Guide

6mm ARC Ammo 2026: Hunting, Match and Range Loads From the Makers

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 4, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 9 current 6mm ARC loads on Federal's and Hornady's own product pages on November 4, 2026: 2 from Federal and 7 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 2 makers, not every 6mm ARC load sold.

Grouping follows the usage label Federal prints on their own pages ("Big Game" or "Competition, Target Shooting"). Hornady, Nosler and Berger are listed in their own tables, because Hornady and Berger print no usage label, and Nosler uses a different one ("Deer Sized Game" or "Elk/Moose Sized Game"). The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Match and range loads

These are the loads Federal label "Competition, Long Range, Target Shooting" and "Competition, Target Shooting".

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal American Eagle Rifle	6mm ARC	AE6ARC1	110 gr Total Metal Jacket	2,550 fps	1,588 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Gold Medal Berger	6mm ARC	GM6ARCBT1	108 gr Berger BT Target	2,650 fps	1,684 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, such as Precision Hunter, Outfitter, American Whitetail and Match. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady Custom	6mm ARC	81612	90 gr CX® Custom™	2,950 fps	1,739 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Frontier	6mm ARC	FR710	105 gr FMJ Frontier®	2,700 fps	1,699 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Hornady BLACK	6mm ARC	81604	105 gr BTHP Hornady BLACK®	2,750 fps	1,763 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Match	6mm ARC	81608	108 gr ELD® Match	2,750 fps	1,813 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Match SBR Suppressor	6mm ARC	81614	108 gr ELD® Match SBR Suppressed™ Supersonic	2,325 fps	1,296 ft-lb	14.5 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Precision Hunter	6mm ARC	81602	103 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®	2,800 fps	1,793 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady V-Match	6mm ARC	81603	80 gr ELD-VT™ V-Match™	3,020 fps	1,620 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 4, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our table run from 80 gr to 110 gr. The lightest is Hornady V-Match (81603) and the heaviest is Federal American Eagle Rifle (AE6ARC1). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 3,020 fps, Hornady V-Match 80 gr (81603), from a 24 in test barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 1,813 ft-lb, Hornady Match 108 gr (81608), from a 24 in test barrel. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 9 loads, 6 list 24 in, 2 list no test barrel, 1 list 14.5 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for rifle cartridges such as the 6mm ARC is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the 6mm ARC. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges. The closest we have is .243 Winchester barrel length data for the .243 Winchester, a different cartridge, so do not read its numbers as 6mm ARC data.

6mm ARC: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "6MM ADVANCED RIFLE CARTRIDGE [6MM ARC]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 01/20/2020 and revised 11/17/2021. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 52,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 520 in psi/100). Crusher pressures are not established. Its reference velocities, measured at 15 feet from the SAAMI test barrel, are 2,700 fps for a 108 gr bullet and 3,200 fps for 87 gr. Cartridge overall length runs from 2.135 in minimum to 2.260 in maximum. Case length is 1.490 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .2433 in (−.0030). Bore is .237 in and groove is .243 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 7.50 in, right-hand (marked optional). The SAAMI velocity and pressure test barrel is 24.000 in (±.010) with 6 grooves and a 1:7.50 twist. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF.

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the 6mm ARC.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Winchester: we found no Winchester item for this cartridge in its sitemap. The Winchester rifle pages we opened for other calibers on Nov. 4 said "There is no ballistics data available at this time."
SIG Sauer: the maker's site returned an access error (403) to our automated check, and we did not verify its product pages.
Remington: Remington's rifle caliber menu lists no 6mm ARC page, so no Remington 6mm ARC load is in the table.
Barnes, Browning, Norma and others: not checked this round, so none are in the tables.
Nosler: we found no 6mm ARC ammunition page in Nosler's sitemap, so no Nosler load is in the table.
Federal: Federal's loads were found through its sitemap, caliber page and site search, so a load missing from those would not be here.
Hornady: loads come from Hornady's product sitemap, so a load missing from that sitemap would not be in the table.
Test barrels and stock status: Federal pages list no test barrel on some loads, and Hornady's and Berger's pages list no stock status.

Rifles for 6mm ARC

The 6mm ARC is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 80 gr to 110 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .204 Ruger ammo, .25-06 Remington ammo, 22 ARC ammo, .243 Win ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 22 Creedmoor ammo, .308 Win ammo, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for 6mm ARC?

SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 52,000 psi for 6mm ARC, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 520 in psi/100).

What grain is 6mm ARC ammo?

In our tables the bullets run from 80 gr to 110 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.

How fast is 6mm ARC ammo?

In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 2,325 fps to 3,020 fps, and muzzle energies from 1,296 ft-lb to 1,813 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.

What does test barrel mean?

It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.

Do you list prices or stock for 6mm ARC ammo?

No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 4, 2026. Hornady's and Berger's pages show none.

6mm ARC Ammo 2026: Hunting, Match and Range Loads From the Makers

Match and range loads

Hornady loads

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

6mm ARC: what SAAMI lists

Not yet verified

Rifles for 6mm ARC

Where to buy

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

Match and range loads

Hornady loads

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

6mm ARC: what SAAMI lists

Not yet verified

Rifles for 6mm ARC

Where to buy

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

The Gun Release Report