Rifle Ballistic Calculator
Rifle ballistic calculator works out Trajectory and Bore elevation above the line of sight from Muzzle velocity, Ballistic coefficient and Drag model. The default figures on this page give bore elevation above the line of sight of 3.360 MOA; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
5 steps
- Atmosphere: 15 C, 29.9213 inHg, 0% RH gives air density 0.076474 lb/ft^3 and a speed of sound of 1116.45 ft/s.
- Drag deceleration = (pi/1152) x rho x CD(M) x |v|^2 / BC = 0.0004171 x CD(M) x |v|^2 ft/s^2.
- Elevation solved so the path crosses the line of sight at 100 yd: 3.36 MOA above the line of sight.
- Muzzle energy = 1/2 x 168 gr x 3000 ft/s squared = 3356.7 ft-lbf.
- At 1000 yd: 1408.2 ft/s, 739.6 ft-lbf, 1.4711 s of flight, 329.85 in of drop and a path -296.16 in relative to the line of sight.
Trajectorytable
| rangeYards | velocityFps | machNumber | energyFtLb | timeSeconds | dropInches | pathInches | windDriftInches | holdoverMoa | holdoverMil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3,000 | 2.687 | 3,356.7 | 0 | 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 100 | 2,806.5 | 2.514 | 2,937.7 | 0.1034 | 2.02 | 0 | 0 | -0 | -0 |
| 200 | 2,621.3 | 2.348 | 2,562.8 | 0.214 | 8.46 | -2.92 | 0 | 1.39 | 0.41 |
| 300 | 2,443.6 | 2.189 | 2,227 | 0.3325 | 19.96 | -10.91 | 0 | 3.47 | 1.01 |
| 400 | 2,272.8 | 2.036 | 1,926.6 | 0.4599 | 37.3 | -24.72 | 0 | 5.9 | 1.72 |
| 500 | 2,108.8 | 1.889 | 1,658.6 | 0.5969 | 61.38 | -45.28 | 0 | 8.65 | 2.52 |
| 600 | 1,951.7 | 1.748 | 1,420.7 | 0.7448 | 93.29 | -73.68 | 0 | 11.73 | 3.41 |
| 700 | 1,802.2 | 1.614 | 1,211.4 | 0.9048 | 134.34 | -111.21 | 0 | 15.17 | 4.41 |
| 800 | 1,661 | 1.488 | 1,029 | 1.0782 | 186.13 | -159.48 | 0 | 19.04 | 5.54 |
| 900 | 1,529.2 | 1.37 | 872.1 | 1.2665 | 250.54 | -220.37 | 0 | 23.38 | 6.8 |
| 1,000 | 1,408.2 | 1.261 | 739.6 | 1.4711 | 329.85 | -296.16 | 0 | 28.28 | 8.23 |
Figures from standard ballistic drag functions, checked 31 August 2026. Its 5 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed · how reference data is kept current
Sources and references
4 sources
What the rifle ballistic calculator calculates
Computes a bullet's drop, bullet path relative to the line of sight, retained velocity and energy, wind drift, time of flight and holdover, by integrating the point-mass equations of motion with the standard G1 or G7 drag function.
How to use this rifle ballistic calculator
Enter Muzzle velocity, Ballistic coefficient, Drag model and Bullet weight. Trajectory updates as you type. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Trajectory, Bore elevation above the line of sight and Launch angle above the line of sight.
The method follows JBM Ballistics, drag function downloads - machine-readable CD vs Mach tables for the G1 and G7 standard projectiles, U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF) - troposphere temperature lapse and pressure relation used for the altitude atmosphere, A. L. Buck, "New Equations for Computing Vapor Pressure and Enhancement Factor", Journal of Applied Meteorology 20, 1527-1532 - saturation vapour pressure used in the humid-air density and BIPM/CIPM-2007 formula for the density of moist air - specific gas constants for dry air and water vapour.
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Trajectory, Bore elevation above the line of sight and Launch angle above the line of sight. The inputs you can vary are Muzzle velocity, Ballistic coefficient, Drag model, Bullet weight, Sight height above the bore and Zero range.
Understanding Trajectory, Bore elevation above the line of sight and Launch angle above the line of sight
A physics model, not a firing solution. It ignores spin drift, Coriolis, aerodynamic jump and transonic behaviour, and it assumes the ballistic coefficient you enter is constant. Confirm every setting on paper at a safe range before relying on it, and follow all applicable firearms law and range safety rules.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free ballistics calculator?
The calculation is free and does not require an account. An account is only needed for optional features such as saving, comparing, exporting, or sharing supported scenarios.
How to do ballistic calculations?
Computes a bullet's drop, bullet path relative to the line of sight, retained velocity and energy, wind drift, time of flight and holdover. Open “How this is worked out” beside the result to see each step for your own figures.
What is the Ballistic Coefficient of a 308?
On the figures this page opens with — muzzle velocity 3,000 ft/s, ballistic coefficient 0.5 lb/in², bullet weight 168 gr and sight height above the bore 1.5 in — the bore elevation above the line of sight is 3.36 MOA. No single number fits everyone: change any figure above and the answer updates as you type, with each step of the arithmetic beside it.
What information do I need for the rifle ballistic calculator?
You need Muzzle velocity, Ballistic coefficient, Drag model, Bullet weight, Sight height above the bore, Zero range, Table out to and Table step. The page opens with default figures that give bore elevation above the line of sight of 3.360 MOA, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this rifle ballistic calculator show?
It shows Trajectory, Bore elevation above the line of sight, Launch angle above the line of sight, Muzzle energy, Muzzle Mach number, Velocity at the far end of the table, Energy at the far end of the table and Drop below the bore line at the far end, with the working and any warnings for your entries.
Can I check how the rifle ballistic calculator result was calculated?
Yes. The “How this is worked out” section shows the calculation steps, and the sources section identifies the references used for the method.