This article summarizes the results of one of most thorough rifle ammo testing ever done. It involved firing more than 1,000 rounds! This test was conducted by an independent researcher and cost over 1,000 rounds. This ammo is currently being sold at $4 per round by a few retailers. While it is fun to see which ammo has the highest hit probability (see the results), most people make their buying decisions based on what offers the best bang for their buck. This article analyzes the huge amount of data I collected during my recent long-range ammunition test and determines the best rifle ammo for the money. To ensure that the results are reliable, I used multiple Doppler radars as well as other specialized equipment. All of the ammo was purchased out-of-pocket at major online retailers. These ammo manufacturers would have sent me ammo for the test, but I didn’t want to risk that the ammo was cherry-picked. I purchased one box of each type of ammo from one retailer and then waited six months before buying another box from another retailer. I can also confirm that I have never received anything free or discounted from these companies. I would not accept it if they offered it because I want my readers trust my content and not wonder about hidden alliances. I used two different test rifles to fire the rounds: a standard Ruger Precision Rifle as well as a custom bolt-action rifle. I analyzed all live-fire data and used professional modeling software to calculate each ammo’s hit probability at 400 and 800 yards (see the results). This article is about one of the most exciting parts of a research project like this. After conducting several 100% data-driven research projects (see more field tests), I have found that there are almost always outliers in terms value. The old saying that you get what your pay for is often false. It is possible that some companies offer exceptional performance at relatively low prices. However, a few companies can deliver poor performance at premium prices. But great marketing is essential! This type of analysis cuts through all the b.s. This allows us to clearly see which brands offer the most value for the shooting community. This article is what I consider the “grand finale” of my quest for the best rifle ammunition. I calculated the hit probability of each type of ammo per $1 spent to determine which brands offer the most value. To make up the premium it charges, something must provide a significant increase in performance. If the price was 5% higher but it had a 25% higher hit probability, we would consider it higher value. The chart below shows the cost per ammo round. I checked the street prices of major online distributors several times during the six months between December 2019 and May 2020. This was just before “The Great Ammo Shortage of 2020/2021”, when prices spiked and became unpredictable. This period was stable and one I hope to return to soon. All of this ammo is probably higher than it was back then. The prices of most brands are still fairly comparable relative to each other, so this chart is a good way to look at it. The blue bar represents the average street price of 20 rounds of ammo, divided by 20. The green bar represents the average “net” cost per round. Factory ammo is worth less than other rounds. However, if you sell your once-fired brass to other reloaders, the “net” cost per round will be reduced. GunBroker and other sites that sell once-fired brass show that the going rate is usually about 60% of what you would pay for the same brand of brass new. However, seasonal demand can affect this figure. Here is a rough estimate of what you might be able recover in terms of cost by selling your once fired 6.5 Creedmoor brass. It is based on the headstamp. These are just the prices I could find from various sources. The “Avg.” can be used to determine if you intend to leave your brass on the ground, or if you want it to be saved for yourself. Price per Round. If you want to recoup some of the cost by selling your brass, you should refer to the “Avg. Net Cost per Round (after selling brass) You still get more value from the ammo than the factory load. Even if you keep the brass for later reloading, it is still worth looking at the “net cost”. I’ll give a value comparison using both approaches. However, I’ll separate the results and discuss how the ranking is based on net cost. Finally, the chart below summarizes all of this research. It takes 760 rounds worth of live-fire data and an exhaustive hit probability analysis. This brings down the value of each type of 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition per dollar in terms of overall hit probabilities at 400 to 1,200 yards. The chart below can really change the picture when you compare the performance to the cost. The Berger Match 130 gr. OTM Hybrid, Berger Match 140 gr. Both hybrid ammo was a top choice – as they appear to have been on many charts. Although the average cost of a box Berger 130 Hybrid ammo was slightly lower than the 140s’, the overall performance was slightly better for the 140’s so the calculated value is the same for both. Usually, the product with the highest performance is not the most valuable. However, in this instance, Berger ammo is both superior in terms of performance and hit probability at long distances. It is also the best value. Berger rifle ammo may be the best from both perspectives. This is a rare find in this industry! The Sig Sauer Elite Performance Match 6.5 Creedmoor 140g is the third highest valued. OTM factory ammunition. Although we haven’t spoken much about the Sig ammo during this research, the performance it provided compared to its price is remarkable! If you don’t intend to sell your previously-fired brass, this Sig ammo is the best overall value. The average price for Sig ammo was $24.66 per box. This was 20% less than the $30.83 average price per box. Since the ammo shortage began, I haven’t been able find any Sig 6.5 Creedmoor Match ammunition. It seems that Sig has not been able to recover from the shortages and increased demand as quickly than other manufacturers. I am hopeful that they will get this product back on the market soon. It seemed to provide good performance, especially considering its price. Bravo, Sig! MatchKing and Federal Premium Gold Medal 65 Creedmoor Berger 130g Hybrid OTM factory ammunition. The Federal 130 Hybrid ammo was slightly more expensive than the Federal 140SMK’s. However, it had 1.2% higher long-range hit probability. The 140s were not far behind in performance (68.3% for 140s vs. 69.5 for 130s), so their street price was a bit higher in terms of value. Federal, if you can find them at the same price, we recommend that you choose the 130 Hybrid. However, if the 140 SMK costs less, you still get a great product for your money. Federal, you are a great leader! The Hornady Match6.5 Creedmoor (147 gr) rounds out our top 5. ELD-M factory ammo at #5. This match-grade factory ammunition is one of the most sought-after. Hornady was the inventor of the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. One of their original design goals was to have high-quality factory ammunition options at a low price. (Read more about the original design goals). Many people don’t realize how much Hornady’s 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge had an impact on the market. This was when match-grade ammo can be found at very affordable prices. There wasn’t much match-grade factory ammunition available before that. Most of the stuff was priced at around $3/round. Hornady’s 6.5 Creedmoor match ammunition was released at $1 per round, disrupting the entire industry. Look at how many other manufacturers followed their lead! Hornady, thank you for your efforts in pushing the industry forward and providing value to the shooting community. There were many brands of ammo that provided a lot of value, with a hit probability of 60-62% per dollar spent. Hornady Match6.5 Creedmoor, 147 gr. ELD-M Federal Premium Gold Medal for 6.5 Creedmoor Berger 130g. Hybrid OTM Berger Match 6.5 Creedmoor 120 gr. Lapua Scenar-L PRIME 6.5 Creedmoor Sierra 130 gr. MatchKing USA-Made Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 140g ELD-M Norma Match 6.5 Creedmoor 130 gr. The ammo from Copper Creek, Barnes, and Golden Target Hybrid HPBT Winchester were all 16% less valuable than the middle pack. Although they all offer similar value propositions, the process of getting there was quite different. The Winchester ammunition was quite affordable, but it also had poor performance. The Barnes 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition was about average in price and performance. The Copper Creek ammo was a better performer in terms of long-range hit probability, but it was also the most expensive. However, they are all very similar when you look at the hit probability that each one gives per dollar spent. This is quite interesting. We see both types Nosler ammo at 44% and 45 percent respectively. This is 37% less than the overall winners in terms value and bang for your bucks. Nosler was not the lowest. The Remington Premier Match 65 Creedmoor Barnes 140g came in at 18th place out of 19 total. Open Tip Match. Based on the performance measured at the range, the average Remington ammo price per box was $34.66, which is surprising considering the high price. The average 10-shot standard deviation of muzzle velocity was more than 20 fps. This is unacceptable for standard ammo, but Remington marked this box “Premier Match!” ELD-M. I know there are some Black Hills fans who are offended by this, but I’m simply reporting the data. The Black Hills ammo was by a wide margin the most expensive. It was almost 40% more expensive than the average ammo box in this test, with an average street price at $42.87. It cost 23% more than the $34.99. Copper Creek custom handloaded ammo. The Black Hills ammo’s measured performance was simply not good. This is where the old saying “you get what your pay for” doesn’t seem to be applicable. Both the group size and muzzle velocity consistency were below average. Parting shots on finding the best rifle ammo for your rifle. I hope this research project helped a lot of new shooters get into the sport that I love so much. It will hopefully help you narrow down your search for the ammo that will best suit your rifle. I recommend buying a box of the most effective ammo in this study. Take those boxes to the range and test them out with your rifle. One of these would be a great choice and will help you hit more targets at long range. Do you appreciate the content? 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To show your appreciation, and help PRB pay its costs. 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Field Testing Series: Here’s an outline of the articles that I wrote about my 6.5 Creedmoor match-grade ammo field test. (this article) I also recommend reading the “Statistics for Shooters”, which I published before this research. This 3-part series was actually written by me to help my readers better understand a lot more of the research I present and gain more value. Here are those 3 articles:How To Predict The Future: Fundamentals of statistics for shooters Quantifying Muzzle Velocity Consistency: Gaining insight to minimize our shot-to-shot variation in velocity Quantifying Group Dispersion: Making better decisions when it comes to precision and how small our groups are (c) Copyright 2021 PrecisionRifleBlog.com, All Rights Reserved.
