Both displayed exit wounds of several inches in diameter. I also had the opportunity to try them out on a pair of foxes a few days later, with shots at ranges of 185 yards and 340 yards. These rabbits are sold to a local zoo as animal food, so despite being a little battered they do not go to waste. The ELDs clearly expanded drastically, even on small game. The results are strong on the range – now the round is ready for a blooding in the fieldīoth rabbits displayed similar ballistic trauma to what I would expect from the A-Max or V-Max bullets. I ranged a second rabbit at 445 yards, dialled in the correct MOA and was again rewarded with a clean kill. Ranging the first rabbit at 395 yards I was pleased with a solid thump and a coney that dropped on the spot. Taking the rifle out early one morning on to the hill in rather windy conditions, I soon found a few test subjects around an over-populated warren on the bank. Although I seated the bullets the same as my original A-Max loads, I noticed that they protruded slightly further from the case and on closer inspection it would seem that they are slightly more tapered, meaning a little tweaking of the seating depth maybe required to get the best accuracy from them in relation to their distance off the lands.Īfter a lot of testing with these bullets shooting steel targets and bits of chalk at various ranges, I finally felt confident enough to try them on live quarry. I’m far from being the greatest reloading boffin on the planet so can only speculate, but on paper the new bullets certainly seemed to shoot just as well. This is possibly countered by their slightly heavier weight, which may well explain the odd numbers.
Using the same powder charge and seating depth, the ballistics were very similar to the A-Max despite their slightly higher BC. The closest match to my old faithful 140-grain A-Max is the 143-grain ELD-X. As is typical of Hornady, the bullet weights are odd numbers in the ELD-X range (I’m sure there is a logical reason for this). So for hunting and varminting, the ELD-X is clearly the one to use – and it seems to be just as accurate as the match version. Unlike the A-Max, the ELD-M doesn’t seem to expand, so is therefore likely to pencil through small game. These bullets come in two ranges: the ELD-M (match) designed for target shooting, and the ELD-X (expanding) for hunting use. These bullets proved popular in the states, and production was soaked up for some time, so they only recently became available over here. Hornady therefore developed a new material for their tips, which is resilient to heat – and so the ELD bullet was born.
Once the bullet passed around 400 yards, the effects were more apparent. Hornady discovered that when the original bullets were pushed to higher velocities, the polymer tips began to melt and deform, which decreased ballistic co-efficiency. The ELD range of bullets are basically the same as the A-Max/V-Max bullets except for the tip. 623 (G1) for a 143-grain projectile, quickly attracting the interest of long-range shooters and varminters alike. Rumour was that the only difference between the two bullets was the box.īut talk arose of a new bullet from Hornady: the ELD bullet (extremely low drag), which boasted a ballistic co-efficient of. It was the V-Max bullets that were intended for hunting purposes, but shooters quickly discovered that the A-Max also expanded very well.
The A-Max also had another perk that made them popular, which was that they were classed as a target bullet and could therefore be sent through the post without the need to be entered on to your FAC. 585 (G1), making them good for long-range shooting. I found that the Hornady A-Max 140 grain bullets were cheap, shot very well and with a good ballistic co-efficient of.
For five or six years I used the same load in my. I usually bulk-buy the components I need once I’ve settled on a load. The ELDs benefit from a new tip designed specifically for longer-range shots
0 kommentar(er)
