1 of 16 .222 Rem factory loads carry 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity for whitetail deer; the best reach 50 yd (Norma 55 gr Tipstrike). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.
| Load | gr | Max ethical yd | MV fps | 500 yd ft·lb | Shoulder shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norma 55 gr Tipstrike | 55 | 50 | 3,084 | 251 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal 50 gr Power-Shok JSP | 50 | not enough | 3,140 | 143 | behind the shoulder only |
| Lapua 50 gr Naturalis (N566) | 50 | not enough | 3,166 | 164 | yes |
| Lapua 55 gr Soft Point (E539) | 55 | not enough | 2,887 | 137 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 55 gr Oryx | 55 | not enough | 3,051 | 150 | yes |
| Norma 55 gr Whitetail SP | 55 | not enough | 3,084 | 137 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington High Performance Rifle 50 gr Pointed Soft Point | 50 | not enough | 3,140 | 132 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester Super-X 50 gr Pointed Soft Point | 50 | not enough | 3,140 | 132 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance Varmint 50 gr V-MAX | 50 | wrong bullet | 3,345 | 275 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance Varmint 35 gr NTX | 35 | wrong bullet | 3,760 | 127 | behind the shoulder only |
| Lapua 55 gr FMJ (S569) | 55 | wrong bullet | 2,887 | 227 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 55 gr Jaktmatch FMJ | 55 | wrong bullet | 3,084 | 190 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 55 gr VerminXtreme | 55 | wrong bullet | 3,084 | 113 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler 40 gr Varmageddon FB Tipped | 40 | wrong bullet | 3,400 | 178 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler 50 gr Varmageddon FB Tipped | 50 | wrong bullet | 3,150 | 229 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington Premier AccuTip-V 50 gr | 50 | wrong bullet | 3,140 | 234 | behind the shoulder only |
The 1,000 ft·lb deer figure traces to Townsend Whelen and is the one everyone repeats; Hawks puts the floor nearer 800. An 8–10″ heart/lung zone. Legal: CO: 1,000 ft·lb at 100 yd · SD: 1,000 ft·lb at muzzle. Floor used: 1,000 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: www.outdoorlife.com, www.petersenshunting.com, chuckhawks.com.