I was particularly intrigued by the information that the engineers had determined the base of a bullet was much more significant for accuracy than the nose of the bullet. In-flight tests showed that a very slight mar, burr, or scratch on the bullet heel would almost always result in significant yaw angle upon departure from the muzzle. They could actually pinch the nose of the bullet with a pair of pliers and it would have a much lesser effect on point of impact. Consequently, the heel of every TenEx bullet is visually inspected by computer before loading, and bullets with even the slightest imperfection are discarded.

While visiting Eley's facilities, Dick had the opportunity to review .22 LR and .17M2 performance at England's famed Bisley range with Sako's new Quad rifle. The rifle and ammo were extremely accurate.

Cases are as carefully gauged as the bullets and are formed by a progressive stamping process that minimizes distortion or metallurgical impact. The overall length is carefully specced, the case mouths are perfectly flat cut (not sheared), and the composition of the brass alloy is tested for every lot.

The actual loading process is completely computer-controlled and monitored with hands-on visual quality control and sampling (200 rounds fired for performance standard from each lot) as a supplement. A key element of final testing is the uniformity of pull-out force (bullet from case), which is critical to overall consistency in point of impact. Incidentally, the only observable difference between the loading process for the Eley .22 LR TenEx and the new Eley .17 Mach2 ammunition is that the use of Hornady V-Max bullets in the .17M2 obviates all the special care taken with TenEx bullets.

Worth The Effort
Remember, the goal of the TenEx improvement project was to increase the percentage of reference groups (less than 15mm diameter at 50 meters) from 8 to 10 percent to 30 percent. Current Eley TenEx Ultimate EPS ammo averages 50 percent.

I had the opportunity to shoot both the new-generation TenEx and the new .17M2 ammunition through a variety of rifles--from match-grade Anschutzs to hunting-grade Rugers, including the unique new multicaliber Sako Quad (see sidebar). There's not much to report. As you can see from the targets, both loads will essentially shoot one hole from a premium-grade rifle at 50 meters. Would Olympic-quality Eley TenEx .22 ammo be of any worth to you? Everybody knows different kinds of ammunition shoot differently in different guns, and I would never claim that TenEx shoots one-hole groups in every gun you might try it in.

But I will say that in every gun I have ever fired TenEx in--pistol, revolver, or rifle--it has shot better groups in those guns than any other brand or type of ammo. I think it's a great small-game hunting load (50-yard squirrel head shots from my scoped S&W Model 41 .22 autoloader). And you don't have to be an Olympian to benefit from Eley quality.