ELDX Wow

[Varmint Hunter]

I'm fairly new at the 6.5 Creed game but have shot MANY groups at our 400yd range. The Hornadys shoot great but were out-performed (on paper) by the 142gr Sierra SMK bullets.
For those of you who choose to shoot elk with the Creed (I wouldn't) the 127 Barnes LRX bullet proved to be capable of shooting 1/2 MOA groups at 400yds from my Browning Hell's Canyon rifle.
Just sayin'

 

[Litehiker]

The Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X pills have 4 things going for them:

1. tapered jacket, getting gradually thicker as it goes back
2. internal jacket ring to hold last 1/3 of core in place
3. harder lead core (unlike softer lead necessary in bonded bullets where the lead bonds with the inside of the jacket.) This harder core stays together better on impact.
4. "most excellent" match grade quality control for concentricity and weight. I got a 3 shot, 3/4" group at 200 yards with my Ruger American Predator pictured above.

I'll stick with them until Unobtanium bullets come out.

Eric B.

 

[VLD Pilot]

The Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X pills have 4 things going for them:

1. tapered jacket, getting gradually thicker as it goes back
2. internal jacket ring to hold last 1/3 of core in place
3. harder lead core (unlike softer lead necessary in bonded bullets where the lead bonds with the inside of the jacket.) This harder core stays together better on impact.
4. "most excellent" match grade quality control for concentricity and weight. I got a 3 shot, 3/4" group at 200 yards with my Ruger American Predator pictured above.

I'll stick with them until Unobtanium bullets come out.

Eric B.

Wouldn't call them match grade quality but great hunting bullets. Even their ELD-M isn't a great match bullet. For the price tho, they are tough to beat.

 

[Litehiker]

VLD Pilot, Why would you not call Hornady ELD-M and ELD-X bullets "match grade"??
Yeah, Berger Hybrids are very good but I don't get any better accuracy.

I use 6.5 mm ELD-M in 140 gr. and 147 gr. in my Ruger Precision Rifle for competitions.(with a Bushnell ERS 3.5 - 21 x 50 scope, H59 reticle) and in testing I regularly get 1/2" groups and often smaller. Same with my Ruger American Predator pictured above with 143 ELD-X rounds.

Ruger makes very good barrels now and Hornady makes excellent bullets. Great combo.

Eric B.

 

[VLD Pilot]

VLD Pilot, Why would you not call Hornady ELD-M and ELD-X bullets "match grade"??
Yeah, Berger Hybrids are very good but I don't get any better accuracy.

I use 6.5 mm ELD-M in 140 gr. and 147 gr. in my Ruger Precision Rifle for competitions.(with a Bushnell ERS 3.5 - 21 x 50 scope, H59 reticle) and in testing I regularly get 1/2" groups and often smaller. Same with my Ruger American Predator pictured above with 143 ELD-X rounds.

Ruger makes very good barrels now and Hornady makes excellent bullets. Great combo.

Eric B.

I don't consider them nearly as consistent as Berger's, Sierras and lapua bullets. Probably the reason you don't see them winning. Also many of the ELD-M bullets are coming apart before hitting the targets in competitive matches. Leaving shooters very unhappy. Ever since Hornady changed their bullets to the ELD series they've use different jackets. Those jackets are defective on many of the bullet lines at the point that they are coming apart before reaching their targets. I shot Amax bullets for years with great success before they stopped making them. I'm actually a big Hornady Amax and even eld-x bullet fan but I am aware of the problems and issues they're having with them. Hornady is aware of this problem as many many customers have contacted them concerned with these issues let's just hope Hornady fixes the problem.

 

[Buttermilk]

I was under the impression the A-Max and the ELD (M & X) bullet lines both shared the same bullet jacket material, which is the AMP jacket.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I was under the impression the A-Max and the ELD (M & X) bullet lines both shared the same bullet jacket material, which is the AMP jacket.

They are and they do. It's just that the amp jacket is what's causing the problems and its even caused a little problems with the Amax line toward the end of production. Obviously that's speculation but since the Amax bullets had no issues before the amp jackets it's the conclusion that has been drawn by many people. Either way the problem exists today so there is a problem whether it's quality control or product.

 

[Litehiker]

The ELD-M bullet jackets are the same thickness from just back of the tip to the base.

The ELD-X jackets gradually get thicker toward the base and the jacket has an internal ring about 2/3 back from the tip to hold the lead core.

I have NEVER found any evidence of bullet fragmentation or bullets "coming apart" on my targets at 100 not 300 yards with paper targets. This is news to me. I've got over 300 rounds of 140 gr. and 147 gr. ELD-M pills through my Ruger Precision Rifle and so far all shot well.

Eric B.

 

[VLD Pilot]

The ELD-M bullet jackets are the same thickness from just back of the tip to the base.

The ELD-X jackets gradually get thicker toward the base and the jacket has an internal ring about 2/3 back from the tip to hold the lead core.

I have NEVER found any evidence of bullet fragmentation or bullets "coming apart" on my targets at 100 not 300 yards with paper targets. This is news to me. I've got over 300 rounds of 140 gr. and 147 gr. ELD-M pills through my Ruger Precision Rifle and so far all shot well.

Eric B.

Hope you keep the luck. The 147s and 180s are having issues. Maybe it's rpms being too high for those jackets. Maybe it's inconsistent jacket thickness or maybe just defects in certain lots. Just know alot of guys I know have had them go "Poof" on the way to the 1000 yard target, Costing them matches. Heard of a few .224 elds also with some issues.

 

[Litehiker]

VLD,
I've only shot 20 of the 147 gr. ELD-Ms with no problems. All the rest were 140 gr. ELD-M rounds. And damned accurate they were.

I'm using 1:8 twist in both Rugers (RPR & RAP) and maybe 147 gr. is the max weight for that twist rate before needing to go to 1:7.5 or 1:7 twists for heavier 6.5 bullets. Those faster twists could stress the jackets.

Eric B.

 

[VLD Pilot]

VLD,
I've only shot 20 of the 147 gr. ELD-Ms with no problems. All the rest were 140 gr. ELD-M rounds. And damned accurate they were.

I'm using 1:8 twist in both Rugers (RPR & RAP) and maybe 147 gr. is the max weight for that twist rate before needing to go to 1:7.5 or 1:7 twists for heavier 6.5 bullets. Those faster twists could stress the jackets.

Eric B.

Yes I agree

 

[Litehiker]

OK, so I've checked with guys on the 6.5 Creedmoor Forum, some of whom compete with the ELD-M rounds, and they report NO bullet breakup whatsoever.
That's been my experience too, but I've only shot hundreds of ELD-M rounds, not thousands like many on the 6.5 Creedmoor Forum. And some of these guys are also pushing them up into 3,000 fps in the really hot 6.5 PRC hunting cartridge, again with no problems.

Howsomever, if shot through an over-coppered barrel it is possible many of the thin jacketed bullets of any brand may "break up" in flight from jacket disruption in the barrel.
VLD Pilot, you may have been given the wrong info but I'd be interested if you could post or PM me with the sites that have this "blasphemous" information. Yes, I'd agree from my own use, that Berger Hybrid bullets are a tad more accurate than ELD-M bullets. I don't shoot Berger Match bullets B/C they load with a COAL that's too long for my magazines and I need magazines in my RPR for competition.

My Ruger 6.5 CM rifles (RPR and RAP) have 5R rifling which deforms bullet jackets less than standard 6 land square cut rifling and also provides a better gas seal with its angled land sides.

So I'd say ELD-M and/or ELD-X jacket breakup is another internet rumor based on one or two extreme situations. Jus' saying'...

Eric B.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I've shot about 600 of the eld-m line. Mostly 140s but near 100 147s pushed to around 2900 and I had no issues with the jackets. I run the 162 eld-m in my 7mm at 3125 and no issues there. Shot a buck with it and still recovered 62 grains of the bullet.

 

[Dosh]

I've tried the ELDX in four calibers with barely MOA or more. Had some leftover 30 cal 212gr I loaded for my friend and they were 1/2 MOA out to 400 in his 300 Win Mag. Like we all experience, what works for one rifle may not work for another. I don't get offended when a very accurate load I have doesn't shoot well for someone else.