Following is a list of about 150 hunting rifle calibers, from the smallest (17HMR) to the largest (700 Nitro Express).
The table is in ascending order based on each caliber’s projectile diameter. Within each group sharing the same projectile diameter, the rating is in terms of increasing muzzle energy for the heaviest projectile that can normally be fired in that particular caliber. The reference for these ballistics has been mostly ADI and some Wikipedia for the more obscure big game calibers.
Where a caliber is highlighted in blue bold print you can click on that to bring up more detailed ballistic data for that particular caliber. That includes a trajectory chart in both metric & imperial units. The intention is to eventually have a hunting story relevant to each caliber following after the trajectory chart.
As a standard to aid in comparing calibers, all trajectory charts have the same axes. That is, the range is 0 to 300 yards (= 0 to 275 metres) and the sighting range is +2 to -6 inches (+50mm to -150mm).
Point of aim varies between 150 to 250 yards based on limiting the peak of trajectory to +2 inches (+50mm) above line of sight (assumed to be a scope with optical centreline 1.5 inches (38mm) above bore centreline).
This website is devoted to hunting, with all rifle trajectories sighted to give a flat, point blank range (± 2 inches = ± 50mm) out to 200 yards, or better. We do not cover long range shooting and sniping trajectories.
|
CALIBER |
bullet diameter, inches |
heaviest bullet weight, grains |
muzzle velocity, ft/s |
muzzle energy, ft-lb |
| 17HMR |
0.172 |
20 |
2,375 |
251 |
| 17 Hornet |
0.172 |
30 |
2,985 |
594 |
| 17 Remington Fireball |
0.172 |
30 |
3,570 |
849 |
| 17 Remington |
0.172 |
30 |
3,740 |
932 |
| 204 Ruger |
0.204 |
50 |
3,355 |
1,250 |
| 22 Hornet |
0.224 |
55 |
2,275 |
632 |
| 22 K Hornet |
0.224 |
55 |
2,445 |
730 |
| 218 Bee |
0.224 |
50 |
2,655 |
783 |
| 221 Remington Fireball |
0.224 |
55 |
2,945 |
1,059 |
| 222 Remington |
0.224 |
63 |
2,795 |
1,093 |
| 223 Remington |
0.224 |
90 |
2,480 |
1,229 |
| 222 Remington Magnum |
0.224 |
63 |
3,045 |
1,297 |
| 224 Weatherby Magnum |
0.224 |
70 |
2,900 |
1,307 |
| 22 PPC |
0.224 |
55 |
3,345 |
1,367 |
| 22 BR Remington |
0.224 |
70 |
3,095 |
1,489 |
| 5.6×50 Magnum |
0.224 |
70 |
3,100 |
1,494 |
| 22-250 Remington |
0.224 |
70 |
3,195 |
1,587 |
| 225 Winchester |
0.224 |
70 |
3,255 |
1,647 |
| 5.6×57 RWS |
0.224 |
74 |
3,250 |
1,736 |
| 220 Swift |
0.224 |
70 |
3,360 |
1,755 |
| 22-250 Ackley Improved |
0.224 |
70 |
3,400 |
1,797 |
| 223 Winchester SSM |
0.224 |
77 |
3,360 |
1,931 |
| 220 Jaybird |
0.224 |
69 |
3,655 |
2,047 |
| 6mm-222 |
0.243 |
100 |
2,210 |
1,085 |
| 6×47 |
0.243 |
85 |
2,715 |
1,391 |
| 6mmx45 (6mm-223) |
0.243 |
100 |
2,615 |
1,519 |
| 6mm BR Remington |
0.243 |
107 |
2,620 |
1,631 |
| 6mm PPC |
0.243 |
107 |
2,630 |
1,644 |
| 243 Winchester SSM |
0.243 |
100 |
3,075 |
2,100 |
| 243 Winchester |
0.243 |
107 |
2,975 |
2,103 |
| 6mm Remington (244) |
0.243 |
115 |
2,880 |
2,118 |
| 6mm-284 |
0.243 |
115 |
2,935 |
2,200 |
| 240 Weatherby Magnum |
0.243 |
115 |
3,065 |
2,399 |
| 256 Winchester Magnum |
0.257 |
87 |
2,190 |
927 |
| 25 Remington |
0.257 |
117 |
2,000 |
1,039 |
| 257 Kimber |
0.257 |
117 |
2,225 |
1,286 |
| 250 Savage (250-3000) |
0.257 |
120 |
2,575 |
1,767 |
| 25-303 |
0.257 |
117 |
2,700 |
1,894 |
| 257 Roberts |
0.257 |
125 |
2,680 |
1,994 |
| 25-308 |
0.257 |
120 |
2,850 |
2,165 |
| 25-06 Remington |
0.257 |
125 |
2,800 |
2,176 |
| 257 Roberts Improved |
0.257 |
120 |
2,900 |
2,241 |
| 25/284 |
0.257 |
125 |
2,910 |
2,351 |
| 25 Winchester SSM |
0.257 |
120 |
2,980 |
2,367 |
| 257 Weatherby Magnum |
0.257 |
120 |
3,255 |
2,824 |
| 6.5mm x 52 Mannlicher-Carcano |
0.264 |
160 |
2,085 |
1,545 |
| 6.5×54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer |
0.264 |
160 |
2,100 |
1,567 |
| 6.5mm BR |
0.264 |
142 |
2,395 |
1,809 |
| 6.5 x 50 Japanese |
0.264 |
160 |
2,395 |
2,038 |
| 6.5mmx55 Swedish Mauser |
0.264 |
160 |
2,525 |
2,265 |
| 6.5 Creedmore |
0.264 |
142 |
2,695 |
2,290 |
| 260 Remington |
0.264 |
160 |
2,595 |
2,393 |
| 6.5-284 |
0.264 |
160 |
2,620 |
2,439 |
| 6.5mm/06 |
0.264 |
160 |
2,650 |
2,495 |
| 6.5mm Remington Magnum |
0.264 |
140 |
2,945 |
2,697 |
| 6.5mm x 68 Schuler |
0.264 |
140 |
2,995 |
2,789 |
| 264 Winchester Magnum |
0.264 |
160 |
2,885 |
2,958 |
| 6.8mm Remington SPC |
0.277 |
115 |
2,610 |
1,740 |
| 270/303 |
0.277 |
150 |
2,350 |
1,840 |
| 270 Winchester |
0.277 |
180 |
2,540 |
2,579 |
| 270 WSM |
0.277 |
180 |
2,810 |
3,156 |
| 270 Weatherby Magnum |
0.277 |
160 |
3,050 |
3,305 |
| 7-30 Waters |
0.284 |
168 |
2,230 |
1,855 |
| 7×57 |
0.284 |
175 |
2,240 |
1,950 |
| 7mm BR Remington |
0.284 |
168 |
2,290 |
1,957 |
| 7mm-08 Remington |
0.284 |
175 |
2,525 |
2,478 |
| 284 Winchester |
0.284 |
195 |
2,415 |
2,526 |
| 280 Remington/7mm Express Remington |
0.284 |
175 |
2,585 |
2,597 |
| 7×61 Sharp & Hart |
0.284 |
175 |
2,700 |
2,833 |
| 280 Ackley Improved |
0.284 |
175 |
2,745 |
2,928 |
| 7mm WSM |
0.284 |
175 |
2,800 |
3,047 |
| 7mm Remington Magnum |
0.284 |
175 |
2,800 |
3,047 |
| 7mm Remington SAUM |
0.284 |
175 |
2,865 |
3,190 |
| 7mm Weatherby Magnum |
0.284 |
175 |
3,020 |
3,545 |
| 7mm STW |
0.284 |
195 |
2,880 |
3,592 |
| 7mm RUM |
0.284 |
175 |
3,070 |
3,663 |
| 30-30 Winchester |
0.308 |
170 |
2,170 |
1,778 |
| 30-40 Krag |
0.308 |
220 |
1,970 |
1,896 |
| 300 Savage |
0.308 |
200 |
2,090 |
1,940 |
| 308 Marlin Express |
0.308 |
170 |
2,440 |
2,248 |
| 307 Winchester |
0.308 |
200 |
2,300 |
2,350 |
| 308 Winchester |
0.308 |
200 |
2,440 |
2,644 |
| 7.62 x 54R Russian |
0.308 |
220 |
2,395 |
2,803 |
| 30-06 Springfield |
0.308 |
250 |
2,280 |
2,886 |
| 300 Ruger Compact Magnum |
0.308 |
200 |
2,710 |
3,262 |
| 300 Remington SAUM |
0.308 |
220 |
2,615 |
3,341 |
| 30-06 Ackley Improved |
0.308 |
200 |
2,750 |
3,359 |
| 308 Norma Magnum |
0.308 |
250 |
2,500 |
3,470 |
| 300 WSM |
0.308 |
220 |
2,690 |
3,535 |
| 300 H&H Magnum |
0.308 |
250 |
2,565 |
3,653 |
| 300 Winchester Magnum |
0.308 |
250 |
2,590 |
3,724 |
| 300 Weatherby Magnum |
0.308 |
220 |
2,855 |
3,982 |
| 300 RUM |
0.308 |
220 |
2,905 |
4,123 |
| 30-378 Weatherby Magnum |
0.308 |
220 |
3,155 |
4,863 |
| 303 British |
0.312 |
215 |
2,265 |
2,450 |
| 8mm Mauser (8×57) |
0.323 |
220 |
2,420 |
2,861 |
| 8mm x 68 Schuler |
0.323 |
220 |
2,650 |
3,431 |
| 325 WSM |
0.323 |
220 |
2,650 |
3,431 |
| 8mm Remington Magnum |
0.323 |
220 |
2,825 |
3,899 |
| 338 Federal |
0.338 |
225 |
2,445 |
2,987 |
| 338 Ruger Compact Magnum |
0.338 |
225 |
2,620 |
3,430 |
| 338-06 |
0.338 |
250 |
2,540 |
3,582 |
| 338 Winchester Magnum |
0.338 |
300 |
2,420 |
3,902 |
| 340 Weatherby Magnum |
0.338 |
275 |
2,575 |
4,050 |
| 338 RUM |
0.338 |
275 |
2,765 |
4,669 |
| 338 Lapua Magnum |
0.338 |
300 |
2,655 |
4,696 |
| 338-378 Weatherby Magnum |
0.338 |
300 |
2,820 |
5,298 |
| 35 Remington |
0.358 |
220 |
2,010 |
1,974 |
| 356 Winchester |
0.358 |
250 |
2,135 |
2,531 |
| 358 Winchester |
0.358 |
250 |
2,280 |
2,886 |
| 35 Whelen |
0.358 |
250 |
2,485 |
3,429 |
| 350 Remington Magnum |
0.358 |
250 |
2,550 |
3,610 |
| 358 Norma Magnum |
0.358 |
250 |
2,780 |
4,291 |
| 358 STA |
0.358 |
300 |
2,635 |
4,626 |
| 9.3x74R |
0.366 |
300 |
2,210 |
3,254 |
| 9.3mm x 64 Brennecke |
0.366 |
293 |
2,250 |
3,294 |
| 9.3mm x 62 Mauser |
0.366 |
300 |
2,290 |
3,494 |
| 376 Steyr |
0.375 |
300 |
2,410 |
3,870 |
| 375 H&H Mag |
0.375 |
300 |
2,645 |
4,661 |
| 375 Weatherby Magnum |
0.375 |
300 |
2,650 |
4,679 |
| 375 Ruger |
0.375 |
300 |
2,660 |
4,714 |
| 375 RUM |
0.375 |
300 |
2,735 |
4,984 |
| 378 Weatherby Magnum |
0.375 |
300 |
2,940 |
5,759 |
| 450-400 Nitro Express (3″) |
0.408 |
400 |
2,100 |
3,918 |
| 400 H&H Magnum |
0.411 |
400 |
2,375 |
5,011 |
| 405 Winchester |
0.412 |
400 |
1,945 |
3,361 |
| 416 Remington Magnum |
0.416 |
400 |
2,410 |
5,160 |
| 416 Rigby |
0.416 |
450 |
2,470 |
6,097 |
| 416 Weatherby Magnum |
0.416 |
400 |
2,705 |
6,500 |
| 404 Jeffery |
0.422 |
400 |
2,100 |
3,918 |
| 444 Marlin |
0.430 |
300 |
2,080 |
2,882 |
| 450 Marlin |
0.458 |
400 |
2,025 |
3,643 |
| 45-70 (Modern actions) |
0.458 |
500 |
1,830 |
3,719 |
| 450 Nitro Express |
0.458 |
480 |
2,150 |
4,928 |
| 458 Winchester Magnum |
0.458 |
500 |
2,150 |
5,133 |
| 460 Weatherby Magnum |
0.458 |
600 |
2,460 |
8,064 |
| 465 Nitro Express |
0.468 |
480 |
2,150 |
4,928 |
| 465 H&H Magnum |
0.468 |
480 |
2,375 |
6,013 |
| 470 Nitro Express |
0.474 |
600 |
1,940 |
5,015 |
| 476 Westley Richards |
0.476 |
520 |
2,100 |
5,093 |
| 475 Nitro Express No 2 |
0.483 |
500 |
2,150 |
5,133 |
| 505 Gibbs |
0.505 |
600 |
2,100 |
5,876 |
| 50 Alaskan |
0.510 |
525 |
1,694 |
3,346 |
| 500 Nitro Express |
0.510 |
570 |
2,150 |
5,851 |
| 500 Jeffery (12.7 x 70mm Schuler) |
0.510 |
600 |
2,468 |
8,116 |
| 577 Nitro Express |
0.585 |
750 |
2,050 |
7,000 |
| 600 Nitro Express |
0.620 |
900 |
2,000 |
7,995 |
| 700 Nitro Express |
0.700 |
1,000 |
2,000 |
8,883 |