How Do I Read an ELEY Batch Number on the Box?
An ELEY batch code is printed in two parts. The upper line identifies the product, the year, the loading machine and the batch; the lower line is the mean velocity recorded across four barrels when that batch was proof tested. A code reading 10 26-04 244 over 1045 means loaded product 10, manufactured in 2026, on loader 04, batch 244 from that loader, with a proof mean velocity of 1045.
That code is the single most useful piece of information on the box. It is how you re-buy ammunition that has already proved itself in your barrel, and it is the key you type into the free ELEY Lot Analyser to see the proof data behind the batch.
Breaking the Code Down
Using the brochure’s worked example, 10 26-04 244 over 1045:
| Element | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| First pair | 10 | Loaded product |
| Second pair | 26 | Year of manufacture: 2026 |
| Third pair | 04 | Loader number, identifying the loading machine used |
| Final group | 244 | Batch number for that loader |
| Lower line | 1045 | Mean velocity across four barrels during proofing |
The two halves of the code answer different questions. The upper line tells you exactly which production run the box came from. The lower line tells you how that run performed on velocity when ELEY proof tested it.
Why the Loader Number Matters
The loader number is the part shooters most often overlook, and it is the reason the batch number alone is not the whole identity of a lot.
ELEY batch numbers run per loader. Batch 244 from loader 04 is a different production run from batch 244 from loader 07. Two boxes can therefore carry the same three-digit batch number and be entirely unrelated lots of ammunition. When you record a batch that works, write down the whole code, not just the last three digits: product, year, loader and batch.
This matters because of the core principle behind all ELEY batch testing: every barrel has its own unique dimensions and harmonic characteristics, and each batch of ammunition performs slightly differently. What performs flawlessly in one barrel may not deliver the same results in another. The lot that shot well for you is a specific production run, and the loader number is part of what identifies it.
What the Velocity Figure Is and Is Not
The lower line is a mean velocity, averaged across four barrels during proof testing. It is not a promise of what your rifle will produce. Barrel length, bore dimensions, chamber and temperature all shift muzzle velocity. Treat the figure as a comparative marker between batches rather than an absolute prediction for your firearm.
It is genuinely useful in that comparative role. If a batch that shot well for you carried a proof mean of 1045, a candidate batch with a similar mean is a more sensible starting point than one at the opposite end of the product’s published velocity band.
What to Do With the Code
Three practical steps:
- Record it. Write the full code into your shooting diary alongside your group sizes and conditions. A code without a result is just a number.
- Re-buy the same batch. Once a lot proves itself in your barrel, buy as much of it as you can while it is still available. Your retailer can check batch codes against stock.
- Look it up in the Lot Analyser. A free account at eleyxshot.com opens the proof data behind all lots of ELEY tenex, tenex pistol, tenex biathlon, tenex rapid fire pistol, match, semi-auto .22LR benchrest precision, ultra and club, including the full 200-shot proof group with X and Y coordinates for every shot.
The Bottom Line
10 26-04 244 over 1045 reads as: loaded product 10, made in 2026, on loader 04, batch 244, with a four-barrel proof mean velocity of 1045. Record the complete code, loader number included, every time you shoot a batch you like, then look it up at eleyxshot.com and use the published proof data to shortlist replacements when that lot runs out. To confirm the choice through your own barrel, book batch testing at eley.co.uk/vip.