View Full Version : Hornady A-Tip Bullets
Supposed to be impressive due to reduced BC variations (bullet to bullet) and they're packaged in manufacturing sequence.
We'll shoot some this weekend.
https://i.imgur.com/ssgcOJt.jpg
Eurodriver
06-15-19, 12:44
What’s the skinny on these? Difference between ELDM and AMAX? (I think the ELDM and amax are suspiciously too similar...)
Aluminum tips. The bullets are expensive to make, and thus purchase. Pappabear got a batch in 6.5 that we'll shoot.
There's 20 minute video by Hornady that explains it all, and it sounds promising. They sent these to shooters who subbed them into existing loads, and got great results at long range due to more consistent drag from bullet to bullet.
I'm hoping to see 6.5cm become more consistent at our 1300 yard target. We've not had thrilling results up to this point other than a few good runs with S&B blaster ammo.
We are more excited to get our hands-on the 30 cal 230 grain variety. They changed the shape of these bullets and the tip. You tube has multiple videos. They also make a 250 grain in A tip. But it supposedly requires a different barrel twist, time will tell. They are back ordered everywhere.
PB
Yes. The shape is different which requires some bullet seating stems to be replaced so you don't seat off of the tip. LE Wilson's seater stem didn't have that problem.
I'm not a BC fanatic at all... but we did compare the BC on these at 135 gr, and they matched up pretty close to the BC of the 143 grain ELD. In other words, 8 grain lighter bullet with pretty much the same BC.
Mark, which recipes were you using for the 135's and 143's?
Aluminum tips. The bullets are expensive to make, and thus purchase.
WOW! I figured expensive for Hornady, but at 50% higher than Bergers, they better fly very well and be forgiving to load.
So I screwed up with this first attempt and simply subbed the 135s into the 143 load which is 41.0 grains of 4350. We were clearly out of a good node because we both shot several rounds and got a lot of vertical stringing.
The bullets did shoot well at 100, but no question, there was vertical issues on paper and out at 1300. Will bump that load up and try to hit a node. We favor heavier bullets and won't likely re-order this weight again. But I'll still try to make them sing.
https://i.imgur.com/UcwI49R.jpg
Strange day, we also did a load of 300WM with a new loader and they were hot. Normally our 220's are 2887fps, these were over 3k- smoking and not as accurate. We couldn't find a node to save our 110 degree asses.
PB
Jwknutson17
06-17-19, 18:27
Those A tips sure are good looking. Been following them for a while now even though they just were released for the public. The 230s and 250s seem like a winner for the 30 boomers. Especially the 300 Norma Mag with the 250s. Excited to see what those can do at distance. If the 230s ever show up I'm going to give them a go in my 300 PRC behind RL26. Seems like I can get the velocity up without the pressure with the 26.
The 135s have a lot of appeal to me for my 6.5 PRC. The 153s look good also, but the 4% increase in BC over the 147s don't justify the cost for me. I am curious how these things do.
Ill have to bring a rifle or two down to AZ on my next trip to check out your guys range/setup.
Those A tips sure are good looking. Been following them for a while now even though they just were released for the public. The 230s and 250s seem like a winner for the 30 boomers. Especially the 300 Norma Mag with the 250s. Excited to see what those can do at distance. If the 230s ever show up I'm going to give them a go in my 300 PRC behind RL26. Seems like I can get the velocity up without the pressure with the 26.
The 135s have a lot of appeal to me for my 6.5 PRC. The 153s look good also, but the 4% increase in BC over the 147s don't justify the cost for me. I am curious how these things do.
Ill have to bring a rifle or two down to AZ on my next trip to check out your guys range/setup.
Your welcome to come anytime. But get that PRC built first. :)
PB
Daniel44114
07-25-19, 14:34
High price MIGHT be worth it beyond 1000 yards. Normal ranges out to 5-600 or so don't think you'll see any vast improvements.
High price MIGHT be worth it beyond 1000 yards. Normal ranges out to 5-600 or so don't think you'll see any vast improvements.
Yes agreed. Probably 1,000 yards and beyond for sure. The ELD’s are remarkable IMHO. And at this price they are going to be 1,000 yard plus bangers. Sure we’ll play closer in, at the start. But after understanding them completely, I’d suggest 1,000+ bullets.
PB
Gentlemen, please keep up the good work.
I'm especially intrigued by the 1K+ factor with the 6.5 Creedmoor.
Mark spun up some 230 grain sickness today and it worked out much better than our 6.5 loads. We dropped our charge from 74.5 (which was hot in our last lot of powder in 220's and 225's ELD-X'-Ms. ) Dropped down to 74 grains of H1K. ADG brass on Win Lrg Rifle primers.
We stacked some rounds at 200 yards and got 2838 FPS with 230 grains. This load took our DOPE from 10.5+ to 10.0 Mils at 1,300 yards. And we were right at 2,900 fps with our 225's and we still dropped our DOPE.
Probably a good 1 mile load. Now to find a mile to shoot.
PB
Yep. These are nice bullets. A real, no B.S. shave of .5 mils at 1300. Pappabear smacked the target on our first attempt too.
This look cool, and are much cheaper than turned solids, and cheaper. But for me I can’t get over the expense. I don’t like shooting multiple loads in the same rifle, dealing with zero shifts, etc. If I can’t feed the rifle a steady diet of a bullet without going in the poor house, I don’t get too horny for them.
Shooting further is definitely a plus, in that it’s a giggle moment. But how does the bullet perform when it comes to killing stuff? How do they compare to the more-affordable EOLs that are awesome at killing things?
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Shooting further is definitely a plus, in that it’s a giggle moment. But how does the bullet perform when it comes to killing stuff? How do they compare to the more-affordable EOLs that are awesome at killing things?
That's a good question. I've seen nothing about it being designed for any type of hunting. As far as sniper/terrorizer application.... almost any bulllet in the reach of 300wm is going to let the air out of them.
That's a good question. I've seen nothing about it being designed for any type of hunting. As far as sniper/terrorizer application.... almost any bulllet in the reach of 300wm is going to let the air out of them.
Yes indeed it will.
But isn’t Hornady just marketing them to consumers at this point?
I don’t get to hunt terrorists. These days I’m getting older and fatter and my main concerns are shooting my food and paper or steel targets. [emoji23]
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But isn’t Hornady just marketing them to consumers at this point?
Yes. As far as I know.
I runtime 220g ELD X bullets for hunting. And they work just fine. 300WM is very potent pushing those pills around 2,900fps.
PB
I didn't get a pic of the bullets out of the brass. But the A Tip 230s are roughly 15% longer which had me worried about stability through Pappabear's cans. We shot a few groups with the cans off, and saw nothing to worry about.
Here's some pics of the loaded ammo with the bullets seated using the LE Wilson seating die at the same setting for both loads.
https://i.imgur.com/oM1U6zl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VHiJ90I.jpg
That is a dead sexy bullet.
How do the aluminum tips hold up to recoil in the box magazine, do they get beat up- or is this a "load one at a time" only deal?
They hold up great. They're much more robust than a polymer tip bullet. No wiggle, play, or spinning of the tips in the bullet's jacket.
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