168 EXD-M out of a 308

[Wachsmann]

Question to the masses!!!! Wondering if anyone has any experience with the 168ELDM when compared to the 168 AMAX out of there 308 or other 30 calibers? Here is my first experience. Thursday I was out shooting my very cheap marlin 308 1-12 twist 26-inch barrel gun. Now everyone knows what I have for a 308. The Amax I got lucky with the powder charge and seating depth. They dialed in really quick. 2.800 inches OAL to tip (varies a little due to tip), with 44.5grns of IMR4895. One grain under Lees max load which produces 2830fps out of this gun (26-inch barrel). It shoots very consistent for plinking. Since I could not find any of the 168 amax at my local gun store I bought the 168ELDM. Same load same seating depth. Shooting at 100yards they are giving about .8 to .75-inch groups. I have not tried tuning the load yet, so I have some work to do there. Here was the interesting thing; I was shooting at 750 with my Amax load and I tried the ELDX load. I was consistently hitting about .25/.5 MOA below the Amax load. I dialed in another .25 and was hitting about the same just not as consistent due to the load tuning. I then got out my chronograph and checked the velocity. The 168ELDM were running right around 2800fps to 2810 with a few up to 2818fps and a few at 2790fps. Most were fallen in the 2790 to 2810. This was about a 15-shot sample. The Amax run at 2830 on average. Has anyone seen the ELDX run a little slower than the Amax and are they a little harder to tune? I haven't measured the bearing surface or the other parts of the bullet to see if there is a difference somewhere. Also, the powder is from the same 1 pound. To be fair I just remembered; the 168 Amax have Hornady brass that I reloaded with federal large rifle match primers. The ELDM's have another brass I think its lake city brass and the federal primers would not seat in the primer pocket. Pockets were to tight. I used Remington's on them. So this might be the difference I was seeing.

 

[Canhunter35]

Different primers will change the load.
I switched from the 168 amax to the eldm in my 308, did a complete load rework up and settled at the identical load. The differences will be from lot to lot differences. But I've found the 168 forgiving in the 308.
What has me curious is the velocity you're running at. With 44gr varget I'm at 2680fps

 

[Wachsmann]

When I was going through the powders for the 308 I was looking at what was always on the shelves at stores and what provided the best velocity. The IMR 4895 seem to always be on the shelves at a couple of the local sporting goods stores. It also was listed in a few of the manuals providing top velocity for the 168 grain bullets. My gun has a 26 inch barrel; so I guess that gives it a little extra speed. I'm going to try a seating depth load work up on the elds at my normal charge with the federals or the BR2. If the L C brass doesnt pan out I have plenty of hornady and norma brass. I think I just need to go with one brand but the norma and hornady seem to shoot about the same with the 168 amax. The LC stuff was stupid cheap when I bought them. It was 10 or 12 dollars clearance sale. So I picked them up to see what they wold do. So far not so good with the primer pockets. Hopefully after this first firing the pockets will expand just a little. Then I wont have the seating issue.

 

[Canhunter35]

Throw it out and use the other brass and save yourself the headache

 

[okie man]

Try imr 4064. I run 45.4 grains in fed gold metal match brass with federal match primers and a hornady168 gr bthp match bullets at 2850fps . I have a cz550 varmit and the range master at my range just shakes his head when he sees how accurate my gun shoots . I let a marine sniper friend shoot it and he was very impressed with the accuracy

 

[Wachsmann]

If I load to max load on the IMR 4895 which Lee puts it at 45.4 grains I think I'll be some where close to 2900fps. I'm 1 grain under max load and it running 2830. This works fine for me. I also scored some 168 AMAX bullets yesterday so now I'm just going to dial on the ELDX on a lot of Remington brass that I have. This will make me 2 different loads. I was also looking at the sierra match kings 168 tipped bullets. They look pretty good as well but cost about 10 dollars more than the amax so it makes me lean a little more toward the Amax and ELDX. I do like trying new bullets out to see how they shoot so I might be ponying up on the bullet.