22-250 Ballistics Charts From Every Major Ammunition Manufacturer

We’ve compiled all the 22-250 ballistics charts you’ll need to make the perfect choice when purchasing 22-250 factory ammo. Don't neglect this info.

The 22-250 Remington is renowned for its flat trajectory, incredible velocity, and formidable energy, making it a favorite among long-range shooters and varmint hunters.

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the ballistics of the 22-250, examining its trajectory, velocity, energy, and effective range.

22-250 Trajectory Chart

A bullet’s trajectory is also called its flight path. Shooters often measure the bullet’s change in elevation in inches of bullet drop, but it’s also measured in minutes of angle (MOA).

A cartridge with a flat trajectory is preferred because it allows shooters to make fewer adjustments to compensate for bullet drop. The 22 ARC and 6.5 Creedmoor are excellent examples of flat-trajectory rifle cartridges, which contributes to their popularity among varmint hunters and long-range shooting enthusiasts.

The 22-250 Remington is another flat-shooting rifle cartridge. Its lightweight projectiles, which boast high muzzle velocities and solid ballistic coefficients, make shooting coyotes, prairie dogs, and other small game animals much simpler at long distances.

When it is sighted in at 200 yards with a bolt-action rifle, a 55 grain bullet only drops -38.6 inches at 500 yards.

22-250 Velocity

A bullet’s muzzle velocity is the rate at which it exits the barrel. American shooters measure a projectile’s velocity in feet per second (fps).

Because they give exploding propellant more time to exert its energy against the projectile’s base, longer barrels typically produce higher muzzle velocities. Bullet weight and design also significantly affect how much velocity a projectile will exhibit downrange. For example, heavier bullets have higher inertia, and therefore tend to attain relatively lower muzzle velocities than lighter bullets.

Soft point bullets conserve velocity less efficiently than polymer-tipped hollow point boat tail bullets because HPBTs are more ballistically efficient.

Handloads also tend to have higher velocities than factory-loaded ammo, which is one reason why reloading is so popular among dedicated varmint hunters and long-distance shooting enthusiasts.

The muzzle velocity of a factory-loaded 22-250 50 grain AccuTip-V cartridge is 3,800 fps. The muzzle velocity of a Remington High Performance 55 grain PSP round is 3,680 fps. The 50 grain AccuTip-V maintains a velocity of 1,878 fps at 500 yards downrange. The 55 grain PSP maintains a velocity of 1,490 fps at 500 yards downrange.

22-250 Kinetic Energy

A bullet’s kinetic energy is measured in foot-pounds (ft-lbs). A projectile’s muzzle energy reflects the force with which it exits the barrel. Heavier bullets tend to have higher muzzle energy than lighter bullets. Velocity is also a significant contributing factor, however, which is why lighter projectiles can have greater muzzle energy than heavier ones.

Higher muzzle energy typically indicates the round has more recoil. The 22-250’s lightweight projectiles generate relatively little recoil energy, making it an excellent choice for introducing someone to shooting and hunting.

A 50 grain V-MAX will have about 1,776 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. At 500 yards, it only conserves 447 ft-lbs of that energy. The 55 grain V-MAX conserves even less energy at the same range: 1,654 ft-lbs at the muzzle, 433 ft-lbs at 500 yards.

22-250 Effective Range

The 22-250 offers an effective range of 500 yards to the average varmint hunter. In the hands of a skilled marksman, the 22-250 has an effective range of 800 yards for varmint hunting.

The biggest problem with lightweight projectiles is that they conserve relatively less energy downrange. This is why the 22-250 has a relatively short effective range for deer hunting: up to 300 yards, although many agree that it’s best to keep it within 200 yards. This may be a moot shortcoming depending on where you live, because the 22-250 isn’t legal for taking deer and other large game in several states.

Continue reading the full guide on 22-250 ballistics here.