18″ .22 ARC Ballistics

When you’re trying to figure out the right rifle setup for your next build, everything comes down to real numbers. Deciding on a barrel length means looking closely at how it impacts your muzzle velocity, how flat your trajectory actually is, and how much downrange kinetic energy you’re keeping. Every length has its own specific performance characteristics, and in this post we will be testing an 18″ barrel configuration to get a practical look at what the cartridge delivers on the range.

To give you a clear point of comparison against other options, the Grendel Hunter crew took our own uppers out to the range to see what the .22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge does with an 18″ setup. We grabbed a handful of different factory ammunition options and spent some time tracking exactly how they perform as they travel downrange

Loads tested

• 62gr Hornady ELD-VT  

• 70gr Hornady CX  

• 75gr Hornady ELD Match 

• 80gr Hornady ELD-X  

• 88gr Hornady ELD Match 

A Quick Heads-Up on the Numbers: We tracked all of this performance data ourselves during our field testing. Talking ballistics is always a mix of science and a ton of outside variables, so while we hope this info helps you out with your build planning, don’t use it as a definitive “cheat sheet” or a shortcut for shooting your own dope card. Every rifle is a rule unto itself, so you’ll definitely want to gather specific muzzle velocity and bullet drop data tailored to your own setup, local weather, and ammo lots.