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Bullet Drop Calculator

Calculate bullet drop, windage, and trajectory from muzzle velocity and distance. Solve elevation and wind holds for rifle shooting.

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Inputs that matter
Muzzle Velocity, Target Distance, Zero Distance, Sight Height
Output to expect
Bullet Drop Calculator
  • Check the units and required inputs before comparing results.
  • Keep the assumptions with a copied result so you can reproduce the calculation later.
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Reference & details

How it works

Bullet Drop from Gravity

In vacuum, drop = ½gt². Air drag reduces effective acceleration and increases time of flight, adding more drop than vacuum calculation.

Drop (in) ≈ ½ × g × TOF² × 12 (vacuum baseline; drag increases actual drop)

Time of Flight

TOF depends on muzzle velocity, BC, and distance. Higher BC and MV reduce TOF and therefore drop.

TOF from numerical integration using BC drag model

Wind Drift

Crosswind pushes bullet laterally proportional to wind speed, TOF, and lag time. Lag time = TOF − (distance/MV).

Wind drift (in) ≈ wind (mph) × lag time × factor / BC

Updated: July 2026

Example Scenarios

G7 BC ~0.243, sea level: ~55 inches total drop from 100-yard zero, ~3.5 MOA elevation correction. 10 mph crosswind: ~18 inches drift (~3.5 MOA windage).

G7 BC ~0.326: ~320 inches drop from 100-yard zero (~31 MOA elevation). Requires accurate atmospherics and verified BC for first-round hits.

130 gr at 2900 fps, G7 BC ~0.210: ~4 inches drop from 200-yard zero at 300 yards — hold dead-on or 1 MOA up. Confirm with DOPE card.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using catalog muzzle velocity instead of chronographed data

Factory MV is from a test barrel — your rifle may differ 50–100 fps. Chronograph your load and enter actual MV for accurate drop tables.

Ignoring temperature and humidity in long-range calculations

Air density changes with temperature, pressure, and humidity. Enter current atmospherics or use Kestrel/solver auto-read — 20°F change shifts 1000-yard impact several inches.

FAQ

100 yards is standard for hunting and zeroing. 200-yard zero reduces mid-range holdover for many calibers. Long-range shooters zero at 100 and dial elevation in MOA/mils.

Thinner air at altitude reduces drag — bullet flies faster and drops less. A 1000-yard shot at 5000 ft needs less elevation than at sea level (typically 1–3 MOA difference).

1 MOA ≈ 1.047 inches at 100 yards. 1 mil ≈ 3.6 inches at 100 yards (10 cm at 100 m). Use the unit matching your scope turrets and reticle.

Shorter barrels reduce muzzle velocity, increasing TOF and drop. A .308 loses ~20–25 fps per inch below 24 inches — recalculate trajectory with chronographed MV.

Use line-of-sight distance (cosine of angle × slope distance) for gravity drop, or use angle cosine multiplier on drop. Uphill/downhill shots hit high relative to level-ground hold.

About Bullet Drop Calculator

Gravity and air drag cause bullets to drop below line of sight at distance. This calculator computes trajectory, elevation corrections in MOA or mils, and wind drift from muzzle velocity, BC, and environmental conditions.