ELD-VT 100 gr bullet loads

[Okie_Poke]

I have decided to STOP doing 3 5 or 10 shot groups....20+ from now. Right now I am loading stuff at max leverrevolution loading and seeing mediocre MOA for a group....but on average most shots are MUCH tighter than the moa. For example, I might see 4 MOA from a 20 shot group, but I am seeing that my mean grouping is MUCH tighter. 20 shots I might see 2.7 moa, but I see mean radius of 0.7 moa meaning that most shots at 1.4 moa on average. Larger gro0ups gives a larger sample size and better results to work with. 3 shots is no t a good group to build on no matter how goos it is...MOA is the worst shot and the best shot not matter how many shots, but mean radius is ALL the shots.

I understand. I have pretty well settled on 10 shot groups and measuring mean radius anytime I’m trying to measure accuracy. 20 is better, of course, it just uses double the components. I really wasn’t trying to see how precise this bullet shot here and was mostly interested in (i) velocity, and (ii) functioning in rifle length gas system.

[Dt219]

How did you get all the loads to show up on hodgdons data ? I can only pick one bullet and powder combo at a time on the mobile

[Okie_Poke]

How did you get all the loads to show up on hodgdons data ? I can only pick one bullet and powder combo at a time on the mobile

Don't pick a bullet weight or powder at all. If you want to see all 6.5 Grendel data, select that cartridge and then "Get Load Data." If you want to see every powder for a particular bullet weight, select the bullet weight and no powder and it'll give you all powders for that bullet weight. But once you select bullet weight or powder, you are stuck with only the one you selected.

[AR-180]

I was able to compare a couple loads in a couple uppers with different barrel lengths.

20” Odin Works barrel
Avg: 2474; sd: 14.9
Load1: 30.2 CFE 223 and 100 ELD-VT

Avg: 2403; sd: 17.2
Load2: 27.0 AR Comp and 123 SMK

24” Lilja barrel
Avg: 2526; sd: 23.4
Load1: 30.2 CFE 223 and 100 ELD-VT

Avg: 2452; sd: 7.5
Load2: 27.0 AR Comp and 123 SMK 24"

There is headroom on both of these loads. The 100gr should probably use a different powder for best velocity.

[LRRPF52]

100gr ELD-VT Hodgdon’s data:

Hodgdon

LEVERevolution

2.245"

31.3

2,730

42,100 PSI

33.5C

2,877

47,900 PSI

Hodgdon

CFE 223

2.245"

30.8

2,685

40,900 PSI

33.0C

2,899

50,300 PSI

Accurate

2520

2.245"

30.0

2,623

41,100 PSI

32.8C

2,855

50,400 PSI

IMR

IMR 8208 XBR

2.245"

27.7

2,654

42,600 PSI

29.3C

2,818

50,600 PSI

You’re below the start loads for 100gr ELD-VT with CFE223. You can go up about 3 grains over what you did. If you load longer COL (if mags allows it), you can get even a little more powder in. From the 24” barrel, you will be able to get way more velocity.

[AR-180]

100gr ELD-VT Hodgdon’s data:

You’re below the start loads for 100gr ELD-VT with CFE223. You can go up about 3 grains over what you did. If you load longer COL (if mags allows it), you can get even a little more powder in. From the 24” barrel, you will be able to get way more velocity.

Thanks. I saw that data today.

I think my main issue is something else.

[Okie_Poke]

The recent improvement I've seen with my 18" X-Caliber barrel has me re-interested in load devlopment for that rifle, I'm want to play some more with this 100 ELD-VT bullet. Toward that end, I've been working back through this thread to see what others have come up with to inform my upcoming testing. As I was going, I compiled a chart of the powders, charges, and velocities folks have reported throughout the thread. Note: I have not cross-referenced this against published data or tested it, so use at your own risk. All I've done is compile the info reported in this thread into a single table for easy refernece. I'm sharing because I had it and thought someone else might find it useful.


image.png

Where the 100 ELD-VT becomes interesting to me is if I can get an 18" barrel to push it to 2650 fps, with 2700 getting more interestng. At 2650, the ELD-VT should have the same wind drift at 600 yards (1.6 Mils) as the 123 ELD-M at 2450 with about 0.7 Mil less drop. AT 2700 fps, it starts getting sporty. My blue highlighting above is to flag the loads that may hit those velocities in an 18" barrel. Be careful; YMMV.

Hopefully more to come in actual test results. I've got TAC and LVR on hand, as well as CFE 223, StaBall Match, 8208 XBR, and AR COMP. I probalby won't try all of them, but I plant to test seveal of them.

[Okie_Poke]

I did make it to the range today to shoot velocity ladders with four different powders under the 100 ELDVT. It was not super-promising and I was unable to get to 2650 fps from my 18” barrel. The rifle doesn’t seem to love the bullet either, so I’m probably sticking with my 120 smk/tac load. Here’s what I observed.

All shots from 100 yards off bipod and rear bag. Velocities measured with Garmin. Virgin Starline brass, cci 450, and same the seating die setting. Although, due to powder compression, the seating depth was not necessarily consistent. They should have been seating at 2.252” but the compressed ones seated up to 2.259”. Everything fed and functioned just fine. No pressure signs.

Lever

Charge	Velocity
30.0	2361
30.5	2414
31.0c	2468
31.5c	2501
32.0C	2558

These started compressing somewhat at 31 and by 32 was quite compressed. Well under Hodgdon’s listed max but the case is full. Didn’t group all that well.

IMG_7464.jpg

TAC

Charge	Velocity
27.5	2422
28.0	2459
28.5	2504
29.0	2554
29.5	2607

29.5 is listed as “book max.” Was not compressed but didn’t really group any better.

IMG_7465.jpg

Magic Fairy Dust (8208 xbr)

Charge	Velocity
27.3	2349
27.8	2443
28.3c	2522
28.8c	2513
29.3C	2582

Started compressing by 28.3 and was for real compressed by 29.3, which is the listed max charge. The velocity here seems erratic. But it grouped the best of these powders today with this bullet.

IMG_7466.jpg

CFE 223

Charge	Velocity
30.0	2379
30.5	2503
31.0	2506
31.5c	2522
32.0C	2588

As with Lever, I ran out of case well before max. And this X-caliber barrel continues to hate this powder.

IMG_7467.jpg

Yikes! The numbers aren’t in order either, so I can’t say whether that low one was the velocity outlier or not.

By this point I was worried my barrel had decided to suck at everything again and it was time to chop it up into little pieces. I had 5 rounds of my 120smk/tac load left in that box, though, and shot this immediately after:

IMG_7468.jpg

I’ll just stick with that. I could probably get a load with 8208 and the vt to shoot, but it’s not really fast enough for me to be interesting. YMMV.

[Dalemac3]

I'm new to the forum having recently built a 6.5 Grendel in AR platform with 22" heavy barrel. I used to use the manuals to reload (2013-current) but found too much variation between recipes. I could get good groups but always seemed to get different results later during varying conditions. I recently discovered Gordon's reloading tool via Little Crow Gunworks YouTube videos.

The program requires some homework, like measuring fired case capacity and tweaking bullet details specific to bullet lots. The ability to estimate pressures relative to case capacity, barrel length and powder burn percentage really opened my eyes to efficient hand loading specific to caliber, bullet and appropriate powder. If you maintain 100% powder burn before your projectile leaves the barrel then your variation during shooting sessions and conditions should be minimized and provide more consistent accuracy.

That said, my work up on Gordons for your 18" barrel with my fired case capacity of 36.31 grains H2o using 28 gr of N135 gives the best powder burn percentage @ 100%, it posted an estimated 50,314 psi and 2640 fps. This being the current maximum I would try before test results, you can load .3 gr less for two or more sets of rounds to chronograph for actual velocity relative to your most accurate groupings. You can creep up on pressure levels with adjusted test data after previous loads are test fired and velocity measured.

Gordons Reloading tool is a free download project that is reasonable to set up and develop safe loads based on accurate information and projected pressures.
I suggest you measure capacity of your own fired cases as this has considerable effect on pressure change.
Once you have good chrono velocity data you can massage the combustion coefficient of the powder to reflect the measured velocity and you have accurate data for that load that should translate to similar loads with that batch of powder.

Good luck and safe shooting!

[LRRPF52]

You need High Speed Photography to confirm if you’re burning all the propellant, but since Grendel uses such a small case with a short powder column and 30 degree shoulder, it does really well converting the propellant efficiently. It is one of the most efficient cases available in all of the rifle metallic cartridges.

[Clint00]

Try some 10X. I have no problems hitting 2600fps out of a 14" barrel with a 95 Vmax.