Ammo Specifications
More Information on Hornady .223 Remington Ammo
Hornady Match .223 Remington 73 Grain ELD Match (80269) is a precision-oriented centerfire rifle cartridge developed for target shooting and competition where consistency and aerodynamic efficiency are priorities. Loaded with Hornady’s 73-grain ELD Match (ELD-M) projectile, this ammunition provides a heavier bullet option for the .223 Remington than the common 55- and 62-grain loads. The combination of carefully selected components and a streamlined match projectile makes the 80269 particularly suited to shooters looking for predictable external ballistics and accuracy from compatible .223 Remington rifles.
At the center of the cartridge is Hornady’s 73-grain Extremely Low Drag Match bullet. The ELD Match design incorporates the company’s Heat Shield tip, a polymer tip formulated to resist aerodynamic heating and maintain its shape during flight. Hornady developed the material after identifying that conventional polymer tips could deform from aerodynamic heating at high velocities, potentially changing the bullet’s ballistic characteristics. Maintaining a consistent tip profile helps preserve the projectile’s intended aerodynamic performance as it travels downrange.
The 73-grain ELD Match also features a boat-tail design and streamlined secant-ogive profile. These features reduce aerodynamic drag and help the projectile retain velocity more efficiently than lighter, less streamlined .223 bullets. The bullet’s heavier weight and efficient shape can also provide improved resistance to wind drift at extended distances, although actual trajectory and wind performance depend on atmospheric conditions, muzzle velocity, rifle configuration, and other factors.
Hornady lists the 80269 with a factory-rated muzzle velocity of 2,790 feet per second. That specification is important because this ammunition is intended to provide a balance between the velocity available from the .223 Remington cartridge and the aerodynamic advantages of a relatively heavy .224-caliber match projectile. Actual velocities can vary according to barrel length, chamber dimensions, environmental conditions, and individual firearm.
Like other ammunition in Hornady’s Match line, the 80269 is manufactured with an emphasis on component uniformity. Hornady Match ammunition uses carefully selected cases, primers, propellants, and bullets, with attention given to consistent cartridge dimensions and loading. These characteristics are intended to reduce ammunition-related variation and provide repeatable performance from shot to shot. Hornady’s brass cases are also Boxer primed and reloadable, allowing shooters who handload to retain their fired cases.
The .223 Remington has been popular for decades because of its combination of relatively mild recoil, good accuracy, widespread firearm availability, and useful external ballistics. Pairing it with a 73-grain ELD Match projectile shifts the cartridge toward precision applications compared with conventional lightweight FMJ ammunition. Rifles must have an appropriate rifling twist rate to properly stabilize heavier .224-caliber projectiles, so performance can vary among different .223 rifles.
Packaged in a 20-round box, Hornady 80269 is a specialized match load rather than bulk practice ammunition. Its combination of a 73-grain ELD Match projectile, Heat Shield tip, boat-tail construction, and 2,790-fps factory-rated muzzle velocity makes it a purpose-built option for precision target and competition shooting.
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