August 05, 2020
By Eric Conn
For long-range shooters, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect cartridge than the 6mm Creedmoor. Lighter recoiling than its 6.5mm sibling, the 6mm is every bit the workhorse beyond 1,000 yards and chambers nicely in an AR-10 or bolt action with a .308-sized magazine. When you’re slapping steel for competitive purposes at distance, the 6mm Creedmoor offers shooters impressive performance against wind, mild recoil and a flat trajectory.
SIG Sauer’s OTM Match Grade load, which features the illustrious 107-grain Sierra MatchKing projectile, takes full advantage of the long-range prowess of the 6mm Creedmoor. Boasting 2,950 feet per second from the muzzle and generating 2,068 foot-pounds of energy, the 107-grain OTM drops roughly 40 inches at 500 yards with a 200-yard zero, which means you can punch holes or slap steel out to 1,000 yards with the right optic.
Thanks to its state-of-the-art ammo production facilities in Jacksonville, Arkansas, SIG has been able to pour its own rigorous research and development into loads like the OTM Match Grade. According to Brad Criner, senior director of brand management and business development for ammunition at SIG, there’s a dedicated team behind the industry-leading ammunition production and the new load.
“The 6mm Creedmoor is a popular long-range round that performs well in wind thanks to its high ballistic coefficient and flat trajectory with minimal recoil,” Criner said. “We are pleased to offer this highly accurate round for competition shooters in our Match Grade load.”
In addition to the 6mm Creedmoor, SIG offers the Elite Match ammunition in .223 Rem., .300 BLK, .308 Win., .30-’06, .300 Win. Mag. and 6.5 Creedmoor.
At the range, SIG Sauer’s 107-grain OTM Match Grade load lived up to the hype, with no feed or function issues and superb accuracy when paired with Savage’s MSR-10 Long Range AR-type rifle. For an optic, I went with the long-range-worthy Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm, which featured milrad adjustable turrets, an illuminated reticle and plenty of downrange magnification. I also shot the rifle with and without a Gunwerks 6IX suppressor and found little variation in point of impact and a significant reduction in noise pollution.
The MSR-10 features a 22.5-inch barrel and helped produce a best group of .99 inches, measured against five five-shot groups at 100 yards. Shots were taken from a sandbag rest in the prone position. The average group size measured 1.29 inches on a 67-degree day at 4,583 feet of elevation with winds up to 5 mph.
As advertised, SIG’s Match Grade OTM load for the 6mm Creedmoor was plenty accurate and light recoiling, offering shooters the opportunity for fast follow-up shots and full days of shooting in competition or at the range. Highly consistent in loading and velocity, SIG’s 6mm offering is another homerun for the Elite Performance Ammunition family.
Accuracy is the average of five five-shot groups at 100 yards from the prone position and a sandbag rest. Velocity is the average of 10 shots recorded by a Competition Electronics chronograph. Rifle used for testing was a Savage MSR-10 Long Range. Elevation: 4,583 feet.
