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22 Creedmoor vs 22-250: Which .22 Varmint Cartridge Wins in 2026?

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

The 22-250 Remington is a longtime favorite of American varmint hunters. In 2026 Hornady put factory ammo behind a challenger, the 22 Creedmoor, built on the 6.5 Creedmoor and designed around long, heavy, high-BC bullets. So which one belongs in your next predator or prairie-dog rifle? We compared them on Hornady's own published ballistics charts, using the same maker, the same 24-inch test barrel and the same 200-yard zero, so the numbers line up apples to apples.

The short answer

  • The 22-250 is faster at the muzzle. Hornady's 35 gr NTX Superformance load leaves at 4,450 fps, and its 50 gr V-MAX Superformance at 4,000 fps. No Hornady 22 Creedmoor load starts that fast.
  • The 22 Creedmoor carries more past 300 yards. Hornady's 69 gr ELD-VT is moving faster than the 22-250's fastest 50 gr load by 300 yards, and at 500 yards it still has 892 ft-lb to the 22-250's 447 ft-lb.
  • The 22 Creedmoor shoots heavier bullets. Hornady loads it with 65 to 80 gr bullets. The heaviest of the four Hornady 22-250 loads we found is 55 gr.

Hornady factory loads, side by side

Muzzle velocity and energy below are from each load's page on hornady.com (24-inch test barrel).

CartridgeHornady loadBulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energy
22-250 RemSuperformance35 gr NTX4,450 fps1,539 ft-lb
22-250 RemSuperformance50 gr V-MAX4,000 fps1,776 ft-lb
22-250 RemVarmint Express50 gr V-MAX3,800 fps1,603 ft-lb
22-250 RemVarmint Express55 gr V-MAX3,680 fps1,654 ft-lb
22 CreedmoorSuperformance65 gr CX3,660 fpsNot shown on the product page
22 CreedmoorV-Match69 gr ELD-VT3,550 fps1,931 ft-lb
22 CreedmoorPrecision Hunter80 gr ELD-X3,285 fps1,917 ft-lb
22 CreedmoorMatch80 gr ELD Match3,285 fps1,917 ft-lb

The 22 Creedmoor 65 gr CX velocity is from Hornady's 22 Creedmoor overview page; its product page had no ballistics table when we checked. Hornady's 80 gr ELD-X and 80 gr ELD Match pages show the same table. Hornady may make other 22-250 loads than the four listed here; these are the 22-250 product pages we found and checked on hornady.com. Checked November 3, 2026.

Downrange: where the 22 Creedmoor pulls ahead

Here are Hornady's charted numbers for the fastest 50 gr 22-250 load against the two 22 Creedmoor loads hunters will reach for most. All three charts use a 200-yard zero.

Range22-250 50 gr V-MAX Superformance22 CM 69 gr ELD-VT22 CM 80 gr ELD-X
Muzzle4,000 fps / 1,776 ft-lb3,550 fps / 1,931 ft-lb3,285 fps / 1,917 ft-lb
200 yd3,086 fps / 1,057 ft-lb3,057 fps / 1,432 ft-lb2,877 fps / 1,470 ft-lb
300 yd2,696 fps / 807 ft-lb, -4.3 in2,832 fps / 1,229 ft-lb, -4.6 in2,687 fps / 1,282 ft-lb, -5.3 in
400 yd2,337 fps / 606 ft-lb, -13.5 in2,617 fps / 1,049 ft-lb, -13.5 in2,505 fps / 1,114 ft-lb, -15.4 in
500 yd2,006 fps / 447 ft-lb, -29.1 in2,412 fps / 892 ft-lb, -27.5 in2,330 fps / 964 ft-lb, -31.1 in

Read the table this way. The 22-250 starts 450 fps faster than the 69 gr ELD-VT, and it's still a hair faster at 200 yards (3,086 vs 3,057 fps). Somewhere between 200 and 300 yards the heavier, slicker ELD-VT passes it. By 500 yards the 22 Creedmoor bullet is 406 fps faster, drops 1.6 inches less, and carries about twice the energy. The 22-250's lightest load makes the point even more clearly: Hornady's 35 gr NTX leaves at 4,450 fps but is down to 1,706 fps and 226 ft-lb at 500 yards.

Drop inside 300 yards is close to a wash. On Hornady's charts, every charted load on this page is within 5.3 inches of point of aim at 300 yards with a 200-yard zero.

The 22-250's case: speed, lighter bullets and a huge rifle selection

The 22-250 shines where most varmint shots actually happen: inside 300 yards, on small animals, with very light bullets that fragment fast. The four Hornady 22-250 loads we found are built for that, with V-MAX and lead-free NTX polymer-tipped varmint bullets from 35 to 55 grains. If you already own a 22-250, Hornady's numbers give you no reason to retire it for coyotes and prairie dogs at normal ranges.

The 22 Creedmoor's case: wind, energy and bigger game

Hornady built the 22 Creedmoor on the 6.5 Creedmoor and pitched it for "ultra-flat trajectories, minimal wind deflection, and exceptional long-range performance." Its loads are 65 to 80 gr bullets, and Hornady offers an 80 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter for larger game. Past 300 yards it keeps more speed and energy than any of the four Hornady 22-250 loads above. The trade-off: it's a short-action cartridge, so you need a rifle chambered for it, and factory ammo choices are still few (Hornady and Federal on our tracker; see our 22 Creedmoor ammo list).

Which one should you choose?

New 2026 rifles and ammo for the 22 Creedmoor

Hornady announced its 22 Creedmoor factory loads in its new-for-2026 lineup on October 15, 2025, and Federal added 22 Creedmoor Fusion and American Eagle loads on October 29, 2026. On our tracker, the Bergara Premier Cima Pro and Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Capra both list 22 Creedmoor among their chamberings.

ProductStatusMSRPAnnounced
Federal 22 Creedmoor Fusion and American Eagle 75grShipping$40.99–$47.99Oct 29, 2026
Bergara Cima ProShipping$3,099Jan 22, 2026
Weatherby Backcountry CapraShipping$3,499Jan 22, 2026
Hornady .22 Creedmoor AmmunitionShippingVaries by loadOct 15, 2025

More: 22 Creedmoor vs 22 ARC, every 22 Creedmoor factory load, 22 ARC ammo, the new hunting rifles of 2026, new ammo of 2026, and all comparisons.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 22 Creedmoor faster than the 22-250?
Not at the muzzle. Hornady's fastest 22-250 load (35 gr NTX Superformance) is listed at 4,450 fps and its fastest 22 Creedmoor load (65 gr CX) at 3,660 fps. But Hornady's 69 gr ELD-VT 22 Creedmoor passes its 50 gr V-MAX Superformance 22-250 between 200 and 300 yards, and is 406 fps faster at 500 yards.
Which has less drop at 500 yards, 22 Creedmoor or 22-250?
On Hornady's charts with a 200-yard zero, the 22 Creedmoor 69 gr ELD-VT drops 27.5 inches at 500 yards and the 22-250 50 gr V-MAX Superformance drops 29.1 inches.
Does the 22 Creedmoor hit harder than the 22-250?
At range, yes. At 500 yards Hornady lists 892 ft-lb for the 22 Creedmoor 69 gr ELD-VT and 964 ft-lb for its 80 gr ELD-X, against 447 ft-lb for the 22-250 50 gr V-MAX Superformance.
What is the heaviest Hornady 22-250 factory load?
Of the Hornady 22-250 loads we found on hornady.com, the heaviest is the 55 gr V-MAX Varmint Express at 3,680 fps. Hornady's 22 Creedmoor loads run from 65 to 80 grains.
Is the 22 Creedmoor good for coyotes?
Hornady sells a 69 gr ELD-VT V-Match load for varmint and predator shooting. On Hornady's chart it still carries 892 ft-lb at 500 yards from a 24-inch barrel.

Sources

  1. Hornady: 22-250 Rem 35 gr NTX Superformance ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  2. Hornady: 22-250 Rem 50 gr V-MAX Superformance ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  3. Hornady: 22-250 Rem 50 gr V-MAX Varmint Express ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  4. Hornady: 22-250 Rem 55 gr V-MAX Varmint Express ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  5. Hornady: 22 Creedmoor cartridge page (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  6. Hornady: 22 Creedmoor 69 gr ELD-VT V-Match ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  7. Hornady: 22 Creedmoor 80 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  8. Hornady: 22 Creedmoor 80 gr ELD Match ballistics (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  9. Hornady: 22 ARC cartridge page ("rivals the 22-250") (checked Nov. 3, 2026)
  10. Federal press release, Oct. 29, 2026
  11. Hornady: new products for 2026 (October 15, 2025)

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