Federal .223 Remington 53gr Hornady V-Max Polymer Tip Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • V-Max
Federal .223 Remington 53gr Hornady V-Max Polymer Tip Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • V-Max
Solved from this product's advertised 3400 fps, 53gr bullet and G1 BC 0.290, 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 53gr with a 36-yard zero
Zeroed at 36 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 36 yards, peaks +1.8" at 134 yards, crosses back down at 226 yards, and is -4.5" at 300 and -15.9" 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 | 3,400 | 1,361 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.4" | -1.58 | -0.46 | 3,308 | 1,288 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.5" | +0.88 | +0.26 | 3,219 | 1,220 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +1.1" | +1.43 | +0.42 | 3,132 | 1,155 | 0.5 |
| 100 | +1.6" | +1.50 | +0.44 | 3,046 | 1,092 | 0.9 |
| 125 | +1.8" | +1.36 | +0.40 | 2,963 | 1,033 | 1.4 |
| 150 | +1.8" | +1.11 | +0.32 | 2,881 | 977 | 2.1 |
| 175 | +1.5" | +0.79 | +0.23 | 2,800 | 923 | 2.8 |
| 200 | +0.9" | +0.42 | +0.12 | 2,721 | 871 | 3.7 |
| 225 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 2,643 | 822 | 4.8 |
| 250 | -1.2" | -0.45 | -0.13 | 2,567 | 775 | 6.0 |
| 275 | -2.7" | -0.93 | -0.27 | 2,492 | 731 | 7.3 |
| 300 | -4.5" | -1.44 | -0.42 | 2,418 | 688 | 8.8 |
| 325 | -6.8" | -1.99 | -0.58 | 2,345 | 647 | 10.5 |
| 350 | -9.4" | -2.56 | -0.74 | 2,273 | 608 | 12.3 |
| 375 | -12.4" | -3.17 | -0.92 | 2,203 | 571 | 14.3 |
| 400 | -15.9" | -3.80 | -1.11 | 2,134 | 536 | 16.5 |
| 425 | -19.9" | -4.47 | -1.30 | 2,066 | 503 | 18.9 |
| 450 | -24.4" | -5.17 | -1.50 | 2,000 | 471 | 21.5 |
| 475 | -29.4" | -5.91 | -1.72 | 1,935 | 441 | 24.4 |
| 500 | -35.0" | -6.68 | -1.94 | 1,871 | 412 | 27.4 |
53gr G1 .290 at 3,400 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 53gr with a 50-yard zero
Zeroed at 50 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 50 yards, peaks +0.7" at 111 yards, crosses back down at 169 yards, and is -7.3" at 300 and -19.6" 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 | 3,400 | 1,361 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.7" | -2.46 | -0.72 | 3,308 | 1,288 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 3,219 | 1,220 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +0.4" | +0.55 | +0.16 | 3,132 | 1,155 | 0.5 |
| 100 | +0.7" | +0.62 | +0.18 | 3,046 | 1,092 | 0.9 |
| 125 | +0.6" | +0.48 | +0.14 | 2,963 | 1,033 | 1.4 |
| 150 | +0.4" | +0.23 | +0.07 | 2,881 | 977 | 2.1 |
| 175 | -0.2" | -0.09 | -0.03 | 2,800 | 923 | 2.8 |
| 200 | -1.0" | -0.46 | -0.14 | 2,721 | 871 | 3.7 |
| 225 | -2.1" | -0.88 | -0.26 | 2,643 | 822 | 4.8 |
| 250 | -3.5" | -1.33 | -0.39 | 2,567 | 775 | 6.0 |
| 275 | -5.2" | -1.81 | -0.53 | 2,492 | 731 | 7.3 |
| 300 | -7.3" | -2.33 | -0.68 | 2,418 | 688 | 8.8 |
| 325 | -9.8" | -2.87 | -0.84 | 2,345 | 647 | 10.5 |
| 350 | -12.6" | -3.44 | -1.00 | 2,273 | 608 | 12.3 |
| 375 | -15.9" | -4.05 | -1.18 | 2,203 | 571 | 14.3 |
| 400 | -19.6" | -4.69 | -1.36 | 2,134 | 536 | 16.5 |
| 425 | -23.8" | -5.35 | -1.56 | 2,066 | 503 | 18.9 |
| 450 | -28.5" | -6.06 | -1.76 | 2,000 | 471 | 21.5 |
| 475 | -33.8" | -6.79 | -1.98 | 1,935 | 441 | 24.4 |
| 500 | -39.6" | -7.57 | -2.20 | 1,871 | 412 | 27.4 |
53gr G1 .290 at 3,400 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 53gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 100 yards without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -9.3" at 300 and -22.2" 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 | 3,400 | 1,361 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.8" | -3.08 | -0.90 | 3,308 | 1,288 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.3" | -0.62 | -0.18 | 3,219 | 1,220 | 0.2 |
| 75 | -0.1" | -0.07 | -0.02 | 3,132 | 1,155 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,046 | 1,092 | 0.9 |
| 125 | -0.2" | -0.14 | -0.04 | 2,963 | 1,033 | 1.4 |
| 150 | -0.6" | -0.39 | -0.11 | 2,881 | 977 | 2.1 |
| 175 | -1.3" | -0.71 | -0.21 | 2,800 | 923 | 2.8 |
| 200 | -2.3" | -1.08 | -0.31 | 2,721 | 871 | 3.7 |
| 225 | -3.5" | -1.49 | -0.43 | 2,643 | 822 | 4.8 |
| 250 | -5.1" | -1.94 | -0.57 | 2,567 | 775 | 6.0 |
| 275 | -7.0" | -2.43 | -0.71 | 2,492 | 731 | 7.3 |
| 300 | -9.3" | -2.94 | -0.86 | 2,418 | 688 | 8.8 |
| 325 | -11.9" | -3.49 | -1.01 | 2,345 | 647 | 10.5 |
| 350 | -14.9" | -4.06 | -1.18 | 2,273 | 608 | 12.3 |
| 375 | -18.3" | -4.66 | -1.36 | 2,203 | 571 | 14.3 |
| 400 | -22.2" | -5.30 | -1.54 | 2,134 | 536 | 16.5 |
| 425 | -26.6" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 2,066 | 503 | 18.9 |
| 450 | -31.4" | -6.67 | -1.94 | 2,000 | 471 | 21.5 |
| 475 | -36.9" | -7.41 | -2.15 | 1,935 | 441 | 24.4 |
| 500 | -42.9" | -8.18 | -2.38 | 1,871 | 412 | 27.4 |
53gr G1 .290 at 3,400 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 53-grain Hornady V-Max is a polymer-tipped .223 Remington load made for predators and varmints. Federal loads Hornady's V-Max, a lead-core bullet with a boat tail and a polymer tip. It leaves the muzzle at 3,400 fps with 1,360 ft-lbs and a G1 BC of .290.
Zeroed at 50 yards it drops 7.3 inches at 300 and 19.6 inches at 400. From a 100-yard zero the drop at 400 is 22.2 inches.
If you're cross-shopping, Hornady's Varmint Express 55-grain V-Max is the same bullet 160 fps slower, on a G1 BC of .255, and from a 50-yard zero it drops 24.8 inches at 400. Winchester's Varmint-X 40-grain Polymer Tip starts 200 fps faster on a G1 BC of .200.
- The highest G1 BC of the .223 varmint loads compared, at .290
- The least drop at 400 yards of the varmint loads compared, from any of the three zeros
- The most muzzle energy of the loads compared
- Kicks about 15 percent more than Federal's Varmint & Predator 50-grain JHP in the same rifle
- A lead-core bullet, so it can't be used where lead-free ammunition is required. Barnes' VOR-TX 55-grain TSX is one of the caliber's two copper loads
All Federal .223 Remington 53gr Hornady V-Max Polymer Tip Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentry Ammo | 20 | $28.94 | $11.99 | $40.93 | $2.05 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 20 | $30.12 | $10.99 | $41.11 | $2.06 |
| Fast Ammo | 20 | $28.94 | $12.99 | $41.93 | $2.10 |
| Guns.com | 20 | $27.99 | $14.99 | $42.98 | $2.15 |
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