Description

Why This Load Matters

Every cartridge ecosystem develops a reference point—a load so widely tested and consistently produced that it becomes the common language between shooters, manufacturers, and analysts.

For the 6.5 Creedmoor, that load is Hornady Match 140gr ELD-Match.

This ammunition is used across:

• rifle development

• barrel testing

• ballistic software validation

• factory ammo consistency studies

Not because it is flashy—but because it is repeatable.

The 140gr ELD-Match — The Stability Center

The 140gr ELD-Match bullet sits at the center of the Creedmoor stability window. Its weight, length, and ogive geometry provide:

• predictable pressure curves

• stable flight across common twist rates

• consistent transonic behavior

This makes it ideal for evaluating:

• barrel length effects

• velocity spread

• vertical dispersion

• wind response

When shooters ask, “What should I compare against?” — this is the answer.

Consistency Over Claims

Hornady’s Match line is assembled with:

• carefully selected components

• controlled bullet seating

• consistent powder charges

• uniform overall length

The goal is not maximum velocity—it is repeatability.

This is why this load appears repeatedly in:

• independent accuracy testing

• TN-11 Factory Ammo Consistency Studies

• Ballistics Bench velocity modeling

It does not hide system behavior. It reveals it.

How This Load Is Best Used

This ammunition excels when used as:

• a baseline factory reference

• a validation tool for new rifles

• a comparison point for reload development

• a control load for ballistic analysis

It is equally at home in:

• Savage 110 Tactical platforms

• Bergara HMR rifles

• Precision-oriented hunting rifles

If a rifle does not shoot this load well, the problem is rarely the ammunition.

What This Load Will—and Will Not—Do

This load will:

• produce predictable velocities

• minimize unexplained vertical spread

• support accurate ballistic modeling

• provide a common reference across rifles

It will not:

• compensate for poor fundamentals

• replace load development for specific rifles

• act as specialty hunting ammunition

Its value lies in truth, not versatility.

Referenced In:

• Shooter’s Edge Magazine — Issue No. 1
  Ballistics Bench — The Velocity Window
  Factory Ammo as a Control Variable

Related Chapters & Technical Notes:

• CHAPTER 5 — Factory Loads Landscape

• Chapter 9 — Cartridge Family & Variants

• TN-11 — Factory Ammo Consistency Studies (6.5 Creedmoor)

• TN-08 — Velocity Window Optimization

Specifications

• Brand: Hornady
• Manufacturer: Hornady
• Manufacturer Part #: 81500
• UPC: 90255815009
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Bullet Type: ELD Match
• Grain Weight: 140 gr
• Rounds Per Box: 20
• Case Quantity: 10 boxes (200 rounds)
• Condition: New
• Product Type: Rifle Ammunition
• Intended Use: Precision / Match