The California-Friendly Creedmoor

A recent “Latest Loads” column featured the 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge capped with Hornady’s new 143-gr. ELD-X bullet; however, the lead-core projectile cannot be used in California’s condor zone, ecological reserves and wildlife areas. Moreover, some hunters prefer to use leadless bullets due to their high-retained weights, which increases penetration depths. Whatever the reason, the recipe below is for you. Featuring the streamlined, all-copper Barnes 127-gr. Long-Range X Bullet (LRX), when propelled to 2705 f.p.s., the projectile—which has a ballistic coefficient (BC) of .468—drops 4.4", 18.9", and 42.2" at 300, 400, and 500 yds., respectively—when zeroed at 250 yds. The corresponding comeups in m.o.a. are 1.4, 4.5, and 8.1. And, with nearly 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy still available at 500 yds., this “eco-friendly” load is bad news for all but the largest non-dangerous, big-game species.