Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 147 ELDMs---Your thoughts?

What was the MV?

Not sure, but Hornady's load data for this charge of RL22 says 2850 FPS. I am unsure what barrel length, cases or other variables were used by them though to determine that.

I should note though that based on the drop at 500 yards (6 MOA from a 200 Yard zero) from the loads of a different lot I played with last night, and crunching the numbers backwards with a ballistic calculator, the MV was closer to 3100 FPS.

Bump. I played with some more of these from a different lot again this evening. They're accurate, but about 1 in 10 is still blowing up. I may give one more lot a try, then it is back to the drawing board for a high B/C hunting bullet.

What are the odd you have a carbon build up in the throat?

Slow powders and the 6.5mm bore can really build up if given a chance.

What's you cleaning regime (carbon specific), if you don't mind me asking?

I don't have much of a cleaning regime per se.....just run a bore snake soaked with hoppe's through it 5-6 times every 100 or so rounds. Being it has no accuracy issues, I haven't put too much effort into a cleaning regime.
It is entirely possible I have a lot of carbon in the throat. I dunno.
I used H4350 in it for the first 700 rounds of 140 grain AMAX and bergers, then switched to RL22 for these heavier 147 ELDs.

I am not sure if that's helpful or not. Any suggestions based on that?

Sounds like that or a rough bore. The rifle seems to be pretty hard on bullets, IMO, both Bergers and ELDs.

Thanks Jordan. After 750 rounds, I'd think any imperfections or roughness in the bore would be lapped out, but what do I know?

I'll scrub the hell out of the bore with copper cleaner and see what gives.

Ted, is your lilja by chance a 3 groove? I've seen some lilja 3 grooves get some pretty rough fire cracking in the throat area. Those wide 3 groove lands can look like cracked pavement or dragon scales right where the reamer cuts them to give them the lead angle.did your reamer have a 1 degree 30 lead angle?

I always go with 4 or 6 or preferably 5r configurations on my builds anymore. I have an 8 twist 3 groove pacnor on a 223 ai that still shoots well but thats my last 3 groove.

The cleaning could be an issue too. You could have a carbon crud ring or some copper build up. Run several patches of boretech eliminator through it short stroking as you go. Then dry patch. Then plug the chamber with a big patch and foam the bore with wipe out foam. Lay the gun on a piece of card board overnight and then dry patch it clean the next day.

If that doesn't work look for some rem clean abrasive cleaner. Wrap a patch over a brass brush, shake the remaining clean well, put a good amount on the patched brush and then run that out the bore, take it off remove the rod put the brush back on and run it out the bore again from the breach. Do that about 10-20 times. Clean again with eliminator and dry patch then shoot it.

The rem clean is a mineral abrasive so go easy on it. I've used it in the past to work over neglected guns i bought used. I turned a 4 moa rem mtn rifle I bought in a pawn shop into a 1/2 moa shooter lapping the pitted bore with rem clean.

Bb

Thanks BB. I'll try doing that.

I scrubbed the hell out of the bore, filled it with a foaming copper cleaner twice, and scrubbed it more, running patches through it until they came out clean.

I'll try your method(s) above too.

Is it a 3 groove?

Bb

Huh....I meant to answer that.
I believe it is actually a 6 groove barrel. I have zero idea about the lead angle.

Not much help am I?

The throat and barrel are charmin squeaky clean now though. We'll see what happens but I don't know when I can get out to shoot next.

Interesting. We've shot several thousand of these now- targets, steel & meat- and never had even a hint of this kind fragility.

You are pushing them harder. But not crazy velocity. We probably average 2675-2700.

Well DAMN! I worked up a good load with that bulletin my six five swede, 2950 and 7.5 twist hasn't hurt em on the way to paper or steel yet, only use for hog or coyote smacking, still want those miserable sombitches to die fast.

The mighty 150gr Sierra Matchking waits in the wings to try next if the 147 horn fails.

My 147's outa the dreaded 6.5CM run 2700 w/RL26 and they are nasty medicine on hogs. I mostly get pass through's as well.

Well last month I scrubbed the bore like it had syphilis, multiple times with foaming copper remover, scrubbed it some more, let the foam sit for a while, scrubbed it some more, then ran plenty of wet patches through it and a bunch of dry ones too.

I fired a couple fouling shots and went to town with this second lot of 147s. About 1 in 10 still weren't making it to the target. The rest were accurate and hitting 4 inches higher at 200 yards than they were out of my dirty bore (ha!), but that's about all I can say.

I am debating about going back to the drawing board, or giving a third lot of 147s a try.

I had a 147ELDM coming out of a 6.5 PRC do that to an Axis buck.

I've had problems with some varmint bullets do the same...

have you contacted Hornady about this? My issues were the twist and velocity of some of the bullets...

I was shooting some 55 grain SPSX bullets with a one in 9 twist, what ever the velocity was ( its been quiet a while ago)
what they told me with the velocity and the barrel twist.. the bullet was designed to withstand a max of 180,000 rpms...

the velocity and twist were pushing them at 300,000 plus rpms.... they were blowing up about 12 inches out of the barrel..

dropped the velocity down and was getting what you are getting with the 147 grainers..

you said you rifle was a 6.5 / 284... I wonder if the bullet was designed for the Creedmoor with an 8 twist... and pushing it hard out of a 6.5 /284, is giving it more rpms in the barrel than the Bullet was designed to withstand...

more recently I've had the same kind of issues with the A Maxes, pushed hard out of a 22.250 with a 1 in 7 twisted barrel...

have ya tried a Sierra 130 gran Game Changer? its suppose to be a very very hard bullet, despite having a plastic tip..

also have you tried and had the same issues with the 143 grain ELD-Match?

I have not contacted Hornady. I really don't see a reason to. They're not Sierra and they didn't blow up on a deer after all.

The rifle is 8 twist and the loads are hot, but within Hornady's published charges found here: LINK. The box of bullets directly from Hornady indicates 1/8.5 twist...would 1/2" faster twist make that much of a difference? It's not like I am driving these things at 6.5 WBY Mag velocities.


I have not tried either the 130 gran Game Changer nor the 143 grain ELDM. I may try them though.

Was it a hot day? Watch that R22.

Slow them down to about 3000 fps and your troubles will go away, MAYBE ???? Rio7