.22 LR: 50-Yard vs 100-Yard Zero
Zero at 50 yards. Zero at 100 only if you dial.
Zero a .22 LR at 50 yards unless you dial or shoot at 100 on purpose. With a 40gr high-velocity load at 1,255 fps and a scope 1.5" over the bore, the 50-yard zero peaks 0.2" high at 37 yards and is 5.3" low at 100, so everything inside 75 yards is a straight hold. The 100-yard zero is 2.8" high at 57 yards, which shoots over the head of a squirrel at 50, and 10.7" low at 150. NRL22 and dialing shooters zero at 100 because their turrets and drop charts assume it; everyone else is better at 50, or at the 4"-zone maximum point blank range zero of 90 yards if they hunt small game at unknown distances.
This load goes subsonic at about 52 yards. It is one reason standard-velocity ammunition often groups better at 50 and beyond, and a reason to confirm any zero with the exact ammunition you shoot.
Figures on this page: Aguila Super Extra High Velocity .22 LR 40gr SP, 40gr G1 .161 at 1,255 fps, Bolt action, standard scope rings, 1.5" over bore, standard conditions. Source: Aguila published velocity and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Side-by-Side Comparison
40gr G1 .161 at 1,255 fps, 1.5" over bore (bolt action, standard scope rings).
| 50-yd zero | 100-yd zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 25 yd | 12 yd |
| Far zero | 50 yd | 100 yd |
| Max ordinate | +0.2" | +2.8" |
| Max ordinate distance | 37 yd | 57 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (4" vital zone, ±2") | 0–77 yd | 0–34 yd (peak is over the zone; back inside 80–113) |
| Sight in at 50 yd | +0.0" (+0.0 MOA) | +2.7" (+5.1 MOA) |
| Drop at 100 yd | -5.3" | +0.0" |
| Drop at 150 yd | -18.7" | -10.7" |
| Energy at 100 yd | 96 ft-lb | 96 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 4" vital zone, ±2" either side of the line of sight. Dashed line: where the bullet goes subsonic. 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 200 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.
The 50-Yard Zero
How it performs
Aguila Super Extra High Velocity .22 LR 40gr SP zeroed at 50 yards with 1.5" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 25 and 50 yards, peaks +0.2" at 37 yards, and stays inside a 4" vital zone (±2") from 0 to 77 yards. At 100 yards it is -5.3". At 150 yards it is -18.7". It goes subsonic at 52 yards.
| 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 | 1,255 | 140 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +0.0" | +0.12 | +0.04 | 1,187 | 125 | 0.4 |
| 50 | +0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 1,129 | 113 | 1.3 |
| 75 | -1.7" | -2.19 | -0.64 | 1,080 * | 104 | 2.7 |
| 100 | -5.3" | -5.06 | -1.47 | 1,039 * | 96 | 4.7 |
| 125 | -10.9" | -8.33 | -2.42 | 1,004 * | 90 | 7.1 |
| 150 | -18.7" | -11.87 | -3.45 | 973 * | 84 | 9.9 |
| 175 | -28.7" | -15.66 | -4.55 | 946 * | 79 | 13.2 |
| 200 | -41.2" | -19.66 | -5.72 | 921 * | 75 | 16.8 |
40gr G1 .161 at 1,255 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. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 52 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Aguila published velocity and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
Plinking, small game inside 60 yards and any rifle shot mostly at cans and steel at the same distance it was zeroed. A 40gr high-velocity load zeroed at 50 with a 1.5" scope crosses the line of sight at 25 and 50 yards, peaks a fifth of an inch high at 37, and then falls: 5.3" low at 100, 18.7" low at 150. Inside a 4" target zone the hold-dead-on window runs from the muzzle to 77 yards.
It is the honest rimfire zero for a rifle that mostly shoots at 50, and it is forgiving of load changes: a 38gr hollow point at 1,280 fps or a standard-velocity 40gr at 1,130 both land within an inch and a half of it at 100.
The 100-Yard Zero
How it performs
Aguila Super Extra High Velocity .22 LR 40gr SP zeroed at 100 yards with 1.5" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 12 and 100 yards, peaks +2.8" at 57 yards, and stays inside a 4" vital zone (±2") from 0 to 34 yards, then climbs out over the top of the zone and is back inside from 80 to 113 yards. At 100 yards it is +0.0". At 150 yards it is -10.7". It goes subsonic at 52 yards.
| 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 | 1,255 | 140 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +1.4" | +5.21 | +1.52 | 1,187 | 125 | 0.4 |
| 50 | +2.7" | +5.10 | +1.48 | 1,129 | 113 | 1.3 |
| 75 | +2.3" | +2.90 | +0.84 | 1,080 * | 104 | 2.7 |
| 100 | +0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 1,039 * | 96 | 4.7 |
| 125 | -4.2" | -3.24 | -0.94 | 1,004 * | 90 | 7.1 |
| 150 | -10.7" | -6.79 | -1.97 | 973 * | 84 | 9.9 |
| 175 | -19.4" | -10.57 | -3.07 | 946 * | 79 | 13.2 |
| 200 | -30.5" | -14.57 | -4.24 | 921 * | 75 | 16.8 |
40gr G1 .161 at 1,255 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. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 52 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Aguila published velocity and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
NRL22 and long-range rimfire shooters who dial, and squirrel hunters who genuinely shoot at 100. Zeroed at 100 the same bullet rises 2.8" above the line of sight at 57 yards, is dead-on at 100, 10.7" low at 150 and 30.5" low at 200. Against a 4" zone it is inside only to 34 yards and again from 80 to 113; from 35 to 80 yards the bullet is more than 2" above the crosshair, which is a miss on a squirrel's head at the distance you meet most of them.
If you dial, the 100-yard zero gives clean dope from 100 outward and matches every published rimfire drop chart. If you hold, it forces you to remember a 2.8" hold-under at 50.
Why Sight Height Changes the Answer
A scoped .22 sits about 1.5" over the bore and an iron-sighted one about 0.8", and on a cartridge this slow the difference shows. With irons the 50-yard zero's near zero moves from 25 yards in to 13, its peak grows from 0.2" to 0.4", and the bullet is 6" low at 100 instead of 5.3". The 100-yard zero's peak grows from 2.8" to 3.1" and moves closer, to 54 yards. The windows shorten by a couple of yards each.
Those are small numbers, but the .22's arc is small too, so they matter more than they look: a half-inch change at 100 is a tenth of the total drop. The general rule holds in miniature. A lower sight line makes short zeros behave more like tangent zeros and drops the bullet out of the window sooner; a taller one lets the bullet ride a little longer. Zero the rifle with the sights it will actually wear.
| Zero | Sight height | Near zero | Far zero | Max ordinate | Inside the 4" zone (±2") to | Drop at 100 | Drop at 150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 25 yd | 50 yd | +0.2" at 37 | 77 yd | -5.3" | -18.7" |
| 50 yd | 0.8" — Lever action or rimfire rifle, iron sights | 13 yd | 50 yd | +0.4" at 32 | 74 yd | -6.0" | -20.1" |
| 100 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 12 yd | 100 yd | +2.8" at 57 | 34 yd | +0.0" | -10.7" |
| 100 yd | 0.8" — Lever action or rimfire rifle, iron sights | 7 yd | 100 yd | +3.1" at 54 | 27 yd | +0.0" | -11.0" |
How Barrel Length Changes This
Rimfire velocity peaks in a 16" barrel and falls slightly in longer ones, so barrel length moves these numbers less than ammunition does. Swapping from this 1,255 fps high-velocity load to a standard-velocity 40gr at 1,130 fps drops the 50-yard zero's impact at 100 from 5.3" low to 6.6" low; that is the change to confirm on paper, not the barrel.
Which Zero Is Wrong for You
The 100-yard zero is wrong for a squirrel rifle or a plinker. The bullet is more than 2" above the crosshair from 25 to 90 yards and peaks at 2.8", so a head shot at 40 goes over the ears. It is also wrong for a shooter without a rangefinder, because a .22 drops 20" between 100 and 150 and guessing the distance past 100 is guessing a foot of hold.
The 50-yard zero is wrong for competition at 100 and beyond, where a 5.3"-low starting point makes every turret value larger and every drop chart wrong, and for a scope whose turret you actually use.
Both are wrong if you change ammunition and do not re-zero. High-velocity, standard-velocity and subsonic .22 loads can differ by an inch and a half at 100 yards from the same zero, and the speed-of-sound crossing at 50 yards for high-velocity loads adds spread on top.
Try It With Your Load
Prefilled with the load above. Change anything and the full calculator solves your trajectory; pick your own sight height from the list.
Loads Used on This Page
- Aguila .22 LR Super Extra High Velocity 40gr SP Ammo — 40gr, 1255 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.161
- Aguila Super Extra .22 LR 40gr Standard Velocity SP Ammo — 40gr, 1130 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.158
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a .22 LR drop at 100 yards with a 50-yard zero?
About 5.3" with a 40gr high-velocity load at 1,255 fps and a 1.5" scope height. A standard-velocity 40gr at 1,130 fps drops about 6.6".
How high is a .22 LR at 50 yards with a 100-yard zero?
About 2.7" high at 50 and 2.8" at the peak near 57 yards, with a 1.5" scope. With iron sights 0.8" over the bore the peak is about 3.1" at 54 yards.
What is the best zero for a .22 squirrel rifle?
50 yards for shots inside 60, or the maximum point blank range zero of about 90 yards for a 4" zone, which keeps the bullet within 2" of the crosshair from the muzzle to 104 yards. Avoid 100; it is 2.8" high in the middle.
Why do NRL22 shooters zero at 100 yards?
Because they dial. A 100-yard zero puts point of aim on point of impact at the nearest common stage distance and matches the drop charts and ballistic apps that assume a 100-yard zero. With a turret the 2.8" peak at 57 yards is just another dial value.