Federal .223 Remington 50gr Varmint & Predator JHP Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • JHP
Federal .223 Remington 50gr Varmint & Predator JHP Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • JHP
Solved from this product's advertised 3325 fps, 50gr bullet and G1 BC 0.204, with the sight 1.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .223 Remington.
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 500 yards.
.223 Remington 50gr with a 36-yard zero
Zeroed at 36 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 36 and 202 yards, peaks +1.6" at 123 yards, and is -7.4" at 300 and -23.6" at 400 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 | 3,325 | 1,228 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.4" | -1.57 | -0.46 | 3,197 | 1,135 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.5" | +0.86 | +0.25 | 3,075 | 1,050 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +1.1" | +1.38 | +0.40 | 2,955 | 970 | 0.8 |
| 100 | +1.5" | +1.40 | +0.41 | 2,839 | 895 | 1.3 |
| 125 | +1.6" | +1.21 | +0.35 | 2,726 | 825 | 2.1 |
| 150 | +1.4" | +0.90 | +0.26 | 2,616 | 760 | 3.1 |
| 175 | +0.9" | +0.50 | +0.15 | 2,508 | 699 | 4.3 |
| 200 | +0.1" | +0.04 | +0.01 | 2,403 | 641 | 5.7 |
| 225 | -1.1" | -0.48 | -0.14 | 2,301 | 588 | 7.3 |
| 250 | -2.8" | -1.05 | -0.31 | 2,200 | 538 | 9.2 |
| 275 | -4.8" | -1.68 | -0.49 | 2,103 | 491 | 11.4 |
| 300 | -7.4" | -2.36 | -0.69 | 2,008 | 448 | 13.9 |
| 325 | -10.5" | -3.09 | -0.90 | 1,915 | 407 | 16.6 |
| 350 | -14.2" | -3.87 | -1.13 | 1,825 | 370 | 19.7 |
| 375 | -18.6" | -4.72 | -1.37 | 1,738 | 336 | 23.2 |
| 400 | -23.6" | -5.64 | -1.64 | 1,655 | 304 | 27.0 |
| 425 | -29.5" | -6.62 | -1.93 | 1,575 | 275 | 31.2 |
| 450 | -36.2" | -7.69 | -2.24 | 1,498 | 249 | 35.8 |
| 475 | -43.9" | -8.83 | -2.57 | 1,426 | 226 | 40.9 |
| 500 | -52.7" | -10.07 | -2.93 | 1,357 | 205 | 46.4 |
50gr G1 .204 at 3,325 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. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.223 Remington 50gr with a 50-yard zero
Zeroed at 50 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 50 and 153 yards, peaks +0.6" at 103 yards, and is -10.1" at 300 and -27.2" at 400 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 | 3,325 | 1,228 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.6" | -2.43 | -0.71 | 3,197 | 1,135 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,075 | 1,050 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.4" | +0.52 | +0.15 | 2,955 | 970 | 0.8 |
| 100 | +0.6" | +0.54 | +0.16 | 2,839 | 895 | 1.3 |
| 125 | +0.5" | +0.35 | +0.10 | 2,726 | 825 | 2.1 |
| 150 | +0.1" | +0.04 | +0.01 | 2,616 | 760 | 3.1 |
| 175 | -0.7" | -0.36 | -0.10 | 2,508 | 699 | 4.3 |
| 200 | -1.7" | -0.82 | -0.24 | 2,403 | 641 | 5.7 |
| 225 | -3.2" | -1.34 | -0.39 | 2,301 | 588 | 7.3 |
| 250 | -5.0" | -1.91 | -0.56 | 2,200 | 538 | 9.2 |
| 275 | -7.3" | -2.54 | -0.74 | 2,103 | 491 | 11.4 |
| 300 | -10.1" | -3.21 | -0.93 | 2,008 | 448 | 13.9 |
| 325 | -13.4" | -3.94 | -1.15 | 1,915 | 407 | 16.6 |
| 350 | -17.4" | -4.73 | -1.38 | 1,825 | 370 | 19.7 |
| 375 | -21.9" | -5.58 | -1.62 | 1,738 | 336 | 23.2 |
| 400 | -27.2" | -6.50 | -1.89 | 1,655 | 304 | 27.0 |
| 425 | -33.3" | -7.48 | -2.18 | 1,575 | 275 | 31.2 |
| 450 | -40.3" | -8.54 | -2.49 | 1,498 | 249 | 35.8 |
| 475 | -48.2" | -9.69 | -2.82 | 1,426 | 226 | 40.9 |
| 500 | -57.2" | -10.92 | -3.18 | 1,357 | 205 | 46.4 |
50gr G1 .204 at 3,325 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. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.223 Remington 50gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 78 and 102 yards, peaks +0.0" at 90 yards, and is -11.8" at 300 and -29.5" at 400 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 | 3,325 | 1,228 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.8" | -2.97 | -0.86 | 3,197 | 1,135 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.3" | -0.54 | -0.16 | 3,075 | 1,050 | 0.3 |
| 75 | 0.0" | -0.02 | -0.01 | 2,955 | 970 | 0.8 |
| 100 | +0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 2,839 | 895 | 1.3 |
| 125 | -0.2" | -0.19 | -0.05 | 2,726 | 825 | 2.1 |
| 150 | -0.8" | -0.50 | -0.15 | 2,616 | 760 | 3.1 |
| 175 | -1.6" | -0.90 | -0.26 | 2,508 | 699 | 4.3 |
| 200 | -2.9" | -1.36 | -0.40 | 2,403 | 641 | 5.7 |
| 225 | -4.4" | -1.88 | -0.55 | 2,301 | 588 | 7.3 |
| 250 | -6.4" | -2.45 | -0.71 | 2,200 | 538 | 9.2 |
| 275 | -8.9" | -3.08 | -0.89 | 2,103 | 491 | 11.4 |
| 300 | -11.8" | -3.75 | -1.09 | 2,008 | 448 | 13.9 |
| 325 | -15.3" | -4.48 | -1.30 | 1,915 | 407 | 16.6 |
| 350 | -19.3" | -5.27 | -1.53 | 1,825 | 370 | 19.7 |
| 375 | -24.0" | -6.12 | -1.78 | 1,738 | 336 | 23.2 |
| 400 | -29.5" | -7.04 | -2.05 | 1,655 | 304 | 27.0 |
| 425 | -35.7" | -8.02 | -2.33 | 1,575 | 275 | 31.2 |
| 450 | -42.8" | -9.08 | -2.64 | 1,498 | 249 | 35.8 |
| 475 | -50.9" | -10.23 | -2.98 | 1,426 | 226 | 40.9 |
| 500 | -60.0" | -11.46 | -3.33 | 1,357 | 205 | 46.4 |
50gr G1 .204 at 3,325 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. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Federal markets its Varmint & Predator line for varmints and predators, from prairie dogs to coyotes. This 50-grain load uses a jacketed hollow point, a lead-core bullet with an open nose. It carries a G1 BC of .204 and leaves the muzzle at 3,325 fps. Zeroed at 100 yards, it drops about 12 inches at 300.
Compared with Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max from the same line, the JHP gives up a lot in the wind. At 300 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing across the range pushes the JHP about 14 inches sideways and the V-Max about 9. The V-Max also starts 75 fps faster, but it kicks about 16 percent harder in the same rifle. Compared with Winchester's 40-grain Varmint-X, the JHP starts 275 fps slower, and the same wind pushes the Varmint-X about 13 inches at 300 yards. The JHP kicks about 42 percent harder than the Varmint-X in the same rifle.
Buy the 50-grain JHP if you want a hollow point varmint bullet with less recoil than Federal's 53-grain V-Max. Pick the 53-grain V-Max if you shoot past 300 yards in wind. Pick the Varmint-X if light recoil and a fast start matter most. For hunting, Barnes markets its 55-grain VOR-TX TSX as a hunting load; it uses an all-copper bullet and leaves the muzzle at 3,240 fps.
- Kicks about 15 percent less than Hornady's Varmint Express 55-grain V-Max in the same rifle
- Leaves the muzzle at 3,325 fps against 3,240 for Hornady's Varmint Express 55-grain V-Max
- Starts with 1,227 ft-lbs at the muzzle against 1,151 for Winchester's 40-grain Varmint-X
- Hornady's Varmint Express 55-grain V-Max drifts about 11 inches at 300 yards in a 10 mph crosswind, against about 14
- Zeroed at 100 yards, it drops about 30 inches at 400, against about 22 for Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max
- At 300 yards Winchester's 40-grain Varmint-X is moving 2,183 fps against 2,008
All Federal .223 Remington 50gr Varmint & Predator JHP Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Ammo | 20 | $13.29 | $9.99 | $23.28 | $1.16 |
| Lucky Gunner | 50 | $44.00 | $18.43 | $62.43 | $1.25 |
| Sentry Ammo | 20 | $17.38 | $11.99 | $29.37 | $1.47 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 20 | $19.13 | $10.99 | $30.12 | $1.51 |