6.5 creedmoor ammo

[Paul1262]

I have been shooting the Bergara B-14 HMR chambered in 6.5 creedmoor using Hornady 140 grain ELD Match ammo. Accuracy has been very good however, I was interested in know if anyone had good accuracy with other factory ammo.

 

[Paul1262]

Thanks, that's good to know. Significantly less expensive than what I have been using. Will give it a try.

 

[HeadHunter10]

I use 143 gr ELD-X in mine. I wouldn't say it is cheaper but it does shoot pretty good. Been working the past couple weeks to come up with a handload to beat it but haven't developed a better one yet.

 

[dirthead1]

I've had success with Berger factory ammo. I've shot their 120 Scenar, 130 Hybrid, and 140 Hybrid loads, and they have all shot well. It's about $26 a box from Bruno's. It's loaded with Lapua brass as well.

https://www.brunoshooters.com/category/berger_loaded_ammo.html

 

[lash]

The Hornady American Gunner 200 round box for $140 is probably the best match-ish ammo out there. In an AR10, I got .8" groups with a bipod but no rear bag. It's great ammo and at 70 cents per round, it's super affordable. I know Sportsmans Warehouse will do $XX off if you spend more than $200 or $250 sometimes, so that'll bring the cost down even more.

Be aware that the American Gunner is fine for probably 600 yards and in, but past that, the inconsistencies become more than unacceptable. I was helping a newer shooter this past Saturday with his first attempts at 1000. Long story very short, the American Gunner that he was using showed over a 3 MOA window of impacts using the same poa.

I showed him why that was by attaching my magnetospeed to his rifle and measuring over 90 FPS variation in just 5 rounds with an SD of 37 if I recall correctly. That means that I would have had to have a 48” tall target to allow for the variation in speed alone.

By contrast, I had him shoot the few match ELDM rounds that he had and elevation was well within 1 MOA, with an sd of 9. He wanted cheaper ammo too so I suggested that for inside 600 the Gunner would get him hits on steel, but after that, it becomes a big handicap.

Moral of the story: you get what you pay for when it comes to performance at distance. And honestly guys, I know that this is not a cheap sport and ammo cost is a big deal, but Hornady factory 6.5 is really one of the best deals out there, with normal cost of $25/box and deals around $20/box. The only thing cheaper is .308 match, sometimes.

 

[dmg308]

Im getting sd of 10fps with american gunner with a proof barrel. Shoots great but is a bit slow.

 

[lash]

Im getting sd of 10fps with american gunner with a proof barrel. Shoots great but is a bit slow.

Over how many rounds? Have you shot you AG at 1000 yards?

I can only tell you that in a string of just five rounds, the velocity spread was almost 100 FPS. The previous 15-20 he shot before I put on the MS were so inconsistent in elevation that hitting a 12” plate at 1000 was a one in ten chance. All other shots were well over 1 MOA low or high.

Hits talk, all else walks.

 

[dmg308]

This is what I got.

 

[lash]

What barrel length then? The speeds he was getting were a low of about 2610-2620 and a high of over 2710, with the majority on the higher end close to 2700 FPS. His barrel looked to be about 24-26”. I didn’t ask.

 

[dmg308]

24in proof steel barrel.

 

[eric.goodwin.376]

130 grain norma match is inside itself at a hundred with one rifle and 1/2 moa in another had great luck with it so far. Can find on sale once if a while if you watch deals

 

[thaifighter]

My rifle loves the Hornady 147gr ELDM. I haven't twisted a handload yet that beats it.

 

[blbennett1288]

I have had great luck with the Hornady Black 140gr BTHP with 10-15 SD's. Academy sells it for $20 a box.

 

[JaoeyP]

The Hornady American Gunner 200 round box for $140 is probably the best match-ish ammo out there. In an AR10, I got .8" groups with a bipod but no rear bag. It's great ammo and at 70 cents per round, it's super affordable. I know Sportsmans Warehouse will do $XX off if you spend more than $200 or $250 sometimes, so that'll bring the cost down even more.

This. My Bergara loved the American Gunner. I consistently got groups just over 1/2 moa at 100 and it was sub moa out to 600. Although a little temp sensitive, it would get very impressive ES when I chronographed it.

My new rifle likes it too, haven't grouped it at 100 but I've done two five shot groups at 600, one moa, one about 3/4 moa at that range. The stuff just flat out shoots and it's CHEAP.

 

[JaoeyP]

I have had great luck with the Hornady Black 140gr BTHP with 10-15 SD's. Academy sells it for $20 a box.

The Hornady Black 140gr BTHP is the same ammo as the American Gunner 140gr BTHP, it is also OUTSTANDING.

 

[Olen_4504]

+1 on berger factory loaded ammo. the 140g stuff shot STUPID good out of my 6.5 when i had it.

good luck finding it in stock regularly though

 

[Mattio]

When I shot factory 6.5 I used hornady 140 eldm for matches with success and practiced with hornady 140 bthp Black for practice... shot well

 

[Danattherock]

Prime Ammunition by the case from their website, sell the highly desirable brass afterwards, and your net cost is going to be less than a dollar a round for a fantastic factory load. They use 130 Norma diamond projectiles and the two cases I shot my SD was around 12 to 15 which is pretty darn good for factory ammo. If I didn't reload this is undoubtedly the route I would take.

 

[JaoeyP]

Whats's your new rife? I just swapped out my AR10 for a Bergara HMR.

I built on a Bighorn Origin. Found a good deal on a used Manners T4A with bottom metal. Bought the action, added a Criterion Savage Prefit, MTU contour in 6.5 Creedmoor, Trigger Tech, and a Minox ZP5.

My Bergara was absolutely awesome, shot and handled great, just wanted something a bit fancier and with a heavier barrel.

 

[Pusher591]

I've had success with Berger factory ammo. I've shot their 120 Scenar, 130 Hybrid, and 140 Hybrid loads, and they have all shot well. It's about $26 a box from Bruno's. It's loaded with Lapua brass as well.

https://www.brunoshooters.com/category/berger_loaded_ammo.html

What kind of velocity are you seeing from the 130’s and 140’s. Curious on barrel make and length

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Shot a lot of ammo my first year looking for stuff my Savage 10 FCP-SR in 6.5 CM liked. Settled on Hornady 147 gr. ELD-Match as the best accuracy out to 300 yards. Building hand loads with the same bullet and RL-26 powder in once fired cases and have managed to reduce group size from a .75 MOA group at 100 to a repeatable .5MOA group.

Pretty hard to beat the Hornady Factory offerings with ELD-M bullets in my gun. Yers might be different but if I could not reload for whatever reason I'd be pretty happy with the Hornady 147 gr. ELD-M.

VooDoo

 

[dirthead1]

What kind of velocity are you seeing from the 130’s and 140’s. Curious on barrel make and length

130’s- 2865fps, 26 ES, 10.4 SD
140’s- 2763fps, 37 ES, 16.1 SD

This was from a 23” Bartlein barrel.

 

[TACC]

Shot a lot of ammo my first year looking for stuff my Savage 10 FCP-SR in 6.5 CM liked. Settled on Hornady 147 gr. ELD-Match as the best accuracy out to 300 yards. Building hand loads with the same bullet and RL-26 powder in once fired cases and have managed to reduce group size from a .75 MOA group at 100 to a repeatable .5MOA group.

Pretty hard to beat the Hornady Factory offerings with ELD-M bullets in my gun. Yers might be different but if I could not reload for whatever reason I'd be pretty happy with the Hornady 147 gr. ELD-M.

VooDoo

I'm just starting to compare ammo through my 6.5 CM and the Hornady has been very tight, trying the Black ELD this weekend.

 

[Qazwsx]

that hornady black is on free shipping at academy right now

 

[6gunner]

I shot Hornady American Gunner last summer when I attended the Sniper’s Hide/ Mile High Shooting Precision Rifle course. This stuff shot great out of my Tikka T3.

 

[SonicBurlap]

I have been shooting the Bergara B-14 HMR chambered in 6.5 creedmoor using Hornady 140 grain ELD Match ammo. Accuracy has been very good however, I was interested in know if anyone had good accuracy with other factory ammo.

6.5 Creedmoor Federal Gold Medal Berger 130gr. Hybrid OTM gets the best results out of my B-14 HMR. 0.3 to 0.7 MOA at 100 yards. I'm happy with those results; my range buddies can only dream about it.

 

[Nik H]

Prime Ammunition by the case from their website, sell the highly desirable brass afterwards, and your net cost is going to be less than a dollar a round for a fantastic factory load. They use 130 Norma diamond projectiles and the two cases I shot my SD was around 12 to 15 which is pretty darn good for factory ammo. If I didn't reload this is undoubtedly the route I would take.

PRIME is the best that I have tried, especially at longer distance. At 1,300 yards it required 1.4 mils less holdover than the Hornady 140. Both ES and SD are better than the Hornady 140 ELD-M which I use an awful lot as well. The Hornady value is there as I can buy it for $40 per case cheaper than PRIME. Bought 400 rounds of American Gunner but haven’t tried it yet.

 

[elwarpo]

I have moved from the hornady 140 to 147 eld. No reason other than the better BC, both shoot accurate for factory ammo.

 

[Ozarkcop]

I bought some of the Hornady American whitetail because it was cheap and needed to break in a barrel, it was horrible shot a 3" group out of factory Savage 10 fp. Bought some Hornady Match 120 gr and 140 a-max both shot .5 during the break in then got down into near .25 after about 60 rounds. Shooting the Black now and getting close to .25 groups

 

[thaifighter]

hmmm, My wife shoots HWT as her go to hunting round at it keeps an inch out of a Howa 1500. Drops bucks like they were struck by lightning too...

 

[elwarpo]

Must me rifle specific for the HWT, I get about 3/4 to 1 MOA with them and about 1/2 MOA with the ELD Match.

 

[southerngolfer]

this is good info. I picked up one of those SP Havak actions with rock creek 24" barrels. I've been practicing inside 600 yards with the hornady black and have had pretty good results. I'm wanting to try the AG hornady bc it's a little cheaper. saving a little cash for practice is nice.
when I shoot matches, I use the hornady eld-m 140's and had really really good results with the Berger loaded ammo.

 

[yeos]

Well Sportsman's Warehouse jacked up the price on all of their American Gunner bulk ammo. The 6.5 creedmoor that used to go for $139 is now $189. I purchased a box last week and it rung up at the new price, but the store display still showed the old price so they honored it. I should have realized that the price was going up at that point and bought more.

 

[Racer88]

Well Sportsman's Warehouse jacked up the price on all of their American Gunner bulk ammo. The 6.5 creedmoor that used to go for $139 is now $189. I purchased a box last week and it rung up at the new price, but the store display still showed the old price so they honored it. I should have realized that the price was going up at that point and bought more.

Wow. I got it from them just last week at $139. It now shows $189 and out of stock.

 

[yeos]

Wow. I got it from them just last week at $139. It now shows $189 and out of stock.

Yeah it blows. I went in this morning hoping the store didn't change the prices yet, but it already happened. The new price plus tax is not much less than what you can pay online for 140 eld m.

 

[bwoodie]

I’ve had great results from 3 different 6.5 CM rifles using these brands of factory ammo:

Barnes Precision Match 140gr OTM BT
Federal Premium Gold Medal Berger 130gr Hybrid OTM
Federal Premium Gold Medal 140gr Sierra MatchKing
Berger Ammunition 140gr Hybrid Target

 

[southerngolfer]

does anybody have a clue what the difference is between the hornady black VS American gunner 140 6.5 creed?

 

[Racer88]

does anybody have a clue what the difference is between the hornady black VS American gunner 140 6.5 creed?

Exact same thing. Hornady Black 140-gr is just Academy Sports' exclusive label for that cartridge.

 

[southerngolfer]

Exact same thing. Hornady Black 140-gr is just Academy Sports' exclusive label for that cartridge.

perfect. I think I'll be picking up some AG and giving it a go for practice. seems to be a good little and cheaper alternative. thank you

 

[96C]

Definitely not showing off, just reiterating that the Hornady 140gr ELDM boxed ammo has been going well down here also.

I have only shot this ammo from the new Proof 6.5CM 24" carbon barrel. Definitely nothing ground breaking but for boxed ammo that I can buy a case of and chip through slowly it's been awesome.