Little advice on 212gr Eld-X 30cal.

Borgli · May 5, 2017, 10:42 AM

Hi all,

I have a Savage 111Lrh in 300wm. I just got a box of hornady 212gr eld x bullets that I want to load up. I don't have a lot of experience handloading, but I've gotten decent results. I have had a friend show teach me a lot before starting on my own. Safety first right.

Quick question;

Max length for my mag is about 3.380 the eld x calls for 3.500 according to hornadys latest manual. Will I be within safe pressure zones by seating the bullet in .160? I understand that pressure drops when it's seated further from the lands, but I would assume that is increases at some point. The eld x is 1.600 long while a "standard" bullet is 1.3-1.400 long.

Im planing on starting out at 61gr of Imr 4831 with brand new hornady brass.

If I can't then I can live with loading one into the chamber at a time.

Thanks guys!

T. O'Heir · May 5, 2017, 12:31 PM

Hodgdon goes to 3.420" with a 208 grain A-Max. (That'd be the data I'd use with a 212. The 4 grains won't matter.) Shows 63.7 of IMR4831 as the start load. Kind of odd when SAAMI Max is 3.340".
Max SAAMI pressure for .300 Win Mag is 64,000 PSI. IMR4831 doesn't come closer to that than 60,500 PSI.

Borgli · May 5, 2017, 12:36 PM

I'll try and report back.
Is there a way of calculating theoretical pressure?

Thank you

T. O'Heir · May 5, 2017, 12:50 PM

I recall reading something about it in the reference chapters my old Lyman manual. Formula looks like Hieroglyphics to me. Computers were invented so I wouldn't have to do math. Ok, it was calculators. snicker.
The reference chapters in your manual are a pretty decent read even if you don't read Hieroglyphics. They explain a lot of stuff in The Queen's English.
Pressure isn't something you can alter anyway. You won't send pressures to excess amounts by changing the seating depth either. Especially with start loads. Max .300 mag loads go to over 80 grains compressed(also nothing to worry about.). And the cases and rifle will tell you when it gets too high.

old roper · May 5, 2017, 02:52 PM

Hornady manual #10 has start load @ 55.2gr/IMR-4831 @ 2400fps and max of 65.9gr/IMR-4831@ 2800fps with 212gr ELD-X bullet and that's only bullet listed.

About 1/2 that bullet length is from the ogive forward to tip .730" and from ogive to base is .870" at least on the 212gr ELD-X bullets I have.

Me, I use the start load if you going to seat in.

Borgli · May 7, 2017, 03:00 PM

Update:

I measured max oal using my cleaning rod and it ended up to be 4.614 with the 212gr Eld-X.
I made a dummy round to find max mag size, it turned out to be 3.493.
I doubt that seating it in .007 is going to affect anything.
I have loaded up 20 rounds that I hope to test next week at the range. I loaded groups of 4, 59.5gr 60.5gr 61.5gr 62.5gr and 63.9gr.

May 5, 2017, 12:31 PM	#2
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Hodgdon goes to 3.420" with a 208 grain A-Max. (That'd be the data I'd use with a 212. The 4 grains won't matter.) Shows 63.7 of IMR4831 as the start load. Kind of odd when SAAMI Max is 3.340". Max SAAMI pressure for .300 Win Mag is 64,000 PSI. IMR4831 doesn't come closer to that than 60,500 PSI. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

May 5, 2017, 12:50 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	I recall reading something about it in the reference chapters my old Lyman manual. Formula looks like Hieroglyphics to me. Computers were invented so I wouldn't have to do math. Ok, it was calculators. snicker. The reference chapters in your manual are a pretty decent read even if you don't read Hieroglyphics. They explain a lot of stuff in The Queen's English. Pressure isn't something you can alter anyway. You won't send pressures to excess amounts by changing the seating depth either. Especially with start loads. Max .300 mag loads go to over 80 grains compressed(also nothing to worry about.). And the cases and rifle will tell you when it gets too high. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

May 5, 2017, 02:52 PM	#5
old roper Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2007 Posts: 2,155	Hornady manual #10 has start load @ 55.2gr/IMR-4831 @ 2400fps and max of 65.9gr/IMR-4831@ 2800fps with 212gr ELD-X bullet and that's only bullet listed. About 1/2 that bullet length is from the ogive forward to tip .730" and from ogive to base is .870" at least on the 212gr ELD-X bullets I have. Me, I use the start load if you going to seat in. __________________ Semper Fi Vietnam 1965 VFW Life member NRA Life Member Last edited by old roper; May 7, 2017 at 07:25 PM.

May 5, 2017, 10:42 AM	#1
Borgli Junior Member Join Date: May 5, 2017 Posts: 8	Little advice on 212gr Eld-X 30cal. Hi all, I have a Savage 111Lrh in 300wm. I just got a box of hornady 212gr eld x bullets that I want to load up. I don't have a lot of experience handloading, but I've gotten decent results. I have had a friend show teach me a lot before starting on my own. Safety first right. Quick question; Max length for my mag is about 3.380 the eld x calls for 3.500 according to hornadys latest manual. Will I be within safe pressure zones by seating the bullet in .160? I understand that pressure drops when it's seated further from the lands, but I would assume that is increases at some point. The eld x is 1.600 long while a "standard" bullet is 1.3-1.400 long. Im planing on starting out at 61gr of Imr 4831 with brand new hornady brass. If I can't then I can live with loading one into the chamber at a time. Thanks guys! Last edited by Borgli; May 5, 2017 at 10:57 AM.

May 5, 2017, 12:36 PM	#3
Borgli Junior Member Join Date: May 5, 2017 Posts: 8	I'll try and report back. Is there a way of calculating theoretical pressure? Thank you

May 7, 2017, 03:00 PM	#6
Borgli Junior Member Join Date: May 5, 2017 Posts: 8	Update: I measured max oal using my cleaning rod and it ended up to be 4.614 with the 212gr Eld-X. I made a dummy round to find max mag size, it turned out to be 3.493. I doubt that seating it in .007 is going to affect anything. I have loaded up 20 rounds that I hope to test next week at the range. I loaded groups of 4, 59.5gr 60.5gr 61.5gr 62.5gr and 63.9gr.