Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles .223 Rem TAC and 75 ELDM Experiment

I sized some brass this afternoon from my chrono test. Primer pockets were as tight as a frog’s ass.

R-P brass.




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Range day today and the conditions were great.

I started the seating depth test with the shortest rounds. Awful. The first 3 iterations were more like a shotgun pattern than a group. The next two lengths showed promise but then I got to the longest set, just barely touching the lands.





I need to roll a few more but this is a pretty good first effort. Chrono is 3035.
Safe in my rifle only, do not exceed published loads.
OAL is 2.477”




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I'm well past this phase in my handloading journey. Eyes, face and hands still intact

Not long range and ya need a Bolt action, with a 1 in 9 twist...

but a super accurate load, is the 75 grain A Max with 8 grains of Unique....a 5 shot, one hole at 75 yds most of the time for me...

and has actually worked pretty well for kids just starting out on deer under 100 yds....

Functionally, what’s the difference between the A Max and ELDM?

For me, the A-Max is much more accurate in every .223/5.56 I own. That said, the jackets on the ELD-M seems to be a bit harder, based on penetration of wild pigs.

Ed

The ELD-M has that heat shield tip to counteract the re-entry burn, before target touchdown.

I rolled a few more from the accuracy load to run over the chrono. Average of 10 shots was 3101, SD of 16 which I thought was a little high. The original test load (3043) was a little shorter but the sd was only 6.

For you statistics wonks out there the mean was equal to the median which was equal to the mode.

I rolled enough for a range day to confirm precision.

Brass looks good. Primers are maybe a touch cratered but bolt lift was easy.





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Myself.. I think Hornady invented a problem publicly, and then came out with the ELD/M to supposedly solve the problem... and increased the price by 80% just to ease their pain.....got that sort of idea off the democRats.... the ones who create a problem that doesn't exist, and then let us know we need them to solve and administer the problem
until hell freezes over...

Back from the range. Can confirm.




75 grain ELDM, G7 BC .235 @ 3101 fps.

Safe in my rifle only, work up to published loads.




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That's a 24" barrel?
My Tikka 223 reports great velocity as well.
I think the slow Tikka thing is a myth- if you handload and kiss lands it's easy to get them up to speed.

23 1/2” 1-8”.

At similar coal with the same bullet and a very similar dose of lever i'm around ~2850 with a 16" shorty.

This bullet at that speed is simply devastating on deer.
Took one head on that was staring right at me last season- looked like a grenade shattered the entire thoracic spine area.

Can't imagine needing more for ANYTHING- so of course I built a twin in 22GT for the 88's

Nice work and solid report!
I've been happy with lever but I still keep a stash of tac around for my 308 gas gun- I might circle back if/when the lever runs dry.

Pharm, that's moving in a .223 with a 75 grain bullet.

She ain’t walkin’, that’s for sure.

A couple folks on the hide pitched a fit with me when I posted velocity numbers saying I was gonna steer folks into blowing faces off.

Folks don't get it - a bolt gun seated into the lands is a whole nutha level relative to mag length gas gun loads.

Just rolled my first 100.



I named the load “Simo” in honor of Simo Hëyhä. Plus, I’m shooting a Tikka.





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Not bad, but I'll be more impressed with two groups of five side by side on the same paper. I always choke on the fourth shot.

One observation. I thought I had a great load in Fireball, but on the loading of the third batch in that brass, pocket mortality was 60 percent. No cratering, easy extraction, no rings or shinies. After Seafire told me how I screwed up, I'm surprised both my face and the rifle stayed intact. But oh, the beauteous groups.

I rolled enough for a range day to confirm precision.

Brass looks good. Primers are maybe a touch cratered but bolt lift was easy.
Pharm your shooting at what 500 foot of elevation roughly if I remember correctly and maybe 55 degrees. If I remember right your probably shooting chucks and rats at 4000-4500 and warmer temperatures i will be curious to see if your pressure is still ok let us know