.40 S&W Drop Chart
The .40 S&W — a middle-ground service round between 9mm and .45; a PCC barrel adds ~125 fps for flatter 100-yard shooting.
Updated
Load
Barrel
Zero
Units
180 gr FMJ · 1,000 fps · G1 BC 0.17 · 4″ barrel · 100-yard zero · 2″ optic height · sea level.
| Range | Drop (in) | Hold (MOA) | Hold (MIL) | Velocity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 yd | +2.1 | — | — | 971 fps |
| 50 yd | +3.9 | — | — | 944 fps |
| 75 yd | +3.2 | — | — | 920 fps |
| 100 yd | 0 | — | — | 898 fps |
| 150 yd | −14.6 | 9.3 | 2.7 | 858 fps |
| 200 yd | −41.1 | 19.6 | 5.7 | 822 fps |
This load is subsonic — quiet and superb suppressed, but it drops fast and is a short-range proposition.
Estimate — confirm at the range. These figures are computed for the selected load, barrel, and zero at sea level — the barrel setting shifts muzzle velocity by a typical per-inch rate from published cut-down tests, so it’s an estimate too. Your real drop also depends on your exact ammo and lot, altitude, temperature, and conditions. Use this to get in the ballpark and to pick the right optic — then verify your actual holdovers on paper or steel before you trust them.
What this means for your optic
By the time you're holding several MOA or MIL of holdover, a plain dot stops being enough. That's where a reticle with marked holds (a BDC or MIL/MOA grid), an exposed turret you can dial, and a first-focal-plane scope earn their keep. Pick a rifle below to see the optics that fit it — and how they mount.