Maximum Point Blank Range for the 6.5 Creedmoor
The maximum point blank range zero for a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 143gr ELD-X at 2,700 fps and an 8" vital zone is 261 yards. Sighted 3.5" high at 100 with a scope 1.5" over the bore, the bullet peaks 4" high at 144 yards and holds inside the zone from the muzzle to 308 yards. That is the same window a 150gr .308 gets, which surprises people who bought the Creedmoor for its flat trajectory: inside 300 yards the two cartridges arc almost identically, and the 6.5's advantage is wind drift and retained velocity, not point blank range.
A lighter 120gr load at 2,900 fps stretches the window to 317 yards; a 140gr Fusion at 2,725 fps holds to 300. For a 10" elk zone the 143gr zero is 285 yards with a window to 337.
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.
MPBR by Vital Zone Size
Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X, 143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps, 1.5" over bore (bolt action, standard scope rings).
| Vital zone | Optimal zero | Near edge | MPBR | Max ordinate | Sight in at 100 (in / MOA) | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4" (coyote, varmint, paper) | 201 yd | 0 yd | 234 yd | +2.0" at 116 yd | +1.9" / +1.8 | Download |
| 8" (whitetail, pronghorn, defensive torso) | 261 yd | 0 yd | 308 yd | +4.0" at 144 yd | +3.5" / +3.3 | Download |
| 9" (mule deer, black bear) | 274 yd | 0 yd | 323 yd | +4.5" at 150 yd | +3.8" / +3.6 | Download |
| 10" (elk, moose) | 285 yd | 0 yd | 337 yd | +5.0" at 156 yd | +4.1" / +3.9 | Download |
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.
Prefer a round-number zero you can confirm on any range? 6.5 Creedmoor: 100-Yard vs 200-Yard Zero compares them with full tables.
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 8" Zone Trajectory: 261-Yard Zero
Zeroed at 261 yards, the bullet is +3.5" at 100, peaks +4.0" at 144 yards, and has fallen half the vital zone, -4.0", at 308 yards. Hold on the centre of the vitals anywhere inside that window.
| 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" | +0.84 | +0.24 | 2,664 | 2,254 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +1.6" | +3.09 | +0.90 | 2,628 | 2,193 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +2.7" | +3.44 | +1.00 | 2,592 | 2,135 | 0.3 |
| 100 | +3.5" | +3.31 | +0.96 | 2,557 | 2,077 | 0.6 |
| 125 | +3.9" | +2.98 | +0.87 | 2,522 | 2,021 | 0.9 |
| 150 | +4.0" | +2.54 | +0.74 | 2,488 | 1,965 | 1.3 |
| 175 | +3.7" | +2.04 | +0.59 | 2,453 | 1,911 | 1.7 |
| 200 | +3.1" | +1.49 | +0.43 | 2,419 | 1,859 | 2.3 |
| 225 | +2.1" | +0.90 | +0.26 | 2,385 | 1,807 | 2.9 |
| 250 | +0.8" | +0.29 | +0.08 | 2,351 | 1,756 | 3.5 |
| 275 | -1.0" | -0.35 | -0.10 | 2,318 | 1,707 | 4.3 |
| 300 | -3.2" | -1.01 | -0.29 | 2,285 | 1,658 | 5.2 |
| 325 | -5.8" | -1.70 | -0.49 | 2,252 | 1,611 | 6.1 |
| 350 | -8.8" | -2.40 | -0.70 | 2,220 | 1,565 | 7.1 |
| 375 | -12.2" | -3.12 | -0.91 | 2,187 | 1,519 | 8.2 |
| 400 | -16.2" | -3.85 | -1.12 | 2,155 | 1,475 | 9.4 |
| 425 | -20.5" | -4.61 | -1.34 | 2,123 | 1,432 | 10.7 |
| 450 | -25.4" | -5.39 | -1.57 | 2,092 | 1,390 | 12.1 |
| 475 | -30.7" | -6.18 | -1.80 | 2,061 | 1,349 | 13.5 |
| 500 | -36.6" | -6.99 | -2.03 | 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.
MPBR by Bullet Weight
8" vital zone, 1.5" over bore.
| Load | Optimal zero | MPBR | Max ordinate at | Velocity at MPBR | Energy at MPBR | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X 143gr G1 .625 at 2,700 fps |
261 yd | 308 yd | 144 yd | 2,285 fps | 1,658 ft-lb | Download |
| Federal American Eagle 6.5 Creedmoor 120gr OTM 120gr G1 .421 at 2,900 fps |
270 yd | 317 yd | 151 yd | 2,271 fps | 1,375 ft-lb | Download |
| Federal Fusion 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr 140gr G1 .439 at 2,725 fps |
256 yd | 300 yd | 142 yd | 2,142 fps | 1,427 ft-lb | Download |
Velocity and energy are read at the last table row inside the window. Sources: Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143gr ELD-X: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13); Federal American Eagle 6.5 Creedmoor 120gr OTM: Federal published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13); Federal Fusion 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr: Federal published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13).
What MPBR Means in the Field
Maximum point blank range finds the zero that lets a centre hold on the vitals work for the longest distance. The bullet is allowed to rise half the vital zone above the line of sight and the window ends where it has fallen half the zone below. On the 143gr ELD-X that is a 4" peak at 144 yards and a 308-yard far edge with an 8" zone, and the rifle is sighted 3.5" high at 100 to get there.
The Creedmoor's reputation makes MPBR both more and less useful than on other cartridges. Less, because most Creedmoor rifles wear a turret and their owners range and dial, which beats any single zero. More, because the same high-BC bullet that makes the 6.5 good in the wind means the far edge of the window is still a strong shot: the 143gr bullet is doing about 2,285 fps and carrying 1,660 ft-lb at 300 yards, and it drifts only 9" at 400 in a 10 mph crosswind against 14" for a 150gr .308. Inside the window you can hold on hair; at the edge of it you are still well inside the bullet's working range.
What MPBR does not do is excuse you from ranging past 308 yards. The bullet falls another 16" between 300 and 400 on this zero, and the 4" peak at 144 yards means a high hold on a small deer is a spine shot. Hold the centre of the chest inside the window; range and dial outside it.
How Sight Height Affects Your MPBR
The 1.5" figure is a bolt gun in standard rings. The Creedmoor is also common in AR-10-pattern rifles with the optic 2.6" over the bore, and the table below shows the 8" MPBR at that height: zero at 273 yards instead of 261, far edge at 320 instead of 308, sight-in 3.1" high at 100 instead of 3.5". Twelve yards of reach from an inch of sight height, because a taller sight line lets the bullet spend more of its arc above the line of sight before the peak.
Bullet choice moves it about as much. The 120gr OTM at 2,900 fps holds to 317 yards with a 270-yard zero; the 140gr Fusion at 2,725 fps to 300 with a 256-yard zero; the 143gr ELD-X sits between them at 308. Sight the rifle in with the load you hunt with; a 3.5"-high zero set with match ammunition is a different zero with a hunting bullet.
| Sight height | Optimal zero | Near edge | MPBR | Sight-in at 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 261 yd | 0 yd | 308 yd | +3.5" |
| 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 273 yd | 0 yd | 320 yd | +3.1" |
Calculate MPBR for Your Rifle
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
- Federal American Eagle 6.5mm Creedmoor 120gr OTM Ammo — 120gr, 2900 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.421
- Hornady ELD Match 6.5mm Creedmoor 120gr ELD Match Ammo — 120gr, 2910 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.486
- 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 high should a 6.5 Creedmoor be at 100 yards for maximum point blank range?
About 3.5" high for an 8" vital zone with a 143gr ELD-X at 2,700 fps and a 1.5" scope, which is a 261-yard zero. A 120gr load at 2,900 fps is sighted 3.4" high for a 270-yard zero.
What is the maximum point blank range of a 6.5 Creedmoor?
About 308 yards for an 8" vital zone with a 143gr ELD-X; 317 yards with a 120gr load and 300 with a 140gr Fusion, all at a 1.5" scope height. For a 10" zone the 143gr reaches 337 yards.
Is the 6.5 Creedmoor's point blank range longer than a .308's?
Not meaningfully. A 143gr Creedmoor and a 150gr .308 both hold inside an 8" zone to about 307 or 308 yards. The Creedmoor's advantage is a third less wind drift at 400 yards and more retained velocity, which matters when you dial past the window.
Should I use an MPBR zero if I dial?
Usually not. A 100-yard zero keeps every published drop chart and app default honest. Use MPBR on a Creedmoor that wears a duplex reticle and hunts without a rangefinder, and accept that a 3.5"-high sight-in at 100 is the price.