Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hornady ELD-X in .25 cal

I think we sometimes get carried away with the need for more velocity, when a heavier bullet will do the job better. Lighter bullet also shed velocity faster than a well constructed one of greater mass. I think I'll just be content with the 117gn load, although I recently went up .3 grain at a time to 48.9 with no sign of pressure, but smaller groups. But as long as you hunt at sane ranges for the cartridge in question, there should be no problem. The good Doctor Encore and his .250 Savage being a classic example.

Faster is more fun.Lol.

triplecanopy,

Your posts on this subject indicate some misconceptions:

Weight-sorting brass isn't nearly as important as sorting for even neck thickness, because even necks help considerably in seating bullets straight. Are you checking for bullet concentricity with the case? As others have noted, the bullet seating stem can also make a considerable difference ins seating bullets straightly.

Neck-sizing fired does not necessarily ensure straight necks, in fact I've found conventional neck-sizing dies result in crooked necks more often than full-length dies, for the simple reason that neck dies don't support the case body while the neck is being pulled back over the expander ball.

117 roundnoses were standard in the .25-35 because of the tube magazine of the Model 1894 Winchester, and were also loaded in the .250-3000 Savage because of its orginal 1-14 rifling twist, but the 1-14 twist handled 100-grain spitzers. (The .250's the cartridge you may be thinking about.) As a result, round-nose 117's became "traditional" in .25 caliber rifles, to the point where they were loaded in the .257 Roberts even though its 1-10 twist would easily handle 117-grain spitzers.

Oh, and they were also loaded in early .257 Weatherbys, because for some reason Roy originally used 1-12 twist barrels. In fact, the traditional 117 Hornady RN factory load was still offered up until 2-3 years ago, for those hunters who prefer heavier bullets in their older rifles. But Weatherby switched to 1-10 twist barrels in new rifles decades ago, and like other .25 caliber rifles with 1-10 twist barrels, they easily handle 115-120 grain spitzers. In fact, even the very long 115 Berger Hunting VLD is designed to stabilize in 1-10 twists, the reason it shoots very well in accurate .257 Roberts rifles, including Walt Berger's own pre-'64 Model 70 Winchester.

In fact, apparently the only major commercial .25 caliber cartridge NOT to be cursed at least occasionally with 117 round-nose factory loads is apparently the .25-06.

Hi John, I think you have a good point there, more likely a number of them. But as far as neck sizing is concerned I only use a Lee Collet die, which gives better support than an expander. I've never had a problem using one of these dies, but it could be that my rifle simply doesn't like the ELD X. Oddly enough though it shot the best groups when I had the bayonet on the barrel for the Magneto Speed. It may respond better to a slight increase in powder. I think an investment in some 115gn bullets may be called for. Thanks for your input.
John

Mule Deer, John I didn't address your comment on neck thickness in my previous post. I haven't checked that yet, nor have I checked for concentricity on the loaded rounds. It occurred to be that the difference in accuracy between the 110gn ELD X and the 117gn SST may have something to do with the SST being flat base and the ELD X being a boat tail. I like to get within 200yards of my animals so the flat base projectile could offer better accuracy inside that distance. Looks like there's more experimenting coming up.