5.56 NATO / .223 Rem Drop Chart

The AR-15 standard — fast and flat up close. The light 55 gr load sheds velocity and drops off past 400 yards; heavier 77 gr stays in the fight much farther.

Updated July 2026

Load

Barrel

Zero

Units

55 gr FMJ (M193) · 3,050 fps · G1 BC 0.243 · 16″ barrel · 100-yard zero · 2″ optic height · sea level.

Range	Drop (in)	Hold (MOA)	Hold (MIL)	Velocity
100 yd	0	—	—	2,657 fps
200 yd	−3.0	1.4	0.4	2,293 fps
300 yd	−12.6	4.0	1.2	1,959 fps
400 yd	−31.4	7.5	2.2	1,659 fps
500 yd	−63.0	12.0	3.5	1,400 fps
600 yd	−112.4	17.9	5.2	1,195 fps
700 yd	−186.2	25.4	7.4	1,056 fps

Stays supersonic to roughly 600 yards — past that the bullet goes transonic and groups usually open up.

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.

What this means for your optic

5.56 NATO / .223 Rem rifles in our catalog