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+--- Thread: Hornady 120ELDM vs Hornady ELDM bullet comparison (/showthread.php?tid=25426)
Hornady 120ELDM vs Hornady ELDM bullet comparison - vaguru - 02-20-2023
I have been shooting the Hornady 120ELDM out of my 20" barrel AR. Handloads with both H335 and W748 in both PPU and Hornady cases. All loads with COL of 2.200" allowing for a .020" jump.
With PPU and H335 my most accurate load chronos at 2535 fps with ES of 5 fps. This load is 26.0 grs using either WSR or Rem 7 1/2 primer, and is .4 gr under max for Hornady manual with Hornady case.
With PPU case and W748 my most accurate load chronos 2570 fps with ES of 9 fps. This load is 28.0 grs again with either primer, and is 2.1 gr under max for Hornady manual with Hornady case.
Using Hornady case and H335 most accurate load chronos 2478 fps with ES 29 fps. This load is 26.0 grs , WSR primer, and is .4 gr under max for Hornady manual using all specified components.
Using Hornady case and W748 most accurate load chronos 2572 fps with ES 18 fps. This load 29.0 gr, WSR or Rem 7 1/2 primer and is 1.1 gr below max for Hornady manual.
I changed primers due to having intermittent central primer leak at anvil center, WSR only .021" thickness whereas the Rem 7 1/2 is .025" thick. It has only been 2 times in 100 rds (load didn't matter starting of mid way), but that was enough to make me change to something else I had. No issues since changing primers, if anything the Rem primer might be a tad more consistent with lower ES. I had done primer changes with same load years ago when shooting shooting service rifle with 223 and so had no reservations about the change.
All these loads group under MOA at 100 yds and most around half MOA.
Now for my questions.
I feel my velocities with these loads are acceptable, any need to test further with other powders?
Changing from 120ELDM to 123ELDM to gain just that bit more BC .486 to .506 is not my main concern, but will I be able to achieve the same velocity and accuracy with the 123ELDM as I currently experience? Knowing the difference in bullet ogives, am wondering if that is possible while staying within accepted pressure limits and still stay within magazine length?
I also am interested in the hunting aspect of both bullets. I have read this forum extensively and found where both are used on deer sized game with success. Is one better than the other in this regard?
Hornady 120ELDM vs Hornady ELDM bullet comparison - LRRPF52 - 02-20-2023
120gr ELD-M is just the 120gr A-MAX with the new harder polymer tip.
120gr ELD-M has more of a tangent ogive, so it would jam the lands in real SAAMI Grendel chambers with the compound throat.
123gr ELD-M has a secant ogive and allows you to load longer COL if you want.
Right now, youre getting expected velocities and excellent accuracy, so if it isnt broken...
Your H335 load is 2.7gr lower than max under a 120gr cup and core per Hodgdons. Hornadys data is slightly-handicapped by the 120gr GMX Monolith.
Most W748 data from Alexander Arms and the 6.5 Grendel Handbooks shows 30-30.5gr under 120-123gr cup and core bullets.
123gr ELD-M BC is inflated, just as the 123gr A-MAX is. Bryan Litz did BC analysis on the A-MAXes years ago and found them to be either inflated or deflated.
You can use the Hornady Radar data now though, so it doesnt matter.
The 123gr A-MAX and SST turned out to be in the .462 to .468 G1 region.
Hornadys older method was measured with shorter range data, so the .506 G1 BC made sense up close, but degrades with distance.
For hunting, the A-MAX and ELD-Ms tend to show slightly more rapid expansion than the SST, which has controlled expansion.
For deer, the A-MAX and ELD-M make a lot of sense as a dual-purpose bullet.
People were killing lots of deer and hogs with the 123gr A-MAX factory load before Hornady made the 123gr SST.
If you stick with your current loads, you should enjoy longer case life.
I would mass-produce whichever load you like best with the component supply/availability you have.
The PPU cases wont last as long as Hornady in my experience, but I havent reloaded the new batch of SRP brass, only the older LRP brass they used to make before the recall and retooling for SRP around 2018 I think it was.
Hornady 120ELDM vs Hornady ELDM bullet comparison - vaguru - 02-20-2023
LRRPF52,
Thanks so much for the reply, it is exactly what I hoped for. Yes, my thinking was the same as you mentioned, expected velocity and superb accuracy, so if it isn't broken...
Thanks for the input on the bullets as well, I didn't know about the change from A-Max to ELD-M and expansion qualities. I was aware of the difference in the ogives, tangent and secant but not that the BC was inflated.
So far I have 4 firings on the SRP PPU cases, no issues as of yet with cases. I'm not into case annealing so I'll see how long these and the Hornady cases do for longevity.
Thanks again for the reply as stated previously, exactly what I hoped for, and from the best informed forum member from my reading of this whole forum!
Much appreciated.