Eldx accuracy questions

[MOelkman]

Been a normality for Hornady to sell the same item # and bullets BTO measure different. Check your base to ogive,always.
Pic is of .284 162 eldx's came from same store.

Late to the party...
Interesting this. How did weights compare?
Also - if CBTO is the same for your loaded ammunition, with this variation, how was performance?

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have found consistency with Hornady bullets is very far off, BBTO (bullet base to ogive length) is very poor, they vary by .005"-.015" on all I have measured, this leaves a lot of error in your loading, CBTO will change with each of these discrepancies. Even sorting proved futile. Last bullet by Hornady I tried was the 208g A-Tip for 300WM…never again!

Cheers.

 

[Lowedown]

ELD-X shoot fine for me so far in a 7 rem mag Bergara and a 6.5 Creedmoor Kimber Montana. Before this I didn't even know a 6lb 6oz rifle/scope combo could shoot groups like this!

 

[Frenchie1]

I have done quite a bit of load development with 175 7mm and 212 30 nosler. All I did was give up on the eldx and switch to 180 and 215 burgers and quickly found 1/2 moa. I recently purchased a 300prc and factory loads might get 1moa....maybe. I also have some custom ADG loads with 215 Hybrids. These give 1/2 moa all day. I would prefer to shoot the eldx, so what am I missing? Are these bullets just not consistent? Is seating depth tricky to find? I am lost.
Any advise is very appreciated!

I have had nothing but success with the ELD-X in my 7mag in 162 gr. and my 270 in 145 gr. The accuracy has been incredible out of both guns. My one and only complaint is that anything shot under about 200yds with them and you will have bad blood shot. Beyond that, they have performed great for me.

 

[yogibearmech]

I had the opposite issue. My rifle would not shoot 180 Hybrids to save its life but loves 175 ELDX. Going to play with the 175 VLD hunter

 

[Beluebow]

From an accuracy stand point I believe Berger bullets are in a different class than Hornady. There are more national records/championship wins with Berger bullets for a reason...I think it's the J4 jackets...lots custom bullet makers use this jacket as well.

 

[blvette75]

I have done quite a bit of load development with 175 7mm and 212 30 nosler. All I did was give up on the eldx and switch to 180 and 215 burgers and quickly found 1/2 moa. I recently purchased a 300prc and factory loads might get 1moa....maybe. I also have some custom ADG loads with 215 Hybrids. These give 1/2 moa all day. I would prefer to shoot the eldx, so what am I missing? Are these bullets just not consistent? Is seating depth tricky to find? I am lost.
Any advise is very appreciated!

I am with others here, I have had luck with ELD-X bullets in some but not other rifles, not really sure why. I have my scale set up to weigh in mg instead of grains, I see weight variation in mg in all bullets, I will adjust the powder per the difference, to keep my velocity more consistent. But for reasons I am unsure of as far as why a rifle barrel, has a preference of one bullet over another. I have switched over to ELD-X bullets due to not being able to obtain Nosler bullets I typically would use.

I have also had good luck with some factory ammo using ELD-x bullets. But as far as factory ammo in my new 7mm PRC rifle, Hornady factory ammo ELD-X 175g bullet group at 1.2-1.5 MOA, Federal ammo with the same bullet group at about .5 to 0.6 MOA. So there are perhaps other factors than just the bullet going on. When I get my 7mm PRC reloads going, will load with brass from each vendor and see if it makes a difference.

 

[SmokinCrow]

I had great luck with the 175 ELD X Hornady Precision Hunter ammo in my 7 PRC. All groups were 1/2 to 3/4 MOA. The 180 match ammo wouldn't get under 1.5 MOA. Then I started reloading and for quite a while I couldn't get the 175's under 2 MOA using same CBTO measurements as factory. 180's I loaded closer to the lans and got 1.5 MOA. I was getting super frustrated. Found out some of my issue was mental. I was planning on reloading for the PRC and wasn't worried about accuracy of the factory ammo. So I simply shot the ammo to get the brass. When it came to my reloads I was failing mentally because I was hyper focused and became uncomfortable behind the gun. Shot a buddy's rifle and realized I wasn't comfortable behind my rifle as well. Adjusted my comb height on my rifle to get more comfortable and next thing I knew I was getting my 180 eld m reloads to hover around 1/2 MOA. Haven't gone back to the 175's since I adjusted things, but I think I will find them to shoot better now that I have fixed my mental issues and comfort behind the rifle. I know for me shooting is very mental. I have to be in a good mind set or my focus isn't there and I won't shoot well. I think sometimes we all have those kind of issues that we don't realize and it will create these problems.

Overall I have had pretty good succcess with the ELD X bullets. I was having trouble with the 162's in my Rem 700 Sendero in 7Rem Mag. Couldn't get them under 2.5 MOA. I was super irritated. Had my Gunsmith look at my rifle and action screws were loose. As you tightened the rear screw action would moved forward, and when the front was tightened it leaned backwards. Bedded the rifle and then the 162 eld x shot 3/4 no problem.

 

[ranch manager]

View attachment 536426My 6.5 x 284 Norma does not like Hornady bullets either. The only thing different in these two loads is the projectile.

In my experience I've found hit and miss with Hornady. In my 22 GT it scatters the 88 eldm's like quail, the 75 eldm's shoot really nice, sub 1/2 moa out to 500 yards. I believe for me it's neck tension related. All my brass is the same annealed, sized with no expander ball, then I run a .222 mandrel to try to keep everything uniform. The 75 eldm's seat like graphite coated glass while the 88's feel like dragging chain across cinder blocks. Bergers and sierras feel really consistent as well and it shows on target. I can't trust the consistency in the Hornadys. I struggle to get 168 eldm's to shoot in my 308 as well, but it really shoots amaxes almost like sierra match kings. We have to experiment to see what our rifles like, and to be honest that's the part I enjoy most.

 

[cajun]

No issues here. Play around with seating depth. These are 40 off.

 

[amu_shooter]

From an accuracy stand point I believe Berger bullets are in a different class than Hornady. There are more national records/championship wins with Berger bullets for a reason...I think it's the J4 jackets...lots custom bullet makers use this jacket as well.

All true...

When I retired from the AMU in 2023 we used them exclusively. Shortline XTC was all 77 SMK, for 600 and beyond, it was all Bergers:

.223 75 gr VLDs for 600 yard
7mm 180 gr Target Hybrid for match rifle 1000 yard
.308 Service Rifle, dominated with the 185 Target Hybrid
.308 Palma, 155gr Target Hybrid.

Dozens of Records set with these.

 

[Frenchie1]

In my experience I've found hit and miss with Hornady. In my 22 GT it scatters the 88 eldm's like quail, the 75 eldm's shoot really nice, sub 1/2 moa out to 500 yards. I believe for me it's neck tension related. All my brass is the same annealed, sized with no expander ball, then I run a .222 mandrel to try to keep everything uniform. The 75 eldm's seat like graphite coated glass while the 88's feel like dragging chain across cinder blocks. Bergers and sierras feel really consistent as well and it shows on target. I can't trust the consistency in the Hornadys. I struggle to get 168 eldm's to shoot in my 308 as well, but it really shoots amaxes almost like sierra match kings. We have to experiment to see what our rifles like, and to be honest that's the part I enjoy most.

A man after my own heart with your references!!! Love them. I get accused, often, of being a smart ars when using, what I consider, great references. I couldn't agree more on you last line!!

 

[Ckleeves]

212's have been finicky for me. Some barrels love them and some hate them. Try the 225 eldm it usually is less finicky IMO if you're wanting to stick with Hornady. If the 215 Berger shoots good why not just use it? Energy has nothing to do with killing and a 30 nos shooting a 215 around 3k is gonna kill elk wayyyyy past 600.

 

[precisionobsession]

I've had good luck with ELDX for accuracy. Weight retention on the other hand... not impressed.