Disappointed with 134 ELDMs

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I bought 3 boxes of 134 eldm bullets last Nov and as I was loading discovered that 3-5 per box were missing tips, some were in the box while others were missing entirely.

I contacted Hornady and they sent 3 replacement boxes a few weeks ago.
I noticed one box had three tips in the bottom but all the bullets were intact???
The remaining 2 boxes appear normal but damn! 4 out of 6 have issues..

These bullets shoot one ragged hole but occasionally (like 1 in 10) will just do its own thing and randomly impact an inch or more out of the group..
I'll be right on target at 700-800 yards, then get an unexplained random up down or horizontal miss of 2 feet or more.
My theory is that some tips are compromised in some way and are coming off in flight.

I'm getting damn frustrated and will probably just go straight Berger from now on.
I've been a Hornady shooter for over a decade but I'm concerned that QC has taken a backseat to production.

 

[Team4LongGun]

I've found eld's to be very problematic. I rarely shoot them, and don't reload them across all platforms anymore.

 

[Taudisio]

I bought 3 boxes of 134 eldm bullets last Nov and as I was loading discovered that 3-5 per box were missing tips, some were in the box while others were missing entirely.

I contacted Hornady and they sent 3 replacement boxes a few weeks ago.
I noticed one box had three tips in the bottom but all the bullets were intact???
The remaining 2 boxes appear normal but damn! 4 out of 6 have issues..

These bullets shoot one ragged hole but occasionally (like 1 in 10) will just do its own thing and randomly impact an inch or more out of the group..
I'll be right on target at 700-800 yards, then get an unexplained random up down or horizontal miss of 2 feet or more.
My theory is that some tips are compromised in some way and are coming off in flight.

I'm getting damn frustrated and will probably just go straight Berger from now on.
I've been a Hornady shooter for over a decade but I'm concerned that QC has taken a backseat to production.

View attachment 838639

I have seen issues with Hornady quality control as well. Mainly weight differences, and base to ogive lengths of the bullets.

Did they charge you for the 3 replacement boxes? Make you send the damaged boxes back? It reads as if you bought 300, had 5 that were bad, and they sent you another 300 for free. Sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I unloaded a factory ELD-M after a hunt this year and when I ejected the shell it has no tip. Popped the bolt out and looked down the barrel and the tip was in the barrel. Kinda creepy.

 

[willfrye027]

Must be a bad lot? I’m about 600 in on my 25 creedmoor and have not encountered any of what you are describing. Definitely a bummer

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I have seen issues with Hornady quality control as well. Mainly weight differences, and base to ogive lengths of the bullets.

Did they charge you for the 3 replacement boxes? Make you send the damaged boxes back? It reads as if you bought 300, had 5 that were bad, and they sent you another 300 for free. Sounds like a good deal to me.

I bought the 3 and shot up 2 before contacting them, they sent me 3 free boxes one of which had broken tips and also sent flyers. I'm on the second replacement box now and it's doing the same..
Not such a great deal if you're chasing your tail while burning up time and expensive powder/primers.

I unloaded a factory ELD-M after a hunt this year and when I ejected the shell it has no tip. Popped the bolt out and looked down the barrel and the tip was in the barrel. Kinda creepy.

Yeah this is exactly what I fear is happening, the tips are weak and might be coming off while chambering or in flight.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Must be a bad lot? I’m about 600 in on my 25 creedmoor and have not encountered any of what you are describing. Definitely a bummer

Two different lots now over a 3 month production span

 

[willfrye027]

Two different lots now over a 3 month production span

Yikes. I bought 1500 from the very first lot with my new barrel. I’ll have to keep an eye on them in the future. Every 10 shot group had been less than 1” at 100 and nothing like you described. For what it’s worth I killed a lot of animals with the 135 Berger’s and before this barrel, those or the 133s are not a bad choice either

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Yikes. I bought 1500 from the very first lot with my new barrel. I’ll have to keep an eye on them in the future. Every 10 shot group had been less than 1” at 100 and nothing like you described. For what it’s worth I killed a lot of animals with the 135 Berger’s and before this barrel, those or the 133s are not a bad choice either

Yeah I bought a brick of 135 lrhts and they're shooting excellent, I'll bite the bullet (no pun intended) and spend the extra money to run them in matches going forward.

 

[Ucsdryder]

That sucks! I’ve never had one bad 180 eldm. Fingers crossed!

 

[schmidty3]

My 147s are weak as well. Bought 500. 3 or 4 in the first box arrived broken. Several in the 2nd. Broke one when I pulled it with a hammer style bullet puller. Broke one when I dropped it ~3 ft onto a foam floor mat. Broke one when I shoved my aics mag into the gun.

So far they've shot well though. Reserved the broken ones for chrono tests/powder ladders etc. Did well enough at the nrl hunter last week.

 

[bruceleroy]

Ive shot over 15,000 ELDM/X over the past few years and have had exactly zero issues with any of them.