Scope Adjustments and Ballistics

Here is a ballistics chart for a 22 caliber bullet weighing 40 grains with a muzzle velocity of 1080 feet per second. I do not use the standard velocity ammunition so this accurately represents what I am using in the Smallbore Rifle Silhouette competition. It is not intended to be perfect view of the bullets path. The actual velocity of any ammunition varies from what is stated on the box to how it shoots in any given firearm. The elevation, barometric pressure and the height of your sight above the rifle can all change the actual results. The velocity of the same ammunition in a different firearms can vary. It is just a guide to help anyone new to the sport and show the mechanics of the bullets flight and the adjustments in the scope that are necessary.

TRAJ. (Trajectory) = Distance from the line of sight in inches.

ANGLE = Minutes of angle from the line of sight (scopes typically adjust 1/4 minute or 1/8 minute per click)

ANIMAL	RANGE	VELOCITY	TRAJ.	ANGLE	TRAJ.	ANGLE	TRAJ.	ANGLE	TRAJ.	ANGLE
Chicken	40 Meters	968 fps	0	0	+1.1"	+2.4'	+2.3"	+5.0'	+4.0"	+8.7'
Pig	60 Meters	917 fps	-1.6"	-2.3'	0	0	+1.8"	+2.6'	+4.9"	+7.1'
Turkey	77 Meters	877 fps	-4.4"	-5.0'	-2.4"	-2.7'	0	0	+3.9"	+4.4'
Ram	100 Meters	822 fps	-10.7"	-9.4'	-8.1"	-7.1'	-5.0"	-4.4'	0	0

You need to be able to trust your scope adjustments on-the-fly during a match. There are no sighting shots allowed after a match has started. I am not saying that you need an expensive scope. The Bushnell 6x-18x-50mm I have costs about $110 and I am very happy with its performance. When sighting in for a match, competitors document the settings they need for each animal. I have a paper I keep on the clipboard we have for the score sheet that shows my settings for each rifle. It is also easier to do when you have a target style scope. There is a scale on the turret for the adjustments. For my Bushnell, a non-target style, I have a four drawings of the scale that is on the top face of the elevation adjustment knob. I mark on each drawing the location of the zero point I need for each animal.

Here is an example of the adjustments I typically make in a match with both of my rifles, this again is a guide, exactly how much adjustment is needed will vary with any ammunition, rifle and scope combination. As you can see in the comparison, the adjustments are different for each rifle. This also demonstrates the need in a reliable scope.

The way the adjustment averages shooting my Anschutz with a Weaver T36 Scope with 1/8 minute adjustment accuracy is as follows:

With the rifle sighted at the Chickens (40m) it is an upward adjustment of 1-1/4 minutes to be sighted for the Pigs (60m) then another 1-5/8 minutes upward (2-7/8 minutes total) to be sighted for the Turkeys (77m) and finally another 4.0 minutes upward (6-7/8 minutes total) to be sighted for the Rams (100m).

With my Marlin 25N using a Bushnell 6x-18x 50mm with 1/4 minute per click accuracy, the adjustments are as follows.

With the rifle sighted at Chickens (40m) it is an upward adjustment of 6 clicks (1-1/2 minutes) to be sighted for the Pigs (60m) then another 9 clicks (2-1/4 minutes) upward to sight for the Turkeys (77m) and finally another 17 clicks (4-1/4) upward to be sighted for the Rams (100m), a total of 8 minutes of adjustment.

Below is a ballistics chart for 22 long rifle cartridges. The ones shown in gray are not allowed in Silhouette competition because of their higher velocity and the damage they can do to the targets.

Brand / Type	Bullet Weight	MUZZLE Velocity (fps) Energy (ft.lb)	50 YARDS Velocity (fps) Energy (ft.lb)	100 YARDS Velocity (fps) Energy (ft.lb)
AGUILA
High Velocity Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1250 / 139	1110 / 109	1017 / 92
High Velocity HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1280 / 131	1127 / 99	1010 / 82
Standard Vel, .22 LR	40 gr	1135 / 114	1056 / 97	975 / 84
Subsonic Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1025 / 92	938 / 80	855 / 68
Subsonic HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1025 / 88	939 / 84	873 / 64
SSS, .22 LR	60 gr	950 / 120	875 / 103	802 / 86
Super Max, .22 LR	30 gr	1750 / 204	N/A	1191 / 95
Match Pistol, .22 LR	40 gr	1050 / 90	965 / 77	901 / 68
CCI
Blazer, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1110 / 109	1016 / 92
Mini-Mag Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1110 / 109	1016 / 92
Mini-Mag HP, .22 LR	36 gr	1280 / 135	1126 / 101	1012 / 84
Standard Velocity, .22 LR	40 gr	1070 / 100	970 / 80	890 / 70
GreenTag Comp, .22 LR	40 gr	1070 / 100	970 / 80	890 / 70
Pistol Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1070 / 100	970 / 80	890 / 70
Stinger HP, .22 LR	32 gr	1640 / 191	1277 / 115	1132 / 91
Mini-Mag +V, .22 LR	36 gr	1425 / 162	1261 / 127	1136 / 103
Small Game Bullet, .22 LR	38 gr	1280 / 138	1115 / 104	999 / 85
ELEY
Tenex, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Tenex Gold, 22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Tenex Lite, .22 LR	40 gr	1000 / 89	935 / 78	853 / 62
Bench Rest Gold, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
National Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
International Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Trainer, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Practice 100, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Match Xtra, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Match Xtra Plus, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Club Xtra, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Target Rifle, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Standard, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Pistol Match .22 LR	40 gr	1000 / 89	935 / 78	853 / 62
Pistol Xtra .22 LR	40 gr	1030 / 98	960 / 82	873 / 66
Target Pistol, .22 LR	40 gr	1030 / 98	960 / 82	873 / 66
Pistol Standard, .22 LR	40 gr	1030 / 98	960 / 82	873 / 66
Zimmer, .22 LR	40 gr	800 / 57	748 / 51	699 / 46
Moving Target, .22 LR	40 gr	1312 / 153	1207 / 129	1100 / 107
Silhouex, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
High Velocity Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1312 / 153	1207 / 129	1100 / 107
High Velocity HP, .22 LR	37.5 gr	1312 / 143	1207 / 121	1100 / 100
Subsonic Xtra HP, .22 LR	37.5 gr	1050 / 92	965 / 77	895 / 67
Subsonic Xtra Plus HP, .22 LR	40 gr	1085 / 105	1006 / 90	941 / 79
Subsonic Xtra Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1050 / 98	989 / 87	935 / 78
FEDERAL
Classic Soild, .22 LR	40 gr	1260 / 140	1100 / 110	1020 / 90
Classic HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1280 / 140	1120 / 105	1020 / 90
Target, .22 LR	40 gr	1150 / 115	1050 / 95	970 / 80
Match (900), .22 LR	40 gr	1140 / 115	1040 / 95	970 / 80
Match (900B), .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 105	1000 / 90	930 / 75
UltraMatch (UM1-1000), .22 LR	40 gr	1140 / 115	1040 /95	970 / 80
UltraMatch (UM1B-1000B)	40 gr	1080 / 105	1000 / 90	930 / 75
Hyper Velocity, .22 LR	31 gr	1550 / 165	1280 / 115	1100 / 85
FIOCCHI
330 Super Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 102	1000 / 89	939 / 76
320 Super Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 102	1000 / 89	939 / 76
315 Super Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1000 / 89	939 / 76	857 / 59
300 Super Match, .22 LR	40 gr	890 / 75	826 / 57	766 / 52
340 Super Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1100 / 110	1006 / 91	925 / 75
320 Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 102	1000 / 89	939 / 76
300 Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1000 / 89	939 / 76	857 / 59
Silhouette, .22 LR	40 gr	1250 / 147	1121 / 114	1040 / 94
Maxac, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 102	1000 / 89	939 / 76
Subsonic HP, .22 LR	40 gr	1030 / 90	961 / 75	875 / 60
LAPUA
Midas M, .22 LR	40 gr	1072 / 101	980 / 85	910 / 74
Midas L, .22 LR	40 gr	1072 / 101	980 / 85	910 / 74
Finalist, .22 LR	40 gr	1066 / 99	975 / 84	905 / 73
Master, .22 LR	40 gr	1072 / 101	980 / 85	910 / 74
Multi-Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1106 / 108	1003 / 89	931 / 78
Super Club, .22 LR	40 gr	1056 / 99	960 / 82	884 / 68
Standard Club, .22 LR	40 gr	1056 / 99	960 / 82	884 / 68
ScoreMax, .22 LR	48 gr	1040 / 97	963 / 83	904 / 73
Knocker Silhouette, .22 LR	40 gr	1220 / 131	1096 / 106	997 / 88
Polar Biathlon, .22 LR	40 gr	1106 / 108	986 / 86	901 / 72
PMC
Zapper Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1096 / 106	994 / 83
Zapper HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1280 / 138	1112 / 104	1004 / 85
Sidewinder, .22 LR	40 gr	1250 / 139	1092 / 105	992 / 83
ScoreMaster, .22 LR	40 gr	1135 / 114	1019 / 97	941 / 84
Pistol Match, .22 LR	40 gr	900 / 72	835 / 59	774 / 53
Rifle Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1050 / 98	956 / 81	885 / 70
Subsonic Moderator,.22 LR	38 gr	1000 / 84	921 / 82	854 / 62
REMINGTON
Std Vel (Target) .22 LR	40 gr	1150 / 117	1048 / 98	976 / 85
Gold Bullet Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1113 / 110	1017 / 92
Gold Bullet HP, .22 LR	36 gr	1280 / 131	1117 / 100	1010 / 82
Yellow Jacket-HP, .22 LR	33 gr	1500 / 165	1247 / 114	1075 / 85
Viper Solid, .22 LR	36 gr	1410 / 159	1198 / 115	1056 / 89
Thunderbolt, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1113 / 110	1017 / 92
Cyclone-HP, .22 LR	36 gr	1280 / 131	1117 / 100	1010 / 82
Subsonic-HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1050 / 93	965 / 79	901 / 69
RWS - Dynamit Nobel
R-50, .22 LR	40 gr	1070 / 100	970 / 80	890 / 70
Special Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1070 / 100	970 / 80	890 / 70
FP-50, .22 LR	40 gr	885 / 68	825 / 60	771 / 54
Rifle Match, .22 LR	40 gr	1035 / 95	945 / 80	860 / 65
Target, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 100	990 / 85	900 / 70
Target Rifle, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 100	990 / 85	900 / 70
Subsonic HP, .22 LR	40 gr	1000 / 90	915 / 75	835 / 60
High Velocity HP, .22 LR	40 gr	1310 / 150	1120 / 110	990 / 85
Sellier & Bellot
Standard Vel. (Target), .22 LR	40 gr	1089 / 106	1009 / 91	942 / 79
Club (Match), .22 LR	40 gr	1089 / 106	1009 / 91	942 / 79
HV-Solid, .22 LR	36 gr	1353 / *	N/A	N/A
HV-HP, .22 LR	38 gr	1304 / *	N/A	N/A
WINCHESTER
Super X Solid, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1098 / 112	1017 / 92
Super X HP, .22 LR	37 gr	1280 / 135	1120 / 103	1015 / 85
Wildcat, .22 LR	40 gr	1255 / 140	1113 / 110	1017 / 92
Silhouette, .22 LR	42 gr	1220 / 139	1119 / 114	1003 / 94
Power Point - HP, .22 LR	40 gr	1280 / 146	1102 / 114	1001 / 89
Std Vel (T22), .22 LR	40 gr	1150 / 117	1048 / 98	976 / 85
Match Supreme, .22 LR	40 gr	1080 / 100	976 / 80	893 / 70

HOME ........... RANGE RULES ........... RIFLE RULES

CLASSIFICATIONS, SCORING & AWARDS .......... TECHNIQUES 1

TECHNIQUES 2 .......... TARGETS1 ..... TARGETS2

TESTING & MOUNTS .......... MY WIFE AND I ...... MY SHOOTING HISTORY

SILHOUETTE HISTORY .........SCOPE ADJUSTMENTS AND BALLISTICS

CLEANING ........ CUSTOM ENGRAVING