Hornady ELD-M 7mm 180 gr

[normmatzen]

Has any one tried these yet?
After running some tables with JBM with my current 180 Hybrid Mv, it is scary !
How fast a twist does it need at 1000 yd. Yes, I know they say 8.5 but I HAVE a 9 twist barrel and shoot at a warm 700ft altitude. I do know both JBM and Berger says it should be stable.

 

[lawrence97]

I tested them out with a 27.75" 9 twist barrel (150-200ft altitude). They were stable at 1000.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/hornady-180-eld-m-vs-180-hybrid.3926169/#post-36983196

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/hornady-180-eld-m-loads.3926167/#post-36980695

 

[racesnake]

Lawrence...how did they perform?

 

[lawrence97]

I plan on using the rest of them to fireform at 200 yards. To me they are no good beyond that. I had high hopes of a cheaper alternative! I think there's a reason for not finding too much info on them.
They were inconsistent from one day to the next. I tried to tune at 200yds and they made me think my scope was messed up.... then I pushed my freebore out to see if things would get better and they did but not enough. They would put 5 rds into one hole and the next day it was an inch group.

When I got something promising at 200 I tested at 1000 yards and it was all over. My final test was 2 ladders at 1000 and they were all over and the ladder was inconclusive. That same day I ran a ladder w another bullet and it was night/day......

I would recommend that you try a few in your rifles and find out for yourself. They may be the best $30 per 100 bullets you've ever spent. The bullets themselves were very consistent in weight but I could not get them to shoot. I won't even fireform w them in a match at 600 yds.

 

[284winner]

I plan on using the rest of them to fireform at 200 yards. To me they are no good beyond that. I had high hopes of a cheaper alternative! I think there's a reason for not finding too much info on them.
They were inconsistent from one day to the next. I tried to tune at 200yds and they made me think my scope was messed up.... then I pushed my freebore out to see if things would get better and they did but not enough. They would put 5 rds into one hole and the next day it was an inch group.

When I got something promising at 200 I tested at 1000 yards and it was all over. My final test was 2 ladders at 1000 and they were all over and the ladder was inconclusive. That same day I ran a ladder w another bullet and it was night/day......

I would recommend that you try a few in your rifles and find out for yourself. They may be the best $30 per 100 bullets you've ever spent. The bullets themselves were very consistent in weight but I could not get them to shoot. I won't even fireform w them in a match at 600 yds.

Good to know. What's your freebore with those 180s ?

 

[lawrence97]

I started with a .225 freebore (jgs reamer) and to accommodate the Hornady 180 I used my throating reamer and added .065 so that the pressure ring was closer to the middle of the neck and away from the donut.
With the hornady 180 and my 225 freebore the bullet was seating quite a bit below the neck shoulder junction and I could feel the donut every time.

 

[lawrence97]

My shooting buddy just got his 284 rifle up and running and he tried the hornady 180 also. He used RL 23 (53.5-56gns) and wolf primers. At 100 his groups were no better than 1" and powder charge showed no specific trend. He then tried seating depth (-.007 to -.030) and groups did not tighten at all.

 

[bblackwell]

I started with a .225 freebore (jgs reamer) and to accommodate the Hornady 180 I used my throating reamer and added .065 so that the pressure ring was closer to the middle of the neck and away from the donut.
With the hornady 180 and my 225 freebore the bullet was seating quite a bit below the neck shoulder junction and I could feel the donut every time.

I've been testing that bullet for a few months and feel like it needs about a .295 FB to stay in the sized part of the case. I've had excellent results with that bullet out of a plain .284 Win. and 8.75 Brux.

 

[lawrence97]

Barry, looks like our freebore numbers match. If those bullets are working for you I am sure my buddy will make you a deal on 1000 of them!

Would you care to share any numbers such as charge, jump or jam, etc?

The Hornady 180 has been by far the worst bullet I have ever tested. I think I can get smaller groups out of my match 22lr at 100 yards. Those bullets made me chase my tail and doubt my equipment.

 

[284winner]

I started with a .225 freebore (jgs reamer) and to accommodate the Hornady 180 I used my throating reamer and added .065 so that the pressure ring was closer to the middle of the neck and away from the donut.
With the hornady 180 and my 225 freebore the bullet was seating quite a bit below the neck shoulder junction and I could feel the donut every time.

So your FB is .290. Are you in the lands at .290 ? What is your oal ? Seems those Hornadys at least the Amax have always liked alot of jump. Problem with jump with the 180s is a loss of case capacity.

 

[lawrence97]

.290 would be the lands measurement. I cannot remember the oal since I always use my hornady tool to measure base of cartridge to ogive.
I tested from .003 in the lands to -.030 off the lands.
Nothing I tried seemed to be consistent. My buddy's results seem to be the same.

I am hoping Barry will contribute with some info since he seems to have them working!

 

[bblackwell]

I'm not doing anything special with them just seating them about .005-.010 in the lands with 50.6 gr RL-16. They have performed well out to 1000 in both a Brux 8.75 and a Krieger 8.25.......The issue with that bullet is the long bearing surface, my FB is .225 and it falls down in the unsized part of the neck.

I'm currently using the 162-M , it's perfect for .225 FB and doesn't give up too much drift at 600.

 

[dskogman]

The BC is great. They shoot a full 2 MOA higher at 1000yds than Unpointed 180 Berger hybrids. They shot well but weren't quite as consistent but it could have been me. Barry did very well in the same match in tough conditions.

 

[bblackwell]

The BC is great. They shoot a full 2 MOA higher at 1000yds than Unpointed 180 Berger hybrids. They shot well but weren't quite as consistent but it could have been me. Barry did very well in the same match in tough conditions.

TSRA 1000 , that was the strongest wind i've ever competed in and I was pleased with that bullet. I've got a new reamer ordered with a long Freebore to take full advantage of the BC that bullet offers.

 

[lawrence97]

Barry, the testing at 1000 you are referring to was with 180's or the 162's?
You make mention of currently using 162's and I'm just making sure we are on the same sheet of music in using/testing the 180 eld-m.

And if you were running the 180's, what velocity were you running them at?

What were the scores at 1000 looking like?

 

[T-shooter]

I started with a .225 freebore (jgs reamer) and to accommodate the Hornady 180 I used my throating reamer and added .065 so that the pressure ring was closer to the middle of the neck and away from the donut.
With the hornady 180 and my 225 freebore the bullet was seating quite a bit below the neck shoulder junction and I could feel the donut every time.

If your cases have noticeable donuts, it's that possibly the cause of inconsistent groupings? Have you tried them in cases that have no donut?

 

[lawrence97]

The donut is the reason for pushing the freebore out to .290. With a typical 220-225 freebore used for hybrids, the 180 eld-m sits too low below the neck shoulder junction. In my case the extra freebore showed a minor improvement but nothing exciting.

 

[bblackwell]

Barry, the testing at 1000 you are referring to was with 180's or the 162's?
You make mention of currently using 162's and I'm just making sure we are on the same sheet of music in using/testing the 180 eld-m.

And if you were running the 180's, what velocity were you running them at?

What were the scores at 1000 looking like?

I've only shot the 180-M at 1000 yds...... I get good accuracy around 2840 fps with the 32" 8.75 twist Brux. If you haven't tried RL-16 in the .284 Win. you should give it a try. It has replaced H4350 for me . I'm also using BR2's and Norma brass.

 

[lawrence97]

Barry, thanks for the info. I did try to find some rl16 to compare against H4350 but it has been just as hard to find! So I've just stuck with the tried and proven H4831SC.

 

[338bigdog]

Shot a ladder test at 600 yrds 2 X with the 180 ELD M out of my 280ai fclass gun. Nice mode from 57.6-58.2. Hope to load some more and give them a go out and tweak from the.