223 Hornady 75gr ELD Match: better than 175 SMK 308?!
- Thread starter Kevin1
- Start date
Too long. I'm running them out of an AR at 2.41" from a mag but it's not a standard lower. They didn't start shooting well till around the 2.4" mark also.
I run the 75gr ELD at 24.6gr out of LC cases at a length of 2.445"(.005" jump)
I am getting ~3k fps out of a 24" barrel.
I am getting ~3k fps out of a 24" barrel.
Ive ran these in 26" Shilen, Criterion, Mullerworks, Bartlein and soon Kreiger with Varget and H4895. They both shoot great, H4895 is much faster with no pressure.
Here's some OCW targets out of the 26" Mullerworks chambered by Greg at Southern Precision/Bugholes
75 ELD-M / Varget OCW
75 ELD-M / Varget Seating Depth Test
75 ELD-M / H4895 OCW
75 ELD-M / H4895 Seating Depth Test
Here's some OCW targets out of the 26" Mullerworks chambered by Greg at Southern Precision/Bugholes
75 ELD-M / Varget OCW
75 ELD-M / Varget Seating Depth Test
75 ELD-M / H4895 OCW
75 ELD-M / H4895 Seating Depth Test
Shootin25,
I would also behoove you to try some of the powders like those suggested by Padom, I am only using 8208 because I have 16+ lbs because I use it for my other 223 loads. 8208 is probably a little too fast burning for these kinds of speeds. I am more than likely over pressure, but due to the nature of 8208 it doesn't show significant pressure signs till you push it through its burn rate modifier and it spikes.
The criterion match chamber is a .090 freebore and .001 tighter neck, no clue if your particular reamer would be any different or not. You need to ask whoever is chambering it that question.
Ive ran these in 26" Shilen, Criterion, Mullerworks, Bartlein and soon Kreiger with Varget and H4895. They both shoot great, H4895 is much faster with no pressure.
Here's some OCW targets out of the 26" Mullerworks chambered by Greg at Southern Precision/Bugholes
75 ELD-M / Varget OCW
75 ELD-M / Varget Seating Depth Test
75 ELD-M / H4895 OCW
75 ELD-M / H4895 Seating Depth Test
Are you seeing similar speeds in the other barrels or is the Mullerworks just a faster than average barrel?
Speeds are identical with all of the barrels mentioned. Within 10fps or less with each charge weight. All are chambered in .223 Wylde except the MW which is a .223 Rem Match which is just slightly more freebore and a little bit tighter neck.
Necroing this thread..
Just curious what guys are still doing with these.
I got a 223 PRS trainer and am running 75 Gr eld over 25.1 grs of Varget (little crunch) with Winchester primers and Federal brass. It's yielding me 2962 fps out of a 26" Xcal 1/7 twist. Standard deviation is 7 fps. The barrel is chambered with a 223 Remington match chamber (.090" freebore).
I load it at 2.475" OAL which is a .020" jump.
The load doesn't show any pressure signs and it's the fastest I've cranked up a 223.
I've verified its 8.4 mils of elevation to 1000 yards and 2.1
-2.3 mils of wind in a 10 mph full value.
It's nearly rivaling my Dasher in ballistics at these speeds.
Anybody else cranking a standard 223 up this high in their bolt guns?
Just curious what guys are still doing with these.
I got a 223 PRS trainer and am running 75 Gr eld over 25.1 grs of Varget (little crunch) with Winchester primers and Federal brass. It's yielding me 2962 fps out of a 26" Xcal 1/7 twist. Standard deviation is 7 fps. The barrel is chambered with a 223 Remington match chamber (.090" freebore).
I load it at 2.475" OAL which is a .020" jump.
The load doesn't show any pressure signs and it's the fastest I've cranked up a 223.
I've verified its 8.4 mils of elevation to 1000 yards and 2.1
-2.3 mils of wind in a 10 mph full value.
It's nearly rivaling my Dasher in ballistics at these speeds.
Anybody else cranking a standard 223 up this high in their bolt guns?
I took my 75 eld load in a 26” xcaliber to 3050 FPS with a 450 cci primer and 25 grains of Benchmark. The accuracy was poor but the speed was there.
I get 3025 fps with the 75gr ELDM, 24.9gr of H4895, Nammo brass, CCI450, .020" off at 2.49" OAL out of a 24"1-8 Tikka Varmint suppressed. Fun to shoot at a 1000 plus. I have some of the 80gr ELDM to try and a Bartlein 1-7 barrel to be chambered for the same rifle. Thinking about cutting down and setting back the factory barrel for a shorter coyote calling rifle. Been playing with the 53gr V-Max in it.
I have found that the 55 vmax is very accurate out of a 1-7 twist 5r barrel. The longer bearing surface seems to play nice with the fast twist and 5r rifling.
I'm running 23.7gr N140 @ 2.383 COAL (20 off) in a Savage Evo 20" 9 twist for cloverleafs @ 100. Saw pressure beginning @ 24.5 gr.
I have a Tikka 223 Varmint that I rebarreled with a shouldered PVA prefit in 223AI. Sierra 80SMK, Lapua brass, 24.8gr 8208XBR, CCI450, 2.475”, 2883fps SD6.1. Wide node from 24.7-24.9gr powder, which allows me to load on the Dillon fairly easily. This is key for me, as I need a practice Gun+Load that I do not have to spend time on.
For whatever reason, I have found my Tikka Varmint absolutely loves 55gr Nos BT's. 27grs of CFE223 and that rifle is happy.
I load my 223/5.56 on a Dillon RL550 and have a hell of a time getting Varget to drop consistently, and without clogging/bridging. Is there a way to modify the drop tube to better work with Varget?
Who's using Shooters World Precision Rifle in stead of Varget? Results? I hear/read they are very similar in bulk and burn rate, but Precision meters much better.
Any secrets to share?
Who's using Shooters World Precision Rifle in stead of Varget? Results? I hear/read they are very similar in bulk and burn rate, but Precision meters much better.
Any secrets to share?
Last edited:
Off the top of my head, I think I was in the high 3200's, maybe in the low 3300's. It was a great PD round (had a few PD's @ around 100yds, where the BT's (literally) blew their heads off, when the round hit their necks). Something weird about seeing the head fly straight up about 15ft in the air, as the body exploded against the back side of the hole/mound. Impressive bullet performance for varmints in that Tikka. I think the furthest I went with the 55gr'ers was 526yds, but in Montana the winds make that a pretty far piece for that stubby little round.
Where I'm from we have a PRS club match that only allow military caliber (so basically .223 and .308) and last yeah all top 5 shooters from every matches were running 223 instead of 308.
Less recoil, about the same or better performance and way cheaper to shoot.
The only downside I got while I compare my 223 to my 308 is the SD and ES I got from my 223. Probably because of the smaller case that allow less change in the powder charge, but my 223 got me an SD of +/-20 while my 308 still get Under 6.
Less recoil, about the same or better performance and way cheaper to shoot.
The only downside I got while I compare my 223 to my 308 is the SD and ES I got from my 223. Probably because of the smaller case that allow less change in the powder charge, but my 223 got me an SD of +/-20 while my 308 still get Under 6.
All good points, especially since we're talking about ringing steel and not terminal ballistics. Ive been partial to the 77gr SIE MK HPBT but may have to give these a try too.
I run the 80's in my 223ai running 2950 with 8208 and lapua brass. It's a great little bullet. They feed fine out of my accurate mag 223 mags.
I have a 26" 1 in 8" Criterion barrel with a Wylde chamber. I run both the 73gr and 75gr ELDM's over the same 25.2gr of TAC lit by a CCI 41 primer. I use LC brass for the 73gr loads and Lapua for the 75gr. Both are loaded long for the MDT magazines I use (2.550in MAX). The 73gr is running a little over 3k while the 75gr runs just under. Accuracy is great and terminal ballistics on PDog's & Woodchucks is awesome!
I am not using Precision, but there is a guy in our local club that is sponsored by Shooters World and he is having really good luck with Precision. Let me see if he has tried it in his 223.
I tried the 53 V-Max with CFE223 and only got up to mid 3200s. Accuracy was ok, but I was expecting closer to 3400. Haven't shot PD in a long time. They are poisoning most of them in Kansas now.
Yeah, the VMax seemed to work okay for me, though the Z-Max were absolute garbage (all kinds of flyers). I just went back to Noslers, because they sell the blems fairly cheap certain times of the year (and I have never noticed a difference in accuracy with the BT belms).
The 53 varmageddon? I really like that bullet.
It just loses steam around 500 like all light bullets are plagued with. The 60 bt is a tad heavier but not really any better performance wise and I think the varmageddon is long yet still tangent enough like the bt that it’s shot great in 4 different barrels now with essentially the same load and it’s usually like 2 cents cheaper per when I find the blems.
When I go cheap I go cheap
.180 free bore 24.4 Varget stacks 80.5 Berger’s in a way I won’t even bother explaining. I can’t believe it my self. Seriously, makes me think I’m better than I am.
75 ELDMs won’t group no matter what I do. One last try with them this weekend and. Would love to get these to shoot. Thoughts welcomed.
75 ELDMs won’t group no matter what I do. One last try with them this weekend and. Would love to get these to shoot. Thoughts welcomed.
On a Dillon 550 I take the Area 419 funnel, two drop tubes, and caliber specific collar and drop straight down the powder die hole in my billet Widden tool deals. Don’t need both drop tubs if your not leaving it in. I leave it in as it’s one less thing to move around.
Thanks, I’ll check my mags and see if they will feed at jam length. Modified Accurate Mags. If not I’ll load a few and single feed just to see. Really would like to get these to work. Just ordered 1,000 more Berger’s at $289. $200 for 1,000 ELDMs would be a great.
I just dug into my last box of 75 amaxes yesterday, am currently shooting a 223 AI , LC Brass, cci 400's , 24.0 H4895/ 2900fps.
I am trying the same load with a box of 75 ELD-M's - I will report back. Current load seems to work well on coyotes. I also may get back to the 308 sometime this spring and rework loads with 178 Amaxes, as well as try some 175 RDF's,
I am trying the same load with a box of 75 ELD-M's - I will report back. Current load seems to work well on coyotes. I also may get back to the 308 sometime this spring and rework loads with 178 Amaxes, as well as try some 175 RDF's,
Shot these from a 223 side by side with my 308 shooting the 178 ELD-M yesterday. 475 and 900 yards in ~15mph gusty winds. At 475 yards, I was able to hit 5 in a row on 3" steel with the 308. With the 223, successive hits were only possible on the 12" steel. I could hit the 5" plate with the 223, but with misses in-between. At 900 yards, I hit the 12" steel with the 308, 8 out of 12 times. The 223 I couldn't hit it at all with 12 rounds. Both rifles shoot 1/4" at 100 yards.
This performance is making me re-think my desire for a fast 7mm, and might go for a faster 30 cal or 338 instead for longer ranges. BC doesn't seem to translate in real life with real wind. My shooting spot is good out to 2500 or more, but shooting down through a valley, and almost always windy, or at least gusty.
This performance is making me re-think my desire for a fast 7mm, and might go for a faster 30 cal or 338 instead for longer ranges. BC doesn't seem to translate in real life with real wind. My shooting spot is good out to 2500 or more, but shooting down through a valley, and almost always windy, or at least gusty.
I think I am going to shoot 75 ELD Ms over 8208 on Lapua cases for one day club matches. I was shooting 80s when i had my AI barrel on but am going to try the 75s. It showed a lot of promise last time out. Hopefully in a couple weeks I can find some time to load and get to the range to verify it all out.
Similar threads
