8.6 Blackout Trajectory Calculator
See how 8.6 Blackout stacks up in our full caliber comparison chart — energy, drop and recoil for every rifle caliber side by side.
The 8.6 Blackout is a subsonic cartridge designed for suppressed bolt-action and AR-10 rifles, pushing heavy .338 bullets quietly. With a 285-grain bullet at 1,056 fps and a 100-yard zero, expect about 31.8 inches of drop at 200 yards. The subsonic velocity limits practical range to 150 yards, but the heavy bullet delivers serious terminal performance while keeping noise below hearing-safe levels with a suppressor.
Use the calculator to match your specific load. Click "Modify Calculation" to enter your bullet weight, muzzle velocity, and ballistic coefficient. The 8.6 Blackout runs 250 to 342 grain bullets, all subsonic. Match your bullet choice to barrel twist rate for best accuracy. You can also factor in wind, shooting angle, and atmospheric conditions.
Compare up to 5 different loads. The current caliber (8.6 Blackout) is pre-selected for the first load.
8.6 Blackout Trajectory Chart
8.6 Blackout Ballistics Data
| Range (yd) | Elevation (in) | Elevation (MOA) | Elevation (MIL) | Windage (in) | Windage (MOA) | Windage (MIL) | Time (s) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1056.0 | 705.88 |
| 25 | 1.91 | -7.25 | -2.109 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.072 | 1046.76 | 693.58 |
| 50 | 3.31 | -6.3 | -1.833 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.144 | 1037.92 | 681.91 |
| 75 | 2.69 | -3.42 | -0.995 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.217 | 1029.38 | 670.74 |
| 100 | 0.03 | -0.03 | -0.008 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.29 | 1021.16 | 660.06 |
| 125 | -4.72 | 3.6 | 1.048 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.364 | 1013.21 | 649.82 |
| 150 | -11.58 | 7.37 | 2.143 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.438 | 1005.51 | 639.99 |
| 175 | -20.6 | 11.23 | 3.266 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.513 | 998.06 | 630.54 |
| 200 | -31.79 | 15.17 | 4.412 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.588 | 990.83 | 621.44 |
| 225 | -45.19 | 19.17 | 5.575 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.664 | 983.82 | 612.68 |
| 250 | -60.84 | 23.22 | 6.756 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.741 | 977.03 | 604.25 |
| 275 | -78.76 | 27.33 | 7.951 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.818 | 970.42 | 596.1 |
| 300 | -98.99 | 31.49 | 9.161 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.895 | 963.98 | 588.21 |
Take this table to the range
The 8.6 Blackout reference load above as a wallet-size DOPE card: the same zero, standard conditions, holds in MOA, a 10 mph wind column, and a blank column to write in what the rifle actually does.
Download it as it is, or customize the size (turret cap, armband, index card), the columns, the wind speeds and units.
Print at 100% (“Actual size”). Laminate it or use waterproof paper for the field.
Zeroing the 8.6 Blackout
Every table in this section uses the same reference load as the calculator above, 285gr G1 .700 at 1,056 fps, with a 1.5" sight height over the bore, at standard conditions (59°F, sea level, no wind for drop; 10 mph crosswind for drift). A hunting rifle with a scope in standard rings sits about 1.5" over the bore; the zero you choose sets how far you can hold on hair without thinking about the range. Change the bullet, velocity or sight height in the calculator above to solve your own load.
8.6 Blackout zero comparison
| 50-yd zero | 100-yd zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 19 yd | 10 yd |
| Far zero | 50 yd | 100 yd |
| Max ordinate | +0.4" | +3.4" |
| Max ordinate distance | 34 yd | 55 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (8" vital zone, ±4") | 0–86 yd | 0–121 yd |
| Sight in at 100 yd | -6.6" (-6.3 MOA) | +0.0" (+0.0 MOA) |
| Drop at 100 yd | -6.6" | +0.0" |
| Drop at 200 yd | -45.0" | -31.8" |
| Energy at 200 yd | 622 ft-lb | 621 ft-lb |
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 300 yards.
Key terms
- Near zero
- Where the bullet first climbs up through the line of sight. It starts below the sight, because the sight sits above the barrel.
- Far zero
- Where it falls back down through the line of sight. A "200-yard zero" is the far zero; the near zero comes with it.
- Max ordinate
- The highest the bullet gets above the line of sight, between the two crossings. This is what makes a zero shoot high in the middle.
- Point blank range (MPBR)
- The zero that keeps the whole arc inside a vital zone for the longest distance, so you can aim at the centre and hold dead-on.
8.6 Blackout with a 50-Yard Zero
Zeroed at 50 yards with a 1.5" sight height, the 285gr load first crosses the line of sight at 19 yards, peaks +0.4" at 34 yards, returns to zero at 50, and is -6.6" at 100 and -45.0" at 200 yards. This load is subsonic from the muzzle.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,056 | 706 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +0.3" | +0.97 | +0.28 | 1,047 | 694 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 1,038 | 682 | 0.3 |
| 75 | -2.3" | -2.86 | -0.83 | 1,029 | 671 | 0.6 |
| 100 | -6.6" | -6.25 | -1.82 | 1,021 | 660 | 1.0 |
| 125 | -13.0" | -9.88 | -2.87 | 1,013 | 650 | 1.4 |
| 150 | -21.5" | -13.65 | -3.97 | 1,006 | 640 | 2.0 |
| 175 | -32.1" | -17.51 | -5.09 | 998 | 631 | 2.7 |
| 200 | -45.0" | -21.45 | -6.24 | 991 | 622 | 3.5 |
| 225 | -60.0" | -25.45 | -7.40 | 984 | 613 | 4.3 |
| 250 | -77.3" | -29.50 | -8.58 | 977 | 604 | 5.3 |
| 275 | -96.9" | -33.61 | -9.78 | 970 | 596 | 6.4 |
| 300 | -118.7" | -37.77 | -10.99 | 964 | 588 | 7.5 |
285gr G1 .700 at 1,056 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross.
8.6 Blackout with a 100-Yard Zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, the 285gr load first crosses the line of sight at 10 yards, peaks +3.4" at 55 yards, returns to zero at 100, and is +0.0" at 100 and -31.8" at 200 yards. This load is subsonic from the muzzle.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,056 | 706 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +1.9" | +7.25 | +2.11 | 1,047 | 694 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +3.3" | +6.30 | +1.83 | 1,038 | 682 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +2.7" | +3.42 | +1.00 | 1,029 | 671 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +0.0" | +0.03 | +0.01 | 1,021 | 660 | 1.0 |
| 125 | -4.7" | -3.60 | -1.05 | 1,013 | 650 | 1.4 |
| 150 | -11.6" | -7.37 | -2.14 | 1,006 | 640 | 2.0 |
| 175 | -20.6" | -11.23 | -3.27 | 998 | 631 | 2.7 |
| 200 | -31.8" | -15.17 | -4.41 | 991 | 621 | 3.5 |
| 225 | -45.2" | -19.17 | -5.58 | 984 | 613 | 4.3 |
| 250 | -60.8" | -23.22 | -6.76 | 977 | 604 | 5.3 |
| 275 | -78.8" | -27.33 | -7.95 | 970 | 596 | 6.4 |
| 300 | -99.0" | -31.49 | -9.16 | 964 | 588 | 7.5 |
285gr G1 .700 at 1,056 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross.
Maximum Point Blank Range for the 8.6 Blackout
Maximum point blank range (MPBR) is the zero that keeps the bullet inside a vital zone, never more than half its height above or below the line of sight (an 8" zone is ±4"), for as far as possible. Zero at the distance in the table and you can hold dead-on from the muzzle to the far edge of the window.
| Vital zone | Zero at | Hold dead-on from | To (MPBR) | Max ordinate | Near / far zero | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8" (whitetail, pronghorn) | 108 yd | 0 yd | 128 yd | +4.0" at 58 yd | 9 / 108 yd | Download |
| 10" (elk, moose) | 118 yd | 0 yd | 141 yd | +5.0" at 63 yd | 8 / 118 yd | Download |
MPBR assumes a centred hold, a level shot and no wind; it is a ceiling, not a licence to skip ranging. The far edge of the window is where the bullet has already fallen half the vital zone.