Hornady Varmint Express .223 Remington 55gr V-Max Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • V-Max • MPN: 8327
Hornady Varmint Express .223 Remington 55gr V-Max Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • V-Max • MPN: 8327
Solved from this product's advertised 3240 fps, 55gr bullet and G1 BC 0.255, 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 55gr 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 203 yards, peaks +1.6" at 122 yards, and is -6.9" at 300 and -21.2" 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 | 3,240 | 1,282 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.4" | -1.57 | -0.46 | 3,140 | 1,204 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.5" | +0.85 | +0.25 | 3,043 | 1,131 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +1.1" | +1.36 | +0.40 | 2,947 | 1,061 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +1.4" | +1.38 | +0.40 | 2,855 | 995 | 1.1 |
| 125 | +1.6" | +1.18 | +0.34 | 2,764 | 933 | 1.7 |
| 150 | +1.4" | +0.87 | +0.25 | 2,674 | 874 | 2.5 |
| 175 | +0.9" | +0.49 | +0.14 | 2,587 | 818 | 3.5 |
| 200 | +0.1" | +0.04 | +0.01 | 2,501 | 764 | 4.6 |
| 225 | -1.1" | -0.45 | -0.13 | 2,417 | 714 | 5.9 |
| 250 | -2.6" | -0.99 | -0.29 | 2,335 | 666 | 7.4 |
| 275 | -4.5" | -1.57 | -0.46 | 2,254 | 620 | 9.0 |
| 300 | -6.9" | -2.18 | -0.64 | 2,174 | 577 | 10.9 |
| 325 | -9.7" | -2.84 | -0.83 | 2,096 | 537 | 13.0 |
| 350 | -13.0" | -3.54 | -1.03 | 2,020 | 499 | 15.4 |
| 375 | -16.8" | -4.28 | -1.25 | 1,946 | 462 | 18.0 |
| 400 | -21.2" | -5.07 | -1.47 | 1,873 | 428 | 20.8 |
| 425 | -26.3" | -5.90 | -1.72 | 1,802 | 397 | 23.9 |
| 450 | -32.0" | -6.78 | -1.97 | 1,733 | 367 | 27.3 |
| 475 | -38.4" | -7.71 | -2.24 | 1,666 | 339 | 31.0 |
| 500 | -45.6" | -8.70 | -2.53 | 1,601 | 313 | 35.0 |
55gr G1 .255 at 3,240 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 55gr 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 152 yards, peaks +0.5" at 102 yards, and is -9.6" at 300 and -24.8" 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 | 3,240 | 1,282 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.6" | -2.43 | -0.71 | 3,140 | 1,204 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 3,043 | 1,131 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.4" | +0.50 | +0.15 | 2,947 | 1,061 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +0.5" | +0.52 | +0.15 | 2,855 | 995 | 1.1 |
| 125 | +0.4" | +0.32 | +0.09 | 2,764 | 933 | 1.7 |
| 150 | +0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 2,674 | 874 | 2.5 |
| 175 | -0.7" | -0.37 | -0.11 | 2,587 | 818 | 3.5 |
| 200 | -1.7" | -0.82 | -0.24 | 2,501 | 764 | 4.6 |
| 225 | -3.1" | -1.31 | -0.38 | 2,417 | 714 | 5.9 |
| 250 | -4.8" | -1.85 | -0.54 | 2,335 | 666 | 7.4 |
| 275 | -7.0" | -2.43 | -0.71 | 2,254 | 620 | 9.0 |
| 300 | -9.6" | -3.04 | -0.89 | 2,174 | 577 | 10.9 |
| 325 | -12.6" | -3.70 | -1.08 | 2,096 | 537 | 13.0 |
| 350 | -16.1" | -4.40 | -1.28 | 2,020 | 499 | 15.4 |
| 375 | -20.2" | -5.14 | -1.50 | 1,946 | 462 | 18.0 |
| 400 | -24.8" | -5.93 | -1.72 | 1,873 | 428 | 20.8 |
| 425 | -30.1" | -6.76 | -1.97 | 1,802 | 397 | 23.9 |
| 450 | -36.0" | -7.64 | -2.22 | 1,733 | 367 | 27.3 |
| 475 | -42.7" | -8.57 | -2.49 | 1,666 | 339 | 31.0 |
| 500 | -50.1" | -9.56 | -2.78 | 1,601 | 313 | 35.0 |
55gr G1 .255 at 3,240 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 55gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 77 and 102 yards, peaks +0.0" at 89 yards, and is -11.2" at 300 and -27.0" 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 | 3,240 | 1,282 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.8" | -2.94 | -0.85 | 3,140 | 1,204 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.3" | -0.52 | -0.15 | 3,043 | 1,131 | 0.3 |
| 75 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 2,947 | 1,061 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,855 | 995 | 1.1 |
| 125 | -0.3" | -0.19 | -0.05 | 2,764 | 933 | 1.7 |
| 150 | -0.8" | -0.50 | -0.14 | 2,674 | 874 | 2.5 |
| 175 | -1.6" | -0.88 | -0.26 | 2,587 | 818 | 3.5 |
| 200 | -2.8" | -1.33 | -0.39 | 2,501 | 764 | 4.6 |
| 225 | -4.3" | -1.82 | -0.53 | 2,417 | 714 | 5.9 |
| 250 | -6.2" | -2.36 | -0.69 | 2,335 | 666 | 7.4 |
| 275 | -8.5" | -2.94 | -0.85 | 2,254 | 620 | 9.0 |
| 300 | -11.2" | -3.56 | -1.03 | 2,174 | 577 | 10.9 |
| 325 | -14.3" | -4.21 | -1.23 | 2,096 | 537 | 13.0 |
| 350 | -18.0" | -4.91 | -1.43 | 2,020 | 499 | 15.4 |
| 375 | -22.2" | -5.65 | -1.64 | 1,946 | 462 | 18.0 |
| 400 | -27.0" | -6.44 | -1.87 | 1,873 | 428 | 20.8 |
| 425 | -32.4" | -7.27 | -2.11 | 1,802 | 397 | 23.9 |
| 450 | -38.4" | -8.15 | -2.37 | 1,733 | 367 | 27.3 |
| 475 | -45.2" | -9.09 | -2.64 | 1,666 | 339 | 31.0 |
| 500 | -52.8" | -10.08 | -2.93 | 1,601 | 313 | 35.0 |
55gr G1 .255 at 3,240 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
Hornady markets its Varmint Express 55-grain for varmints. The load uses Hornady's V-Max, a polymer-tipped varmint bullet, with a G1 BC of .255, and it leaves the muzzle at 3,240 fps. Zeroed at 100 yards, it drops about 11 inches at 300.
Compared with Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max, the 55 starts 160 fps slower and kicks about the same in the same rifle. At 300 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing across the range pushes the 55 about 11 inches sideways and the 53 about 9. Compared with Federal's 50-grain Varmint & Predator JHP, the 55 starts 85 fps slower but handles wind better: the same wind pushes the JHP about 14 inches at 300 yards. The JHP kicks about 15 percent less in the same rifle.
Buy the Varmint Express 55 if you want Hornady's V-Max at 55 grains and better wind handling than the Federal JHP. Pick Federal's 53-grain V-Max if you want a faster start and less wind drift at about the same recoil. Pick the 50-grain JHP if softer recoil matters more than wind. If light recoil matters most, Winchester's 40-grain Varmint-X kicks about 40 percent less than the 55 in the same rifle.
- Carries a G1 BC of .255 against .204 for Federal's 50-grain Varmint & Predator JHP
- By 400 yards it has passed Federal's 50-grain Varmint & Predator JHP, 1,873 fps there against 1,655
- Starts with 1,282 ft-lbs at the muzzle against 1,227 for Federal's 50-grain Varmint & Predator JHP
- Zeroed at 100 yards, it drops about 11 inches at 300, against about 9 for Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max
- Its G1 BC of .255 trails the .290 of Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max
- At 400 yards Federal's 53-grain Hornady V-Max is still moving 2,134 fps against 1,873
All Hornady Varmint Express .223 Remington 55gr V-Max Ammo Prices
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