22LR ballistics/trajectory
 

I'm sighted in zero at 25 yards, about 1" low at 35 feet with Federal 40 grain RN Gameshok.

So, I assume the 25 yds is the "first" zero - where would the next zero be? 100 yds?

I zero @ 50m, adjust for 25, 75, 100, and 150m. I tape adjustment chart to my stock.

.22LR zeroed at 25 meters is very low at 100. Starts dropping like a stone somewhere out around 75 meters.

75 meters is a good battlesight zero, but the range is seldom marked off. 50 works well too but is low again at 100.

-- Chuck

Until I find a longer range, 25 yds is it, just wondering where it will come back to zero.

Even when we shoot outdoors, we rarely get out past 50 yds.

I keep my 15/22 zero'd for 50 yards and its still right on at 50' and maybe a 1/2" high if that.
Ill put mine on the 100 yard range soon and then just move my vertical adjustment to make the required perfect poi at that range.
That way i only have to remember what 100 yards is on the dial as 50 yards is "0" and 50' is almost perfect at "0" also.
The best way to do this is keep the scope as close to the bore axis as possible.

Sight in at 25 yds. You'll be 1" high at 50yds and dead on again at 75...

Thank you . . . I'm going to try that. Hopefully, that will save me a lot of time. I just sighted in at 25 yards with my red dot.

Here's the output from the PointBlank software using the Walmart Federal bulk that averaged 1164 fps across my chronograph (chrono at 15 feet).

As a rough rule of thumb, zero at 25m = zero at 75m, and you'll need about 6MOA (6") of come-up for 100m - using high velocity .22.

The data furnished by OneUp (thanks for posting the link!) will probably hold true for most of the .22LR we shoot. The difference between yards and meters at these ranges is insignificant regarding trajectory.

75 yards will keep the bullet within a 4MOA red dot at all ranges out to 100 from the chart -- an excellent battlesight. A first cross-over at 25 yards will be lower at 100 than this chart indicates (as it was zeroed at 75). That inch matters.

-- Chuck

Great, thanks!

Now, I just need to find out what MOA the circle in the reticle is.

Great info, Thanks

I have shoot a lot of different .22lr rifles over the years. I sight in bulls eye at 25 yards. Bulls eye at 50 yards I hold just a little low. ~.5 inch. At 75 yards just right over, and 100yards about 3 inchs over.
Done me well, getting the first shot close. Each rifle, and each brand of ammo will hit a little bit different. You have too walk it in.
What I have been playing lately is golf. Golf ball teed up at 50yards. You get five shots with .22lr open sights, to see who can move it on down the most. Best I have done 76 yards. Got beat the other day by 81 yards.

It is fun!!!

Guy22

Your dot will cover the bullseye at anything over 75 yards or so. Red dots aren't really made for anything but up close quick acquisition shooting.
If you can, sight your irons for 50 yards and longer shots. Then you have the best of both worlds.

25 yard zero puts you in the 4-5 MOA low at 100 yards with most commonly available standard velocity .22lr loads.

While .22LR will have the same trajectory relative to the rifle bore in any rifle of the same barrel length and ammo, the trajectory relative to line of sight is what really counts.

Typical bolt action rifle will have the front sight much closer to the bore center than those on the M&P15-22 so your 25 meter zero with the two rifles will strike much differently at 50, 75, etc.

The AR15 front sight 2-1/2" above bore means the bullet has to have a trajectory to bring it up 2-1/2" to strike the target where you want -- where your sights are pointed. Only 1/2" above bore with a bolt action only requires a trajectory to bring it up half an inch.

Likewise a telescopic sight towering over the bore in either will be different as well.

Different sight center above bore generates a different trajectory relative to line of sight.

-- Chuck

The Winchester ballistics calculator is an excellent FREE tool to answer just these questions. it can be used direct online in your PC, or downloaded to your Apple device as an App. Choose your cartridge, sight elevation above bore, zero distance, and presto. Pretty colored lines and charts giving you data to reference at the range. The only down side is that the cartridge selection to choose from is obviously Winchester brand only.
Ballistics | Winchester Ammunition Ballistics Calculator & Ammo Ballistics

Chuck S,

I read everything you post. It is always good info. Please keep it coming.

Thank You.

[QUOTE=~tc~;135450566]I'm sighted in zero at 25 yards, about 1" low at 35 feet with Federal 40 grain RN Gameshok.

So, I assume the 25 yds is the "first" zero - where would the next zero be? 100 yds?

A rough rule of thumb I have keep in my head for many years. By rough I mean different rifles and ammo do differently but this has proved over the years to be about right.

A .22lr rifle sighted in a 25 yards will be a little high at 50 yards. ~ 1 1/2 to 2". It will be almost at zero again at 75 yards.
~1/2" low. At 100 yards about 4" low.

The rule is 25 yards on target. At 50 yards 2" high. At 75yards on target. At 100 yards 4" low. Try this and see if it doesn't keep you close.
Guy22

I was shooting my GSG 1911 the other day. Have it set up at 30~50 feet. I decided to see what it would do at 50 yards. Shooting CCI mini mags, I was able to hit in the black for all ten shots on a 9 inch target from the bench. I was holding around 6 inches high.

.22 Rimfire Fun - YouTube

80 yard gong looks like fun!!!

Guy22

I zero at 100 yards and it's 4 inches high at 50 yards and approx 50 inch drop at 200 yards. I hope it helps you, I am lucky to have a outdoor range that goes up to 500 yards.

here's the link to the range

http://www.sureshotgunsports.com/

According to my spreadsheet, and assuming you get the published 1240/1103/1010 fps at 0/50/100 yards, and assuming iron sights at about 2.62" above the bore (which is what my 15-22 MOE is), if you sight in at 25 yards, you will be 2.3" low at 100 yards, and at 79 yards you'll also be at zero.

The only thing changing those values is the bullet velocity profile and the height of your sight above center of bore. My scope is 2.8" above, which would result in 1.8" low at 100 yards, with the second zero at 84 yards. Mounting your scope at 3.4" above center would actually result in zeros at both 25 and 100 yards, but that's getting higher than you might want.

thanks rraisley I couldn't print you notepad so I just finished transferring your data to excel :D

If you need any other data, let me know. I'd post the spreadsheet, but it's pretty ugly, and customized for all my guns. Well, for my target pistols and the 15-22.

if you go on the hawke website you can download their calculator software its free, also do an app for the iphone soo good when on the range

Does this mean that the aim point (putting the cross hairs on the bulls eye) is the same at 25 yds as it is at 75yds?

This is silly advice. You can use your red dot the same way you use iron sights, by adjusting the dot for a six-o'clock hold. There's no rule saying you need to superimpose or cover the target with the dot --- it's just a point of reference. Yes its quick at close quarters to simply put the dot on the intended POI, but it's also easy to use the red dots with much more finesse. I can drive tacks at 200 yards with an Aimpoint 2MOA dot on my very accurate .223 Contender Super 14.

Pretty much, yes. The bullet is on the rise when it hits 25 yards (this is because the barrel has to be raised due to the sight being substantially higher than the barrel). It continues higher to roughly 50 yards, reaching its peak at maybe an inch higher than you would be sighting it. Then it starts dropping to reach close to zero near 70-80 yards (depending on velocity profile). Then drops continuously, maybe 2-3" at 100 yards, much more further on.

I just wanted to expand a little more on what rraisley said. The two yardages your sights will be on are determined by two things. 1) The specific ballistics of the bullet you are shooting. Some have a flatter trajectory while some have more of an arched trajectory. 2) The height above barrel line your sights are set at. These two factors will affect the yardages, but 25 and 75 are a general rule of thumb.