Home › Browse Calibers › .222 Rem. Mag.
Common uses: Varmint, Target
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 50gr Nosler NoslerCustom Ballistic Tip Varmint |
| Muzzle velocity | 3340 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1239 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.238 |
| Case length | 47 mm |
| Overall length | 55.9 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3340 | 1238 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2912 | 941 | 0 |
| 200 | 2524 | 707 | -2.6 |
| 300 | 2167 | 521 | -10.8 |
| 400 | 1840 | 376 | -26.4 |
| 500 | 1550 | 267 | -52.4 |
At 1,000 yards, .222 Rem. Mag. (50gr at 3340 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 50.4 MOA / 14.6 MIL, retaining 871 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2167 | Supersonic | -10.8 | 3.4 | 1.00 |
| 400 | 1840 | Supersonic | -26.4 | 6.3 | 1.84 |
| 500 | 1550 | Supersonic | -52.4 | 10.0 | 2.91 |
| 600 | 1307 | Transonic | -93.0 | 14.8 | 4.30 |
| 700 | 1126 | Transonic | -154.1 | 21.0 | 6.11 |
| 800 | 1011 | Subsonic | -242.6 | 29.0 | 8.42 |
| 900 | 932 | Subsonic | -364.9 | 38.7 | 11.26 |
| 1000 | 871 | Subsonic | -527.4 | 50.4 | 14.65 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
Small-game/varmint context — the deer- and elk-sized energy references aren't applicable to the cartridge's listed uses. When a downrange table is available, its retained-energy column can provide context; verify the exact load and follow local game regulations for legal methods.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .222 Remington Magnum is a flat-shooting, accurate varmint and predator cartridge that pushes light .224-inch bullets faster than the standard .222 Remington while producing mild recoil. It earned a reputation for fine accuracy but never achieved wide popularity, because the ballistically similar .223 Remington arrived soon after and was backed by military and factory support that made it far cheaper and more available. Today it is largely obsolete, with limited factory ammunition and rifles no longer in production, though handloaders keep existing rifles running. It remains well suited to shooting foxes, coyotes, groundhogs, and similar small game at moderate ranges, and to precision small-bore target work.
Remington introduced the .222 Remington Magnum in 1958, creating it by lengthening the body and shortening the neck of the .222 Remington to gain roughly twenty percent more case capacity. Developed in connection with U.S. military prototype rifle experiments of the late 1950s, it was never adopted by the U.S. military, which ultimately chose the closely related .223 Remington. Released instead as a commercial sporting cartridge, it delivered a modest velocity gain over the parent .222 while remaining a rimless small-bore varmint round.
Run this cartridge in the ballistic calculator · Compare it against another cartridge · How this data is produced