AusVarmint

I always shoot Eley Match (black box), but now im starting to think it is only pratice grade ammo, and the more i shoot it now i just dont have the confidence in it like i used to.
Whats peoples thoughts on it? Is it good enough for a match or should i be looking at more dearer ammo...?

I've found as much variation between batches of the same ammo brand as between different brands, I've had two batches of Eley Match both rated at 1063 fps but print nearly an inch difference in height and very different grouping aggs. Finding the right ammo can have very little to do with price(though it does cost a lot) If Eley use to work well, try a few more batches as well as any thing you can get your hands on (swap a few with mates).
Cheers
Glenn

Its amazing the standard for BR RF is the guys in the USA and 95% of them shoot Eley most shoot black, but I just can not get it to work for me. I would say try adjusting your tunner but not even that worked for me. I have tried many lots of Red or Black.

In Australia John wins quite a bit at national level with Eley, but tests big numbers of lot numbers and cherry picks, it would be great to be in his position.
Peter did very well with Lapua last 2 years, but is going to his trusty RWS more often then not at the moment. He like me can not get Eley to work. His chambers and barrels are the same as mine might be a story there.
Richard did very well at Europen champs with RWS.

You just have to find what your rifle likes and hope you can afford lots of it.

Brett

Well i shoot eley match tonite... 200.13. Not real tidy, but have just got a new maddco barrel and have only had a tick over 1000 thru it. Tryed the new r50 not much luck for the price. Mite play around with a few other brands yets... Will keep things posted.

I shoot Eley Black and Eley Team through my prone rifle (an Anschutz 1907), and have scored 200 with Eley Team and 199 with Eley Black. My current Eley Team batch # starts with 1010, and is 1057 speed, and Eley Black batch # starts with 1010, and is 1066 speed. I have also used Eley Black at 1057 speed too.

I have yet another half brick or so of Eley Black batch # 1110, is 1063 speed, and doesn't shoot well at all. Dunno why, but I can see that the batches starting with 1010 shoot well through my rifle...

I've tried Eley Black through my bench rifle. The rounds are hard to load, but they go "bang", and form decent groups that tuning with the barrel tuner could potentially tighten up, but it's not worth the effort, as my Lapua X-Act shoots 200's regularly.

G"Day All,
The problem with the eley match is that it only mediocre ammo at best, its middle of the range in rimfire ammo.
Now if funds would permit I would be buying different bricks of X-act to try and then settle on one lot.!!
Thats what the shooters at the top are doing.!!
Im not that cashed up to be able to do that so Ill have to settle for Match.!!
Bec,what machine numbers are those bricks of match you are using.??
Regards
Native

NH,

I don't know how to interpret the batch numbers, and haven't needed to so far. I just know that certain batch numbers shoot well, and certain batch numbers dont.

You don't buy a brick of X-Act to try, you buy a packet in one batch #, and a packet in another batch #, and try them. If I get up to the IRB Nats, and you're there, I'll give ya a packet to try. Only once you've found the sweet batch, then you buy as much as you can afford (in my case, brick by brick...).

- bec

Bec,
The numbers that really matter on the packet if at all are the machine numbers,these are defined by the second set of numbers above the rated speed,even the speed is nominal at best.!!
basically it goes like - 0910-05234
1056
The first four digits are used to tell when it was made and the first two digits of the next numbers represent the machine they were made on, in this case machine #05.
And the speed obviously below.
I have found that the newer machine 5 & 6 are tightly chambered in my gun but the 1-4 machine chambers easily.
machine 5 seems to be the most common ATM and probably because thats all we seem to be getting here in OZ.
I would like to try some of the better proven X-Act ammo.!!,Although i know it can vary from rifle to rifle.
I have read before that you liked a batch numbered #173 4355 735 is that still the case.??
brett might chime in here and share his thoughts on batch numbers.!!
Regards
Native

Thanks for that! I was wondering what the format was!

According to the ammo I have here, the Eley Blue is 1010-01129 @ 1057 speed. This batch I scored a perfect 200 shooting prone target rifle, and shot it in 10m30s including sighters, with the detail being 30mins long...

The Eley Black that shoots ok is 1010-01172 @ 1057 speed. I've shot a 199 with this. It had been my "go to" ammo batch for prone TR before I discovered the Eley Team shot just as well.

A recent batch of Eley Black I bought is 1110-05220 @ 1063 speed, and does not shoot well - it shotguns and generally has a wandering POI.

The other day I shot in AusCup 2 with a batch of Eley Black 1010-02230 @ 1066 speed, and felt it shot well, and grouped nicely.

I _really_ should be taking these batches down to SISC to have the groups reviewed in the ballistics range.

BTW, my X-Act batch number is #173 43 5 567 2.

Wow, holey crap!

I was just looking through one of the opened packets of Eley Black 1066, and inspecting random rounds. I noticed one that did not have any wax whatsoever on it...

Can ya imagine shooting that one off in competition?! Sitting pretty on a 199, it's the last bullet in the packet, and PFFT, a shot low in the 7-ring...

So I'm now looking at the other packets to see if there are any more...

If you are worried about it wipe the wax off all of them and then they will all be the same. Will wiping the wax off hurt? i am no expert but i do not think so as there have been many millions of std club that has been wiped clean and shot without hurting barrels. it may even shoot better but you will never know without trying

I am starting another thread with my testing on Lapua ammo, but will not be releasing Batch numbers yet, I am still testing.

Brett

native hunter wrote:Bec,
The numbers that really matter on the packet if at all are the machine numbers,these are defined by the second set of numbers above the rated speed,even the speed is nominal at best.!!
basically it goes like - 0910-05234
1056
The first four digits are used to tell when it was made and the first two digits of the next numbers represent the machine they were made on, in this case machine #05.
And the speed obviously below.
I have found that the newer machine 5 & 6 are tightly chambered in my gun but the 1-4 machine chambers easily.
machine 5 seems to be the most common ATM and probably because thats all we seem to be getting here in OZ.
I would like to try some of the better proven X-Act ammo.!!,Although i know it can vary from rifle to rifle.
I have read before that you liked a batch numbered #173 4355 735 is that still the case.??
brett might chime in here and share his thoughts on batch numbers.!!
Regards
Native

I bought a case of ammo last year of ELEY Match and the Batch number is 1010 - 02083 rated at 1063Fps this shoots very well in my rifle and have been consistantly shooting 245.10 and up around 248.15 on the IRB targets The 1067 batch i bought in brisbane last year was no where near as good.
The biggest eye opener for me was when you test the ammo in the test tunnel in SISC the Average which is printed on the box is pretty correct but the variation you get either side of that speed is the key some Tenex had worse variations than cheaper brands.
Getting a batch of ammo whether its Lapua, ELEY or RWS with the smallest Variation either side of that average Makes all the difference