Hornady ELD BC Update

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stokesrj
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Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by stokesrj »

We have seen manufacturers update their published ballistic coefficients from time to time, almost always reducing them to reflect more accurate performance in the face of growing user capabilities to discern the exaggerated marketing based claims. However, Hornady has taken a completely different path with their ELD-X and ELD Match bullets recently. As it turns out, they have been able to confirm superior performance as some of these bullets moved from prototype to high volume manufacturing. The BC's improved.

Sierra has been at the forefront of publishing data that more fully reveals their bullets flight characteristics as the velocity changes. They have long published BCs that change as the velocity changes. This has often made me wonder how some people claim to simply plug the manufacturers BC into a ballistic computer, dial in the solution in their scopes turrets and make a center hit at 1,000, or even 1,500 yards. My experiences have been far different with dozens of bullets, scopes, and ballistic calculators. Often the difference is measured only in inches at moderate ranges but quickly changes to feet at extended ranges. Either those who claim this are lucky, or wishful, or I'm just plain unlucky. I almost always have to adjust the bullets BC to achieve center hits at extended range and almost always it is revealed that the bullets published BC is overly optimistic.

The Hornady ELD-X bullets have been the closest to published BCs of any manufacturer I have tested with my Lab Radar but that is only part of the puzzle because my Lab Radar can only measure the BC at short range. I would still get different results at say 1,000 yards.

But recently Hornady has published revised BC's but also published the BC's at different velocities. I think this helps explain why I would get different results in the field than what the ballistic calculators would previously indicate with the single BC value. I don't know for sure this will completely explain the differences; most people seem to think it was simply an atmospheric data error or something similar that causes the difference. However, I think this is hog wash since I have repeatedly checked and rechecked those data entries and purposely changed them to what would be required to see the differences in field performance I have observed. This could simply not have been the case. Now, perhaps with the added data Hornady has provided I might be able to come closer to the truth. Take a look for yourself. Perhaps our knowledge will continue to improve.
https://www.hornady.com/support/ballistic-coefficient
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Ado »

That is really useful information. I have new boxes of 6.5 ELD-M 147gr and ELD-X 143gr bullets and will be working up loads albeit at a snails pace...once I get my new KKC stock glass bedded and then up and running...

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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by 7x57 »

Thanks Bob that's very useful and interesting information. I use ELD-M in my 6.5x47 and am very impressed with performance. So far only shot out to 500 but with incredible accuracy. Noticed the 108gr 6mm has impressive figures and might be worth trying in the Dasher that I have just built.

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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by deerhunter338mag »

Will take me sometime to come around to them as I’m a Berger man through and through. But thanks for the information Bob was extremely interesting.
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Joe338ST »

That is interesting stuff there. Sierra has published different BCs for different velocity brackets in the past to give more accurate ballistic calculations for their bullet paths. I thought it was because the bullet shape changed as the speed melted the plastic tips and hence reducing the BC...and that was also the reason Hornady developed the ELD range as they felt the polymers in the A-Max bullets were melting at high velocities. But come to think of it the Sierra bullets I used in the past were all copper jacket bullets and should not have suffered from distortion....Still Sierra published the different BCs for various speed brackets. Something certainly goes on with BC changing due to bullet distortion perhaps at different speeds....I wonder if Berger will go on the same path....
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by docdb »

This may not be the place to post this thought, but I just returned from the range testing out the 30-06 178gr Hornady Precision ammo using the ELD-X, and I got two (groups of three shots) making one hole 200yd groups from my Blaser R8, std contour barrel.....impressed

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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by stokesrj »

I’m constantly impressed with Hornady ammunition. I’m also occasionally underwhelmed with some specific loadings but overall I like them a lot. I once shared a hunting camp with Steve Hornady and was pleasantly surprised to learn he was a nice guy and enjoyed hunting as much as I did. He is one of us and tries to run the company to benefit the hunter and shooter. As an interesting side note, he was using a a Banser custom rifle (Mark Banser was also on this hunt) chambered in 300 Win Short Mag with standard 180 grain Interlock factory loads.
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Corjack »

I know Mark Bansner pretty well, and he is a decent fellow.
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by stokesrj »

That is one of the things I love about the hunting/shooting community. I'm sure there are a few bad apples, but most that I have met are quite decent fellows, even the more famous ones.
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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Blasernovice »

Joe338ST, BC has always been velocity dependent, especially a G1 bc value. Most companies just gave the average value most people were likely to be using.
Berger started to raise people's awareness of BC by pushing the use of the G7 BC value, as it changes less with velocity.
Look up the Wikipedia article on BC and it shows the projectile shapes of the G1 and G7 projectiles and you'll see why G7 is the better value to use for modern projectiles.
I'm still using the old .284 162 a-max in my 7x65R, it shoots well. I used it extensively in a 7mm mag and had fantastic results on deer out to 600yds, lots of one shot DRT results.
Once I've used up my 400 a-max I'll switch to the eld-m, not sure if I believe the tips melting theory though.

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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Joe338ST »

Blasernovice wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 3:26 pm Joe338ST, BC has always been velocity dependent, especially a G1 bc value. Most companies just gave the average value most people were likely to be using.
Berger started to raise people's awareness of BC by pushing the use of the G7 BC value, as it changes less with velocity.
Look up the Wikipedia article on BC and it shows the projectile shapes of the G1 and G7 projectiles and you'll see why G7 is the better value to use for modern projectiles.
I'm still using the old .284 162 a-max in my 7x65R, it shoots well. I used it extensively in a 7mm mag and had fantastic results on deer out to 600yds, lots of one shot DRT results.
Once I've used up my 400 a-max I'll switch to the eld-m, not sure if I believe the tips melting theory though.
Yeah that's the theory that Hornady discussed when they developed the ELD's to replace their A-Max...
I have always been aware that G7 calculations were better for boat tail bullets than G1...
Joe

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Re: Hornady ELD BC Update

Post by Darizpe »

Thank you Robert, very useful information

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