Range Report Hornady 147 ELDM blowing up
- Thread starter hic28
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Order online but pick up in store. No Shipping. Closest one is 4.5 hour drive away. Shitty.
Shit now i see, there is a limit of 10,,,bring 4 other people.
So Hornady responded:
"They did in 2019 make some internal dimension changes to the bullets to aid in the reinforcement of the profile on the jacket. What lot # of bullets are you having issues with? Thanks"
Gave them my lot number
" This is a pre change lot #. However we did not see any issues with this bullet at the CM velocities. We did not start to see this issue until the 6.5 PRC was being designed. "
Otherwise the Berger 140 Hybrids shot great at 2800fps with an ES of 15. Won me 2nd at local match with no load development, just did slightly under mag length and sent them.
"They did in 2019 make some internal dimension changes to the bullets to aid in the reinforcement of the profile on the jacket. What lot # of bullets are you having issues with? Thanks"
Gave them my lot number
" This is a pre change lot #. However we did not see any issues with this bullet at the CM velocities. We did not start to see this issue until the 6.5 PRC was being designed. "
Otherwise the Berger 140 Hybrids shot great at 2800fps with an ES of 15. Won me 2nd at local match with no load development, just did slightly under mag length and sent them.
Has anyone started a list of affected bullets by lot number? I have a ton of Hornady bullets including > 700 147 ELDM and I’d like to know what’s safe to shoot and what isn’t. Maybe we could help Hornady track down the problem as well.
It's happened to me. I'm referenced in some of the threads posted in here.
I shoot F-Class and it's a 'known thing' with the ELDMs. It's probably the main reason you don't see anything Hornady shot at 'serious' events.
My 147s blew up out of a Krieger 1:8t @ 2800fps.
The problems seem to be exacerbated by elevated ambient temps. If you shoot a 20rd string (like we do in F-Class) when it's ~90 deg outside, I'd bet you see this fairly regularly.
Watched a guy with a factory savage barrel shooting factory 6.5CM ammo blow up ~50% of this.
And don't get me wrong, I've seen plenty of bullets blow up...but not like the ELDMs. You can usually explain it...like I've seen a 36" 7RSAUM nuke berger 184s with regularity, but I kinda understood that.
I'm shooting the lot of ~2000 147s I have out of a new 8t creedmoor barrel. I haven't blown one up yet, but then again I have only slow fired them, and wouldn't consider shooting them in a match again...ever.
I've been wondering why the PRS guys weren't seeing this, and then I stumble across this thread. I'm guessing you guys don't shoot strings as long as we do in F-Class? Not sure.
Edit: It's not a lot number issue. I've seen this happen for years, off new bullets too.
I shoot F-Class and it's a 'known thing' with the ELDMs. It's probably the main reason you don't see anything Hornady shot at 'serious' events.
My 147s blew up out of a Krieger 1:8t @ 2800fps.
The problems seem to be exacerbated by elevated ambient temps. If you shoot a 20rd string (like we do in F-Class) when it's ~90 deg outside, I'd bet you see this fairly regularly.
Watched a guy with a factory savage barrel shooting factory 6.5CM ammo blow up ~50% of this.
And don't get me wrong, I've seen plenty of bullets blow up...but not like the ELDMs. You can usually explain it...like I've seen a 36" 7RSAUM nuke berger 184s with regularity, but I kinda understood that.
I'm shooting the lot of ~2000 147s I have out of a new 8t creedmoor barrel. I haven't blown one up yet, but then again I have only slow fired them, and wouldn't consider shooting them in a match again...ever.
I've been wondering why the PRS guys weren't seeing this, and then I stumble across this thread. I'm guessing you guys don't shoot strings as long as we do in F-Class? Not sure.
Edit: It's not a lot number issue. I've seen this happen for years, off new bullets too.
typical stages are 10-15 rounds. Usually 10 stages per day over the course of a 2day match.
one stage at the hide cup last year or 2 years ago was 24 rounds each in 5 minutes. That 5 minutes was for both team mates to get a total of 48 rounds off.
isn’t fclass 60 rounds total with each 20 round string given 30 min for record?
most of the 10-15 round strings in prs/nrl are shot in less than 120 seconds.
Yeah, we fire 20 rounds for record in a string...with most shooters doing it in under 20 minutes. That said, what isn't factored in is sighters before 'going for record'. In Long Range matches they're unlimited, so it's not uncommon for someone to send 5-10 rounds down range before they start their 20 shot string for record.
I was jacking around with a 6GT at 1,000 a few weeks ago, and due to some target issues ended up shooting 33 rounds in one string (sighters + shots for record).
That's interesting about 10-15 in ~120 seconds. I've never shot a PRS match, or really been around it...so it's total ignorance in my part.
Appreciate the insight.
At those speeds (I was at 2850) these shouldn’t be having that issue, especially for the $$$
agree, will be switching to 184 hybrids
It also look at the 190LRHT, BC isn’t far behind ATip and they’re amazing at distance.
Video from this past week in Class,
We had a student shooting a 6.5 PRC, where most of his first shots blew up about 25 yards out.
We had a student shooting a 6.5 PRC, where most of his first shots blew up about 25 yards out.
I had 7 come apart at a F-Class match a couple weekends ago. 6.5 Creed, 2715 FPS. Hornady had me send them back for testing. Haven’t heard anything back yet.
I can still remember the conversation w Hornady early 2019 about my 6.5 PRC blowing up bullets. LMFAO. Guess,,,, i wasn't so crazy w my findings?
Guess i can use my 190 A-Tips as a paper weights? Berger's 190 hammered for me. At least i can depend on them making it to target.
The 130 and 140 have still been good for me so far.
Once I shoot up the last of my 130 eldm’s I’m probably going to the Sierra 130 SMK instead because Hornandy has kinda soured my opinion of them.
Once a Hornandy fan boy, till I got burned by the 147 and 180 and even the 190 a tip.
The 147eldm is pretty much all I have run in my 65CM through a Bartlien 7.5" twist but I am running very conservative velocities and it has a very low round count.
The node I run in is right around 2720fps from a 23" barrel and haven't had any issues.
The node I run in is right around 2720fps from a 23" barrel and haven't had any issues.
I finally got to shoot my new Bergara and zeroed with the 147's. I shot around 50 rounds total and luckily no issues. I have 250 more.
How much were factory Berger's before the panic? I'm finding the 140gr target hybrids for like $1.70. Kinda steep.
How much were factory Berger's before the panic? I'm finding the 140gr target hybrids for like $1.70. Kinda steep.
You are getting primo brass at that price.
I have about 500 bullets and 340 factory loaded rounds with the 147 ELD-M, roughly $800 down the drain. Rather disappointed that Hornady just has their head in the sand on this. Too good to be true I guess.
No. Mine were blowing up on one thousandth of tension, and graphite lubed necks. Hornady factory ammo is blowing up at Creedmoor/.260 speeds. This is not a loading problem.
I had watched a guy blow up ~40-50% of his factory 147s the month before my blow-ups occurred. I cleaned and borescoped my Krieger just to make sure I was doing everything possible because I was set to upgrade my rating...still had blow-ups.
I still have ~1,500 of that lot of 2,000. I've been shooting them in a new Bartlein and haven't blown one up yet, but I also haven't shot it much, and I haven't shot it for long strings, or while it's hot out. I'd bet money I could make it happen at ~2750fps if I tried (shooting hot, shooting 10-15rd strings).
To all the guys who think this is load related, or a result of pushing bullets too fast or twisting too hard, it's flat out not. There is a problem with these bullets/jackets etc.
This situation certainly doesn't inspire confidence. I have a batch of 500 that I bought about 2 1/2 years ago, and I have about 200 left. So far I haven't had this happen at all. I'm shooting them in a Tikka CTR 24" 1:8" twist and a Palmetto State gas gun with 20" 1:8" twist, both factory barrels with the corresponding long chamber. I'm loading them to 2.82"-ish lengths, so they're jumping a fair amount before they hit rifling. My velocities aren't super high - 2700 with the Tikka and 2610 with the Palmetto State. I guess my theory is - that I'm being pretty gentle with them, so they're not messing up on me. But...they're bullets. Shouldn't have to be "gentle" with them.
I'll finish shooting the ones I have, but then I'll probably switch to the 140's, 130's, or maybe even try some Berger's. It's too bad - both of my rifles really like these bullets.
I'll finish shooting the ones I have, but then I'll probably switch to the 140's, 130's, or maybe even try some Berger's. It's too bad - both of my rifles really like these bullets.
Your lot is super old too, this is probably a different lot,
Some of you guys who are claiming, "works great for me" know bullets are made in lots and one could be fine and another could be bad correct?
This whole, but I'm good is a waste of everyone's time, especially if you are still playing with an old supply
Some of you guys who are claiming, "works great for me" know bullets are made in lots and one could be fine and another could be bad correct?
This whole, but I'm good is a waste of everyone's time, especially if you are still playing with an old supply
Frank, what’s your thoughts on why this is happening? What would make the bullet do this?
Thank you! I shoot mostly Berger and rarely Hornady.
Well this would stink if my 6.5 that is almost ready to go to the range has this problem with 147s since I saw the ammo-rush happening and bought a few extra rounds of 147 instead of 143 or 140. Now it looks like I'd better drop Hornady and go with Berger and set up to reload (if we ever get supplies for that again). Very disappointing. Kind of makes one wonder about the 6mm ARC too doesn't it? Is this a "design" issue or a "QC" issue? Sounds like a bit of both; but maybe design seems to be more at fault.
Kinda wish Hornady would address this beyond the individuals who have reached out for their specific cases,
I know they have seen the reports, but the silence has been deafening for sure. A couple of individuals have seen who have reached out to Hornady separately have been shut down from all reports. That part sucks, maybe if they identified the lots or lots and said, hey 50/50 this lot might not be good would help, but who knows...
If your stuff works, roll with it, I like the 147gr load myself, I have boxes of it too, but seeing it twice now in action, both in class and at the SHC this year is depressing
I know they have seen the reports, but the silence has been deafening for sure. A couple of individuals have seen who have reached out to Hornady separately have been shut down from all reports. That part sucks, maybe if they identified the lots or lots and said, hey 50/50 this lot might not be good would help, but who knows...
If your stuff works, roll with it, I like the 147gr load myself, I have boxes of it too, but seeing it twice now in action, both in class and at the SHC this year is depressing
so far, its more than a lot to lot variation
me and a few others have had it happen in the same lot of A-Tips
first time it happened to me was at an 800 yard paper stage.
string of 3, all prone
1st shot - 8 ring
2nd shot - berm, 2 mils low, berm splash looked like a .22
3rd shot - 9 ring
these are 7mm 190 A-Tips
That might point to a bad bit of material that is used in both...
or a QC issue, the A-Tip problems have been far less reported but the more people shoot them, the more instances of the problem we see. That can be a machining problem, a Material One... hard to say
I have been to Hornady, the way it is set up, they usually group stuff together so not sure where the fall down is
or a QC issue, the A-Tip problems have been far less reported but the more people shoot them, the more instances of the problem we see. That can be a machining problem, a Material One... hard to say
I have been to Hornady, the way it is set up, they usually group stuff together so not sure where the fall down is
Maybe if people posted lots that have had this happen. I shoot them since they came out but for sure i dont know older lots anymore just current and one that is 1y old. What i did find odd is that bullet ogives vary in one box as far as 0.5mm but since i load with 1mm jump that doesnt matter much
Are you saying that a bullet base to ogive of .002 is odd? That's comparable to Berger as far as tolerance. You want to see something odd look at their weight spread.
Yeah I was thinking .05 mm. And .02 would be terrible.
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