What Is the Difference Between ELEY ultra Gen 1 and Gen 2?
ELEY ultra Gen 1 was released with the wrong Radial Standard Deviation (RSD) and the wrong bullet type. Gen 2 is the correct version, with the correct bullet type and the correct RSD performance. ELEY identified the discrepancy and corrected it, and Gen 2 is the relaunched ELEY ultra extreme long range you buy today: a round-nose 2.59 g / 40 gr cartridge with a published accuracy standard of 4.00 mm RSD, a velocity band of 317-330 m/s (1040-1085 ft/s) and EP2723 lubrication.
In ELEY’s own words: “Engineered for extreme precision at long range, the relaunched ELEY ultra sets a new benchmark in rimfire performance.” If you are comparing an older box against a current one, the current published specification below is the one to work from.
Published Specification: ELEY ultra extreme long range
| Specification | ELEY ultra extreme long range |
|---|---|
| Bullet profile | Round nose |
| Weight | 2.59 g / 40 gr |
| Velocity | 317-330 m/s / 1040-1085 ft/s |
| Accuracy | 4.00 mm RSD |
| Lubricant | EP2723 |
| Cartridge length | 25.4 mm / 1 inch |
| Ballistic coefficient | 0.112 |
| Drag model | RA4 |
Radial Standard Deviation measures the distance from each shot hole to the group’s centre point, the mean point of impact. The lower the RSD, the closer the group and the more consistent the performance. Unlike extreme spread, which considers only the two furthest shots, RSD evaluates every shot fired. ELEY tests 200 rounds from every batch across four different firearm brands to calculate it. That regime is precisely what identifies a specification discrepancy and gets it corrected.
A Premium Round, Built to tenex Checks
ultra production carries the same checks as ELEY tenex. That is what makes it a premium round, and it is why ultra is worth more money than its round-nose position in the range might suggest. Every cartridge is made under Six Sigma methodologies, with propellant measured electronically for each individual cartridge, priming in an advanced air-conditioned facility giving a 75% improvement in the spread of primer weights compared with other manufacturers, high-speed electronic visual inspection, and a temperature-controlled lubrication system.
The Silver Bullet, and Why You Can See Your Shot
The most obvious difference in ultra is one you can see on the bullet itself. The lead in the ultra projectile contains more antimony, which gives the bullet a silver colour. That colour helps the shooter see the shot when engaging targets at greater distances.
This is what ELEY means when it describes ultra as having a refined bullet profile and optimised visibility. At extended range, spotting your own impact is how you correct the next shot rather than the next stage, and a projectile you can follow is a practical advantage in the field and on a long-range rimfire course.
A Separately Engineered Round, Not a Selection Grade
ELEY tenex, match and team form one family, built around the patented flat-nose projectile that pulls the centre of pressure forwards as the bullet cuts through the air, aerodynamically stabilising the projectile. Within that family ELEY publishes a clear order: tenex, then match, then team.
ELEY ultra does not sit on that ladder. It uses a round-nose profile and is engineered around a different objective: precision at extended distance. Its 4.00 mm RSD should be read in that light. It is the published accuracy standard for a round designed for long flight, not a rung between tenex at 3.75 mm and match at 4.74 mm.
Two further design points support that objective. EP2723 lubrication (shared with ELEY tenex rapid fire pistol and the semi-auto benchrest products) eases repeated chambering, applied through a temperature-controlled system for consistent chambering and barrel protection. And the subsonic velocity band of 317-330 m/s (1040-1085 ft/s) means the bullet never makes the supersonic-to-subsonic transition that can destabilise a projectile in flight.
ultra is also suitable for semi-automatic rifles, and is ELEY’s recommendation, alongside tenex, for Vudoo rifles.
The Data Behind Any Batch
Every batch is proof tested with 200 rounds fired across four different firearm brands, and the mean velocity from that proofing is printed on the box. The free Lot Analyser at eleyxshot.com now holds all lots of ELEY tenex, tenex pistol, tenex biathlon, tenex rapid fire pistol, match, semi-auto .22LR benchrest precision, ultra and club: enter a batch number for the full 200-shot proof group with X and Y coordinates for every shot, plus velocity, group size, shot distribution, date loaded, ballistic coefficient, trajectory and radial dispersion across four barrel types. For solver work, enter BC 0.112 and drag model RA4 with the mean velocity from your own box, then true against your own chronograph.
Every barrel has its own characteristics and every batch performs differently. Batch testing at eley.co.uk/vip lets you evaluate up to 20 batches through your own rifle, building to a 40-shot group size and consolidated score for each shortlisted batch, at centres in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Germany, the United States and Canada. It is open to anyone.
The Bottom Line
Gen 1 of ELEY ultra went out with the wrong bullet type and the wrong RSD; Gen 2 corrected both and is the current round. ELEY ultra extreme long range today is round nose, 2.59 g / 40 gr, 317-330 m/s (1040-1085 ft/s), 4.00 mm RSD and EP2723 lubricant, produced to the same checks as ELEY tenex, with a high-antimony silver projectile you can spot at distance. It comes in 50-round boxes, 500-round bricks and 5,000-round outer cases; stockists are at eley.co.uk/retailers. Check your batch in the free Lot Analyser at eleyxshot.com, and confirm the lot through batch testing in your own barrel.