ELEY Test Facility

[SST2500]

Just a quick bit of info. On Friday, I took my 2500X to the ELEY test facility in Winters, Texas. Joseph was very informative and I really enjoyed talking with him while he tested my rifle with a number of Lots of Eley Tenex. I had taken a box of Lapua Midas plus that I’ve been using in ARA matches as a benchmark. After all the testing, the Midas Plus shot a 40 round group of 13.9mm (outside edge to outside edge) at 50 yds. The best Eley Tenex shot a 40 round group of 14.7mm. Joseph used the computer software to compare all the data and based on the software, one lot of Tenex would score as well as the Midas Plus I had brought. Just as an aside, they have the 5 best 10 round groups and the 5 best 40 round groups ever shot at the facility noted on a whiteboard. The 5th best 40 round group was a 13.5mm group so my 2500X was not too bad. I bought two cases of the best Tenex as the latest word I have received from some insiders is that Lapua is pretty much shutting down their production for the individual market to ramp up the military side in order to provide ammo to Ukraine. Don’t expect any Lapua 22 ammo for a good while. The entire experience at the Eley test facility was great and I’m considering going back in the near future and having Joseph run a Tuner setting test. I would really recommend taking your benchrest 22 in for testing.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

How much is a case of tenex these days after a test? Do they also offer black box testing?

 

[SST2500]

A case of Tenex is $1900. Yes they have Match Black Box they can test with as well.

 

[VLNBYR]

If they will let you test and buy Match that is a big change, it has always been Tenex only.

 

[SST2500]

Best I remember, the Eley factory tests the ammo coming off the machines in four different rifles and what they consider to be the best (in those rifles) is boxed as Tenex and the remainder is boxed as Black Box Match. I believe Joseph told me that if you‘re going to test Black box, just test Black box and if you’re going to test Tenex, just test Tenex but a quick call would confirm that.

 

[doclu60]

If they will let you test and buy Match that is a big change, it has always been Tenex only.

John is absolutely correct in his post. If they changed their previous testing rules, I am CERTAIN either John, myself, or others would have known about this. They do tuning with black box, but have never, in my experience, allowed tunnel testing of anything other than Tenex.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

John is absolutely correct in his post. If they changed their previous testing rules, I am CERTAIN either John, myself, or others would have known about this. They do tuning with black box, but have never, in my experience, allowed tunnel testing of anything other than Tenex.

So what is different about tuning and testing in the tunnel. I want to take a couple over there but id like to get black box instead of tenex

 

[TZaun]

John is absolutely correct in his post. If they changed their previous testing rules, I am CERTAIN either John, myself, or others would have known about this. They do tuning with black box, but have never, in my experience, allowed tunnel testing of anything other than Tenex.

About 5 years ago Eley came out with a line called Edge(?) and Killough would test that and Tenex. I had my daughter’s rifle tested for both on 2 or 3 occasions and bought 1/2 or a full case of each every time. She used the Edge(?) for practice and the Tenex for matches.

 

[SST2500]

Like I said earlier, a quick call to Joseph will let you know before you go what their testing parameters are as far as the different types of ammo they will test in your rifle. Doesn’t really make sense to me that they will Tuner Test with Black box but only Tunnel Test with Tenex as both are shot in the Tunnel. From what I understand, there are far more rounds shot in Tuner testing than in just Lot Testing for accuracy but as I said previously, this was my first trip to the facility.

 

[flatlander]

I certainly have no inside information on Lapua's production of 22RF ammunition, but I would assume that most people here have seen the list of CF brass that they've stopped producing in order to focus on military CF production. But I fail to see why they'd need to back off the production of 22RF, as it's a completely separate facility in Germany.

 

[Tim Slater]

About 5 years ago Eley came out with a line called Edge(?) and Killough would test that and Tenex. I had my daughter’s rifle tested for both on 2 or 3 occasions and bought 1/2 or a full case of each every time. She used the Edge(?) for practice and the Tenex for matches.

I remember testing Edge in 2014, as a guinea pig for Eley's mobile testing. Some batches were awful, but a couple equalled my control Match.

Edge was Eley's attempt to make Team in quality, rather than wherever they had Match that didn't make the cut. It was made on the same lube as Club, with an EPS style Bulley, but the black graphite lube you get on club. The case was etched black too from memory.

 

[linekin]

Just a quick bit of info. On Friday, I took my 2500X to the ELEY test facility in Winters, Texas. Joseph was very informative and I really enjoyed talking with him while he tested my rifle with a number of Lots of Eley Tenex. I had taken a box of Lapua Midas plus that I’ve been using in ARA matches as a benchmark. After all the testing, the Midas Plus shot a 40 round group of 13.9mm (outside edge to outside edge) at 50 yds. The best Eley Tenex shot a 40 round group of 14.7mm. Joseph used the computer software to compare all the data and based on the software, one lot of Tenex would score as well as the Midas Plus I had brought. Just as an aside, they have the 5 best 10 round groups and the 5 best 40 round groups ever shot at the facility noted on a whiteboard. The 5th best 40 round group was a 13.5mm group so my 2500X was not too bad. I bought two cases of the best Tenex as the latest word I have received from some insiders is that Lapua is pretty much shutting down their production for the individual market to ramp up the military side in order to provide ammo to Ukraine. Don’t expect any Lapua 22 ammo for a good while. The entire experience at the Eley test facility was great and I’m considering going back in the near future and having Joseph run a Tuner setting test. I would really recommend taking your benchrest 22 in for testing.

You mention going back for a tuner setting test. Was the rifle tested w/o it? If it was on you have to be tuned or darn close looking at the #'s.

 

[kevin nevius]

Glad you had a great experience at the Eley test center, competition is a very healthy thing for the shooting sports!

You can consider me an "insider", and I can tell you that despite what seems to churn in the rumor mill, the shift in unprimed case production for high power cartridges has absolutely no effect on Lapua rimfire production in Germany.

In fact, Lapua has made significant investments in the production of rimfire ammunition that has and will improve both quality and availability, in an effort to meet the exceptional demand.

I understand how these announcements can get misinterpreted - just trying to set the record straight.

Great shooting to all, have a great Holiday Season!

kev

 

[TZaun]

I remember testing Edge in 2014, as a guinea pig for Eley's mobile testing. Some batches were awful, but a couple equalled my control Match.

Edge was Eley's attempt to make Team in quality, rather than wherever they had Match that didn't make the cut. It was made on the same lube as Club, with an EPS style Bulley, but the black graphite lube you get on club. The case was etched black too from memory.

You are correct, the cases had a black finish to them.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Glad you had a great experience at the Eley test center, competition is a very healthy thing for the shooting sports!

You can consider me an "insider", and I can tell you that despite what seems to churn in the rumor mill, the shift in unprimed case production for high power cartridges has absolutely no effect on Lapua rimfire production in Germany.

In fact, Lapua has made significant investments in the production of rimfire ammunition that has and will improve both quality and availability, in an effort to meet the exceptional demand.

I understand how these announcements can get misinterpreted - just trying to set the record straight.

Great shooting to all, have a great Holiday Season!

kev

Thanks, Kevin, for setting the record straight on Lapua RF production. as far being an insider, I consider you as Mr. Lapua in that regard

Lee

 

[flatlander]

Glad you had a great experience at the Eley test center, competition is a very healthy thing for the shooting sports!

You can consider me an "insider", and I can tell you that despite what seems to churn in the rumor mill, the shift in unprimed case production for high power cartridges has absolutely no effect on Lapua rimfire production in Germany.

In fact, Lapua has made significant investments in the production of rimfire ammunition that has and will improve both quality and availability, in an effort to meet the exceptional demand.

I understand how these announcements can get misinterpreted - just trying to set the record straight.

Great shooting to all, have a great Holiday Season!

kev

Thank the Lord, and pass the ammunition!! All we need is another rumor that increases panic buying in an already very tight market. As an aside, I recently received a case of SK Std+ that I'd had on back order for about 3mo; I'm not in the habit of buying 22RF ammo blind, but had no choice. Thankfully, this lot# is shooting better than the remnants of one of the best lots of Std+ that I've ever had in both my V22S rifles with Benchmark 3grv & Shilen Ratchet bbls. Still waiting on a case of SK Rifle Match that was ordered at the same time.

 

[mgdietrich]

I have tested at Winters 3 times, they have never tested black lots in the tunnel. They only test Tenex.

 

[butchlambert]

Thank the Lord, and pass the ammunition!! All we need is another rumor that increases panic buying in an already very tight market. As an aside, I recently received a case of SK Std+ that I'd had on back order for about 3mo; I'm not in the habit of buying 22RF ammo blind, but had no choice. Thankfully, this lot# is shooting better than the remnants of one of the best lots of Std+ that I've ever had in both my V22S rifles with Benchmark 3grv & Shilen Ratchet bbls. Still waiting on a case of SK Rifle Match that was ordered at the same time.

How come you didn't ask me about standard+

 

[SST2500]

I hope you're correct about Lapua rimfire ammo. Eley seemed to have plenty of ammo in stock at the Test Center but I have been unable to find a single box of Midas Plus at any dealer in the U.S. for 3 or 4 months. I have backorders in but no joy. Hopefully Kevin has the info and eventually Midas Plus will show back up. In the mean time, I at least have enough ammo for the next ARA season.

By the way, the rifle was tested with my Tuner at the original setting that I had for the Midas Plus ammo. It was not moved at all during testing. My understanding of Tuner Testing at the Eley facility is that they run about 5 different lots with speeds from 1055 up to 1085 and check tuner settings trying to find the best setting for correcting differences in velocity. Once they're close, they shoot more shots until they find the final number on the tuner. Ammo and Time consuming but makes sense as the Tuner is only correcting for vertical.

 

[USMCDOC]

I hope you're correct about Lapua rimfire ammo. Eley seemed to have plenty of ammo in stock at the Test Center but I have been unable to find a single box of Midas Plus at any dealer in the U.S. for 3 or 4 months. I have backorders in but no joy. Hopefully Kevin has the info and eventually Midas Plus will show back up. In the mean time, I at least have enough ammo for the next ARA season.

By the way, the rifle was tested with my Tuner at the original setting that I had for the Midas Plus ammo. It was not moved at all during testing. My understanding of Tuner Testing at the Eley facility is that they run about 5 different lots with speeds from 1055 up to 1085 and check tuner settings trying to find the best setting for correcting differences in velocity. Once they're close, they shoot more shots until they find the final number on the tuner. Ammo and Time consuming but makes sense as the Tuner is only correcting for vertical.

Man, Kevin is sponsored by Lapua and has been for a long time, he is a National Champion, i would take his word as the weight of gold and believe it! Nuff said!