The Remington Core-Lokt 6.5 Creedmoor 140 grain load with pointed soft point projectiles is the third factory hunting load I’ve tested for shot group accuracy. It is part of my search for a preferred factory hunting load in the Battle of the 6.5 Creedmoor Factory Hunting Loads.
The testing protocol remains the same: shoot a group of 4 shots at 100 yards, let the barrel cool for at least 15 minutes, and repeat until the remaining 16 rounds of the ammo under test are gone. Let’s take a look at the ammo specs and the test results.
Remington Core-Lokt 6.5 Creedmoor Specifications
| Bullet type | Pointed soft point |
| Bullet weight | 140 gr |
| Ballistic coefficient | 0.410 G1 |
| Sectional density | 0.293 |
| Advertised muzzle velocity | 2,700 fps |
| Price paid | 20 rounds at $21.00 in 2019 |
External Ballistics
Here is Remington’s published drop, wind drift, velocity and energy for the Core-Lokt out to 800 yards:
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | 10 mph wind drift (in) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5 | 0.0 | 2,700 | 2,266 |
| 100 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 2,484 | 1,918 |
| 200 | -4.2 | 3.5 | 2,279 | 1,614 |
| 300 | -15.0 | 8.2 | 2,083 | 1,349 |
| 400 | -34.0 | 15.2 | 1,897 | 1,119 |
| 500 | -62.6 | 24.9 | 1,723 | 923 |
| 600 | -102.9 | 37.5 | 1,561 | 758 |
| 700 | -157.6 | 53.5 | 1,415 | 622 |
| 800 | -229.7 | 73.2 | 1,285 | 513 |
Core-Lokt Accuracy Results
Here are the four Core-Lokt groups, with a quarter for scale:
I had a hard time finding the fourth shot of the first group I fired with the Remington Core-Lokt 6.5 Creedmoor during the range session. However, I did find it later, on the target I used for a different ammo test. That was due to me aiming at the wrong target, not a wild round. That particular round would not have changed the group size of the first group, which I confirmed by superimposing the other target on this one.
Taking into account the first group during the initial test, here is what I got with the Core-Lokt:
- Best group: 1.727 inches
- Worst group: 2.707 inches
- Average group: 2.0137 inches
- Standard deviation: ±0.4016 inches
Conclusions
With an average group size just over 2 MOA (minute of angle), or 2 inches at 100 yards, I personally would be comfortable using the Core-Lokt for hunting medium game (roughly 50 to 300 lbs) out to 300 yards, and big game (roughly 300 to 1,000 lbs) out to 300 yards, with this rifle. Let me explain why.
Accuracy for the Vital Zone
Given an average group size plus one standard deviation of roughly 2.5 inches, I have very high confidence of getting a clean hit with the Core-Lokt at 100 yards on a 10-inch “vital zone” target. That group size grows linearly as the distance increases, to roughly 5 inches at 200 yards and 7.5 inches at 300 yards. As a result, all of those group sizes give me confidence I can place a shot in the vital zone at those distances, assuming I can compensate for drop and wind drift. My confidence does drop a bit beyond 200 yards, because I have limited experience shooting a rifle beyond that. However, that can be remedied with some practice, some chronograph readings, and getting to know the true drop and drift data, which I plan to do once I settle on my preferred factory load for this rifle.
Energy and Penetration
In terms of penetration and energy, the ballistics based on the advertised velocity indicate adequate impact energy for medium game: 800+ ft-lb at 500 yards and 1,200+ ft-lb at 300 yards. Additionally, the Core-Lokt’s 140 grain 6.5mm projectile has a sectional density of 0.293, which exceeds the desired 0.200 for medium game and 0.250 for big game from a medium bore rifle. More information on matching the cartridge to the game can be found on the Chuck Hawks website.
Why Core-Lokt Didn’t Make the Cut
This particular factory load yielded the worst group sizes of all the factory loads I’ve tried so far in the same 6.5mm Creedmoor hunting rifle. Still, I’m a bit disappointed, as this was the brand of ammunition I used to harvest my very first deer. While the accuracy is “good enough” to kill a deer, I will not be opting for the Remington Core-Lokt 6.5 Creedmoor load for this rifle. That’s not saying this is bad ammo. In other words, other factory loads have simply worked significantly better with this rifle. This ammo may work just fine in another hunting rifle chambered for 6.5mm Creedmoor.
