Hornady 88 ELD

[S717-Valkyrie]

@a12driver what OAL???

[a12driver]

I am loading the 88 ELD's to 2.280". Seems to be the max length my magazines will allow, maybe could go a few thousandths more. I have two 6.8 SPC mags, one is a Barrett and the other is an ASC. Both worked well at that length.

I did try five rounds at 2.346" feeding them into the chamber singly. According to my crude measurements, that length should be .005" off the lands in my barrel. But that group was between 1.5" and 1.75" at 100 yards.

Once I find that best load, I will move out to 500 yards. Don't have access to 1000 yards yet. There is a club about 20 minutes from me that has a 1000 yard range, but you have to be a member to use it, and the membership list is currently full. Going to try to get on the waiting list.

When I completed my load testing I had 10 rounds of the RE15 25.0 grains left. I loaded up the mag, set the scope to the setting on my Strelok Pro app for 300 yards, and hit a 12" steel plate at 300 yards all ten rounds. And that was not precision aiming, just placing the crosshair somewhere on the plate and squeezing the trigger. So that load and the PowerPro 2000 MR look pretty promising for longer distances.

[a12driver]

Just another note: my Valkyrie build was done on a budget. I've been using a bolt borrowed from my Barrett REC-7 upper, had to add the gas rings since the REC-7 is a gas piston setup. I ordered an Advanced Combat bolt from Brownells; it should be arriving in the next few days.

I don't think it will change my load results, but I am certainly not an AR expert. Anyone have any thoughts?

Also, since my last range trip, I lapped the receiver. So I guess I'll find out if I see any changes in groups or point of impact the next time at the range.

[Hammerhead]

I also tried some of the 88's this week with Power Pro2000 and Win760.
The Power Pro had a good sized node starting at .960 at 22.7grns, going to .900 at 23.7grns. with the smallest group of .620 at 23.2 grns. The Win760 I tested from 26.8 up to 28.3grns. Got a nice group of .520 at 26.8 and .525 at 27.8 grns. All seated at 2.295.
Wilson Combat 20" 1:6.5 long freebore. I too will be lapping my receiver this week.

[PA Valkyrie]

I also tried some of the 88's this week with Power Pro2000 and Win760.
The Power Pro had a good sized node starting at .960 at 22.7grns, going to .900 at 23.7grns. with the smallest group of .620 at 23.2 grns.

Hammerhead, Your PP2000-MR charges seem pretty low. Alliant lists a max charge of 27.1 gr with the Sierra 90 MK, for a velocity of 2763 fps. They have no data yet for the Hdy 88 gr. I've done some preliminary testing with the 88's, charge weights 26.1-26.6-27.1-27.6 gr. None of the groups were worth writing home about. What was the total spread of your test ladder? Min load - max load? Any chance of getting velocity data?

Thanks, Dave

[Alaska_guy]

Has anyone here with access to a 300 yard range and a chronograph performed an audette ladder or 10 round ladder with the 88gr ELD?  I am curious at what velocity you are seeing the chronograph showing velocity nodes/pressure nodes that are close together.

IE: If your using PP-2000MR and 26.6 grain 26.8 grain and 27 grain all are within 1-2fps.  I know this can be done without a chronograph, but I find that when velocity flattens or stays the same its a better indicator of a node rather than the group size I happen to shoot that day.

I am not sure how many of you here geek out that far or not.  It's nice to know when your climbing in velocity and then note where a few different charges seem to be about the same in velocity.  Usually these are the accuracy nodes.  I still need to get a chronograph so I have been doing my reloading tests using the OCW method.

I am curious because I am wondering how high up in fps we are able to get these things to go while keeping the velocity close together between charge weights.  This should indicate how fast we can realistically push these and stay within accuracy before things start to fall apart.

I will eventually be doing these tests with the 80gr ELD's once my chronograph gets here.

[Hammerhead]

PA Valkyrie, Hi Dave.
The data that I used was from the low end of Sierra's data for the 90 Smk's. To be brutally honest I wasn't expecting good results
so I didn't set the chrony up! I started with the min load of 22.2 grns.  It was the biggest group at 2.25".
22.7 took it down to .960. 23.2 produced a .620 and concluded with a .900 group at 23.7 grns. Thinking there is a shooter
somewhere around 23.2 to 23.5.
I have tested the upper end of the scale with RE-15 and to say the groups were anything less than WILD would be an understatement. Grenades group better. I'm lapping my receiver early this weekend and if I have time I'll be retesting these loads again and WILL set up the chrony and be able to report some useful info.

[Hammerhead]

Back in from the range. Testing the upper end of the scale of Power pro 2000MR.
25.3 = 2619fps .619moa
25.7 = 2640fps .893moa
26.0 = 2644fps .711moa
26.3 = 2674fps .510moa
I also ran some 760 at similar charge weights and have nothing to report there. Lapping the receiver
did not produce any noticeable gains in accuracy but it really runs like butter.

[Alaska_guy]

Not much to complain about in an AR platform.  Half MOA or there abouts is all I normally shoot for.  If I get better than its just icing on the cake.

[Hammerhead]

Rodger that. I have a couple or three great loads now for the Valkyrie near the top of the possible velocity in the heavies. That was the main goal for me. Still wishing for some heavy hunting bullets. I dream of a 95grain coyote hammer.

[Grant]

Anyone having any luck reloading the 88s with temp insensitive powders (Varget, At-Comp, etc.) I live in ND where the temps are extreme to say the least. Thanks

[Hammerhead]

Sorry to report my experiments with Varget and H4350 were terrible.

[highside]

Mine as well. Being in Alaska, like some others here, we have days with massive temp changes. Waiting for really cold weather to set in, then do cold weather testing.

[Loomis1911]

Hornady has Load data for the 88 ELD.

https://press.hornady.com/assets/site/hornady/files/load-data/224-valkyrie-88gr-eld-match.pdf

[PA Valkyrie]

Back in from the range. Testing the upper end of the scale of Power pro 2000MR.
25.3 = 2619fps .619moa
25.7 = 2640fps .893moa
26.0 = 2644fps .711moa
26.3 = 2674fps .510moa
I also ran some 760 at similar charge weights and have nothing to report there. Lapping the receiver
did not produce any noticeable gains in accuracy but it really runs like butter.

Very encouraging! I'm trying again after my initial disappointment. Paying more attention to precision, including bullet runout. I just loaded this test ladder for the 88 with PP2000MR last night: 24.3, 25.3, 26.4, 26.9. Hornady reports velocities of 2500, 2600, 2700, 2750 for these loads.

I loaded this set to 2.275" COAL / 1.710" CBTO, which is about an 0.02" jump in my 24"/1:6.7 barrel.

Will test next week, hoping for the best.