Hornady CX experiences?

[skip189]

What rifle do you have?

It's a Remington 700 action with a Oregon Mountain Rifle carbon barrel that my wife had built for a birthday gift last year.

 

[DisplacedHusky]

Sounds like a great wife.

 

[Flea]

Curious what folks are doing for seating depth. I know Barnes recommends 50 thousandths off for their TTSX and LRX bullets. I called Hornady and the rep told me their CX’s pretty tolerant and recommend 20 to 50 thousandths off the lands. Loading for a new 7 PRC I put together.

So far I’ve only loaded to test for pressure. Started at 62 grains of H1000 and loaded up to 71 grains. Book max is 69.5 and I ended up with 3030 FPS out of a 20 inch Bartlein carbon. This was with once fired Hornady brass 160 grain CXs loaded 20 thou off the lands. Pressure signs started near max but weren’t real pronounced on the brass.

Going to drop back down to around 68ish and go from there but wondering if 20 thou is too close.

 

[The Guide]

I have a 6.5CM Tikka that shoots the 120CX very well and a 270 WSM Tikka that shoots the 130 CX excellently. Results on game have been very positive without any issues. I have seen 100% pass through on every shot. Caliber sized hole on entrance and 1.5x Caliber exit if no bone is hit. If bone is hit on exit, you will see a 1.5 to 2 inch exit hole. Lungs generally have a hole and are bloodshot but not liquefied like a fragmenting bullet. I will continue to use them on specifically guns that are accurate with them or guns I might go hunt California hogs with some buddies.

Jay

 

[dryfly101]

I'm impressed with the 190cx so far. Out of my 300prc, here is the recovered bullet with impact velocity around 2200 and energy around 2100. Single shot, double lung, great performance.

 

[Snailz]

I can say the Hornady factory 160 cx 7prc ammo sucks in my rifle as well as friends. The ELDX shoot lights out as well as the ELDM but both suck, in my humble opinion for elk. It’s on me as I rolled the dice not being a re loader. Federal terminal ascents can’t get here fast enough.
I am getting .6” groups with ELDX and 2” groups with flyers on the cx. My barrel only has about 25 rounds down it though.

I’d consider giving the gun a good cleaning and trying the Outfitter again. Some monos are reported to get pissy when they’re shot after jacketed bullets. The CX has a lot of bearing surface so that may be the case. Consider the first three shot group a fouler group and send another 3-5. If it’s still not grouping then it’s a definitive dud.

 

[Swampcruiser]

What rifle do you have?

I missed this, been out for a while. It’s an X bolt. I love it, shoots like a dream, and I am not really a rifle/ gun person. I will try the CX again but the Federal premium ELDX are grouping incredibly well.

 

[Randy11]

Has anyone had experience with the 139 at lower velocities?

I had iffy results with 140 etips out of my 7-08, and my rifle seems to like the CX.

 

[ndavison47]

I purchased a new 300 PRC from Boring Rifles this summer. It loves the 190 CX in the factory Outfitter. If I’m on my game, I can shoot a half MOA and have done so out to 400 yards.

I shot a large mule deer at 360 yards. Clean pass through after a double lung. The buck made it about 20 yards (downhill). Entrance and exit were clean, similar to what has been reported in this thread.

Photo of exit attached.

 

[ElkPRC]

I can say the Hornady factory 160 cx 7prc ammo sucks in my rifle as well as friends. The ELDX shoot lights out as well as the ELDM but both suck, in my humble opinion for elk. It’s on me as I rolled the dice not being a re loader. Federal terminal ascents can’t get here fast enough.
I am getting .6” groups with ELDX and 2” groups with flyers on the cx. My barrel only has about 25 rounds down it though.

I highly highly suggest getting 100-150 rounds minimum on your barrel, and cleaning fully at regular intervals, mostly after each range session(20-40 rounds) and try the ammo again.

Could still shoot like shit, but I can promise you that a lot will change in the barrel from 20 rounds to 200 rounds and it could make a specific chambering worse or better by a lot.

Don’t even pay attention to groups velocity etc until you have atleast that many rounds down the barrel.

 

[Deano0686]

My 6.5cm shoots 3/4 MOA with factory 147 ELDM. Tried the factory 120 CX and groups went to 2”. Bullets were moving in all directions from POA.

My 6.5prc also shoots 3/4 MOA with factory 147 ELDM. The factory 130 CX shot MOA but did experience a 1” POI shift.

Did you try the outfitter and the superformance? My creedmoor likes the superformance better than the outfitter. Same bullet different powder

 

[A382DWDZQ]

Any updates from anyone using CXs? Thinking about trying some 150s in 7-08 and 80s in 243.

 

[SDHNTR]

I’ve seen at least 50+ animals die to them. If they shoot well in your rifle, they work just fine on animals. Zero complaints.

 

[Deano0686]

Any updates from anyone using CXs? Thinking about trying some 150s in 7-08 and 80s in 243.

We shot three deer with them. All of them died less than 50 yards from the shot. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again

 

[Bkottke35]

My 300 PRC, Browning Xbolt western hunter, loves the factory 190gr outfitter load. I’ve taken one deer, one cow elk and one black bear. I’ve recovered two of those bullets. They seem to expand well and penetration has been great (shot angles were extreme). I’ve only had experience with them in the 300 prc so can’t speak to other calibers but I’ve been pretty happy with the results so far.

 

[Schmo]

Last season in Montana went 4 shots / 4 kills with Outfitter 7 PRC with the 160 CX. A whitetail doe at 370, a muley doe at 360, a muley buck at 196, and whitetail buck at about 40 yards. First three dropped at the shot. The last one was dead on his feet, running about 60 yards before collapsing. Couldn’t complain at all.

Regarding accuracy for 7 PRC specifically, UM has noticed that if a 7 PRC likes Outfitter, then it won’t like PH or Match. If it likes PH or Match, then it won’t like Outfitter. That was definitely true in my experience. I’m sure in hand loading that can be resolved.

 

[NealS02]

I was excited about the outfitter and shot 300 rounds with it in my .308 while practicing and installing a new scope. I kept getting inconsistent and large groups that were really making me question the accuracy of my rifle and my own ability (despite having shot thousands of rounds and graduated Army Sniper School). I had no confidence in my zero. I threw in Core Lokt and had sub moa groups immediately. I shot 165 grain in the outfitter and 150 grain in the Core Lokt. I am done with the outfitter, but am sure they would work for others depending on the rifle and setup.

 

[THellURider]

I've not had them group better than 1.5" out of a factory Sig Cross in 6.5CM or a custom Proof Barrelled 7 PRC unfortunately.

 

[notthattomsimonson]

My factory A Bolt 30-06 didn't like the 150 gr outfitter or the 165 gr superperformance. Velocity SDs were ok, in the 11-12 range, but mean radius north of 1" for both.

It really likes the 180gr outfitters though - just a bit larger than 1/2" mean radius.

Those are all based on 10 or 15 shot groups.

For reference, I had been shooting Federal Premium with barnes 165gr TSX with mean radius in the 3/4" range and was trying some different ammo to see if I had room to improve.

Good excuse to go shoot anyway!

 

[Weber]

I’d consider giving the gun a good cleaning and trying the Outfitter again. Some monos are reported to get pissy when they’re shot after jacketed bullets. The CX has a lot of bearing surface so that may be the case. Consider the first three shot group a fouler group and send another 3-5. If it’s still not grouping then it’s a definitive dud.

Just got back from a range trip to test this theory. Can confirm. 4 guns, if I swap back and forth it causes problems until I scrub the copper out