6.5 Manbun shooters: Hornady 143gr ELD-X vs Hornady 140gr ELD Match

[Rockrivr1]

As I wait for my MPA 6.5CM rifle to be completed I'm looking at various ammo combinations to try. I've been reading good reviews on both the Hornady 140gr ELD Match and the 143gr ELD-X Precision Hunter ammo. I'm wondering what you've shot in your 6.5CM rifle and what ammo you found worked the best for you. I know this can be rifle specific, but I'd like to hear what results you've had so far. It doesn't have to be Hornady if you found something else works better for you.

Oh and see my post about how I hate reloading before you recommend that I reload for the caliber.

https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/i%E2%80%99m-rockrivr1-and-i-have-an-admission-i-hate-reloading.447110/page-4#post-8308961

 

[AJK129]

Hornady 140gr ELD Match has been the best for me, and is probably the gold standard for 6.5cm in my opinion. Some people like the 147gr too I guess.


I like the Hornady 140gr bthp a lot too, this is what I normally shoot

 

[paul73]

As I wait for my MPA 6.5CM rifle to be completed I'm looking at various ammo combinations to try. I've been reading good reviews on both the Hornady 140gr ELD Match and the 143gr ELD-X Precision Hunter ammo. I'm wondering what you've shot in your 6.5CM rifle and what ammo you found worked the best for you. I know this can be rifle specific, but I'd like to hear what results you've had so far. It doesn't have to be Hornady if you found something else works better for you.

Oh and see my post about how I hate reloading before you recommend that I reload for the caliber.

https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/i%E2%80%99m-rockrivr1-and-i-have-an-admission-i-hate-reloading.447110/page-4#post-8308961

i stocked up on 140gr eldm only, and they work very well.
reloder 16 or h4350, 41.5-42gr, and then eldm, nosler rdf, bergers - try them all to see what you`ll like the best.
i posted that earlier for broc - 6.5cm data is at the bottom of the page.

6 & 6.5 Creedmoor Load Data – What The Pros Use

This past year I asked the 173 of the top-ranked precision rifle shooters in the country about the ...

precisionrifleblog.com

from what i recall i went with eldm mostly due to the price diff from bergers.

noslers rdf blems in 140gr i saw for 24c at SPS - removed the link.

 

[Compooky]

For me, FGMM with berger 130gr hybrid > Hornady 140gr eldm. I kind of regret stocking up on Hornady instead of it when they were the same price.

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

Neither. I prefer Nosler RDF or CC. The ogive on them is a lot closer to Bergers and so is the performance.
Hornady ELD-X is if you want to hunt. ELD-M is if you want cheap stuff.

 

[PappyM3]

I’ve had good luck with factory loaded 143gr ELD-X. Out of my 16” Criterion barrel, I’ve gotten 3/4 MOA groups at 200 when I don’t mess up. And of those 3/4 MOA groups, the majority of shots are within 1/2 MOA.

I used them at a PRS match and I was pretty impressed with how forgiving they are with wind calls.

That said, I’ve never shot 140gr ELD-M to compare. I’ve got a bunch of 140gr ELD-M bullets I’m going to put on a bunch of Magtech 140gr FMJ loads. But I haven’t done it yet.

 

[Drix]

The 140 a-max's have built in drop compensation if you have a leupold range finder with their ballistics calculations built in.

 

[DW357]

As I wait for my MPA 6.5CM rifle to be completed I'm looking at various ammo combinations to try. I've been reading good reviews on both the Hornady 140gr ELD Match and the 143gr ELD-X Precision Hunter ammo. I'm wondering what you've shot in your 6.5CM rifle and what ammo you found worked the best for you. I know this can be rifle specific, but I'd like to hear what results you've had so far. It doesn't have to be Hornady if you found something else works better for you.

Oh and see my post about how I hate reloading before you recommend that I reload for the caliber.

https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/i%E2%80%99m-rockrivr1-and-i-have-an-admission-i-hate-reloading.447110/page-4#post-8308961

Reload

 

[KBCraig]

The 140 grain bullet is going to be mighty short in a 6.5 centimeter bore.

 

[widnerkj]

For mine, which is an 18" gas gun. I haven't purchased factory ammo for the past 2 years.

So, here's the factory ammo I used to shoot, before deciding to just roll my own. The Hornady factory ammo with the 143 ELD-X was fantastic before it got over $1 a round. You will likely really like that Hornady match 147 grain ELD. The PPU FMJ 140 grain stuff was clean, and accurate for cheap ammo. The Winchester 140 grain open tip was pretty good. I HATED the Fiocchi green box crap. Hated it more than NES hates .40. Dirty, and couldn't get a good group. The Federal Gold medal was really good stuff. The Winchester 140 grain ballistic silvertip was good stuff as well. The Seller & Bellot 140 Grain FMJBT was really decent range ammo.

Now, for reloading what I'm shooting now. Hornady 143 ELD-X's predominantly. Really like Nosler 140 grain Accubonds. I wanted to try the accubond long range, but the sticker on those are stupid. ($104 for a box of 100? No, I'll wait for the market to slow) Lastly, lately it's being fed 140 grain Hornady BTHP. Keep in mind, I'm not doing competitions, or just spending time at the range.
This 8.2 pound rifle goes hiking, and dispatches Coyotes, Javelina's, knocks over white tail, and coos, and mule deer. I haven't drawn a rifle tag for Elk, but when I do, this is the one that'll come go to work for that. It does do range duty if I have a new shooter I'm taking to Tucson Rifle Club. As it's got them on the long range steel like cheating. And the excitement of a new shooter getting a first round hit on a turkey silhouette at 385 meters, or the rams at 500 is amazing. Those smiles and the glee of the steel singing makes something they will talk about forever.

It's my opinion that for the 6.5 manbun for my uses, ideally I want a bullet in the 140 grain range, moving at around 2700 FPS. So, the ELD-X's are pretty good. However the lee reloading dies, marks the point a little. I tend to be a Nosler snob. Because I was raised by one. Though he's running the Berger 130's right now, and seems to really like them.

 

[Mark from MA]

I've had fantastic groups out of my Ruger with 120 grain Factory ELD Match Hornady.

Ive reloaded the 147 ELD and gotten similiar fantastic results, and its my go to load for 300 yard target shooting.

 

[paul73]

Hornady 143 ELD-X's

so as you actually hunt with eldx - what is your experience there with the plastic tip - does it still let the bullet to expand properly upon impact, or it may go throw the flesh at closer distances, like if it is a neck shot etc?

i think i heard it somewhere that on new eldx this plastic was made much harder to sustain faster exit speeds better than it used to be, and it led to complications for hunters.

 

[widnerkj]

The ELD-X works as advertised. Bullet expands well. Heart and lung drops them dead pretty quickly. I'll continue to use them, as I have not had one get away. If I draw elk this year, I'll be using the Accubond, because I have all the faith in that round. Anchored one with a accubond a couple of years ago.

 

[50wt]

Factory 140bthp, 8tw barrel ,2705fps with and without a magnetospeed hanging on the barrel. One is 4 shots, other is 7 shots . Center dot is .625

Hornady eld and fed gmm ammo is tough to beat but not in my budget.

 

[Mark from MA]

Ill add here that Ive shot the Ruger 6.5 manbun with very cheap (pre covid) Herters 130 something grain, in the green and black box, soft points and it was a sub 1 inch group at 100 yds.

I really haven't found a round it doesn't like yet. But the above would be my deer hunting round. Why reload at that point? I bought up a bunch of boxes of that stuff. Thinkat the time it was like 14$ a box or something.

 

[PappyM3]

so as you actually hunt with eldx - what is your experience there with the plastic tip - does it still let the bullet to expand properly upon impact, or it may go throw the flesh at closer distances, like if it is a neck shot etc?

i think i heard it somewhere that on new eldx this plastic was made much harder to sustain faster exit speeds better than it used to be, and it led to complications for hunters.

These videos are pretty informative, with some fairly scientific and impartial testing. They test the 140gr ELD-M vs 143gr ELD-X


View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xm8wAXkVaxU



View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1bxDjDXDKM4

 

[paul73]

These videos are pretty informative, with some fairly scientific and impartial testing. They test the 140gr ELD-M vs 143gr ELD-X


View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xm8wAXkVaxU

first video conclusion - 'it depends, both will work'. ROTFL.
second guy then says that 143gr groups a bot better for him, so he chooses it because of that. go figure.

i even did not know that by the factory markings they designated 143gr as hunting, and 140gr as 'match'. but i never paid attention to 143gr, will try it sometime.

 

[PappyM3]

first video conclusion - 'it depends, both will work'. ROTFL.
second guy then says that 143gr groups a bot better for him, so he chooses it because of that. go figure.

i even did not know that by the factory markings they designated 143gr as hunting, and 140gr as 'match'. but i never paid attention to 143gr, will try it sometime.

They both seem much more similar than the X and M branding would imply.

 

[frenchman]

It wont really matter what others shoot well. Every rifle is different, and it seems that nobody really can figure out why. My 6.5 got me to around MOA with Hornady 140 ELD, but I shot a .6 group with SIG 140 match, but couldn’t get it to group any better than 1.4 with that cheap, dirtyass Cellery+Ballot 140. You need to figure it out. Sorry, no real answer from me.

 

[DarkJoker33]

Paging resident sniper @Broc. To attention

 

[Broc]

Paging resident sniper @Broc. To attention

I have nothing to add and this is a good thread, so I will not sh*t here.

All I will say is that I have read good things about the Hornady ELDX when I was researching 6.5cm. Lots of people saying good things and lots of pictures online of it taking big game.

Usually if some ammo is sh*t, you will read about it. Hornady had some really bad big game ammo, I found an African Safari forum full of people complaining about it. But looks like they did a great job with the ELDX.

 

[northny]

I have two bolt guns in 6.5 CM. Short story they both like the Hornady ELD Match 147g and Hornady ELD X 143 grain. Actually they both types. One rifle 1/2 moa, other likely 2/3 moa

Ive only shot the Hornady 140 ELD match one time, it seems pretty good too.

Both the ELD match and the ELD X are the most consistent factory ammo I have every come across. I get single digit Std Dev. (5-6-7 fps)

I have killed two bucks and one coyote with ELD X. Performed well. Bucks were 165 and 185 yds away. The closer one was broadside and a pass through. Broke ribs going in and out. The farther one was almost strait on. I recovered that bullet and the weight retention and expansion were both on what Hornady stated for 200 yards. ( at one point I found data on Hornady web site for retention and expansion on various distances)

one cool observation is the speed and drop data on the factory boxes I found to be very close to my measurements (lab radar). The difference in speed for 140 143 and 147 grain are 2710, 2700, and 2695. The drop data on boxes out to 500 yards only varies by 1.5 inches. The 140 and 143 are almost identical (0.1” difference)

The practical application of this: I mainly shoot the 147 Eld Match, both rifles are sighted with 100 yard zeros for that bullet. Using the zero and the dial up dope for the 147 Eld match, I can get hits on steel out to 600 yards using the 143 ELD X. I have done this on three occasions. I havent tried it past 600 yards.
Ill come back and post a picture of a 500 yds steel with impacts of both on it

On paper at 100-300 yards they are essentially the same. I don’t have to re zero my rifle for hunting season

I started with 147g Eld Match, so I’m staying with it. If I did it over again I might do the 140.

 

[northny]

Target to go with above post. The steel is 12 x roughly 18 inch. Wind was variable in strength and direction, but I recall I shot all the targets holding left edge. I shot four 147 eld match, then just shot two 143 Eld X. A guy I met at range that day was calling impacts for me ( not that it was needed, I could see and hear impacts, and I had video going thru spotting scope). He asked to try hitting target with his new 308 gas gun Which was other four hits on target He was only shading left for wind, so was getting hits on right edge. His first hit was low, he added a little elevation and got three more hits higher. He did have one miss offright side

 

[01bmf]

I bought a metric f-ton of Hornady American Gunner 140's pre-insanity prices and haven't felt the slightest need for anything else. I do reload and actually enjoy it and haven't touched the growing pile of 6.5 brass.

 

[Mountain]

Neither. I prefer Nosler RDF or CC. The ogive on them is a lot closer to Bergers and so is the performance.
Hornady ELD-X is if you want to hunt. ELD-M is if you want cheap stuff.

Yep, this ^. Nosler RDF 140's + Varget. Can't even remember the last time I bought factory ammo but when I was evaluating factory ammo I actually had better performance from Winchester Match than the Hornady stuff. ~0.12" 5-shot group 100 yards from a 6.5CM AR. Haven't repeated that group but that batch of Winchester was averaging less than half MOA. Hornady is what I buy when all the better options are sold out.

Also it's easier to deform those plastic tips, then bye bye accuracy. Sierra Tipped Match Kings seem to use a much tougher and/or harder plastic than what Hornady uses. (edit) You will note that Bergers- the top performing projectile, do not feature a plastic tip.

 

[paul73]

here is a result of my shoot today - both are 6.5CM, one gun is a faxon 16" biggunner barrel, other is 20" BA bull barrel.

i wanted specifically nosler 140 rdf for those guns, and load it hotter than the 41.8gr load i use for the bolt gun,
but it does not seem that 43+ gr nodes correlate well, so, probably will load 42.5gr.
2600fps speed in 16" gun is adequate.

brass was unsorted, and it messed up stuff in some groups - where 3 shots would differ by mere 5fps, and one would be 30 slower while other 60 faster. but, whatever, still good enough.

the only point here - a short faxon isn`t that bad at all, when load finds the node.

next will be a test of ruger sfar with 175gr RDFs.

 

[1903Collector]

Top right is the best I've ever shot anything, this was 6.5CM @ 100 yards, load was 38.9 grains of Hybrid V100 under a 140gr ELD Match with BR-2 primers OAL of 2.800 (3.185" from the ogive). Everything just lined up that day at that moment as I've never been able to do it again. Rifle was a Ruger RPR believe it or not.

 

[widnerkj]

@paul73
This year, my hunting buddy’s 11 year old son smashed a cow elk with a 143 ELD-X at 185 yards. He anchored it right there. After all the work cleaning and quartering her, the 3 other guys there were more than impressed with the expansion and terminal performance of that specific projectile.

 

[paul73]

This year, my hunting buddy’s 11 year old son smashed a cow elk with a 143 ELD-X at 185 yards. He anchored it right there. After all the work cleaning and quartering her, the 3 other guys there were more than impressed with the expansion and terminal performance of that specific projectile.

the 140gr load i just did, will hopefully be close to 2630fps, means it will retain a 1000ft-lbf to a 600yds. shoots awesomely from that 16" ar10.
way, way nicer than a .308 ruger sfar, but, well, 175gr from sfar does 2000 at 200yds, this one will be only 1700. but i think it i more than enough anyway, for any practical purposes.

it really gets counterproductive speeding up those bullets more and more as accuracy goes to shit.

 

[Broc]

I have nothing to add and this is a good thread, so I will not sh*t here.

All I will say is that I have read good things about the Hornady ELDX when I was researching 6.5cm. Lots of people saying good things and lots of pictures online of it taking big game.

Usually if some ammo is sh*t, you will read about it. Hornady had some really bad big game ammo, I found an African Safari forum full of people complaining about it. But looks like they did a great job with the ELDX.

Adding ELDX delivers.

We got a bunch of deer using6143grain 6.5cm ELDX. My buddy using factory ammo and me using reloads.

All my groups are using ELDX.

ELDM are great bullets, but not great for hunting. BACKFIRE TV has a video explaining why match bullets are not great for hunting.