Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk & Deer (2024)

More people are using the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting than ever before. Here are a few great brands of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo that should serve you well next time you hit the woods.

Originally designed for long range competitive target shooting, the 6.5 Creedmoor performed so well in that role that it was just a matter of time before the cartridge caught on in the hunting community. Known for its exceptional accuracy, flat trajectory, low recoil, high energy retention at long range, and really good terminal performance, more and more hunters are using the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting elk, deer, feral hogs, pronghorn, and other species of big game these days.

Since the 6.5 Creedmoor started off as a target shooting cartridge, there is quite a bit of 6.5 Creedmoor rifle ammo out there that’s much better suited for competitive shooting than for hunting.

While they are very accurate and are certainly capable of killing big game animals, I don’t recommend using ammo lines like the Federal Gold Medal, Hornady American Gunner, Hornady Match, Sig Sauer Elite Performance, or Winchester Match for hunting. The same goes for bullets like the Berger Hybrid Target, Hornady ELD Match, and Sierra MatchKing or for open tip match (OTM) and boat tailed hollow point (BTHP) style bullets in general.

All that stuff is great for long range shooting, but they aren’t designed for optimum terminal performance on big game animals.

For that reason, it’s best to stick with 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition specifically designed for hunting.

Fortunately, the major ammunition manufacturers produce multiple varieties of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo designed for hunting big game. So, regardless of what or where you’re hunting, you’ll probably find something that will work well for you on the list below of the best 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for hunting.

Before we get started, I want to briefly talk about using the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting. Feel free to skip this section if you’re not interested in using the cartridge on elk.

6.5 Creedmoor For Elk

With quality 140+ grain bullets and good shot placement, you can absolutely use the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting. The 6.5 Creedmoor doesn’t have lots of excess energy, so it’s best to only take broadside or slightly quartering shots at ranges under 250 yards on elk.

Can you kill elk with the 6.5 Creedmoor? Sure! Lots of people do each year.

There is no reason you can’t use the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting elk, moose, or other massive animals. If you punch a hole through their heart and/or lungs with a quality 6.5mm expanding bullet, the animal will never know the difference.

That said, don’t confuse the 6.5 Creedmoor with a heavy hitting magnum either.

Yes, Scandinavian hunters have been using the 125 year old 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser, which is a virtual ballistic twin to the 6.5 Creedmoor, for hunting moose and caribou for well over a century. However, Scandinavian hunters shoot virtually all of those moose at ranges under 100 yards.

The 6.5 Swede also produces the best results on moose with relatively heavy, round nosed 156 and 160 grain bullets. It’s possible to use those heavy for caliber bullets in the 6.5 Creedmoor, but the overall design of the cartridge is not well suited for bullets that long and heavy.

The 140 grain class bullets that work best in the 6.5 Creedmoor simply don’t penetrate as well as those heavier bullets the 6.5 Swede used to develop its reputation for outstanding penetration. Under certain circumstances (like a steep quartering to angle) a shot from a 6.5 Creedmoor might not punch through the shoulder blade to reach the vitals of a big bull elk.

With all that in mind, yes, the 6.5 Creedmoor will get the job done on elk with good shot placement. However, your margin of error will be a little smaller and you should definitely be more careful about which shots you do (and don’t) take when using the cartridge.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is not a 400+ yard elk cartridge and you should only use it on elk or moose at shot angles that minimize the distance it will have to penetrate to reach the vitals.

Don’t try to stretch it out beyond 250 yards or so on elk and try your best to only shoot elk that are broadside or slightly quartering. It’s also extremely important to use high quality, controlled expansion bullets that are designed for deep, straight line penetration (which we’ll talk more about in a minute).

If you do those things, then the 6.5 Creedmoor will probably work great on your elk hunt.

To that end, I recorded an entire podcast episode on elk hunting with the 6.5 Creedmoor with someone who has cleanly taken elk with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Our discussion does a great job of covering the pros and cons of the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting and anyone planning on going elk hunting in the future should definitely listen to this interview. 

Just click the appropriate link below to listen to this episode on your preferred podcasting service. Be sure to hit that “subscribe” or “follow” button if you like the show!

6.5 Creedmoor For Elk Hunting Podcast

Apple | Google | iHeart | Spotify

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get started talking about some of the best 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo options.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Hornady Precision Hunter

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting elk, deer & Other Big Game hornady eld

The Hornady Precision Hunter line is an excellent all around choice for 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammunition, especially for game like deer and pronghorn. That said, if you want to use the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting, then Hornady’s Precision Hunter 143 grain ELD-X 6.5 Creedmoor ammo wouldn’t be my first choice (keep reading to learn what I recommend), but it’ still a good option.

These 143 grain bullets are among the heaviest projectiles with the highest sectional density that you’ll find for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Hornady ELD-X bullets have a very high ballistic coefficient and they’re designed for reliable, but somewhat controlled expansion over a very wide range of impact velocities.

Add it all up and you’ve got a bullet that’s quite accurate in most rifles, has a very flat trajectory, and retains velocity (and kinetic energy) even better than virtually any other 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo. That said, while they’re outstanding for deer sized game and even an immature bull or cow elk, they still expand a little more rapidly don’t penetrate as well as I’d like for really big bull elk.

  • Bullet Type: Extremely Low Drag – Expanding (ELD-X)
  • Bullet Weight: 143 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.625
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,700 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR PRECISION HUNTER AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, MidwayUSA, Optics Planet, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Nosler Trophy Grade 140gr PartitionBest 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game nosler partition

The Nosler Partition is one of the best hunting bullets ever designed and remains one of the most popular bullets used by elk hunters in North America. Fortunately, Nosler recently started offering 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition as part of their Trophy Grade line with a 140 grain Partition bullet.

This is an outstanding choice for 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammunition suitable for everything from deer all the way up to elk and even moose.

If you want to use the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting, then Nosler’s Trophy Grade 140 grain Partition 6.5 Creedmoor ammo is your best option out of all the choices on this list.

Why?

First, these are among the heaviest bullets with the highest sectional density that you’ll find for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Second, these bullets are designed for rapid, yet controlled expansion over a very wide range of impact velocities. After all, the Nosler Partition was among the first controlled expansion bullets ever designed and it’s still one of the best (if not THE best) available.

The 143gr ELD-X is a good bullet, but especially at shorter ranges, this load featuring the 140 grain Partition is better than virtually any other 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo for hunting large game. It’s really hard to beat the Nosler Partition when looking for a bullet that you can rely upon to penetrate deep enough to reach the vitals of really big animals like elk and moose.

With those things in mind, this is my #1 recommended 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition for hunters after REALLY big game like elk and moose at short range if this ammo shoots well in your elk rifle.

Additionally, the Partition offers very rapid expansion, which, combined with the deep penetrating characteristics of the bullet, makes for devastating terminal performance on game like whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, and black bear.

  • Bullet Type: Partition
  • Bullet Weight: 140 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.490
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,600 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR PARTITION AMMO HERE

Also Available At: MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooter Supplies and Optics Planet

Barnes VOR-TX LR 127gr LRX BT

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game barnes vor tx LR


Naturally, Barnes produces a couple different kinds of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo featuring their legendary copper X-Bullet. In particular, the 127gr VOR-TX LR load is a really good choice for a person who wants to use the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting a variety big game out to several hundred yards. The LRX BT is a little more aerodynamic than the regular Barnes TTSX bullet and it’s designed to expand at lower velocities.

Additionally, while the LRX BT is optimized for rapid expansion, it’s also a very tough bullet that will also deliver high weight retention and deep penetration. So, these bullets are excellent for hunting all manner of game like black bear, whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, Himalayan Tahr, chamois, sheep, and mountain goat.

Even though it’s a little lighter than I’d normally recommend for bigger game, the fact that the LRX BT is optimized for high weight retention and deep penetration also means that it will work really well on bigger game like elk.

In short, this is an outstanding load that will be effective for hunting an incredibly wide variety of game like deer, hogs, black bear, and even elk under all sorts of circumstances. If you wanted one single 6.5 Creedmoor load to hunt the largest possible variety of game, then this is the 6.5 Creedmoor ammo you’re looking for.

It’s also 100% copper, which makes the VOR-TX LR an ideal brand of 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo for use in states like California that that require the use of lead free bullets.

  • Bullet Type: Long Range Expanding Boat Tail (LRX BT)
  • Bullet Weight: 127 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.468
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,825 feet per second

GET BARNES LRX 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner, MidwayUSA, Optics Planet, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game terminal ascent

Federal’s Terminal Ascent load featuring a 130gr Terminal Ascent bullet is outstanding all-around 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for hunting, especially for hunters that want or need the best possible extended range performance. The new Terminal Ascent Bullet is extremely aerodynamic, has a great reputation for accuracy, and is also constructed to deliver a good balance of expansion and penetration.

Indeed, the Terminal Ascent bullet has a bonded front core and solid rear shank that make it a good option for those who want great long range performance without running the risk of bullet failure on close range, high velocity impacts.

With those things in mind, I think the Terminal Ascent is the best option for moose and elk hunting with the 300 WSM. It will also work great on smaller game like mule deer or pronghorn.

The 140gr Nosler Partition is my #1 recommendation 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for elk hunting at ranges inside 250 yards. However, I think the Terminal Ascent is right behind the Partition load as the best option for elk hunting. It’s also outstanding ammo for hunters who plan on hunting other game like whitetail deer, mule deer, black bear, and pronghorn, especially if ranges will potentially be on the long side.

  • Bullet Type: Terminal Ascent
  • Bullet Weight: 130 grains 
  • Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .532
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,800 feet per second 

GET TERMINAL ASCENT 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, MidwayUSA, Optics Planet, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Hornady American Whitetail

picture of best 65 creedmoor ammo for hunting interlock

Hornady American Whitetail ammo is designed and marketed specifically for whitetail deer hunters. Loaded with a 129gr InterLock bullet at a relatively fast 2,820fps muzzle velocity, this ammunition will deliver a good combination of accuracy and hard hitting performance on deer-sized game at short to moderate range.

The InterLock bullet is known for excellent accuracy and for good, though not excessive expansion. While these bullets will not penetrate quite as well as a monometal bullet (like the Hornady CX or the Barnes LRX), the InterLock is tougher than the Hornady SST and will still penetrate really well.

In addition to whitetail deer, this 6.5 Creedmoor ammo will also work great on game like feral hogs, pronghorn, and mule deer. I do not recommend hunting elk with this ammunition though (check out the loads using Nosler Partition and Barnes bullets also recommended in this article).

This ammunition is usually available at a very reasonable price point. With all that in mind, I think this is the best 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for deer hunting for those who want something that works and is dependable at typical deer hunting scenarios inside 200 yards.

  • Bullet Type: Hornady InterLock
  • Bullet Weight: 129 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.445
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,820 feet per second

GET AMERICAN WHITETAIL 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Lucky Gunner, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Hornady Superformance 120gr CX

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game barnes hornady gmx


If you want a high velocity, flat shooting load to use in your 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting the widest possible variety of big game, then it’s really tough to go wrong with Hornady’s Superformance 6.5 Creedmoor 120 grain CX ammunition.

Not only does Hornady’s Superformance line of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo give you a higher muzzle velocity than any other brand of factory loaded 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo, but it also uses the outstanding CX bullet. Made of a monolithic copper alloy it’s a significantly tougher bullet than the Hornady SST. Designed for reliable expansion, deep penetration, maximum weight retention, and a relatively flat trajectory, the 120 grain CX is suitable for use in the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk, smaller animals like deer, and animals that sometimes require longer range shots like pronghorn, mountain goat, sheep, tahr, and chamois.

All things considered, the Superformance line of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo will work extremely well for hunting deer, feral hogs, antelope, elk, and most species of African plains game. Indeed, this is the ammo you want to use if you’re thinking about bringing a 6.5 Creedmoor on an Africa hunting safari.

The CX bullet used in Hornady Outfitter ammunition is lead free, which makes this ammo another good choice for use in states like California. Note: the CX bullet replaced the older GMX bullet from Hornady and is a tiny bit more aerodynamic, but retains the great terminal performance of the GMX.

  • Bullet Type: CX
  • Bullet Weight: 120 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.428
  • Muzzle Velocity: 3,050 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR SUPERFORMANCE CX AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner & Optics Planet

Winchester Deer Season XP 125gr

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk Deer Other Big Game winchester deer season

While the 6.5 Creed is a somewhat controversial elk hunting choice, it’s an outstanding cartridge for deer sized game.

If you’re planning on taking your 6.5 Creedmoor deer hunting, then you should certainly consider using Winchester’s Deer Season XP line of ammunition. Designed specifically to compete with ammo like the Remington Core-Lokt and Hornady American Whitetail that were extremely popular with whitetail hunters, Winchester attempted to build an accurate and reasonably priced bullet that would produce a giant wound channel and minimize the distance a deer would run after being hit.

All things considered, Winchester was successful in that regard and the Deer Season XP line of ammunition has been very well received by deer hunters. It doesn’t matter if you use a Ruger, Tikka, Weatherby, or some other rifle, this is a solid ammunition choice to use in your 6.5 Creedmoor for deer hunting (or any other thin skinned game for that matter).

Finally, Winchester produces a very similar Deer Season XP load with a 125 grain copper Extreme Point that’s legal to use in California. For all intents and purposes, this particular is also a great choice for hunters who want to use their 6.5 Creedmoor for deer hunting, especially with the ongoing ammo shortage (links to each are below).

  • Bullet Type: Extreme Point Polymer Tip
  • Bullet Weight: 125 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.540
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,850 feet per second

GET DEER SEASON XP 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

GET COPPER IMPACT 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner

Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game nosler ABLR

The 142 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range is another good competitor to the Hornady 143 grain ELD-X. While the Hornady bullet is more established and has a great reputation itself, the 142 grain AccuBond bullet might come out ahead in the long run for many hunters.

This is especially true for those who want a better constructed bullet that’s better suited for use on larger game like elk. The 142 grain AccuBond Long Range is almost as heavy, has virtually the same sectional density, and has exactly the same ballistic coefficient as the 143 grain ELD-X.

However, the AccuBond Long Range is a bonded bullet, so it’s a little more durable and well-constructed than the ELD-X. Like the Partition, the AccuBond Long Range still offers very rapid expansion. The AccuBond Long Range isn’t quite as durable as the Partition, but it’s still a tough, deep penetrating bullet.

If it shoots well in your rifle, the 142 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range is a GREAT load to hunt all manner of game with: these bullets will absolutely hammer deer and pronghorn at virtually any reasonable range, plus they’ll still hold together and penetrate deep enough to reach the vitals animals like elk and moose.

With those things in mind, this is my #2 recommended 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition for hunting elk (after the 140 grain Nosler Partition).

  • Bullet Type: AccuBond Long Range
  • Bullet Weight: 142 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.625
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,600 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR TROPHY GRADE LONG RANGE AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Natchez Shooter Supplies, Optics Planet, and Palmetto State Armory

Federal TSX

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk Deer Other Big Game

Federal Premium produces some great 6.5 Creedmoor ammo using the legendary copper Barnes Triple Shock X (TSX) bullets. These bullets are designed for rapid expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration. 

Available using 130 grain 6.5mm bullets, this is an outstanding choice of 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition for all sorts of game in North America.

Specifically, I think this ammunition is excellent for mule deer, whitetail deer, feral hog, and pronghorn hunting with the 6.5 Creedmoor. In fact, it will also probably work pretty well even on bigger game like black bear, elk, and moose as well.

It would not be my first choice of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for elk, but it’s still a really good choice. There’s a 140gr Nosler Partition load I recommend later in this article as my #1 recommendation for hunting elk with the 6.5 Creedmoor, but I’d say this 130gr TSX load is #2.

This is because even this 130gr TSX bullet is still very tough and will deliver great weight retention and deep penetration at close range as well out to several hundred yards.

This load is also 100% copper, which makes it another great choice of 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.

I’m a big fan of the Barnes bullets in general and I’ve used their ammunition with a lot of success on both deer and pronghorn over the past few years. So, it’s tough to go wrong with any 6.5 Creedmoor ammo using a Barnes bullet.

  • Bullet Type: TSX Boat Tail
  • Bullet Weight: 120 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .365
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,825 feet per second

GET BARNES 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Federal Premium Trophy Copper

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game trophy copper

Hunters in search of a high quality alternative to Barnes bullets should definitely check out Federal Premium’s new Trophy Copper line of ammunition. Like the Barnes TTSX, the Trophy Copper provides a devastating mix of high weight retention, rapid, yet controlled controlled expansion (to approximately twice the original diameter), and deep straight-line penetration.

This 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition is available using a 120 grain 6.5mm bullet and the whole line has been endorsed by the MeatEater crew.

The 120 grain load is an outstanding choice of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for deer, pronghorn, feral hogs and maybe even black bear. This ammunition uses a slightly more aerodynamic bullet than the comparable 120 grain factory load in the Barnes VOR-TX line. The result is some 6.5 Creedmoor ammo with a flatter trajectory, more retained energy at long range, and more resistance to wind drift than comparable Barnes ammo.

Regardless of whether you’re hunting whitetail deer, mule deer, feral hogs, pr pronghorn antelope, this ammo will serve you well and get the job done if you do your part as a shooter.

This Federal Premium Trophy Copper load is also lead free, which makes it an ideal choice of 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.

  • Bullet Type: Trophy Copper
  • Bullet Weight: 120 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .497
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,875 feet per second

GET TROPHY COPPER 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Federal Fusion 140gr

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game federal

Federal’s 140gr Fusion Soft Point load is another excellent option to consider if you’re planning on taking your 6.5 Creedmoor deer hunting. First off, this particular load is one of the least expensive 6.5 Creedmoor ammo choices out there that’s appropriate for hunting. Fortunately, just because the ammo is reasonably priced doesn’t mean that it’s low quality.

The Federal Fusion Soft Points have a jacket that’s molecularly bonded to the core to prevent component separation. This helps ensure high weight retention and deep penetration. Though Federal designed the Fusion line of ammunition specifically for deer hunting, it will also work really well for just about any other species of thin-skinned game. So, regardless of whether you want to take your 6.5 Creedmoor antelope hunting, mule deer hunting, or whitetail hunting, you can count on this load to get the job done.

  • Bullet Type: Soft Point
  • Bullet Weight: 140 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.439
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,750 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR FUSION AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner

Remington Core-Lokt 140gr

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game remington core lokt

The Remington Core Lokt has been around for a long time and hunters have successfully used this line of ammunition to take virtually every species of North American big game. Remington now offers the Core Lokt in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Loaded to very typical 6.5 Creedmoor ballistics (140gr bullet at 2,700 fps), there isn’t anything fancy or special about this ammo. However, it works really well and it’s reasonably priced.

So, if you’re a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy who wants a reasonably priced and dependable load to use in your 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting deer, black bear, feral hogs and even elk, then the Remington’s 6.5 Creedmoor 140 grain Core Lokt will probably work really well for you.

  • Bullet Type: Pointed Soft Point
  • Bullet Weight: 140 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,700 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR CORE-LOKT AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner

Winchester Super X 129gr Power Point

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk Deer Other Big Game winchester super

If you’re a “meat and potatoes” type of hunter who just wants some reasonably priced 6.5 Creedmoor ammo to go deer hunting with, then you should definitely check out Winchester’s Super X line. This isn’t the latest or most advanced 6.5 Creedmoor ammo out there, but it still works really well for deer sized game.

Bottom line: this is some reasonably priced ammunition that will work great for game like deer and feral hogs at short to moderate range.

If that’s what you want, then pick up a couple of boxes, hit the range, and then get out hunting!

  • Bullet Type: Power Point
  • Bullet Weight: 129 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,820 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR SUPER X AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner

Hornady Superformance

picture of Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game sst

Hornady Superformance ammo is designed to deliver blazing fast muzzle velocities 100-200fps faster than comparable loads from other lines. The Superformance 6.5 Creedmoor ammo offering is no different and delivers a good combination of a flat trajectory and hard hitting performance on deer-sized game out to several hundred yards.

The Super Shock Tip bullet (SST) has a reputation for great accuracy and will also expand really well. These bullets are not known for super deep penetration though. They’ll work great on game like feral hogs, pronghorn, mule deer, and whitetail deer. However, I don’t recommend hunting elk with this load (check out the loads using Nosler Partition and Barnes bullets also recommended in this article).

Without a doubt, this is some of the best 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for deer hunting though.

  • Bullet Type: Hornady Super Shock Tip (SST)
  • Bullet Weight: 129 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.485
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,950 feet per second

GET SUPERFORMANCE 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Lucky Gunner

Browning BXR 129gr

Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk, Deer & Other Big Game browning


Browning’s 129gr BXR is a great load to use in your 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting deer. It’s also pretty reasonably priced, utilizes a lighter bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient, and is fired at a relatively high velocity. These factors combine to result in a relatively flat trajectory, making it a good 6.5 Creedmoor ammo choice for longer range shots on thin skinned game.

Designed for rapid expansion on thin-skinned game, the the Browning BXR 6.5 Creedmoor ammo is great for whitetail, blacktail, mule deer and pronghorn hunting.

  • Bullet Type: BXR Rapid Expansion Matrix Tip
  • Bullet Weight: 129 grains
  • Ballistic Coefficient: 0.557
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,850 feet per second

GET 6.5 CREEDMOOR BROWNING BXR AMMO HERE

best hunting caliber e book 1

If you’d like to learn more about how the 6.5 Creedmoor stacks up to a few other popular hunting cartridges, read the articles below.

260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor vs 6.5×55 Swede

6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 Creedmoor: Which 6.5 Is Right For You?

25-06 vs 6.5 Creedmoor vs 270 Winchester: The Results Might Surprise You

6.5 PRC: Ultimate Guide To What You Need To Know

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52 thoughts on “Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo For Hunting Elk & Deer (2024)”

  1. I have used Sierra matching ammo for 18 year 168 grain in 308 Winchester caliber and have shot at least 25 deer some being mature bucks. Also killed many hogs with it also. Have never lost a animal using this bullet Sierra calls a target bullet. Try Sierra match king you will be amazed with the knock down power and they make for no tracking hunts.

    Reply
    • I have no doubt that you’ve killed a number of big game animals using Sierra MatchKing bullets (and I’m sure they shoot very accurately for you), but I highly recommend against the practice, especially when using the smaller 6.5mm MatchKing bullets. The MatchKing is a great bullet for target and competition shooting, but it’s not designed for consistent performance on big game animals. Like you have noted, it will absolutely take down deer with excellent shot placement, but even the manufacturer specifically recommends against using them for hunting.
      To quote Sierra: “While they are recognized around the world for record-setting accuracy, MatchKing® and Tipped MatchKing® bullets are not recommended for most hunting applications.”
      As ethical hunters, we owe it to ourselves and the animals to use ammunition specifically designed for the task, not target or military surplus ammunition that might do the job in a pinch if everything works out perfectly.

      Reply
  2. I just purchased a 6.5 an I use it strictly for deer hogs an sometimes coyotes from 25 yards to 200 I am looking toward the hornady eldx what is your thoughts

    Reply
    • The ELD-X will probably work really in those situations. To be quite honest with you, all of the ammo recommended in this article will work really well on hogs, coyotes, and deer inside 200 yards. The ELD-X really shines when you’re trying to take longer range shots.

      Reply
  3. Hello John,
    I also like the 6.5 creed or very much. I have been loading the Hornady 140:grain bullets with Hodgdons 4340 powder and Federal 210 M primers with great groupings at 100:yards. I am now placing 6 rounds in 3/4” pretty well. I do spend a lot of time on case prep, but it has shown to be wort it. I like Speecd Goat hunting here in Idaho so common shots are at least 200 yds. I enjoyed you post…. Thanks
    Larry in Idaho

    Reply

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