7mmRM 162gr ELD-X factory vs reload

I'm fairly new to reloading, and going to start reloading for my Tikka 7mm rem mag (for hunting). It shoots well with sako ammo, and Nosler 140gr ballistic tips, shooting out to about 400-500m. Best i can get with Hornady precision hunter (162gr ELD-X) factory ammo is about 1.5 MOA

Given the Hornady projectiles are about all that's available at the moment should I persevere with the ELD-X and try to work up a load? Or am i wasting my time and should try a different projectile?

Any tips appreciated!

I dont understand your problem...... if rifle is working ok now,you have no issue..
if you are getting 1.5" group thats still good to ???300yards... how far do you normally shoot animals?????
as long as you have half dozen rounds that shoot really well, for the occasional longer shot,your 1.5" ammunition will take care of the rest with ease.I take it you have got some hornady ELDX projectiles as components???? TRY seating them the same,or similar to the other two loads that DO shoot well... eg set up your seating die using loaded round to set seating depth to give similar oglive to rifling distance.... and try it.

Cheers. I'm hearing ya,

I'm down to my last 4 rounds of factory ammo that I know it shoots well, and haven't been able to find any more. Hense why reloading. The last 5 deer I shot with it were within 300m, and one at 450. For peace of mind I'd really like to work up a load that's sub MOA

I have everything I need except projectiles at this point.

The 162 a-max was an absolute hammer in my 7mm mag. If you can find some 162 eld-m they would be my go to projectile. I’d be trying to find a more accurate load, the 7mm mag is a 6-700yd round with the right load.

There are plenty of guys on here who load for 7mm rem mag that I'm sure can help
I would get some 162 ELDM and a tin of 2217 and you will be good to go.


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in that case I suggest to get what you can get...and go from there....

Factory eld x shoot 1.5 inches? Till you try a reload eld x that may shoot better.

Or 2225 and eldm iv used all of the above and my go to was 73gns off 2225 fed 215s 162 amax hornady and norma brass then eldx for a short time and over to eldm accuracy was sub half moa on a bad day

I'll second that.

As for the 7mm ELD-X, in my experience their terminal performance is a lot better than the ELD-M. I changed from ELD-M to ELD-X mid goat cull as I had taken both loads with me. I had goats walking off as if they hadn't even been hit with the ELD-M, changed to ELD-X and they were dropping with their insides on the outside. Handloads you'll be able to tune, it won't take much, all I did with my rem mag was load to mag length and play with powder charge.

Feel free to pm of you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer.

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Originally Posted by Rated M for Magnum

I'll second that.

As for the 7mm ELD-X, in my experience their terminal performance is a lot better than the ELD-M. I changed from ELD-M to ELD-X mid goat cull as I had taken both loads with me. I had goats walking off as if they hadn't even been hit with the ELD-M, changed to ELD-X and they were dropping with their insides on the outside. Handloads you'll be able to tune, it won't take much, all I did with my rem mag was load to mag length and play with powder charge.

Feel free to pm of you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer.

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Interesting if just gone to the eldm as the goats were to soft and the x and vld were penciling threw my biggest issue with the x was consistency

I was shoulder and neck shooting, lots of close range stuff, like 30 to 50 yards. The goats hit with the ELD-M died but walked off like they hadn't been hit, ELD-X was much more immediate.

I haven't shot many deer but all the deer I shot with ELD-X went down hard. Shoulder/high shoulder spine and neck shots and the ELD-X would severe the spine or (neck shots) almost decapitate them. Ranges from 30 to 400 yards.

When using the ELD-M they would expand and travel down the neck/spine and the goats would walk off. After that experience with the goats I changed to ELD-X and never looked back.

Also shot a chamois at 500 yards with ELD-X and it dropped immediately, shot placement was through mid shoulder and passed through.

Just my experience with them.

Cheers for the advice. I managed to find some ELD-X projectiles at the local. Hopefully I can find a recipe that my rifle likes

Don’t get caught up chasing speed. I’m using 162gr eldx with a fairly mild charge of 2217 getting 2930fps. At mag length. Shoots 1/2 moa if I’m doing my bit. Mixed results on game with eldx for me so started running two loads. A bonded projectile for 0-300m and eldx for 300+

I’ve heard mixed things about the eld-x, bad for copper fouling apparently. A handful of people I know who I know can shoot, have shot animals from 80 to 500m with eld-x, found blood and followed for hundreds of meters without turning up the animal. They’ve also had kills from 80 to 500m emphatically with the same projectile, hit and miss it seems. I run a 168 gr berger in my rem mag, 26” barrel, 3050fps with h1000. Nothing walks away from a berger in my experience. 500 odd yards and usually find the projectile on off side shoulder behind the skin. Touch the lands, come back 10thou, then jump in 20-40thiu increments until you find the jump your barrel likes best. Some guys are happy with minute of deer, some guys want a same hole rifle

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Originally Posted by Jus

I’ve heard mixed things about the eld-x,

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I find the eld-x topic quite an interesting one as there seem to be so many mixed reviews, everyone has a different opinion / experience. Makes me wonder if theres some vast difference in jacket thickness or design between different calibres of ELDX that drastically changes the way they behave depending on what your shooting them from. My own experience with ELDX is they have been brilliant, (143gr 6.5mm) No issues with copper fouling. Had the odd runner but they have never made it far and its always been when ive taken a meat saver shot behind the shoulder at closer ranges. Used the 200gr ELDX in my 300 win mag to great effect too, long distances though.

Yup, anything in the 72.5gr -73.5gr of 2225 with the 162 eldm or X at mag length should be money. This has worked in 3 t3 7mm mags I’ve loaded for and another that I’ll be trying it in soon

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Originally Posted by 6.5 CRD

I find the eld-x topic quite an interesting one as there seem to be so many mixed reviews, everyone has a different opinion / experience. Makes me wonder if theres some vast difference in jacket thickness or design between different calibres of ELDX that drastically changes the way they behave depending on what your shooting them from. My own experience with ELDX is they have been brilliant, (143gr 6.5mm) No issues with copper fouling. Had the odd runner but they have never made it far and its always been when ive taken a meat saver shot behind the shoulder at closer ranges. Used the 200gr ELDX in my 300 win mag to great effect too, long distances though.

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Yip like I said consistency was my issue 8/10 would perform flawlessly but 2 would be terrible and I got tired of the gamble

And as iv said in the past iv also had my best kills with the 175eldx and 162eldx just had my worse as well I haven't used the 162 since the year they came out maybe 2015/16 and the 175 since 2018 so their every chance they things have being remedied