Match EPS?

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jjp
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Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

Has anyone tried Eley Match EPS? Is it down graded Match black box? I shot some black box today at 100 meters and it seems to do alot better in the wind. I shot 10 five shot groups at ram distance today with really windy conditions and it seemed to do alot better than my SK rifle match that I've been using. I'm just trying to justify the price to use the good stuff in matches. I know my rifle likes them alot at 50 yards. I don't know if it's worth using it with my 8" wobble. :D

I guess if you only use 2 boxes for each match it might be worth it for the extra confidence. Do yall shoot what your rifle shoots best or do you shoot what's the most accurate for the money?

Wish I could find some Eley Target to try. I bought some Sport to try and it groups good until I shot it at Ram distance. I'm going to use it for practice at chickens.

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Re: Match EPS?

Post by Dee »

Not sure about it being downgraded ammo of another name. From what I can tell they usually call it practice 100 or something similar when they down grade a batch. If your hold is only 8" at this time IMO it would be a waste of money to use such high $ ammo. What you need is more trigger time and hold drills/dry firing to improve your hold/trigger control before you need worry about that kind of ammo if you ever really will at all.

To get that practice you can just shoot the cheapy ammo at the chicken and pigs or do the Lawton smaller and smaller circle shooting/hold drill.

I just got in 1/2 a case of SK Std Plus as I can not locate anymore CCI SV paperbox that was made at the Federal plant. The CCI plants version of the SV round still shoots better than the lot of Eley Target I tested in my 1712 but for the money the CCI SV Federal made rounds shoot under 1" @100 the SK is roughly the same but at over $1.50 roughly more a box.

So far I have shot several 31/40 using the CCI SV and all my misses I am confident were due to the trigger nut not the ammo. I know everyone thinks it is crazy to shoot about the cheapest ammo you can out of one of the most expensive custom rifles but under and inch is under an inch no matter the cost. I do think the higher BC of some of the more expensive ammo will help limit wind drift as you noted but not sure if it is enough to be worth the cost either.

Last match we had winds at full value 90 degrees from the left, not sure of the exact speed but the wind tape was sticking out parallel to the ground and it was enough to actually move the shooter and rifle around. I shot a 100 yard group off my range caddy box with no bags that was under an inch with 4/5 shots within .5" and one outsider to open it up. The drift was 1.5-1.75" from the POA to POI which told me all I needed to know for holding off during the match. IMO if you know your ammos drift rate you can compensate for it with simply holding off by that amount.

One of the older retired guys I shoot with is always ribbing me about needing to shoot higher $$ ammo but until he can beat me with his $9 a box Lapua I think I will have to go the cheaper route :))

So long as it is consistent and groups under 1.25-1.5" at Rams you should be good to go at least until your hold improves to sub MOA =))


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Re: Match EPS?

Post by hambone49 »

That blue box stuff is black box Match EPS just repackaged for the USA shooting promotion. I use it in my prone shooting only. Dee is reffering to the downgraded Tenex that Cathy has occasionally, last relabeled as practice 100. I use the CCI for the shorties and the Eley 100 for the T&R.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

I was kidding about the extreme wobble. I'm debating using premium ammo just because I have to drive 2+ hours to matches so whats $8 extra for premium ammo. In comparison to other shooting sports silhouette is a bargain to shoot. :D One shot of my Barrett is more a $7. My 6.8x43 carbines are $.42 a shot.

I guess what I need to decide is it worth swapping back and forth ammo or shoot what you practice with also in matches. My rifle likes the SK/wolf ammo. So I might need to stick with it.

I am wondering about the Match EPS because it is $1.32 cheaper per box than Black Box Match.

Thanks for the info. I know Practice, Practice, Practice. :D

Thanks ham, Do you use both ammos in a match?
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by Dee »

$7 a round :shock: I knew they weren't cheap to shoot but dayummmmmmmm. I guess it is all relative to your pocket book like gambling. If you have the money to blow then the money versus reward ratio gets higher and higher lol.

I am on the cheaper end of the shooting spectrum :roll: Thats why I love air rifles $70 for 5000 match rounds :ymapplause: Sure they are pellet guns that cost $1000-2000 but I can at least get more trigger time with them on the cheap and that is even being able to shoot SB at my house anytime I want. So I am just getting up to the cost of the airgun in ammo costs to shoot it after about 105,000 rounds for a $1500 air rifle.

Lets see at $7 a round how many do you get to shoot before you have exceeded the cost of the rifle probably in the 1000 round range :shock: To think only a mere $735,000 in ammo if you ever get to 105,000 rounds lol.

I agree with you about the overall costs of shooting being low for SB sils and Airgun, not so much for HP but I am working on justifying that also :wink: Lots of guys think like you that your spending the money to drive a long way to shoot and in the end after gas, match fees, lunch etc the 2 boxes of ammo you will use at the match is not all that big a factor. I guess being able to shoot at home also keeps me thinking economically since I can go through a box or two a day everyday of the week at the house practicing. So even with the cheaper stuff I like that I can switch it up with 3 different air rifles that shoot for pennies.

I think you will be set with any of the ammo you mention but as always just make sure your particular rifle likes that particular lot and you should be set.


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Re: Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

I for sure want to invest in a air rifle. I have a RWS 34 I suppose I could practice with.

I'm going to practice with the cheap stuff for sure. I've been using Sport to practice at chickens since it's alot cheaper.

After looking at all of this I will probably lean toward using all SK standard +. I have not one complaint about it.

Thanks keep the good info coming.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by Jerry G »

Jason, you have hit on something I have been saying for a long time. People spend a lot of money traveling to a shoot and then bitch about an extra $3.00 for ammo. Doesn't make too much senst to me. Find some cheep stuff to practice with and spend the extra couple bucks during the match.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

I believe using the Eley match will help in my confidence. So is the Match EPS the same as Black box or will it be hit or miss? Then if you use the cheap stuff to practice with do you clean your rifle then have to shoot a couple boxes to get it to settle back in with the better bullets lube?

I've got all kinds of ammo questions, I guess everyone has their preference. That's why the make so many flavors of ammo. I like reading about all the options.

Thanks everyone.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by lone ringer »

Jason, you do not need to shoot a couple of boxes to season your barrel, start with a clean barrel and by the time you have taken a few practice or sighter shots with your new ammo you are good to go. I like to clean my barrels before a match or practice and then leave the lubricant to protect the barrel from moisture until the next time, if it a two or three day match I do not clean in between matches.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

lone ringer wrote:Jason, you do not need to shoot a couple of boxes to season your barrel, start with a clean barrel and by the time you have taken a few practice or sighter shots with your new ammo you are good to go. I like to clean my barrels before a match or practice and then leave the lubricant to protect the barrel from moisture until the next time, if it a two or three day match I do not clean in between matches.

Thanks for the info. I tried it a few minutes ago and it seems to take 10 shots to settle back in to good groups.
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by jjp »

Now this ammo has the same bullet for an even better price. Anyone tried it against the others?

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Re: Match EPS?

Post by lone ringer »

I have tried Eley Biathlon in the past and it shot as good as Match black box. I suggest you give a try to Lapua Center X a fellow shooter sells it in Benchrest Central for $ 8.80 a box great ammo for the price.

http://www.benchrest.com/cgi-bin/classi ... =retrieval
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Re: Match EPS?

Post by shakes »

if it doesnt meet the tenex requirements it gets filltered down to match eps, team, and so they dont have a machine just for tenex, match eps, team and so on. They make all the bullets on the same machines. If it sport or practice stuff the have different dies for those bullets. So if you buy the "blue box" team its downgraded Tenex that didnt meet tenex specs. :D
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