The 6mm Creedmoor is a rimless, bottlenecked centerfire rifle cartridge for .243-inch (6 mm) bullets, a necked-down 6.5 Creedmoor that began as a wildcat around 2009 and became a factory cartridge when Hornady began loading it in 2017, and it is loaded today for long-range target competition and for hunting varmints and medium game such as deer.
Below are the ballistics for 6mm Creedmoor loads from Hornady, Nosler and Berger: muzzle velocity and energy, velocity and energy downrange, and bullet drop where the maker states its zero. A comparison with the 6.5 Creedmoor on SAAMI reference data follows, then answers to the questions buyers ask most.
6mm Creedmoor ballistics chart
Each row is one item number as its maker prints it: bullet weight, muzzle velocity, muzzle energy and, where the maker gives one, a ballistic coefficient. Read every row against its own test barrel. The Hornady rows and both Nosler rows were measured in a 24 in barrel and both Berger rows in a 26 in barrel, so a Berger velocity is not a like-for-like match for a Hornady one. Only Berger prints a ballistic coefficient: G1 0.434 and G7 0.223 for the 95 gr, G1 0.568 and G7 0.292 for the 109 gr. G1 and G7 use different reference shapes, so a G1 figure cannot be set against a G7 figure. The Hornady and Nosler pages give no coefficient, and the table says so rather than filling the cell.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load | Item no. | Bullet weight | Bullet | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Ballistic coefficient | Maker’s application | Test barrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosler 70gr FB Tipped Varmageddon | 65170 | 70 gr | 70gr FB Tipped Varmageddon | 3,550 fps | 1,959 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Varmint hunting | 24 in, 1-10 in twist |
| Hornady ELD-VT™ | 81397 | 80 gr | ELD-VT™ | 3,300 fps | 1,934 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Match/target and varmint (V-Match line) | 24 in |
| Hornady CX® | 813944 | 90 gr | CX® | 3,325 fps | 2,209 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Hunting, lead-free (Superformance line) | 24 in |
| Berger Match Grade Classic Hunter | 20010 | 95 gr | Classic Hunter | 3,140 fps | 2,080 ft-lb | G1 0.434; G7 0.223 G1 and G7 | Hunting | 26 in |
| Hornady ELD-X® | 81392 | 103 gr | ELD-X® | 3,050 fps | 2,127 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Hunting deer, antelope and other medium game (Precision Hunter line) | 24 in |
| Nosler 105gr HPBT RDF™ | 60135 | 105 gr | 105gr HPBT RDF™ | 3,050 fps | 2,169 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Match/target competition (Match Grade line) | 24 in, 1-8 in twist |
| Hornady ELD® Match | 81391 | 108 gr | ELD® Match | 2,960 fps | 2,101 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Match/target competition (Match line) | 24 in |
| Berger Match Grade Long Range Hybrid Target | 20030 | 109 gr | Long Range Hybrid Target | 2,950 fps | 2,107 ft-lb | G1 0.568; G7 0.292 G1 and G7 | Long-range target/match | 26 in |
Velocity and energy downrange
Makers print downrange figures at different distances, so some cells read Not published. That means the maker gives no figure at that distance, not that the figure is zero. Hornady’s rows stop at 500 yd, the Berger 95 gr stops at 400 yd, both Nosler rows go to 800 yd, and the Berger 109 gr is published at 100, 200, 300, 600, 800 and 1000 yd only. Nothing on this page is carried past a maker’s last printed distance.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (test barrel) | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd | 1000 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosler 70 gr (24 in, 1-10 in twist) | 3,550 fps / 1,959 ft-lb | 3,195 fps / 1,587 ft-lb | 2,869 fps / 1,279 ft-lb | 2,565 fps / 1,022 ft-lb | 2,281 fps / 808 ft-lb | 2,015 fps / 631 ft-lb | 1,769 fps / 486 ft-lb | 1,546 fps / 371 ft-lb | 1,351 fps / 284 ft-lb | Not published |
| Hornady 80 gr (24 in) | 3,300 fps / 1,934 ft-lb | 3,053 fps / 1,655 ft-lb | 2,820 fps / 1,412 ft-lb | 2,599 fps / 1,200 ft-lb | 2,388 fps / 1,013 ft-lb | 2,187 fps / 850 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hornady 90 gr (24 in) | 3,325 fps / 2,209 ft-lb | 3,081 fps / 1,897 ft-lb | 2,851 fps / 1,624 ft-lb | 2,632 fps / 1,385 ft-lb | 2,424 fps / 1,174 ft-lb | 2,225 fps / 989 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Berger Match Grade 95 gr (26 in) | 3,140 fps / 2,080 ft-lb | 2,921 fps / 1,800 ft-lb | 2,709 fps / 1,548 ft-lb | 2,505 fps / 1,324 ft-lb | 2,310 fps / 1,126 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hornady 103 gr (24 in) | 3,050 fps / 2,127 ft-lb | 2,862 fps / 1,874 ft-lb | 2,687 fps / 1,651 ft-lb | 2,514 fps / 1,446 ft-lb | 2,348 fps / 1,261 ft-lb | 2,189 fps / 1,096 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 105 gr (24 in, 1-8 in twist) | 3,050 fps / 2,169 ft-lb | 2,877 fps / 1,930 ft-lb | 2,709 fps / 1,710 ft-lb | 2,546 fps / 1,511 ft-lb | 2,388 fps / 1,330 ft-lb | 2,237 fps / 1,166 ft-lb | 2,091 fps / 1,019 ft-lb | 1,950 fps / 887 ft-lb | 1,815 fps / 768 ft-lb | Not published |
| Hornady 108 gr (24 in) | 2,960 fps / 2,101 ft-lb | 2,784 fps / 1,859 ft-lb | 2,615 fps / 1,640 ft-lb | 2,453 fps / 1,443 ft-lb | 2,296 fps / 1,264 ft-lb | 2,144 fps / 1,103 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Berger Match Grade 109 gr (26 in) | 2,950 fps / 2,107 ft-lb | 2,787 fps / 1,880 ft-lb | 2,628 fps / 1,672 ft-lb | 2,475 fps / 1,483 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | 2,046 fps / 1,013 ft-lb | Not published | 1,784 fps / 771 ft-lb | 1,539 fps / 573 ft-lb |
Bullet drop, with the zero range stated
A drop figure means nothing without the zero it was measured from, so the zero sits in each row. With a 100 yd zero, as on both Nosler rows, the bullet is on the line of sight at 100 yd and below it beyond. With a 200 yd zero, as on both Berger rows, it is above the line of sight at 100 yd (1.3 in for the 95 gr, 1.49 in for the 109 gr) and on it at 200 yd. That is why a Nosler figure at 300 yd and a Berger figure at 300 yd should not be read against each other. Hornady’s pages print a trajectory row but state no zero range, so those figures cannot be read as inches above or below a known zero and are not used here.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (zero) | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd | 1000 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosler 70 gr (100 yd zero) | 0 in | −1.9 in | −8.1 in | −19.5 in | −37.7 in | −64.5 in | −102.5 in | −155.2 in | Not published |
| Berger Match Grade 95 gr (200 yd zero) | +1.3 in | 0 in | −6.05 in | −17.66 in | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 105 gr (100 yd zero) | 0 in | −2.7 in | −10.2 in | −23 in | −41.9 in | −67.8 in | −101.6 in | −144.6 in | Not published |
| Berger Match Grade 109 gr (200 yd zero) | +1.49 in | 0 in | −6.52 in | Not published | Not published | −63.29 in | Not published | −141.29 in | −263.29 in |
What the numbers mean for a shot
Bullet weight changes the shape of the whole table, so compare loads from the same maker, where the test barrel is the same. Hornady’s rows share a 24 in test barrel. Their muzzle velocities are 3,300 fps for the 80 gr, 3,325 fps for the 90 gr, 3,050 fps for the 103 gr and 2,960 fps for the 108 gr. At the muzzle the 90 gr CX carries the most energy of the Hornady loads, 2,209 ft-lb against 2,127 ft-lb for the 103 gr ELD-X. By 500 yd the heavier bullets are ahead: 1,103 ft-lb for the 108 gr ELD Match, 1,096 ft-lb for the 103 gr, 989 ft-lb for the 90 gr and 850 ft-lb for the 80 gr.
The two Nosler rows share a 24 in barrel length and a 100 yd zero, though the test twist differs, 1-10 in for the 70 gr and 1-8 in for the 105 gr, and they show the same crossover over a longer distance. The 70 gr Varmageddon leaves at 3,550 fps and the 105 gr RDF at 3,050 fps. At 300 yd the Varmageddon is still ahead, 2,565 fps against 2,546 fps, but at 400 yd the RDF has passed it, 2,388 fps against 2,281 fps. The drop figures reverse later. At 500 yd the 70 gr is 37.7 in below the line of sight and the 105 gr is 41.9 in below it; at 800 yd it is 155.2 in for the 70 gr and 144.6 in for the 105 gr. Energy at 800 yd is 284 ft-lb for the 70 gr and 768 ft-lb for the 105 gr.
Long range and the ballistic coefficient
The Berger 109 gr Long Range Hybrid Target is the only load with a published figure at 1000 yd: 1,539 fps and 573 ft-lb, with the bullet 263.29 in below the line of sight from a 200 yd zero. Its coefficients, G1 0.568 and G7 0.292, are higher than the 95 gr Classic Hunter’s G1 0.434 and G7 0.223. Both Berger loads were measured in a 26 in barrel, so those two rows can be read against each other. The 95 gr is published only as far as 400 yd, where it is at 2,310 fps and 1,126 ft-lb.
Which load for which job
Each maker labels its load, and the muzzle table repeats the label. Nosler lists the 70 gr Varmageddon for varmint hunting and the 105 gr RDF for match competition. Hornady lists the 80 gr ELD-VT as a match and varmint load, the 90 gr CX as a lead-free hunting load, the 103 gr ELD-X for deer, antelope and other medium game, and the 108 gr ELD Match for match competition. Berger lists the 95 gr Classic Hunter for hunting and the 109 gr Long Range Hybrid Target for long-range target shooting. Those labels are the makers’ statements of intended use; the velocity, energy and drop columns are the figures you can weigh them against.
Twist rate, chamber and pressure
SAAMI’s standard test barrel for the 6mm Creedmoor is 24.000 in long, with a twist of 1 turn in 7.50 in and a groove diameter of .243 in. The maximum average pressure SAAMI lists for the cartridge is 62,000 psi, which is the ceiling for the average pressure of ammunition in that test barrel. The twist is the test barrel’s, not a rule for your rifle: Nosler prints 1-10 in for its 70 gr Varmageddon test barrel and 1-8 in for its 105 gr RDF test barrel, Hornady and Berger print a barrel length and no twist, and a rifle’s own twist can differ from all of them.
Because the 6mm Creedmoor is a necked-down 6.5 Creedmoor, the two names are easy to confuse. Their pressure limit is the same figure, 62,000 psi, but their groove diameters differ, .243 in against .264 in, so ammunition for one is not a substitute for the other. Fire 6mm Creedmoor ammunition only in a rifle whose barrel is marked for the 6mm Creedmoor, and check the box against that marking before you chamber a round.
6mm Creedmoor vs 6.5 Creedmoor on SAAMI reference data
Two makers’ catalogue tables cannot be set side by side. Hornady and Nosler measure in a 24 in barrel and Berger in a 26 in one, the zeros differ, and Hornady states no zero at all, so a figure from one maker’s row is not a fair measure against a figure from another’s. The same goes for any comparison with the 6.5 Creedmoor built from catalogue pages.
SAAMI is the one basis both cartridges share: a standard test barrel and a standard method for velocity, published for each. The table below sets the 6mm Creedmoor beside the 6.5 Creedmoor on those reference figures, comparing each standard’s light reference load and its heaviest. The two lists carry different bullet weights, so the columns do not hold the same bullet.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| SAAMI specification | 6mm Creedmoor | 6.5 Creedmoor |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Z299.4 | Z299.4 |
| Maximum average pressure | 62,000 psi | 62,000 psi |
| Standard test barrel length | 24.000 in | 24.000 in |
| Test barrel twist rate | 1 turn in 7.50 in | 1 turn in 8.00 in |
| Test barrel groove diameter | .243 in | .264 in |
| Light reference load | 87 gr — 3,200 fps / 1,978 ft-lb | 95 gr — 3,300 fps / 2,297 ft-lb |
| Heaviest reference load each lists | 108 gr — 2,950 fps / 2,087 ft-lb | 140 gr — 2,690 fps / 2,249 ft-lb |
On pressure the two are identical in the table: 62,000 psi maximum average pressure for each, in a 24.000 in test barrel. The differences are in the barrel. The 6mm Creedmoor test barrel has a twist of 1 turn in 7.50 in and a groove diameter of .243 in; the 6.5 Creedmoor’s has 1 turn in 8.00 in and a groove diameter of .264 in.
At the light end, SAAMI lists the 6mm Creedmoor’s 87 gr reference load at 3,200 fps and 1,978 ft-lb, and the 6.5 Creedmoor’s 95 gr load at 3,300 fps and 2,297 ft-lb. At the heavy end it lists 108 gr at 2,950 fps and 2,087 ft-lb for the 6mm Creedmoor, and 140 gr at 2,690 fps and 2,249 ft-lb for the 6.5 Creedmoor. The 6.5 Creedmoor’s reference bullets are the heavier in both rows, and its energy is the higher in both. Only the heavy row shows the 6mm Creedmoor faster, 2,950 fps against 2,690 fps, with a bullet that weighs less. SAAMI publishes velocity, not energy, so the energy figures are worked out from that velocity and the bullet weight.
What the table does not settle is bullet shape. SAAMI prints no ballistic coefficient and no drop, so it cannot say which cartridge holds its speed better downrange or which drops less at a given distance. The maker figures earlier on this page answer that only for the 6mm Creedmoor loads shown.
We stock the other side of this comparison too: 6.5 Creedmoor ammo.
6mm Creedmoor ballistics questions
Which is better, .243 or 6mm Creedmoor?
This page cannot settle that. Its tables cover the 6mm Creedmoor, and its SAAMI comparison is against the 6.5 Creedmoor, so there is no .243 Winchester figure here to set beside it. What the tables do show is the 6mm Creedmoor’s own numbers, for example the Hornady 103 gr ELD-X at 3,050 fps and 2,127 ft-lb at the muzzle, and SAAMI’s maximum average pressure for the cartridge of 62,000 psi.
What does a 6mm Creedmoor compare to?
The SAAMI table on this page sets it against the 6.5 Creedmoor, the cartridge it was necked down from. Both carry a 62,000 psi maximum average pressure and a 24.000 in test barrel. They differ in twist, 1 turn in 7.50 in against 1 turn in 8.00 in, and in groove diameter, .243 in against .264 in. At the light reference weight, the 6mm Creedmoor lists 87 gr at 3,200 fps and the 6.5 Creedmoor lists 95 gr at 3,300 fps.
What is the effective range of a 6mm Creedmoor?
The makers charted here do not publish an effective range. What they publish is velocity, energy and drop out to a stated distance: Hornady’s rows stop at 500 yd, the Berger 95 gr at 400 yd, both Nosler rows at 800 yd, and the Berger 109 gr goes to 1000 yd, where it is at 1,539 fps and 573 ft-lb. Whether that is far enough depends on the target and on how much energy you need there, which no maker states.
Is 6mm Creedmoor a barrel burner?
None of the makers charted here publishes a barrel-life figure, and SAAMI does not print one, so the tables cannot answer this directly. What they show is the pressure ceiling, 62,000 psi, and the muzzle velocities of the loads, for example 3,550 fps for the Nosler 70 gr Varmageddon and 3,050 fps for the Nosler 105 gr RDF. How long a barrel lasts is not something any table here measures.
How much does a 6mm Creedmoor drop at 300 yards?
It depends on the load and the zero, so the answer is several figures rather than one. Nosler prints 8.1 in below the line of sight at 300 yd for the 70 gr Varmageddon and 10.2 in for the 105 gr RDF, both from a 100 yd zero. Berger prints 6.05 in for the 95 gr Classic Hunter and 6.52 in for the 109 gr Long Range Hybrid Target, both from a 200 yd zero. Do not read the Nosler figures against the Berger ones, because the zero differs. Hornady’s pages print a trajectory row but no zero range, so no Hornady drop figure is given here.
Is 6mm Creedmoor enough for deer?
The makers do not publish a minimum energy for deer, so the tables cannot call any load enough or not enough. They do show what a hunting load delivers. Hornady lists its 103 gr ELD-X for deer, antelope and other medium game, at 2,127 ft-lb at the muzzle and 1,096 ft-lb at 500 yd, and Berger lists its 95 gr Classic Hunter for hunting, at 1,548 ft-lb at 200 yd and 1,126 ft-lb at 400 yd. Some jurisdictions set their own minimums for deer, so check yours.
Where to buy these loads
Every load in the tables above is stocked at Hilltop Armory. Browse the full 6mm Creedmoor ammo range, which carries makers beyond the ones charted here — the tables are limited to loads whose manufacturer publishes figures that could be verified, not to everything on the shelf.
