9 of 24 6mm Creedmoor factory loads carry 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity for mule deer; the best reach 550 yd (Berger 108 gr Elite Hunter). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.
| Load | gr | Max ethical yd | MV fps | 500 yd ft·lb | Shoulder shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berger 108 gr Elite Hunter | 108 | 550 | 2,931 | 1,114 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Precision Hunter 103 gr ELD-X | 103 | 550 | 3,050 | 1,082 | yes |
| Sierra GameChanger 100 gr Tipped GameKing (TGK) | 100 | 550 | 3,135 | 1,116 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 105 gr Bondstrike | 105 | 500 | 2,986 | 1,056 | yes |
| Barnes VOR-TX LR 95 gr LRX BT | 95 | 450 | 3,150 | 939 | yes |
| Berger Classic Hunter 95 gr Classic Hybrid Hunter | 95 | 450 | 3,140 | 952 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance 90 gr CX | 90 | 450 | 3,325 | 973 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade 90 gr AccuBond | 90 | 350 | 3,200 | 802 | yes |
| Remington 100 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt | 100 | 250 | 3,000 | 503 | behind the shoulder only |
| Barnes Precision Match 112 gr Match Burner OTM BT | 112 | wrong bullet | 2,960 | 1,223 | behind the shoulder only |
| Berger 109 gr Long Range Hybrid Target | 109 | wrong bullet | 2,950 | 1,149 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler Match Grade 105 gr RDF | 105 | wrong bullet | 3,050 | 1,167 | behind the shoulder only |
| Berger 105 gr Hybrid Target | 105 | wrong bullet | 2,959 | 1,077 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing 107 gr | 107 | wrong bullet | 3,000 | 1,091 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal Gold Medal Berger 109 gr Berger Hybrid | 109 | wrong bullet | 2,900 | 1,111 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady 108 gr ELD Match | 108 | wrong bullet | 2,960 | 1,094 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 107 gr Golden Target HPBT | 107 | wrong bullet | 3,000 | 1,127 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington Premier Match 107 gr Sierra MatchKing BTHP | 107 | wrong bullet | 3,000 | 1,127 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal Gold Medal Berger 105 gr Berger Hybrid | 105 | wrong bullet | 2,950 | 1,069 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Hornady BLACK 105 gr BTHP | 105 | wrong bullet | 2,960 | 1,049 | behind the shoulder only |
| SIG Sauer Elite Match Grade 107 gr OTM | 107 | wrong bullet | 2,950 | 1,057 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady V-Match 80 gr ELD-VT | 80 | wrong bullet | 3,300 | 840 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Varmint Express 87 gr V-MAX | 87 | wrong bullet | 3,210 | 831 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler 70 gr Varmageddon FB Tipped | 70 | wrong bullet | 3,550 | 631 | behind the shoulder only |
Deer-class rules of thumb; a slightly bigger animal than a whitetail. Legal: CO: 1,000 ft·lb at 100 yd. Floor used: 1,000 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: chuckhawks.com, www.petersenshunting.com.