Home › Browse Calibers › 6.5 Creedmoor
Also known as: 6.5 CM
Common uses: Competition, Long Range, Hunting
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 140gr Hornady Match ELD Match |
| Muzzle velocity | 2710 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 2284 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.646 |
| Published G7 ballistic coefficient | 0.326 |
| Case length | 48.77 mm |
| Overall length | 71.76 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 62000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:8" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2710 | 2283 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2569 | 2051 | 0 |
| 200 | 2433 | 1840 | -3.8 |
| 300 | 2301 | 1645 | -13.5 |
| 400 | 2173 | 1467 | -29.7 |
| 500 | 2049 | 1305 | -53.2 |
At 1,000 yards, 6.5 Creedmoor (140gr at 2710 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 30.5 MOA / 8.9 MIL, retaining 1500 fps (supersonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2301 | Supersonic | -13.5 | 4.3 | 1.25 |
| 400 | 2173 | Supersonic | -29.7 | 7.1 | 2.06 |
| 500 | 2049 | Supersonic | -53.3 | 10.2 | 2.96 |
| 600 | 1929 | Supersonic | -85.2 | 13.6 | 3.94 |
| 700 | 1814 | Supersonic | -126.4 | 17.3 | 5.02 |
| 800 | 1704 | Supersonic | -178.2 | 21.3 | 6.19 |
| 900 | 1599 | Supersonic | -242.1 | 25.7 | 7.47 |
| 1000 | 1500 | Supersonic | -319.4 | 30.5 | 8.87 |
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.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is best known for pairing high-ballistic-coefficient bullets with mild recoil, which makes it easy to shoot accurately and quick to spot impacts through the scope. Those traits made it a dominant chambering in Precision Rifle Series and other practical long-range competition, where its flat trajectory and excellent wind resistance stay effective well past 1,000 yards. It has also become a mainstream hunting round for deer, antelope, and similar-sized game, and it handles elk within sensible ranges when loaded with appropriate controlled-expansion bullets. Its main limitations are modest case capacity and barrel life shorter than larger-bore, lower-BC rounds like the .308, and it gives up terminal energy to larger magnums at extended distance. Ammunition and rifle availability are exceptionally broad, which is a large part of why the cartridge remains so widely adopted.
Hornady introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor in 2007, developed by ballistician Dave Emary in partnership with Dennis DeMille of Creedmoor Sports, for whom the cartridge is named. It was derived from the .30 TC case and engineered specifically for long-range target competition, with a short, efficient case that seats long, high-BC 6.5mm bullets while fitting a standard short action. Factory-loaded from the outset with match projectiles and published with accurate load data, it spread rapidly from the target line into hunting and general rifle use, becoming one of the best-selling and most influential cartridges of the modern era.
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