Bullet Drop Calculator
Calculate bullet drop, windage, and trajectory from muzzle velocity and distance. Solve elevation and wind holds for rifle shooting.
Specialist tool for Archery1 documented formulaFocused single-task workflowPrivate in your browser
Use this result well
A quick decision brief for this specific tool
Inputs that matter
Muzzle Velocity, Target Distance, Zero Distance, Sight Height
Output to expect
Bullet Drop Calculator
How it works
1 documented formula across 1 calculation mode
- Keep 4 bounded inputs within the limits shown beside the fields.
- Confirm that every value uses the unit and time basis shown before comparing scenarios.
- Change one input at a time to see which assumption materially changes the result.
Was this tool helpful?
Related Tools
Tools you might need next
Bullet Drop Calculator
Calculate bullet drop due to gravity at range for level firing. Free ballistics bullet drop tool for ballistics, bullet, and more.
Ballistics
Bullet Drop Calculator
Estimate bullet drop at range given muzzle velocity and zero distance. Free online hunting calculator with instant, accurate results.
Hunting
Bullet Rotation RPM
Calculate bullet spin rate from velocity and barrel twist rate. Free ballistics bullet rpm tool for ballistics, bullet, and more.
Ballistics
Reference & details
How it works
Updated July 2026
How it works
Updated July 2026Bullet 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 modelWind 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 / BCUpdated: 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
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.