Hornady Varmint Express – 6mm Creedmoor, 87 gr V-MAX
Factory Velocity: 3,210 fps
Tested Velocities (Real-World Data):
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18" Barrel: 2,899 fps
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20" Barrel: 2,954 fps
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22" Barrel: 3,008 fps
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24" Barrel: 3,060 fps
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26" Barrel: 3,111 fps
We put this round through the paces across a wide range of factory rifles—suppressed, at an elevation of 2,550 ft, 70°F, and 35% humidity—to get you real numbers you can count on. While Hornady lists a muzzle velocity of 3,210 fps, our testing shows how it performs in actual rifles with real-world barrel lengths. Average group size across the board came in at 0.9 MOA, though some barrels clearly favored this load more than others.
We also saw a consistent downward trend in SDs as barrel length increased—evidence that the powder blend used here favors longer barrels, leading to more consistent burns and better shot-to-shot uniformity.
Real-World Group & SD Notes:
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Groups: Consistent 0.9" average, with some setups performing even better.
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SDs dropped from 34 fps in 18” barrels to 12 fps in 26” barrels.
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All test rifles were common factory options, suppressed.
Field Use:
This 87 gr V-MAX is a hammer for coyotes and hogs—fast, flat, and explosive on impact. While we’ve taken whitetails with it, we recommend reserving this load for predators. It's not particularly fur-friendly at traditional distances, so pelt hunters should keep that in mind
