The 222 Remington, introduced by Remington Arms in 1950, was the first commercial .22 centerfire cartridge to exceed 3000 fps with lightweight bullets in production rifles. Designed primarily for varmint hunting and benchrest competition, it offered outstanding accuracy, mild recoil, and a remarkably flat trajectory for its era. It directly inspired the 223 Remington/5.56 NATO and remains a beloved classic among reloaders who appreciate its efficiency and inherent precision. This article focuses specifically on ballistics, examining both external performance and wound ballistics across popular factory and handloaded options. The goal is to provide clear, data-driven ballistic understanding for hunters and shooters. For complete cartridge specifications and history, refer to our dedicated guide at 222 Remington – The Complete Guide.
Core External Ballistics
The 222 Remington uses bullet weights from 35 to 70 grains, with 45-55 grain varmint bullets delivering the highest velocities and traditional soft points offering reliable expansion for small game. Optimized handloads regularly achieve 3200-3500 fps with light projectiles and push heavier high-BC bullets effectively for extended ranges. All practical loads remain supersonic past 800 yards, with heavier selections reaching beyond 1000 yards. Performance sits very close to the 223 Remington for light bullets but shows slightly less velocity with heavier projectiles due to case capacity differences, as explored in our 223 Remington ballistics article.
Bullet Drop to 1000 Yards
| Range (yards) | 40gr V-MAX 3500 fps • G1 BC .200 | 50gr V-MAX 3300 fps • G1 BC .242 | 55gr BlitzKing 3200 fps • G1 BC .271 | 69gr TMK 2950 fps • G1 BC .416 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5 | -1.5 | -1.5 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
| 200 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 300 | -5.8 | -6.2 | -6.5 | -7.0 |
| 400 | -16.5 | -17.5 | -18.5 | -20.0 |
| 500 | -32.5 | -34.5 | -36.5 | -39.0 |
| 600 | -55.0 | -58.0 | -61.0 | -65.0 |
| 700 | -84.5 | -89.0 | -93.5 | -99.0 |
| 800 | -121.5 | -128.0 | -134.0 | -141.0 |
| 900 | -168.0 | -176.0 | -184.0 | -192.0 |
| 1000 | -225.0 | -235.0 | -245.0 | -253.0 |
All figures in inches, 200-yard zero, 24-inch barrel, sea-level conditions.
The data demonstrates the 222 Remington legendary flat trajectory with light, high-velocity loads – the 40-55 grain bullets keep drop under 37 inches at 500 yards and under 100 inches at 700 yards, making 400-yard varmint shots straightforward with minimal holdover. The 69gr Tipped MatchKing begins showing its superior ballistic coefficient past 600 yards, where it drops less than lighter loads despite lower muzzle velocity. Practical hunting ranges extend to 400 yards with any load and 600 yards with heavy match bullets when precise ranging is employed. Beyond 700 yards the trajectory becomes steep, requiring skilled range estimation that exceeds most field varmint scenarios.
Wind Drift (10 mph Crosswind)
| Range (yards) | 40gr V-MAX | 50gr V-MAX | 55gr BlitzKing | 69gr TMK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| 200 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| 300 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.2 |
| 400 | 14.0 | 13.3 | 12.8 | 10.8 |
| 500 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 20.0 | 16.8 |
| 600 | 32.5 | 30.8 | 29.2 | 24.2 |
| 700 | 45.5 | 43.0 | 40.5 | 33.2 |
| 800 | 61.0 | 57.5 | 54.0 | 43.8 |
| 900 | 79.0 | 74.2 | 69.5 | 56.0 |
| 1000 | 99.5 | 93.2 | 87.0 | 69.5 |
All figures in inches, full-value 10 mph crosswind.
Wind drift performance is solid with traditional varmint loads and becomes excellent with the 69gr TMK, drifting only 69.5 inches at 1000 yards in a 10 mph wind – numbers competitive with many modern cartridges. Practical accuracy remains reliable to 400 yards even in moderate wind with any load; past 500 yards the heavier bullet clearly resists drift better, making it the choice for open prairie dog towns or coyote hunting where wind reading is challenging. The lighter bullets require more correction at distance but remain highly effective inside 350 yards.
Energy Retention
| Range (yards) | 40gr V-MAX Muzzle 1360 ft-lbs | 50gr V-MAX Muzzle 1210 ft-lbs | 55gr BlitzKing Muzzle 1250 ft-lbs | 69gr TMK Muzzle 1330 ft-lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1360 | 1210 | 1250 | 1330 |
| 100 | 1100 | 1020 | 1070 | 1180 |
| 200 | 900 | 870 | 930 | 1050 |
| 300 | 750 | 750 | 820 | 940 |
| 400 | 630 | 650 | 720 | 850 |
| 500 | 530 | 570 | 640 | 770 |
| 600 | 450 | 500 | 570 | 700 |
| 700 | 390 | 440 | 510 | 640 |
| 800 | 340 | 390 | 460 | 580 |
| 900 | 300 | 350 | 420 | 530 |
| 1000 | 270 | 320 | 380 | 490 |
All figures in ft-lbs.
Energy decay is rapid with lightweight bullets due to low sectional density, but the heavier 69gr TMK retains velocity and energy dramatically better, carrying nearly 500 ft-lbs at 1000 yards – sufficient for ethical kills on coyotes at extended distances with proper expansion. The 50-55 grain loads maintain over 500 ft-lbs to 600 yards, providing reliable terminal performance on larger varmints when using expanding bullets. Lighter loads lose expansion potential past 400 yards and are best limited to smaller targets at moderate ranges.
Terminal & Wound Ballistics
Bullet construction is critical in the 222 Remington due to high impact velocities that drive violent expansion or fragmentation on thin-skinned game. Varmint bullets produce explosive wound channels ideal for prairie dogs and ground squirrels, while controlled-expansion designs offer deeper penetration for foxes and bobcats. The goal of this section is practical terminal performance guidance based on gel testing and decades of field results.
Bullet Performance Profiles (5 Most Common Loads)
Hornady 50gr V-MAX
- Type – Polymer-tipped hollow point varmint bullet
- Behavior – Rapid fragmentation with large temporary cavities in gel and tissue
- Use – Prairie dogs, ground squirrels, gophers, rockchucks
- Effective Range – 0-400 yards
- Short Summary – The benchmark varmint bullet for the .222 Remington, delivering dramatic kills and fur-friendly head shots.
More details available in our dedicated bullet profile page: Hornady V-MAX Bullet Profile.
Sierra 55gr BlitzKing
- Type – Polymer-tipped hollow point varmint bullet
- Behavior – Explosive upset with massive hydraulic disruption
- Use – High-volume prairie dog shooting, coyotes with head shots
- Effective Range – 0-450 yards
- Short Summary – Match-grade accuracy combined with spectacular terminal performance for demanding varmint hunters.
More details available in our dedicated bullet profile page: Sierra BlitzKing Bullet Profile.
Nosler 50gr Ballistic Tip Varmint
- Type – Polymer-tipped lead core varmint bullet
- Behavior – Violent expansion and fragmentation at .222 velocities
- Use – Coyotes, foxes, woodchucks
- Effective Range – 0-400 yards
- Short Summary – Excellent accuracy with devastating terminal effect for predator and varmint control.
More details available in our dedicated bullet profile page: Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet Profile.
Hornady 55gr Interlock Soft Point
- Type – Exposed lead soft point with locking ring
- Behavior – Controlled mushrooming, 14-18 inches penetration in gel
- Use – Rabbits, squirrels, foxes, bobcats with body shots
- Effective Range – 0-350 yards
- Short Summary – Traditional hunting bullet that preserves edible meat while ensuring quick, humane kills.
More details available in our dedicated bullet profile page: Hornady Interlock Bullet Profile.
Speer 52gr TNT
- Type – Thin-jacketed hollow point varmint bullet
- Behavior – Ultra-explosive, often complete fragmentation
- Use – Small varmints and pests requiring maximum disruption
- Effective Range – 0-350 yards
- Short Summary – One of the most violent terminal performers in the .222 for decisive pest control.
More details available in our dedicated bullet profile page: Speer TNT Bullet Profile.
Practical Summary
For high-volume prairie dog and ground squirrel shooting, the Hornady V-MAX, Sierra BlitzKing, and Speer TNT deliver explosive results inside 400 yards. Switch to the Nosler Ballistic Tip or Hornady Interlock soft point for foxes, bobcats, and edible small game where meat preservation matters. Reloaders seeking extended range on larger varmints should favor heavier match bullets like the Sierra TMK for superior wind resistance and energy retention out to 600 yards. Range discipline remains absolutely critical – the 222 Remington rewards precise shooting within its energy envelope, and bullet choice ultimately determines terminal outcome far more than velocity. Readers are encouraged to explore our bullet reviews, 223 Remington ballistics comparison, and extended charts for building the ultimate 222 Remington load.
