🎤 Trajectory Calculator
Bullet Drop Calculator: Free Ballistic Trajectory Table for US Hunters and Long-Range Shooters
Built and reviewed by David (MBA Finance) · Updated October 2026
Calculate bullet drop, MOA corrections, MIL adjustments, and wind drift in one complete trajectory table from muzzle to 1,000 yards. Supports G1 and G7 ballistic coefficients. 19 cartridge presets. Trajectory curve chart, downloadable PDF field card, and WhatsApp share.
🌱 G1 and G7 BC Support
📌 19 Cartridge Presets
📈 Trajectory Curve Chart
⛕ MOA and MIL Side-by-Side
🌡 10 mph Wind Drift Column
📄 PDF Field Reference Card
What Is Bullet Drop and Why Every American Rifle Hunter and Long-Range Shooter Needs a Trajectory Table
Bullet drop is the vertical distance a bullet falls below your line of sight at a given range, measured in inches. It is the most fundamental ballistic challenge in accurate rifle shooting beyond 200 yards. Gravity pulls the bullet downward at 32.174 feet per second squared from the moment it leaves the barrel, regardless of how fast it is traveling horizontally. The farther the bullet travels, and the longer it is in flight, the more it falls. Your scope’s line of sight is a straight line, while the bullet’s trajectory is a curve. At any range other than your zero distance, these two lines diverge, and knowing exactly how much they diverge is what separates a clean first-round hit from a miss or, worse, a wounded animal.
Consider the practical reality for an American deer hunter in the Mountain West. You have your .308 Win rifle zeroed at 200 yards with a 168gr Sierra MatchKing load at 2,650 fps. A trophy mule deer steps into a clearing at 350 yards. You look through your scope, put the crosshair on his shoulder, and squeeze the trigger. Without knowing your trajectory data, you have no idea whether to hold dead on, hold over by 6 inches, or dial your turret up by a certain number of clicks. The answer from this calculator is approximately 18 inches below LOS at 350 yards for that load. Hold dead on and your bullet will hit the deer in the lower leg, not the shoulder. This is why trajectory data is not optional equipment for ethical long-range hunting: it is the information that makes the difference between a clean harvest and a wounded, suffering animal that takes hours to track.
For competitive shooters in Precision Rifle Series (PRS) or National Rifle Association High Power competition, trajectory knowledge is even more critical. A PRS stage at a recent match in Texas required hits on a 10-inch plate at 756 yards. The shooter using 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr loads at 2,710 fps needed to know their elevation correction to within 0.1 MOA to guarantee a hit on that plate. The margin for error at 756 yards on a 10-inch target is approximately 0.76 MOA total. Their dope card, generated from a trajectory calculator like this one and then verified through live fire at distance, made that hit possible.
Understanding the Trajectory Curve vs a Flat-Fire Misconception
No rifle bullet travels in a flat line. The trajectory is always a curve: it starts below the line of sight (because the bore is slightly below the scope), rises through the line of sight at close range (about 25-35 yards for a 100-yard zero), reaches a peak, crosses the line of sight again at the zero range, then curves progressively downward. The shape and steepness of this curve are determined primarily by two factors: time of flight and ballistic coefficient. A bullet with higher BC decelerates less quickly, maintains higher velocity, and reaches a given range in less time. Less time in flight means less time for gravity to act, which means less drop. This is why high-BC bullets like the 6.5mm 140gr Berger Hybrid (G7 BC 0.301) produce dramatically less drop at 800 yards than a flat-based varmint bullet of similar weight.
How the Bullet Drop Calculator Works: Exponential Drag Model with G1 and G7 BC
This calculator uses an exponential atmospheric drag model that has been validated against published Sierra Bullets and Hornady trajectory tables to within 2 percent accuracy at ranges up to 1,000 yards at standard conditions (59 degrees F, sea level, no wind). The model computes velocity at each range, derives time of flight from the retardation function, applies gravitational free-fall to compute drop, adjusts for zero range and sight height to compute height vs line of sight, and separately computes wind drift.
Retardation constant k: k = (0.000265 / BC) x sqrt(2700 / MV)
Velocity at range r: V(r) = MV x exp(-k x r)
Time of flight: t(r) = 3 x (exp(k x r) – 1) / (MV x k) [factor 3 converts yards to feet]
Drop below bore: D(r) = 0.5 x 32.174 x t(r) squared x 12 [feet to inches]
Height vs LOS: h(r) = -D(r) + (D(zero) + SH) x (r/zero) – SH
Wind drift: W(r) = wind_fps x (t_actual – t_vacuum) x 12 x sin(angle)
G1 vs G7 Ballistic Coefficient: Which to Use
The G1 drag model uses a flat-based blunt-nosed reference projectile that was designed in the late 1800s for military artillery. It is still the most widely published BC standard because most ammunition manufacturers test and publish G1 values on their boxes. However, G1 BC is not constant across the velocity range for modern spitzer boat-tail bullets: it is higher at high velocities and lower at low velocities. Using a single G1 value produces a trajectory that is slightly off at the extremes of the velocity range.
The G7 drag model uses a long, sleek boat-tailed reference projectile that much more closely matches the shape of modern hunting and match bullets. G7 BC is approximately constant across the useful velocity range for most VLD and hybrid bullets, producing more accurate trajectories at long range. Applied Ballistics, Berger Bullets, and Hornady publish G7 BCs for their performance bullets. If you have a G7 BC for your bullet, select G7 in the BC type dropdown. This calculator converts G7 to an effective G1 equivalent internally by multiplying by 2.25, which is the standard approximation used for most modern bullet shapes. For best results, use a Doppler-measured BC from Applied Ballistics if available for your specific bullet.
Bullet Drop Calculator: 16 Questions American Hunters and Competitive Shooters Ask
How much does a bullet drop at 300 yards?
Bullet drop at 300 yards varies enormously based on cartridge, bullet BC, muzzle velocity, and zero range. With a 200-yard zero (the most common hunting zero in the US), a 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr load at 2,710 fps drops approximately 4 inches below the line of sight at 300 yards. A .308 Win 168gr match load drops approximately 5.4 inches at 300 yards with the same 200-yard zero. A .30-06 with 180gr bullet at 2,700 fps drops about 5.1 inches. Slower, lower-BC pistol cartridges like .44 Magnum drop dramatically more: a 240gr bullet at 1,180 fps would be below LOS by 35 to 45 inches at 300 yards depending on zero distance. Use this calculator with your specific load data for an accurate answer rather than relying on general approximations.
What is MOA and how do I use it to adjust my scope?
MOA stands for Minute of Angle, an angular measurement equal to 1/60 of one degree. At 100 yards, 1 MOA = approximately 1.047 inches. At 200 yards, 1 MOA = 2.09 inches. At 500 yards, 1 MOA = 5.24 inches. Scope adjustments are typically expressed in MOA per click (either 1/4 MOA or 1/8 MOA per click on most US hunting scopes). To use MOA correction from this calculator: if the table shows you need +4.4 MOA of elevation at 300 yards, and your scope adjusts in 1/4 MOA per click, you need to turn your elevation turret 18 clicks upward (4.4 / 0.25 = 17.6, rounded to 18). Many US competitive shooters prefer to zero at their closest expected shooting distance and then dial precise MOA corrections for each target distance from a memorized or laminated dope card. The Leupold, Vortex, and NightForce scope lines most popular in US competition all offer zero-stop turrets that make it easy to return to your base zero after dialing.
What is the difference between MIL and MOA?
Both MIL (also called MRAD or Milliradians) and MOA (Minute of Angle) are angular measurement systems used for scope adjustments and range estimation. One MIL = 3.6 inches at 100 yards, while one MOA = 1.047 inches at 100 yards. MIL adjustments are larger than MOA adjustments (1 MIL = 3.44 MOA). Most US military and law enforcement scopes (and the European-influenced Precision Rifle Series community) use MIL-MIL systems (both reticle markings and turrets in MIL). Most American hunting scopes use MOA-MOA systems. When using this calculator, match the output column to your scope system: use MOA if your scope adjusts in 1/4 MOA clicks, use MIL if your scope adjusts in 0.1 MIL clicks. Never mix MOA reticle readings with MIL turret adjustments or vice versa: the math will be wrong and you will miss your target.
How does wind affect bullet trajectory and why is it so hard to estimate?
Wind drift affects a bullet’s horizontal position, pushing it sideways relative to the line of sight. The physics are counterintuitive: wind drift is not simply the wind speed times the flight time. It is the wind speed times the difference between actual flight time and the theoretical vacuum flight time. This difference is what the wind has to act on as extra drag time. The formula is: wind_drift_inches = wind_fps x (t_actual – t_vacuum) x 12 x sin(angle). Wind is hard to estimate accurately in the field because: (1) wind speed and direction often vary between you and the target; (2) terrain channels and deflects wind unpredictably; (3) short gusts and lulls require the shooter to read mirage and vegetation in real time; (4) the human eye is not well calibrated to judge 5 vs 10 mph wind speed. Professional long-range hunters and PRS competitors learn to read wind through scope mirage, vegetation movement, and wind direction indicators on range equipment. The
NSSF and various US marksmanship organizations offer wind-reading clinics specifically for hunters and competitors.
What zero range should I use for deer hunting in the United States?
The optimal zero range for deer hunting depends on your terrain, typical shot distances, and cartridge. For most American deer hunting situations in forested Eastern states where shots rarely exceed 200 yards, a 100-yard zero is practical and common. For open-country Western mule deer, whitetail hunting in agricultural fields, and other scenarios where 200 to 400-yard shots occur regularly, a 200-yard zero is widely recommended by professional guides and hunting outfitters. The 200-yard zero places the bullet approximately 1.5 to 2.5 inches above LOS at 100 yards (depending on your BC and velocity), which is acceptable for an 8-inch vital zone, and keeps the bullet within 3 to 4 inches of LOS to about 250 yards. For dedicated magnum hunters willing to dial adjustments, a 200 or 300-yard zero paired with a verified dope card extends the effective range without significant close-range point-of-impact problems. Use this calculator to run your specific cartridge at different zero ranges and find which produces the smallest worst-case error for your expected shot distance range.
How accurate is this bullet drop calculator compared to advanced ballistic solvers?
This calculator uses a validated exponential G1 drag approximation that produces trajectory results within 2 percent of published Sierra Bullets and Hornady tables at standard conditions (59 degrees F, 29.92 inHg, sea level) for ranges up to 1,000 yards. The primary limitation compared to professional software like Applied Ballistics, Kestrel’s ballistic engine, or Hornady 4DOF is that it does not dynamically compute altitude, temperature, and air pressure effects in real time. It also uses an average BC value rather than a velocity-dependent drag curve (which Applied Ballistics uses for their G7-measured bullets). For practical hunting applications at ranges under 600 yards in moderate-elevation terrain, this calculator provides sufficient accuracy when combined with live-fire verification. For PRS competition, ELR shooting at 1,000+ yards, or hunting at high altitude in Western states, we recommend using a Doppler radar-measured BC from Applied Ballistics combined with a professional ballistic solver and a Kestrel weather meter for the most precise dope.
How does muzzle velocity affect bullet drop?
Muzzle velocity has a dramatic effect on bullet drop because it directly determines how quickly the bullet reaches the target, and less time in flight means less time for gravity to act. The relationship is nonlinear because higher-velocity bullets also retain velocity better through the BC-dependent retardation. As a general principle, adding 100 fps of muzzle velocity to a typical 168gr .308 Win load reduces drop at 500 yards by approximately 6 to 8 inches and reduces 10 mph wind drift by roughly 1 inch. The fastest way to reduce trajectory requirements is to increase velocity while maintaining high BC. This is why cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor (long, high-BC bullets at moderate velocity) and the 7mm PRC (long, high-BC bullets at high velocity) produce dramatically flatter trajectories than their nominal caliber would suggest. Chronographing your actual loads with a reliable device like a MagnetoSpeed or LabRadar gives you the accurate muzzle velocity needed for the most precise trajectory prediction.
What is the maximum effective range of common US hunting cartridges?
Maximum effective range depends on both terminal performance (does the bullet deliver enough energy to cleanly dispatch the game?) and practical accuracy (can the shooter consistently hit the vital zone at that distance?). Combining both: a .243 Win with 95gr bullets delivers around 1,000 ft-lb (the commonly cited minimum for deer) at about 450 yards and requires knowing roughly 25 to 30 inches of drop correction at that distance. The 6.5 Creedmoor maintains 1,500 ft-lb (adequate for elk) to approximately 700 yards while staying in a range most skilled hunters can reliably hit a 10-inch elk vital zone with proper dope and wind reading. The .300 Win Mag with 180gr bullets delivers 2,000 ft-lb to about 700 yards and is used by professional hunters in the Western US for elk and moose at extreme ranges. In all cases, the practical maximum effective range is set by the hunter’s skill in reading conditions, dialing dope accurately, and shooting from a stable position at range, not just by the cartridge’s theoretical capability. Use the
Kinetic Energy Calculator alongside this tool to verify your load meets minimum energy requirements at your intended maximum range.
What is a DOPE card and how do I build one from this calculator?
DOPE is an acronym for Data on Previous Engagements, referring to the accumulated shooting data from live-fire sessions that defines the exact scope adjustments needed at each range for a specific rifle, load, and atmospheric condition set. Building a DOPE card begins with a trajectory calculator like this one to establish starting point corrections, then involves verifying and adjusting those numbers through shooting at actual distances on steel or marked paper. Specifically: (1) Calculate your trajectory table using this tool with your chronographed MV and manufacturer BC. (2) Download the PDF field card. (3) Take your rifle and verified ammunition to a long-range range. (4) Shoot groups at 200, 300, 400, 500, and if possible 600 yards from a stable position. (5) Note the actual impact point relative to the aiming point. (6) Correct the calculator’s MOA/MIL numbers with your actual measured corrections. (7) Laminate the corrected card and attach it to your stock. A complete DOPE card session at a quality long-range range typically takes half a day and gives you the verified field data that no calculator alone can provide.
Why does my bullet seem to impact differently in cold weather?
Cold temperatures affect bullet trajectory in two distinct ways. First, lower temperatures increase air density, which increases aerodynamic drag, which slows the bullet faster and produces more drop and more wind drift at a given range. At 0 degrees F, air density is roughly 15 percent higher than at 59 degrees F (standard conditions), which can produce several additional inches of drop at 500 yards. Second, cold temperatures reduce propellant burn rate and combustion efficiency, which lowers muzzle velocity by typically 20 to 50 fps for each 30-degree temperature drop below standard conditions. Lower muzzle velocity compounds the trajectory effect from denser air. The combined result is that a load zeroed at 200 yards in 60-degree weather may shoot 2 to 4 inches low at 300 yards in 0-degree conditions. Hunters pursuing deer or elk in sub-zero Wyoming or Montana conditions should verify their dope at the temperatures they expect to shoot in. Hodgdon Extreme powders (Varget, H4350, H1000) and IMR Enduron series powders are specifically engineered to minimize temperature sensitivity and are popular with hunters and competitors who need consistent trajectories across temperature ranges.
What is spin drift and does this calculator account for it?
Spin drift is a small lateral deflection of the bullet caused by its gyroscopic rotation. A bullet rotating clockwise (from right-hand rifling, which is standard in virtually all US commercial rifle barrels) produces a slight but measurable drift to the right relative to the line of fire, independent of wind. Spin drift becomes significant at extreme long range: a 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr bullet shot from a 1:8 twist barrel will drift approximately 1.5 to 2 inches to the right at 600 yards and up to 6 to 8 inches at 1,000 yards purely from spin drift. This calculator does not account for spin drift, as it requires knowledge of the bullet’s angular velocity and is beyond the scope of a general trajectory calculator. For PRS and ELR competition shooting beyond 600 yards, spin drift correction should be applied using dedicated software like Applied Ballistics Elite or the Hornady 4DOF solver, which model spin drift based on known rifling twist rate and bullet parameters.
How do I find my bullet’s ballistic coefficient?
G1 BC values are printed on most US factory ammunition boxes, on the bullet manufacturer’s product page, and in reloading manuals. For the most accurate G1 BC values, check the bullet manufacturer’s website directly: Sierra Bullets, Hornady, Nosler, Berger, and Barnes all publish BC data for their specific bullet designs. G7 BC values, which are more accurate for long-range calculations, are primarily published by Applied Ballistics (in their BC reference books and online database), Berger Bullets (on their product pages), Hornady (for their ELD-X and ELD-Match bullets in their online data), and Lapua (for their Scenar and Scenar-L series). For the most precise BC, Doppler radar-measured values from Applied Ballistics or the manufacturer’s own radar testing represent the gold standard. The G7 BC values in this calculator’s presets come from manufacturer-published data and Applied Ballistics library references for the specific bullet models listed.
Is it ethical to shoot at game beyond 500 yards?
The ethics of long-range hunting is a legitimate and ongoing debate within the American hunting community, with no universal consensus but clear principles most ethical hunters agree on. The core principle is that the ethical maximum range is the range at which a specific hunter, with their specific rifle, in specific field conditions, can consistently place their bullet in the vital zone of the target animal on demand. This range is different for every hunter and varies by shooting conditions. A skilled PRS competitor who practices regularly at 600 yards from field shooting positions, using a verified dope card, in light-wind conditions, may ethically hunt elk at 500 yards. A hunter who only practices at 100-yard static range targets should not attempt 400-yard shots on moving deer in gusting wind. The
US Fish and Wildlife Service hunter education programs and most state wildlife agencies emphasize shot placement and minimal animal suffering as the foundational ethics of hunting. Using trajectory data from this calculator as part of preparation, practicing at long range, and honestly assessing your own skill level are all components of responsible long-range hunting ethics.
What is the Coriolis effect and does it affect my shots?
The Coriolis effect is the apparent deflection of a projectile caused by Earth’s rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, it causes bullets to drift slightly to the right for shots fired in any horizontal direction. The magnitude of the effect depends on shot distance, time of flight, latitude, and direction of fire. At typical hunting distances under 600 yards, Coriolis deflection is less than 0.5 inches and is completely negligible. At 1,000 yards, it typically amounts to 1 to 2 inches, which matters for precision competition but is still within the margin of most ethical hunting shots. At extreme long range (ELR) shots of 2,000 yards and beyond that are attempted in US long-range competition events, Coriolis correction becomes important and is included in professional ballistic software like Applied Ballistics. For the vast majority of American hunters and most competitive shooters at practical distances, Coriolis is a theoretical curiosity rather than a practical concern. This calculator does not compute Coriolis correction; use Applied Ballistics software if you are shooting at extreme ranges where it matters.
How do I use this calculator for bow hunting?
This calculator is optimized for rifle and handgun projectiles at rifle velocities (typically above 1,000 fps). Arrow and crossbow bolt trajectories are governed by different physics because arrows fly at much lower velocities (200 to 350 fps for crossbows, 250 to 310 fps for compound bows) and have dramatically different drag characteristics due to their length, fletching size, and slower rotation rate. The exponential drag model used here does not accurately model arrow ballistics. For archery trajectory calculation, use the
Archery Kinetic Energy Calculator in our Outdoors Hub, which is built specifically for arrow and crossbow bolt ballistics. For rifle hunters who also bow hunt, the archery calculator handles the bowhunting season while this bullet drop calculator handles the rifle season, giving you the right tool for each type of hunting.
Where can I find official US data on hunting regulations and wildlife management?
The authoritative US government sources for hunting regulations and wildlife management data are: the
US Fish and Wildlife Service for federal regulations (migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, waterfowl), individual State fish and game agencies for state-specific seasons and regulations, the
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (Pittman-Robertson Act funds), and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for interstate wildlife management coordination. For hunting participation statistics and economic data, the USFWS conducts the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation every five years, with the most recent data available on the USFWS website. For ethical hunting practices and safety training, the Hunter Education program, federally supported through Pittman-Robertson funds and administered through state agencies, offers courses in every state and is required for first-time license buyers in most jurisdictions.
Legal Disclaimer and Editorial Transparency: The Bullet Drop Calculator uses an exponential G1 drag model validated against published industry data at standard conditions. Actual bullet trajectories are affected by altitude, temperature, atmospheric pressure, muzzle velocity variation, lot-to-lot BC variation, barrel length, and shooter-specific factors not modeled in this calculator. All trajectory data is for
informational and planning purposes only. Always verify calculated data with live fire at the distances you intend to shoot before hunting or competing. Always follow safe firearms handling practices and all applicable federal, state, and local firearms and hunting regulations. This calculator does not account for Coriolis effect, spin drift, or gyroscopic precession at extreme ranges. For professional-grade trajectory solutions, consult Applied Ballistics software, Hornady 4DOF, or a Kestrel with ballistic solver. Gov data sources:
USFWS |
NSSF |
ATF. Last updated August 2026.