ELD-VT 100 gr bullet loads

[v4lu3s]

I bought a box of the 100 gr eld vt grendel loads a while back and they shot quire well, so when I had a chance, I picked up 500 of the bullets. I have not contacted Hornady yet, but obviously their current loading app has no info, and their supplement has nothing for Grendel.

Externally they look nearly the same as SST and ELDM in 123gr, and they have a BC that is very close (with hundredths) of the BC of those bullets. I am going to give them a try with H335 and CFE223. My initial loads would produce 2400+ fps for a 123 gr bullet, and I am using the max for those bullets due to the physical size being nearly the same.

Anyone else have any experience with these? I will likely be able to get something done within a week and will post chrono results and target pics.

[toolsofthetrade]

following, looked at hodgdon data and was hoping to see data for 8208 with 100gr, they list 100gr Nosler partitions at 25.7-28.7 velocity of 2790, they list CFE223 as 29.5-32.9 velocity 2873 (24" bbl)

[v4lu3s]

I saw the load data on Hodgdon, but the ELD-VT is about 1/3 of an inch longer than the Nosler Partition at the same weight. Unfortunately Hornady also has not published any load data for the Grendel and this bullet.

I decided to baseline test at 30.2 grains of CFE223 and OAL of 2.245" (as the factory ELD-VT load measured at). I fired 10 shots at 100 yards and chrono says:

Max 2631 fps
Min 2606 fps
Avg 2613 fps
SD 8.1

I saw no signs of pressure and the software I am using says well under max pressure as well. The consistency of the powder load is great imo as I am loading on a Dillon 550.
After 3 single shots I shot a 7-shot group that was 2.125" at the extreme spread between shots and touching at best. Some rough math gives me about 1.125" group average size, which is pretty good for first run.

Next visit I will load 5 at 30.7 and 5 more at 31.2 (the max suggested CFE223 load for the 123 grain bullets that are nearly identical externally). But that won't be until the middle of next week. In the meantime I also emailed Hornady for any load data they have accumulated on the 100gr in the grendel.

I added the bullet to my copy of GRT and it looks like at my load it was calculated to be about 50k psi chamber pressure and 2660 fps, so I have a little bit of headroom. so most likely I will not be going all the way to 31.2 grains with cfe223.

[LRRPF52]

The 100gr Nosler Partition builds pressure faster due to the partition wall, acting more like a monolith when the propellant tries to force it into the rifling, so I don’t see the 100gr ELD-VT being harder to drive into the lands. The boattail intrusion into case capacity is a consideration though.

I suspect Hornady will publish the next manual and include it with the same loads as all the other 95-100gr bullets, which is 33.5gr of CFE223 max. That’s higher than Hodgdon’s max of CFE223 under the 100gr Partition at 32.9gr.

123gr A-MAX and ELD-M over 31.7gr of CFE223 are still under MAP, because the 129gr Hornady cup and core bullets go to 31.7gr CFE223. The 129gr SST is longer/heavier than the 123gr bullets with a longer shank and ogive.

As a 100gr, the ELD-VT should be around/over 33.0gr of CFE223 for max.

[v4lu3s]

That makes sense about the Nosler, being shorter (~0.288 inches shorter) and denser with the partition between the lead sections.

I am pretty skeptical that they will go that high with CFE223. With the 24" test barrel the factory load is good for 2730, and I am seeing 2615 with a 20-inch barrel. I think the volume of the bullet intruding into the case will likely impact how much space there actually is. As you can see the ELD VT takes up the same space as the 123 grain offerings from Hornady (and all 4 factory loads are the same OAL of 2.245"), but until they publish something (or reply to my email) I can only go based on my experience that volume will impact the pressure a LOT more than mass will, and will likely keep my loads conservative looking to go no further than 31 most likely..
hornady bullets.jpg

[biodsl]

Will the added case capacity with a 100 ELDM (shorter bullet) overcome the better BC of the 100 ELD-VT?

[LRRPF52]

Will the added case capacity with a 100 ELDM (shorter bullet) overcome the better BC of the 100 ELD-VT?

The two are the same as far as pressure is concerned since the only length increase is to the ogive from what I can see.
CORRECTION: The 100gr ELD-VT boat tail appears to be longer than the 100gr ELD-M.

The boat tail and shank are what determine start pressure, along with mass. The propellant column doesn’t know what’s in front of the shank, only that is has a certain intrusion from the boat tail, a certain shank length to drive into the rifling, and a certain jacket construction to force into the rifling.

31.2gr of CFE223 under the much longer 123gr SMK is still a relatively-low chamber pressure:

Hodgdon

CFE 223

2.260"

28.4

2,352

36,800 PSI

31.2

2,602

48,700 PSI

31.2gr of CFE223 under a 123gr Hornady is even less chamber pressure due to how short that boat tail is on the Hornady bullets, somewhere more in the 46-47ksi region.


Here is Hodgdon’s data for the 107gr SMK (which has twice the boat tail length of a 123gr Hornady A-MAX/SST/ELD-M):

Hodgdon

CFE 223

2.250"

29.3

2,489

37,200 PSI

32.2C

2,740

47,500 PSI

And here it is for the 100gr Nosler Partition:

Hodgdon

CFE 223

2.240"

29.5

2,625

39,800 PSI

32.9

2,873

49,500 PSI

The 100gr ELD-VT makes the 100gr ELD-M obsolete as a target bullet.

[grayfox]

Is that the 123 eldm next to the 100 vt? (the 2 on the right). If so then the longer ogive (more secant like) of the eldm/vt would allow you to seat farther out, I can seat an eldm out to 2.280. But not certain how much extra room and powder that would allow you, without some testing.

[v4lu3s]

So I heard back from Hornady "load just like any other 95-100 grain bullet." That is a 33.5 grain max load. So I put 33.5 grains of CFE 223 in the case. I dropped a bullet in. I gave it a good squeeze to compress the powder. I will let y all decide if this is a great idea or not. The cartridge on the left is the factory ELD VT load, the one on the right is a compressed 33.5 grain load that Hornady has told me is good to go. Maybe I can REALLY put some weight on the press and see if I can squeeze it more? 2.475 inches is a LONG cartridge. My software tells me 119% cartridge load with this bullet and about 80,000 psi. Seems legit? (BTW i am not believing the pressure levels that the software gives in this case, but the OAL issue is pretty plain and nearly a quarter inch of powder compression is scary to me).
ELD VT vs reload.jpg

[biodsl]

Bizarre. Make sure you send that photo back to the tech who advised you. I wonder if you can 'load it like you would any other 95-100 grain bullet' in the Creedmoor.

[Klem]

v4,

Sounds like the bullet robs too much case space to make CFE a good choice. The load becomes compressed before max pressure is reached. Take some powder out and it ends up less efficient than say 8208.

How long are these bullets?

(I have some of these bullets on back-order and 8208 will be the test powder).

[biodsl]

I measure them at 1.242. That compares to:
100 ELDM @ 1.054
123 AMax @ 1.230
107 SMK @ 1.220

[LRRPF52]

So I heard back from Hornady "load just like any other 95-100 grain bullet." That is a 33.5 grain max load. So I put 33.5 grains of CFE 223 in the case. I dropped a bullet in. I gave it a good squeeze to compress the powder. I will let y all decide if this is a great idea or not. The cartridge on the left is the factory ELD VT load, the one on the right is a compressed 33.5 grain load that Hornady has told me is good to go. Maybe I can REALLY put some weight on the press and see if I can squeeze it more? 2.475 inches is a LONG cartridge. My software tells me 119% cartridge load with this bullet and about 80,000 psi. Seems legit? (BTW i am not believing the pressure levels that the software gives in this case, but the OAL issue is pretty plain and nearly a quarter inch of powder compression is scary to me).
ELD VT vs reload.jpg

Use a vibratory method to settle the powder if you don’t want spring-back.

It’s pretty hard to get enough CFE223 under anything in the 100gr class to reach even near the SAAMI MAP.

That isn’t the final bullet seat is it? If it is, it’s way cock-eyed in the case, like the leaning tower of Pisa.

Do an initial partial-seat, rotate the cartridge, then fully-seat so you don’t have run-out like that.

[LRRPF52]

I measure them at 1.242. That compares to:
100 ELDM @ 1.054
123 AMax @ 1.230
107 SMK @ 1.220

The 100gr ELD-VT is 1.242” OAL?

[biodsl]

The 100gr ELD-VT is 1.242” OAL?

Yes. Just re-measured to make sure. The bullet is 1.242 in length. Longer than a 123 Amax or 123 Nosler CC.