6.5 Creedmoor: 100-Yard vs 200-Yard Zero
Zero at 100 if you dial, which is most Creedmoors; 200 if it is a deer rifle you hold with.
Zero a 6.5 Creedmoor at 100 yards if you dial, which is most Creedmoor rifles, and at 200 if it is a deer rifle you hold with. With a 143gr ELD-X at 2,700 fps and a 1.5" scope height, the 100-yard zero peaks 0.1" high and is 13.6" low at 300; the 200-yard zero is 1.9" high at 100, 7.9" low at 300, and holds inside an 8" vital zone to 260 yards with a single hold. Both are close to what a .308 does inside 300, which surprises people: the Creedmoor's advantage shows up in the wind column (9.4" of drift at 400 in a 10 mph wind versus 14" for a 150gr .308) and past 400, not in the drop table inside 300.
Figures on this page: Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X, 143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps, Bolt action, standard scope rings, 1.5" over bore, standard conditions. Source: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Side-by-Side Comparison
143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps, 1.5" over bore (bolt action, standard scope rings).
| 100-yd zero | 200-yd zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 59 yd | 29 yd |
| Far zero | 100 yd | 200 yd |
| Max ordinate | +0.1" | +2.0" |
| Max ordinate distance | 80 yd | 116 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (8" vital zone, ±4") | 0–202 yd | 0–260 yd |
| Sight in at 100 yd | +0.0" (+0.0 MOA) | +1.9" (+1.8 MOA) |
| Drop at 300 yd | -13.6" | -7.9" |
| Drop at 400 yd | -30.0" | -22.4" |
| Energy at 300 yd | 1,658 ft-lb | 1,658 ft-lb |
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 500 yards.
Want the longest single hold rather than a round number? Maximum Point Blank Range for the 6.5 Creedmoor solves the zero that keeps this cartridge inside a vital zone the furthest.
Key terms
- Near zero
- Where the bullet first climbs up through the line of sight. It starts below the sight, because the sight sits above the barrel.
- Far zero
- Where it falls back down through the line of sight. A "200-yard zero" is the far zero; the near zero comes with it.
- Max ordinate
- The highest the bullet gets above the line of sight, between the two crossings. This is what makes a zero shoot high in the middle.
- Point blank range (MPBR)
- The zero that keeps the whole arc inside a vital zone for the longest distance, so you can aim at the centre and hold dead-on.
The 100-Yard Zero
How it performs
Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X zeroed at 100 yards with 1.5" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 59 and 100 yards, peaks +0.1" at 80 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 202 yards. At 300 yards it is -13.6". At 400 yards it is -30.0".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,700 | 2,315 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.7" | -2.47 | -0.72 | 2,664 | 2,254 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.1" | -0.22 | -0.06 | 2,628 | 2,193 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +0.1" | +0.14 | +0.04 | 2,592 | 2,135 | 0.3 |
| 100 | +0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 2,557 | 2,077 | 0.6 |
| 125 | -0.4" | -0.33 | -0.09 | 2,522 | 2,021 | 0.9 |
| 150 | -1.2" | -0.76 | -0.22 | 2,488 | 1,965 | 1.3 |
| 175 | -2.3" | -1.27 | -0.37 | 2,453 | 1,911 | 1.7 |
| 200 | -3.8" | -1.82 | -0.53 | 2,419 | 1,859 | 2.3 |
| 225 | -5.7" | -2.41 | -0.70 | 2,385 | 1,807 | 2.9 |
| 250 | -7.9" | -3.02 | -0.88 | 2,352 | 1,756 | 3.5 |
| 275 | -10.5" | -3.66 | -1.06 | 2,318 | 1,707 | 4.3 |
| 300 | -13.6" | -4.32 | -1.26 | 2,285 | 1,658 | 5.2 |
| 325 | -17.0" | -5.00 | -1.45 | 2,252 | 1,611 | 6.1 |
| 350 | -20.9" | -5.70 | -1.66 | 2,220 | 1,565 | 7.1 |
| 375 | -25.2" | -6.42 | -1.87 | 2,187 | 1,520 | 8.2 |
| 400 | -30.0" | -7.16 | -2.08 | 2,155 | 1,475 | 9.4 |
| 425 | -35.3" | -7.92 | -2.30 | 2,123 | 1,432 | 10.7 |
| 450 | -41.0" | -8.69 | -2.53 | 2,092 | 1,390 | 12.1 |
| 475 | -47.2" | -9.49 | -2.76 | 2,061 | 1,349 | 13.5 |
| 500 | -53.9" | -10.30 | -3.00 | 2,030 | 1,308 | 15.1 |
143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
Most 6.5 Creedmoor owners, because most of them bought the cartridge to dial. Zeroed at 100 with a scope 1.5" over the bore, the 143gr ELD-X peaks a tenth of an inch above the line of sight at 80 yards and is then all drop: 3.8" at 200, 13.6" at 300, 30" at 400. Those are the numbers a turret and a ballistic app expect, and the 100-yard zero is the one every published Creedmoor drop chart assumes.
Inside an 8" vital zone the 100-yard zero holds to 202 yards with a centre hold, which is enough for a rifle that gets ranged and dialled past that anyway.
The 200-Yard Zero
How it performs
Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X zeroed at 200 yards with 1.5" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 29 and 200 yards, peaks +2.0" at 116 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 260 yards. At 300 yards it is -7.9". At 400 yards it is -22.4".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,700 | 2,315 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.2" | -0.65 | -0.19 | 2,664 | 2,254 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.8" | +1.60 | +0.47 | 2,628 | 2,193 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +1.5" | +1.96 | +0.57 | 2,592 | 2,135 | 0.3 |
| 100 | +1.9" | +1.83 | +0.53 | 2,557 | 2,077 | 0.6 |
| 125 | +2.0" | +1.49 | +0.43 | 2,522 | 2,021 | 0.9 |
| 150 | +1.7" | +1.06 | +0.31 | 2,488 | 1,965 | 1.3 |
| 175 | +1.0" | +0.55 | +0.16 | 2,453 | 1,911 | 1.7 |
| 200 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,419 | 1,859 | 2.3 |
| 225 | -1.4" | -0.59 | -0.17 | 2,385 | 1,807 | 2.9 |
| 250 | -3.1" | -1.20 | -0.35 | 2,352 | 1,756 | 3.5 |
| 275 | -5.3" | -1.84 | -0.53 | 2,318 | 1,707 | 4.3 |
| 300 | -7.9" | -2.50 | -0.73 | 2,285 | 1,658 | 5.2 |
| 325 | -10.8" | -3.18 | -0.93 | 2,252 | 1,611 | 6.1 |
| 350 | -14.2" | -3.88 | -1.13 | 2,220 | 1,565 | 7.1 |
| 375 | -18.1" | -4.60 | -1.34 | 2,187 | 1,520 | 8.2 |
| 400 | -22.4" | -5.34 | -1.55 | 2,155 | 1,475 | 9.4 |
| 425 | -27.2" | -6.10 | -1.77 | 2,123 | 1,432 | 10.7 |
| 450 | -32.4" | -6.87 | -2.00 | 2,092 | 1,390 | 12.1 |
| 475 | -38.1" | -7.67 | -2.23 | 2,061 | 1,349 | 13.5 |
| 500 | -44.4" | -8.48 | -2.47 | 2,030 | 1,308 | 15.1 |
143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
The Creedmoor that lives as a deer rifle with a duplex reticle. Zeroed at 200 the bullet is 1.9" high at 100, peaks 2" at 116 yards, is 7.9" low at 300 and stays inside an 8" zone to 260 yards with one hold. That is the same window a .308 gets from its 200-yard zero, because inside 300 yards the Creedmoor's arc is not flatter than a .308's; it is its wind drift and retained velocity that are better.
Pick it if you would rather not touch the scope in the field, and confirm it at 200 rather than extrapolating from a 100-yard group, since the far zero is sensitive to small errors at the near crossing.
Why Sight Height Changes the Answer
With the scope in standard rings 1.5" over the bore the numbers above apply. Move the same load to an AR-10-pattern rifle with a 2.6" optic and the 100-yard zero becomes a tangent zero, touching the line of sight at 100 and never crossing it, with its 8" window pushed from 202 yards to 220. The 200-yard zero's peak falls from 2" to 1.5" and its window grows from 260 to 264. Small shifts, because a 143gr bullet at 2,700 fps needs only a gentle launch angle either way.
What the taller sight line does change is where the bullet sits close in. At 2.6" the 200-yard zero is 1.4" high at 100 instead of 1.9" and the near zero moves from 29 yards to 50, so a confirmation shot at 50 yards is dead-on on the AR and half an inch high on the bolt gun. If you zero at 50 and extrapolate, that half inch becomes tens of yards of far zero.
| Zero | Sight height | Near zero | Far zero | Max ordinate | Inside the 8" zone (±4") to | Drop at 300 | Drop at 400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 59 yd | 100 yd | +0.1" at 80 | 202 yd | -13.6" | -30.0" |
| 100 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 100 yd | 100 yd | 0.0" at 100 | 220 yd | -11.4" | -26.8" |
| 200 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 29 yd | 200 yd | +2.0" at 116 | 260 yd | -7.9" | -22.4" |
| 200 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 50 yd | 200 yd | +1.6" at 126 | 264 yd | -7.3" | -21.3" |
How Barrel Length Changes This
Hornady's 2,700 fps is from a 24" barrel; most Creedmoor hunting rifles wear 22" and give up 40 to 60 fps, and an 18" carbine closer to 150. The loss shows as an inch or so more drop at 300 and a few yards off each far zero. The high ballistic coefficient of the 143gr bullet means it sheds that velocity slowly, which is why the Creedmoor's real advantage over a .308 grows with distance rather than starting at the muzzle.
Which Zero Is Wrong for You
The 200-yard zero is wrong on a rifle you bought to dial. Every drop chart, ballistic app default and turret cap assumes a 100-yard zero, and a 2" peak at 116 yards puts your 100-yard confirmation group high and your first turret setting off. It is also wrong for varmints and small targets at 100 to 150 yards for the same reason.
The 100-yard zero is wrong for a deer rifle without a turret or a holdover reticle. It is 13.6" low at 300, which is under the chest with a centre hold, and it gives up 58 yards of dead-on window against the 200-yard zero.
Both are wrong if you expected the Creedmoor to be dramatically flatter than a .308 inside 300 yards. It is not, and picking a zero on that assumption leads to the same holds you would use with a .308. Where the 6.5 pays is drift and energy past 300, and that is dialing territory.
Try It With Your Load
Prefilled with the load above. Change anything and the full calculator solves your trajectory; pick your own sight height from the list.
Loads Used on This Page
- Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5mm Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X Ammo — 143gr, 2700 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.625
- Aguila 6.5mm Creedmoor 140gr FMJBT Target Ammo — 140gr, 2600 fps advertised, G7 BC 0.256
- Federal Fusion 6.5mm Creedmoor 140gr SP Ammo — 140gr, 2725 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.439
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a 6.5 Creedmoor drop at 300 yards?
About 13.6" with a 100-yard zero and 7.9" with a 200-yard zero, for a 143gr ELD-X at 2,700 fps and a 1.5" scope height.
Is a 6.5 Creedmoor flatter than a .308 with the same zero?
Not meaningfully inside 300 yards. A 143gr Creedmoor and a 150gr .308 both sit about 8" low at 300 with a 200-yard zero. The Creedmoor drifts a third less in wind at 400 and keeps more velocity, which is where it pulls ahead.
What is the best zero for a 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle?
200 yards if you hold, or the maximum point blank range zero of about 261 yards (3.5" high at 100) for an 8" vital zone, which holds dead-on to 308 yards. Zero at 100 if you dial.
How high should a 6.5 Creedmoor be at 100 yards for a 200-yard zero?
About 1.9" high at 100 with a 143gr load at 2,700 fps and a 1.5" scope height. Lighter 120gr loads at 2,900 fps sit about 1.7" high.