Can I get a detailed range table (drop, time of flight, velocity, energy) for m855 62-grain at typical zeroes (25/200/300 yards)?
Executive summary
A detailed range table for the 62‑grain M855 is available, but it is not a single universal chart—trajectory (drop), time of flight, velocity and energy depend on barrel length, muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient, and therefore must be generated for the specific rifle and zero being used (barrel-length effects shown by Everyday Marksman) [1]. Published ballistics resources and calculators such as Ammo.com, ShootersCalculator and manufacturer tools will produce the numbers requested for the common zeroes (25, 200, 300 yards) if the user supplies realistic muzzle velocity and BC inputs [2] [3] [4].
1. Why “a” range table doesn’t exist and what changes the numbers
Ballistic performance for the 62‑gr M855 changes with barrel length (longer barrels generally raise muzzle velocity and flatten the trajectory, but only up to a point), with velocity gains tapering beyond about 20" for 62‑gr 5.56 projectiles, so a chart for a 14.5" M4 will differ from one for a 16" or 20" barrel (Everyday Marksman) [1]. The M855’s mass, partial steel penetrator and published characteristics are standardized, but the effective ballistic coefficient and muzzle velocity used by calculators must reflect the exact load and rifle; calculators warn their output is an approximation and urge live‑fire verification (ShootersCalculator; Winchester ballistics tool) [3] [4]. Military and test reports likewise show trajectory and group‑size differences tied to barrel twist and load, underscoring that one generic table can mislead (American Rifleman testing of M855/A1) [5].
2. What published sources say about typical downrange behavior
Ammo.com summarizes practical outcomes for 5.56 loads and reports that, when sighted in at 200 yards, a typical 5.56 will drop roughly 8–9 inches by 300 yards depending on load—an easily referenced benchmark for a 200‑yard zero [2]. A factory optical chart for a 14.5" rifle (ACOG-style published chart) lists elevation values in MOA at 100/200/300 yards for 5.56×45 62 gr M855 and shows nontrivial elevation change between 200 and 300 yards for that barrel/zero combination, illustrating that published sighting cards can differ between rifle setups [6]. Official and commercial ballistic calculators provide preset M855 profiles (e.g., Lake City M855 presets and 62 gr M855 presets) that will output drop, velocity and energy if the shooter accepts the preset BC and muzzle velocity or enters measured values (ShootersCalculator presets) [7] [8].
3. Practical way to get the exact table requested
The practical path is to choose the rifle/barrel, measure or accept a reasonable muzzle velocity for that configuration, pick a ballistic coefficient for the specific M855 lot, then run a reputable calculator (ShootersCalculator, Winchester) to produce a drop/time/velocity/energy table for the chosen zero [3] [4]. ShootersCalculator provides presets (including Lake City M855) and explicitly outputs elevation, energy and velocity columns when given inputs like BC and muzzle velocity and cautions that live‑fire verification is essential [7] [3]. For an immediate rule‑of‑thumb reference, Ammo.com’s summary (e.g., ~8–9" drop at 300 yds when zeroed at 200) is useful, but it should be treated as a general example rather than a substitute for a rifle‑specific dope chart [2].
4. Conflicting details, caveats and recommended verification
Some popular “25/300” zero claims are often misapplied; Everyday Marksman cautions that the so‑called 25m/300m zero is valid only for specific barrel lengths and ammo combinations and is frequently misrepresented in generic charts [1]. Ballistic outputs from calculators depend critically on BC and initial velocity inputs and most sites explicitly state their results are approximations that should not replace measured, rifle‑specific drops at the range (ShootersCalculator; Winchester) [3] [4]. Military testing and manufacturer charts provide useful baselines but show measurable variance with twist rate and load (American Rifleman; ACOG chart) [5] [6].
5. Bottom line and next step
A detailed table of drop, time of flight, velocity and energy for M855 at 25, 200 and 300‑yard zeroes can be produced on demand by using a ballistic calculator with the rifle’s barrel length, a tested or estimated muzzle velocity and an appropriate BC; published references and presets exist for M855 to seed those inputs (ShootersCalculator presets; Ammo.com charts; Winchester calculator) [7] [2] [4]. Live verification at the range is mandatory because published numbers are approximations and because barrel length, twist and lot‑to‑lot ammunition variance materially change the outputs [1] [3] [5].