The 6.5 Creedmoor is closing in on 20 years old now. It’s become one of the most popular modern day rifle calibers. It’s been around long enough to have established its ability as a long-range target cartridge and has certainly seen its use in the hunting field. The 6.5mm Creedmoor whose parent case is the .30 Thompson Center was designed by Hornady in 2007.
Hornady designed the 6.5 Creedmoor with a .264-inch bulle as a long-range target cartridge. At moderate velocity and low recoil, it can take advantage of the 6.5’s heavy-for-caliber bullets. Couple that with a short case designed for accuracy and the fact it handles long bullets in a short bolt action the cartridge has gained favor in the hunting community.
In general, .264 bullets are known for their high sectional density and ballistic coefficient. That’s why you’ll see them often in rifle competitions. It’s a flat shooter as 2,700 fps cartridges go because of its aerodynamics. However, in the overall scheme of hunting cartridges it does not shoot fast enough with enough energy to be considered a long-distance hunting cartridge.
Hunting with the 6.5 Creedmoor
For deer, pronghorn, and similar sized game 6.5 Creedmoor fits the bill nicely. I have seen the cartridge used on small to mid-sized African plains game with great success. Personally, I have taken mule deer and pronghorn with the cartridge.
For elk say out to about 200 yards, maybe. But for the big stuff I would generally say beyond 200 yards is pushing the effective range for this cartridge and an ethical kill.
Top 6.5 CDMR Ammo Picks
Most manufacturers offer 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for big game hunting in weight grains from 120 grain up to 147 grain. Ultimately, the Creedmoor looks to be at its best with a bullet of around 140 grains. In 6.5mm this is a fairly heavy-for-caliber bullet that will penetrate well on medium sized big game.
It all depends on what you want to do. For deer-sized game at reasonable distances it the 6.5 Creedmoor offers a low recoil and very accurate choice. For larger game, I would be a bit more skeptical. The mild 6.5mms are awesome for long-range target work and probably better now than ever because of advancements in bullet development. But for heavy big game a degree of caution must be used.
The tables below outline three different commercial loads that I have successfully used on big game hunts. Of the three, Federals 140 gr Fusion provided the best accuracy in my rifle, with the 143 gr ELD-X Hornady Precision Hunter a close second followed by Remington.
Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor, 143 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter
Distance | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft/lb.) | Trajectory (inches) |
Muzzle | 2700 | 2315 | NA |
100 yds | 2556 | 2075 | 1.9 |
200 yds | 2417 | 1855 | Zero |
300 yds | 2282 | 1654 | -7.9 |
400 yds | 2151 | 1470 | -22.4 |
500 yds | 2025 | 1302 | -44.5 |
Federal 6.5 Creedmoor, 140 gr Fusion Soft Point
Distance | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft/lb.) | Trajectory (inches) |
Muzzle | 2725 | 2308 | NA |
100 yds | 2522 | 1977 | 2 |
200 yds | 2327 | 1683 | Zero |
300 yds | 2142 | 1426 | -8.5 |
400 yds | 1964 | 1199 | -24.4 |
500 yds | 1796 | 1003 | -49.4 |
Remington 6.5 Creedmoor, 140 gr Core-Lokt Pointed Soft Point
Distance | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft/lb.) | Trajectory (inches) |
Muzzle | 2700 | 2266 | NA |
100 yds | 2484 | 1918 | 2.1 |
200 yds | 2278 | 1613 | Zero |
300 yds | 2082 | 1347 | -8.8 |
400 yds | 1985 | 1116 | -25.5 |
500 yds | 1721 | 921 | -52.2 |
Bullet Weight
Some folks might ask, why not load heavier bullets in the Creedmoor case? Two reasons.
First: the action length in Creedmoor was developed for short bolt actions and you quickly run into Cartridge Overall Length (COL) issues when you try to load extra-heavy bullets.
Second: velocity. The short and efficient 6.5 Creedmoor case doesn’t have enough capacity to propel extremely heavy bullets at meaningful velocities.
There is little doubt that the aerodynamics of the 6.5mm bullets offer real advantages for ringing steel or punching paper at long range. However, for shooting game larger than say deer at longer ranges the best bet is to go with a bit more bullet weight, more velocity and energy.
Conclusion
When you consider North America’s most popular big game animal is either whitetail or mule deer, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a perfectly suited cartridge for hunting in this realm. Very accurate with mild recoil, it is suitable for shooters of all skill levels. Rifles and hunting cartridge offerings are numerous.
If you want to ring steel out to 1000 plus yards the 6.5 Creedmoor is a great choice. But for the really big stuff, elk, moose, especially at longer distances, I believe you need to look for a heavier more proven cartridge.
Do not get me wrong, I love the 6.5 Creedmoor for deer, pronghorn, medium sized African plains game and the like. In other words, you will on occasion find me hunting with my favorite 6.5 Creedmoor rifle.
I bought my first Creedmoor rifle mainly because of the very positive reviews it received shortly after its introduction. Most articles made much of its fine performance at long range with heavier bullets. Over the years, it seems to me no manufacturer is offering loads with the heavier bullets praised in these early articles. The heaviest I have found are 154 grain. I have not seen any advantage over 260 Remington or 270 Winchester when taking long shots at whitetails across grainfields on my farm. I’ve pretty much stuck with the 270, as has my oldest son. The Creedmoor seems to be a good step up from a 243 for my youngest daughter, but that’s the best I can say about it when comparing it with our old standby cartridges.