Where to buy 88gr ELD-M at?

[steve123]

I need some bullets soon for a 223AI.

Powder Valley doesn't list them, called and they don't know when they will come in.

Doing a search, the 224V ammo comes up.

Help

 

[spife7980]

I gave up and just bought 1k of the 75s to avoid anymore headache (80s were out of stock). It seems like they are trying to get loaded ammo out before opening it up to hand loaders.
I saw one place that would let you backorder it but I doubt they had an expected delivery date, it was a small sketchy looking google return, some place I had never heard of.

 

[steve123]

Thanks

Yeah, guess I'll order Berger 90gr vlds for now and see how they work. It's just that I hate the extra work trying to find a good seating depth for vld's.

Seems like lately 90 SMK's aren't shooting too well???

Don't have the twist for 95's.

Might have to try the 80's too.

 

[Midwestside]

Thought you were in on this thread?
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ie-ammo-88gr-eld-m-545-g1-bc-2700fps.6885130/

Go to Midsouth:
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/dept/reloading/rifle-bullets/-point-224-dia/88-gr

 

[spife7980]

Well shit, looksie there.

I swear I looked at midsouth as it says its an exclusive on the hornady page and one of my staples I look at but couldnt find them or they were out of stock. I wish I hadnt cut open the midway bulk repacks of 75s already...

I guess the old measure twice cut once adage is still in play.

 

[steve123]

Thought you were in on this thread?
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ie-ammo-88gr-eld-m-545-g1-bc-2700fps.6885130/

Go to Midsouth:
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/dept/reloading/rifle-bullets/-point-224-dia/88-gr

I haven't gone back since right now when you gave the link.

Thanks for the heads up! I put in my order for the H88's and some new brass.

I think the barrel is already chambered but the GS had to order a throating reamer so maybe here in a month I'll be trying it all out.

 

[MOjagaloon]

Thanks so much! I’ve been looking for these for my Valk!

 

[steve123]

I haven't gone back since right now when you gave the link.

Thanks for the heads up! I put in my order for the H88's and some new brass.

I think the barrel is already chambered but the GS had to order a throating reamer so maybe here in a month I'll be trying it all out.

100 rounds through my 223AI right now, 75 of which are 70gr vlds for fireforming, and 25 of the Hornady 88gr ELDM's with formed brass/ 24.5 grains Varget just to run the barrel in on steel.

No bullet failures and so far accuracy seems promising with zero load work.

 

[SHKyle]

What velocity are you getting with the 88’s and 223ai?

 

[steve123]

I didn't chrono them.

I'm estimating 2800 with my 7 twist 28" barrel but by the time I get 150 rounds through the barrel it will have sped up.

But I have a hang up in that this barrel wasn't throated out far enough so in a couple weeks I'll get that done before I go with serious load work.

 

[Redeye3]

I didn't chrono them.

I'm estimating 2800 with my 7 twist 28" barrel but by the time I get 150 rounds through the barrel it will have sped up.

But I have a hang up in that this barrel wasn't throated out far enough so in a couple weeks I'll get that done before I go with serious load work.

Do u know the reamer freebore? And have u tested this anymore?

 

[steve123]

The reamer was for varmint bullets so the GS used a separate throating reamer but he still went too short. The bottom of the bullet is well below the shoulder of the case which is eating capacity and it's a very compressed load with 24.5 grains Varget.

Bullet on my comparator is .672" from base to ogive. 1.242" is the bullet length. My OACL now is 2.513". I need 2.610" OACL for the bottom of the baring surface to be slightly above the neck/ shoulder junction, this rifle is a single shot - no mag constraints. So I want .097" more throating.

Hopefully at the end of this all, the load will be close to 2900 fps.

 

[Redeye3]

The reamer was for varmint bullets so the GS used a separate throating reamer but he still went too short. The bottom of the bullet is well below the shoulder of the case which is eating capacity and it's a very compressed load with 24.5 grains Varget.

Bullet on my comparator is .672" from base to ogive. 1.242" is the bullet length. My OACL now is 2.513". I need 2.610" OACL for the bottom of the baring surface to be slightly above the neck/ shoulder junction, this rifle is a single shot - no mag constraints. So I want .097" more throating.

Hopefully at the end of this all, the load will be close to 2900 fps.

Thanks for reply, I was thinking of ordering .169reamer which seems to be the ticket. Seems like originally your chamber was .062wylde cut. Lmk how u make out!! Good luck

 

[steve123]

Will do.

I forgot to mention I did get to shoot long range with this load last week.

The wind was from 12 to 1:30, 2 to 5 mph. I hit all the steel pretty easily. My friends and I would hardly miss the 15" 981Y plate. I was happy!

 

[Redeye3]

Will do.

I forgot to mention I did get to shoot long range with this load last week.

The wind was from 12 to 1:30, 2 to 5 mph. I hit all the steel pretty easily. My friends and I would hardly miss the 15" 981Y plate. I was happy!

Awesome, can't wait to have this rig setup. Just trying to get all the smithing stuff up to the task. Austin Overman just did apost on Facebook with this bullet in 4 different 22cals. Good read

I'm going to try xbr8202 first since my 308s like the mix aswell. See how it goes

Freebore was my main concern for the 88gr/90/95s

 

[steve123]

I still haven't got the barrel re throated but the dope lines up at 2850 fps now vs 2800 fps before, so the barrel has sped up. 150 rounds down the tube now.

I've cleaned the rifle 3 times so far, after the first 25 fireforming loads, then at 75, then at 125. I'm making an effort to maintain the throat buy using JB's finer grit paste and cleaning the barrel well.

In a heavy benchrest rifle like I'm using this cartridge and load is a dream to shoot! The rifle is 18 lbs with scope and not braked. Very easy to self spot with.

 

[steve123]

I got the 223AI barrel throated out last week.

The ogive is at 2.043" and the OACL is 2.614". This .010" off the lands.

Did a ladder test earlier this week at 400Y. Shot's 24.5- 24.7 and 24.9 grains of Varget gave, and this isn't a mistake, .3" vertical! I picked 24.8 because shot 5 hit 1.5" higher. This is the low node. At 26.3 grains there was still no ejector smear or flat primer although it was a compressed load. The velocity for 24.8 was 2816 fps ave with 8 fps SD.

I didn't chrono 26.3 grains but I bet it was over 2900 fps and it was in the high node with 3/4"
vertical.

So far no problems with these 88's and I'm staying with them unless I do have problems later.

I was too lazy to set up steel so I ranged a rock about a foot tall and wide. Dialed up the solution SHOOTER gave with 8000 DA and center punched it! I missed off the right edge once in 7 shots. What a neat round!

 

[Redeye3]

I got the 223AI barrel throated out last week.

The ogive is at 2.043" and the OACL is 2.614". This .010" off the lands.

Did a ladder test earlier this week at 400Y. Shot's 24.5- 24.7 and 24.9 grains of Varget gave, and this isn't a mistake, .3" vertical! I picked 24.8 because shot 5 hit 1.5" higher. This is the low node. At 26.3 grains there was still no ejector smear or flat primer although it was a compressed load. The velocity for 24.8 was 2816 fps ave with 8 fps SD.

I didn't chrono 26.3 grains but I bet it was over 2900 fps and it was in the high node with 3/4"
vertical.

So far no problems with these 88's and I'm staying with them unless I do have problems later.

I was too lazy to set up steel so I ranged a rock about a foot tall and wide. Dialed up the solution SHOOTER gave with 8000 DA and center punched it! I missed off the right edge once in 7 shots. What a neat round!

Awesome , do you know the freebore cut on the reamer? My Smith only has .061 was thinking I needed to order one to spec.

 

[Dai Bando]

I still haven't got the barrel re throated but the dope lines up at 2850 fps now vs 2800 fps before, so the barrel has sped up. 150 rounds down the tube now.

I've cleaned the rifle 3 times so far, after the first 25 fireforming loads, then at 75, then at 125. I'm making an effort to maintain the throat buy using JB's finer grit paste and cleaning the barrel well.

In a heavy benchrest rifle like I'm using this cartridge and load is a dream to shoot! The rifle is 18 lbs with scope and not braked. Very easy to self spot with.

Right on!

2,900 with Varget aint a bad place to be.

 

[steve123]

Awesome , do you know the freebore cut on the reamer? My Smith only has .061 was thinking I needed to order one to spec.

I don't, the reamer just had a standard freebore for varmint bullets. I had him throat it out the first time with the throating reamer but he still got it too short. This time he got it right. The bottom of the bearing surface is just above the neck/shoulder junction. Just a guess, the freebore is around .180" ??? These are way to long for 223 accuracy international mags.

 

[steve123]

Right on!

2,900 with Varget aint a bad place to be.

No it isn't!

I chose the low node for long barrel life and to try to avoid bullets blowing up which the 88 to 90's have a reputation of doing. Well easier on brass too.

 

[Dai Bando]

.223 brass is cheap!

 

[Dai Bando]

Kinda wonderin about the 88's and 90's having a rep for coming apart?

Guys are shooting them in 22 Creeds @ 3,200. No?

 

[steve123]

It's kind of a mystery.

Some barrels, some twists, throat erosion, firecracking, hot barrel - combinations of all these have caused jacket failure. I've read about this phenomenon for many years and saw it concerning the 88's somewhere but I can't remember where.

I'm paranoid because...

My 20x47L was blowing up 55gr Bergers at 3830 fps at the 300 round mark, even slowed down to 3600 they would blow up.

140gr hybrids at 3275 fps out of my 6.5 Saum were blowing up when the barrel got hot during a match. The next node down which is 3175 is what I went to and have shot for years with no failures since.

So I'm trying to avoid the problem altogether with this project. I'm going to maintain the throat with JB and keep the barrel clean. Not let the barrel get too hot, and keeping pressures, also velocities at sedate levels.

This rifle in 223AI is mostly going to be a sub 1000Y plinker. As is it's only .2 mil more wind drift at 1000Y in a 5mph full value as compared to my 6x47L, and .1 mil at 500Y.

Just looking to shoot this more to save wear on the 6 and 6.5 and also on components.