73gr eldm .224 no go

[nastynatesfish]

Well got 500 of these to make it worth the shipping.
I used 98 of them. Loaded for my rem 700 tactical 1-9tw 20”.
I loaded from 2.300-2.245
Aa2520, cfe223 and n540
This is the best they gave me. Looks like I’ll be selling to buy 75gr Hornady bthp. It shoots those well, even loaded for my ar.

 

[jelenko]

Did you first do a powder charge ladder?
My experience shows the powder charge has more affect on group size than seating depth.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Those groups look like an insufficient twist rate issue to me. According to Bryan Litz' Ballistic Performance of Rifle Bullets (3rd Ed), a 9-twist would be really marginal for the 73 gr ELDM. On the other hand, it should be sufficient for the shorter 75 gr BTHP.

 

[Skunce]

Hornady recommends a 1-8" minimum twist for that bullet.

 

[65WSM]

I have burned through more than a hundred of the 73 ELDM bullets at 540 yards (the back of the range). I shoot a .22 BR Barlein with an 8 twist. The Berger 73 has produced groups in the two inch range and a couple under two inches in that rifle. The best I got with the ELDM is over 4 inches at that range. I have some of the 73 Bergers on the metplat trim and sorting table as we speak.

 

[kochie]

I have burned through more than a hundred of the 73 ELDM bullets at 540 yards (the back of the range). I shoot a .22 BR Barlein with an 8 twist. The Berger 73 has produced groups in the two inch range and a couple under two inches in that rifle. The best I got with the ELDM is over 4 inches at that range. I have some of the 73 Bergers on the metplat trim and sorting table as we speak.

anyone try the 75 eldm bullets how much difference is there from the 73s

 

[searcher]

I'd try a few more powders before getting rid of those bullets. Try IMR 8208 XBR or Reloader 15. I have rifles that shoot incredibly well with those powders and that bullet - and terribly with all else. Load to book O.A.L. and see if you get a big improvement. That 1-8" tube is perfect for them.

 

[jelenko]

Those groups look like an insufficient twist rate issue to me. According to Bryan Litz' Ballistic Performance of Rifle Bullets (3rd Ed), a 9-twist would be really marginal for the 73 gr ELDM. On the other hand, it should be sufficient for the shorter 75 gr BTHP.

I was wondering the same but I am thinking the group sizes are too big to be just from not enough spin.
I.e., if the bullet isn't stablized enough don't the holes look oblong which make the group larger?

 

[Ned Ludd]

I was wondering the same but I am thinking the group sizes are too big to be just from not enough spin.
I.e., if the bullet isn't stablized enough don't the holes look oblong which make the group larger?

Typically, large groups and oblong holes go hand in hand with too slow a twist rate. I have personally observed too slow a twist rate barrel (i.e. Sg in the 1.05 to 1.145 range) to cause groups of 4-6" at 100 yd, with some, but not all of the holes being visibly oblong. There are some oblong holes on both of the OP's targets and the groups are certainly large. Of course, that doesn't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the slow twist rate is the main culprit here, but given Litz' prediction for the 73 ELDMs out of a 9-twist barrel, it's certainly plausible.

 

[CJ6]

anyone try the 75 eldm bullets how much difference is there from the 73s

I have a 8 TW 223 that just LOVES the 75 ELDMs and 26.5 grs of CFE 223 -.005 off lands. I haven't tried the 73 gr ELDMs yet (no need to). No crono data yet, but the targets tell it all. The 26.5 grs is MAX in the Hornady book for 5.56 NATO and I have NO pressure signs.

 

[kochie]

I have a 8 TW 223 that just LOVES the 75 ELDMs and 26.5 grs of CFE 223 -.005 off lands. I haven't tried the 73 gr ELDMs yet (no need to). No crono data yet, but the targets tell it all. The 26.5 grs is MAX in the Hornady book for 5.56 NATO and I have NO pressure signs.

Thanks nice to know I have some 75s and some of that CFE 223 thanks again

 

[CJ6]

I started at 25.0 and worked up in .5 gr. increments. It's an off the shelf Ruger American. single loaded.

 

[SecondsCount]

anyone try the 75 eldm bullets how much difference is there from the 73s

The 75 has a nice bump in BC- .235 G7 compared to .200 of the 73.

They fly really well out of a 7.5 or 8 twist.

 

[William Vogel]

I have a 700P with the 9 twist 26 inch barrel that I lengthened the freebore and lead angle to 1.5 degrees. It shoots the 73 ELD awesome. 2.5 inch groups at 600 yards. 25.0 grains of CFE223. My longer barrel might have something to do with it but it’s my go to for the rifle. 100 yards is all touching.

 

[kochie]

I have a 700P with the 9 twist 26 inch barrel that I lengthened the freebore and lead angle to 1.5 degrees. It shoots the 73 ELD awesome. 2.5 inch groups at 600 yards. 25.0 grains of CFE223. My longer barrel might have something to do with it but it’s my go to for the rifle. 100 yards is all touching.

Ok thanks guys

 

[JB10]

I shoot the 73 eldm in a 9 twist with varget. I have real good results. I do seat them out to almost the lands

 

[nastynatesfish]

I did. 98 bullets over 3 different powder I have to use. Min to just over max in .3gr increments

Did you first do a powder charge ladder?
My experience shows the powder charge has more affect on group size than seating depth.

 

[nastynatesfish]

I shoot the 73 eldm in a 9 twist with varget. I have real good results. I do seat them out to almost the lands

I started with them at 2.300” and down to 2.245

 

[nastynatesfish]

It shoots the 75gr Hornady bthp well enough that I don’t think I’m going to fight them anymore. I may try them in my 1-8tw 14.5” ar. See if it’ll group them well enough to use out to 400m

 

[Ned Ludd]

It shoots the 75gr Hornady bthp well enough that I don’t think I’m going to fight them anymore. I may try them in my 1-8tw 14.5” ar. See if it’ll group them well enough to use out to 400m

FWIW - the info in this thread regarding the 75 ELDMs prompted me to buy 500. I've shot the 88 ELDMs with good results and had not appreciated the BC of the 75 ELDM was as high as it apparently is. My initial thought was to run them in my Sig 556 DMR (18" 8-twist barrel). However, I looked even more carefully at Litz' gyroscopic stability numbers for the 75 ELDM (after ordering them of course LOL), and although they may work in an 8-twist barrel (at least, they shouldn't be generating oblong holes or have any gross precision issues from an 8-twist), even that is not sufficient to net the full intrinsic BC of this bullet. They are really long, even longer than the Berger 80.5 Fullbore bullet, so a minimum 7.5-twist (or faster) would really be necessary to get the full BC of this bullet. If one is using an insufficient twist rate barrel with the 75s and thereby giving up a fair bit of the intrinsic BC, what's the point? A better approach might be to use the 73 ELDMs instead, which has a slightly lower BC, but doesn't require as fast a twist rate to fully stabilize. Fortunately, I have other .223s that I can run the 75s in, so they won't go to waste.