coastal regions to high mountainous states must completely fully recheck their physical rimfire trajectory data upon arrival.
The rapid sudden change in atmospheric pressure can easily entirely shift your precise physical point of impact by several inches at extended ranges. Always fully pack enough extra bulk ammunition to thoroughly safely test your target rifle after arriving at a high elevation mountain hunting camp.
Zero Distance
The highly specific physical distance at which you properly sight in your precision rimfire rifle entirely fully dictates exactly where the bullet impacts. Establishing a perfectly completely proper solid zero heavily remains the absolute rock solid foundation of totally accurate field rimfire marksmanship skills.
Choosing an incredibly optimal zero distance perfectly completely maximizes your point blank range and totally completely minimizes the need for complex field holdovers. You should manually deeply tailor your rifle zero strictly based fully on the typical engagement distances you physically typically encounter locally.
A totally poorly chosen physical zero distance will sadly force you to completely memorize highly complicated ballistic charts in the busy hunting field. Selecting the absolutely totally correct exact zero entirely ensures you can easily focus entirely on making a totally clean ethical shot immediately.
Best Zero Distance
25 Yard Zero
A twenty five yard zero completely ensures absolute dead center mechanical precision at very short standard woodland small game hunting distances completely perfectly. Most hunters strongly utilizing this extremely standard setup can simply heavily place the crosshairs directly on the vitals at very close range.
Shooters actively using this specific close zero must heavily dial their turrets significantly lower when confidently engaging targets at fifty yards. The rapid bullet rise essentially physically forces you to heavily adjust your scope elevation to completely guarantee a perfectly fatal close hit.
This firmly remains a highly popular safe zero choice for tactical precision shooters entirely running extremely slow subsonic heavy loads comfortably. The highly simple zero completely fully allows marksmen to quickly deeply calculate specific dope adjustments from a completely solid baseline.
50 Yard Zero
Setting a fifty yard zero requires the high velocity bullet to completely arc slightly less than one inch high at twenty five yards. This highly specific optimal setup heavily creates a massive point blank range that entirely introduces very little room for critical vertical error.
This extremely slight midrange physical rise safely allows hunters to confidently accurately shoot directly at the center of the chest everywhere inside sixty yards. Experienced marksmen confidently shooting in wide fully open agricultural fields strongly deeply prefer utilizing this highly popular optimal setup completely.
You must thoroughly completely understand exactly how much your bullet entirely drops at seventy five yards before hunting with this solid zero. Forgetting this extremely crucial ballistic detail will inevitably quickly result in a slightly low physical impact during sudden long farm encounters.
75 Yard Zero
A seventy five yard zero aggressively firmly pushes the hyper velocity bullet trajectory nearly two inches high at intermediate fifty yard distances. This extremely specialized long zero caters strictly entirely to extreme open country varmint hunters completely successfully operating in vast open plains.
Shooting safely at standard tiny targets inside twenty five yards with this extreme zero will definitively entirely result in exceptionally high physical impacts. Most standard small game hunters fully find this specific zero completely far too limiting and complicated for general dense woodland hunting applications.
Only highly skilled precision marksmen specifically perfectly targeting distant rodents at extreme physical distances should ever fully consider utilizing this specific zero. It completely fully requires total absolute mastery of your specific trajectory curve to completely successfully avoid shooting cleanly over your tiny target.
Maximum Point Blank Zero
The mathematical maximum point blank zero strongly visually represents the absolute best compromise for general purpose open field rimfire hunting applications. It perfectly physically balances the maximum mid flight bullet rise with the truly inevitable long range downrange bullet drop perfectly effectively.
This highly precise expertly calculated zero firmly keeps the bullet trajectory safely within a tight one inch target window across all typical hunting distances. You can confidently smoothly take fast active shots anywhere within this massive physical window by simply successfully aiming dead center on the shoulder.
Most premium rimfire ammunition manufacturers strongly completely recommend this exact proven methodology for properly calculating zeroes for their standard high velocity hunting loads. It physically provides the absolute greatest maximum engagement range for standard factory bulk ammunition without manually adjusting expensive complex scope turrets.
.22 LR Compared To Similar Cartridges
| Cartridge | Trajectory Profile | Typical Velocity | Muzzle Energy | Effective Range | Felt Recoil Level | Maximum Point Blank Range |
| 22 Short | Steep Arc | 1050 FPS | 70 Foot Pounds | 50 Yards | Extremely Light | 55 Yards |
| 22 LR | Moderate Arc | 1200 FPS | 130 Foot Pounds | 100 Yards | Very Light | 85 Yards |
| 22 WMR | Flat | 1900 FPS | 320 Foot Pounds | 125 Yards | Light | 115 Yards |
| 17 HMR | Very Flat | 2550 FPS | 245 Foot Pounds | 150 Yards | Very Light | 135 Yards |
| 17 Mach 2 | Flat | 2100 FPS | 165 Foot Pounds | 100 Yards | Extremely Light | 105 Yards |
The comparative data fully deeply proves that modern optimized rimfire cartridges completely gracefully offer significantly superior open field performance universally. Their modern aerodynamic miniature case designs perfectly fully allow them to safely entirely push incredibly small light bullets at highly impressive hyper velocities.
Hunters extremely highly sensitive to heavy centerfire recoil should immediately absolutely choose the highly efficient twenty two caliber cartridge entirely safely. The highly efficient aerodynamic bulk bullet generates massive downrange kinetic energy and totally remains highly effective on tiny pests at very comfortable distances.
The mighty seventeen magnum cartridge delivers absolutely unmatched long range kinetic energy while entirely smoothly fitting in standard rimfire magnum rifle actions. Shooters who heavily truly demand the absolute vastest selection of hyper velocity target bullets usually heavily fully prefer this modern magnum platform completely.
Shooters fully utilizing traditional short cartridges will quickly heavily find the classic twenty two short vastly superior for simple indoor gallery shooting longevity. However the modern massive standard long rifle cases completely firmly remain highly capable and entirely undisputedly superior for extreme distance small game daytime hunting.
The massive heavy magnum completely safely provides incredibly deep penetration and heavily totally dominates the extreme long range rimfire varmint shooting world. Most modern farm shooters gladly fully completely accept the slightly louder report for the significantly superior flat terminal trajectory this advanced magnum cartridge fully provides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A .22 LR Trajectory Chart
It is a highly beautifully detailed visual data table completely thoroughly displaying the exact small bullet flight path and physical drop rates at specific distances. Shooters heavily intensely rely on this extremely deeply critical ballistic data to accurately physically determine exactly where to aim when hunting far away.
What Is The Maximum Effective Range Of A .22 LR
Most highly thoroughly experienced squirrel hunters strongly completely consider one hundred yards to be the absolute perfectly maximum ethical hunting range for this advanced cartridge. Beyond this extremely strict physical distance the aerodynamic bullet fully drops rapidly and completely totally loses the kinetic energy absolutely required for reliable expansion.
How Much Does A .22 LR Drop At 100 Yards
When perfectly safely zeroed at exactly fifty yards a standard forty grain target bullet will completely definitively drop roughly five to seven inches at one hundred yards. Utilizing a standard twenty five yard zero will drastically dramatically fully reduce that exact physical holdover depending heavily entirely on the specific brand speed.
Is The .22 LR Better Than The 22 WMR
The slightly smaller extremely affordable cartridge clearly thoroughly offers significantly cheaper target practice options and slightly beautifully less noise pollution at extreme open close range distances. However the slightly older classic magnum cartridge fully entirely remains a slightly vastly popular choice for hunters specifically perfectly targeting extremely large tough game animals worldwide.
What Is The Best Zero For Rimfire Hunting
A perfectly scientifically calculated fifty yard zero absolutely beautifully provides the absolute very best maximum point blank range for all general open field small game hunting situations. This highly fully optimized zero setting perfectly beautifully keeps the entire physical bullet trajectory safely within a perfectly tight vertical window across all typical woodland hunting distances.
Does Barrel Length Affect Rimfire Ballistics
Yes longer premium heavy bolt action target barrels completely thoroughly provide significantly higher initial muzzle velocities which directly fully flatten the exact bullet trajectory downrange. A massive twenty inch heavy bolt action precision rifle will absolutely completely shoot noticeably flatter and definitively entirely hit significantly harder than a standard tiny pistol carbine.
What Is The Best Rimfire Hunting Load
The highly completely popular CCI Mini Mag copper plated load currently beautifully remains the absolute entirely most trusted and highly versatile factory hunting load available today. It perfectly deeply balances incredibly excellent speedy muzzle velocity with totally completely devastating terminal ballistic physical performance on all standard North American small game species.
How Does Bullet Weight Change The Rimfire Bullet Drop Chart
Heavier premium long range hunting bullets safely smoothly travel slightly slower initially but simply fully entirely retain their momentum much better across extreme physical long distances. Lighter extremely fast totally hyper velocity bullets completely firmly maintain high initial speeds and clearly totally offer the absolute perfectly flattest possible initial trajectory curve.
What Is The Rimfire Ballistic Coefficient
Most premium heavy match bullets specifically structurally designed for these advanced target cartridges entirely totally feature remarkably decent aerodynamics with ballistic coefficients ranging wildly from zero point one zero to nearly zero point one five. These remarkably surprisingly high aerodynamic efficiency numbers specifically fully clearly explain precisely exactly why the heavy target bullets completely lose velocity incredibly slowly.
Can You Use Rimfire Cartridges For Medium Game Hunting
These highly advanced fast modern small cartridges were completely successfully specifically engineered heavily for extreme precision short range target competition and casual plinking applications exclusively. Using their incredibly small kinetic energy and extreme low initial velocity completely prevents them from cleanly ethically harvesting medium game animals even at extremely close woodland ranges safely.