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Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 147 Gr ELD Match

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Ammo Reports Team 8 6.5 Creedmoor

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Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 147 Gr ELD Match

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Official Specs

All data verified against Hornady’s official ballistics chart (PDF, two independent sources confirmed).

BC note: The 0.697 G1 is Hornady’s “200-yard Mach 2.25” value. This is the highest published BC of any factory 6.5 Creedmoor load in this report series. BC decreases slightly at lower velocities — see hornady.com/bc for velocity-dependent values.

Ballistics Table

From Hornady’s official ballistics chart (SKU 81501, 24″ barrel). Zero: 100 yards. Sight height: 1.5″.

Key takeaway: the BC of 0.697 is the highest of any factory 6.5 Creedmoor load in this report series — higher than the 140 gr ELD Match (0.646), Nosler RDF 140 gr (0.658), and all hunting loads. At 500 yards the 147 gr ELD Match retains 1,428 ft-lbs with 70.5 inches of drop. The 5 fps difference vs the 140 gr ELD-M (2,695 vs 2,710) is negligible; the BC advantage of 0.697 vs 0.646 is what matters at 600–1,000 yard competition distances.

147 gr vs 140 gr ELD Match — Choosing Within Hornady’s Match Line

Hornady produces three ELD Match loads for 6.5 Creedmoor. The 147 gr is the heaviest and highest-BC option:

The 147 gr has the highest BC but is only 15 fps slower than the 140 gr — making it the choice when maximum BC at long range matters more than near-range speed. Hornady’s own senior ballistician noted the 147 gr ELD Match is “supersonic to 1,400 yards at sea level” from the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Best Uses

Good fit:

• ELR (Extreme Long Range) competition at 800–1,400+ yards where BC 0.697 produces less wind drift and drop than any other factory 6.5 CM load
• F-Class and benchrest competitions where maximum BC and precision are the primary requirements
• Precision rifle competition stages beyond 600 yards where the BC advantage over the 140 gr ELD-M becomes meaningful
• Handloaders who want a factory baseline using Hornady’s heaviest ELD Match before developing custom loads

Not the right tool for:

• PRS/NRL competition inside 600 yards — the 140 gr ELD-M at $0.35/round less is functionally equivalent at typical PRS distances and has more community documentation
• Hunting — ELD Match is not designed for terminal expansion; use ELD-X Precision Hunter for game
• Semi-automatic platforms — verify feeding reliability with the heavier 147 gr bullet before committing

Reliability Notes

No structured submissions yet.

The Hornady 147 gr ELD Match is the heaviest bullet in Hornady’s factory 6.5 Creedmoor lineup. Hornady’s Dave Emary documented the 147 gr ELD Match as “supersonic to 1,400 yards at sea level” — a claim consistent with the BC 0.697 at 2,695 fps muzzle velocity. Hornady’s specially selected brass (screened for wall thickness, internal capacity, and concentricity) is a genuine quality differentiator for this match-tier load. All notes reflect manufacturer claims and open-source community data, not structured testing.

Competitors

Price Reality

• Typical retail range: $48–54 per box of 20 (~$2.40–2.70/round)
• vs. Hornady Match 140 gr ELD-M: 147 gr runs $5–8/box more for BC 0.697 vs 0.646 — justified for ELR competition; marginal for PRS inside 600 yards
• Practice strategy: PPU Supreme Sierra MatchKing (~$1.45/round) for practice; 147 gr ELD Match for competition — saves $1.00/round on practice sessions
• Under $52/box is competitive for the highest-BC 6.5 CM factory match load available

Prices change. Check the Where to Buy block for current listings.

Where to Buy

Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 147 Gr ELD Match (Box)

Hornady's ELD (Extremely Low Drag) Match rounds provide exceptional accuracy and consistency from one shot to the next.

$49.49 at Ammunitiondepot.com View Price at Sportsmansguide.com

Affiliate links. These do not influence ratings, data, or any editorial content on this page.

FAQ

147 gr vs 140 gr ELD Match — which should I use for PRS competition?
For PRS and NRL stages inside 600 yards, the 140 gr ELD-M is the more common and better-documented choice — marginally higher muzzle velocity (2,710 vs 2,695 fps) and $5–8/box cheaper, with the same core technology. For competition stages beyond 600 yards or ELR formats, the 147 gr’s BC advantage (0.697 vs 0.646) produces meaningfully less wind drift and more consistent long-range performance. At 1,000 yards the difference is approximately 2–3 inches of wind drift in a 10 mph crosswind — significant in competition. Choose based on your primary stage distances.

What does “supersonic to 1,400 yards” mean in practice?
A bullet becomes transonic (around 1,340 fps) then subsonic as it decelerates. In the transonic region, bullets often become unstable and accuracy degrades significantly. “Supersonic to 1,400 yards” means the 147 gr ELD Match stays above 1,340 fps through 1,400 yards at sea level — it never enters the accuracy-degrading transonic zone within typical ELR competition distances. This is a genuine performance advantage for 1,000–1,400 yard shooting. The 140 gr ELD-M becomes transonic around 1,200–1,250 yards under similar conditions.

Is the ELD Match appropriate for hunting?
No — the ELD Match is specifically engineered for accuracy, not terminal expansion on game. The Heat Shield tip and precision jacket are optimized to maintain BC consistency throughout flight, not to initiate controlled expansion. For hunting in 6.5 Creedmoor, use the Hornady Precision Hunter 143 gr ELD-X which uses similar technology tuned for terminal performance across all hunting ranges.

Will the 147 gr bullet stabilize in my 6.5 Creedmoor rifle?
Most modern 6.5 Creedmoor factory rifles ship with 1:8″ twist barrels — well-suited to stabilize the 147 gr. Some older or budget rifles may have 1:9″ twist; the 147 gr should still stabilize in 1:9″, though stability will be marginal. If your rifle has a 1:10″ twist or slower, the 147 gr may not stabilize reliably — verify your barrel’s twist rate before purchasing. Rifles with 1:7″ or faster twist are well-suited for this bullet weight.

Submit Your Data · Real-World Results

Manufacturer velocity figures are measured under controlled lab conditions — barrel length, temperature, and lot number all affect real-world performance. The data below comes from community submissions tied to specific test conditions and reviewed before publishing.

Once this page reaches 3 approved submissions, aggregate velocity and confidence level will appear here automatically.

Shot this load? Share your results — firearm type, barrel length, average velocity, shots fired, temperature. No account required.

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Results vary by firearm, barrel condition, ammunition lot, and environmental factors. Submitted data is for reference only. AmmoReports does not guarantee accuracy of user-submitted results.

Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 147 Gr ELD Match (Box)

$49.49

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Hornady Match, 6.5mm Creedmoor, ELD Match, 147 Grain, 20 Rounds

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