ELD-M for hunting???

[Muley Buck]

I have been using the .284 ELD-X for a few years now (handloads). I have no complaints with the terminal ballistics on game or the accuracy I have been getting with them. I have even loaded up some ELD-M's, again accuracy has been great and equal to the ELD-X in my rifle. Since there was no accuracy gain either way I decided to use the ELD-X since my intent was to use them for hunting.

So, my wife has a Tikka T3 X Lite chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor we shot it for the first time the other day and I bought some Hornady factory ammunition. We used the 143 ELD-X and the 147 ELD-M. Both shot well and 1 MOA was achieved, but the 147 ELD-M was getting .5 to .25 MOA. which is what I am really happy about! So my question is, is the ELD-M worse, equal or better on game? I know people are using them for hunting. Of those who do, what results are you guys experiencing? I would love to have her run these this season because of the fact that they shoot so well, but I am a little reluctant to do so. I do not want to compromise a clean kill. Convince me! Please!

 

[luke moffat]

Should be able to tell ya more in a month.

I used the 143 ELDX to kill well over a dozen critters out of our 6.5 CM rifle last year from deer, to caribou to even grizzly bear. I am going to be trying the 147 ELDM this year....well keep ya posted.

I will say I was VERY much less than impressed on the penetration of the 225 ELDM though.

 

[WRO]

Should be able to tell ya more in a month.

I used the 143 ELDX to kill well over a dozen critters out of our 6.5 CM rifle last year from deer, to caribou to even grizzly bear. I am going to be trying the 147 ELDM this year....well keep ya posted.

I will say I was VERY much less than impressed on the penetration of the 225 ELDM though.

How far were the shots with the ELD-M?

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[luke moffat]

How far were the shots with the ELD-M?

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Impact velocity approx 2750 fps.

Starting from the muzzle with the 147s at only 2720 fps ought to help their chances....we shall see.

 

[JollyRoger]

There was a thread a while back about using these for hunting that was pretty good
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/long-range-hunting/72235-using-hornady-eld-match-lr-hunting.html

From what I gathered there it sounds like guys did just fine with the M. That said, I dont have any first hand experience using them on game.

 

[Muley Buck]

Should be able to tell ya more in a month.

I used the 143 ELDX to kill well over a dozen critters out of our 6.5 CM rifle last year from deer, to caribou to even grizzly bear. I am going to be trying the 147 ELDM this year....well keep ya posted.

I will say I was VERY much less than impressed on the penetration of the 225 ELDM though.

Very nice! Thank you Luke, I look forward to hearing your results with the 147

What exactly were your qualms with the 225 ELD-M?

 

[Muley Buck]

There was a thread a while back about using these for hunting that was pretty good
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/long-range-hunting/72235-using-hornady-eld-match-lr-hunting.html

From what I gathered there it sounds like guys did just fine with the M. That said, I dont have any first hand experience using them on game.

Thank you for the link! I remember reading that thread a while back. I guess I'm looking for further verification and it's certainly helping. I also remember the video Ryan Avery put up this last season of his buddy's girl (I think) shooting a cow elk at somewhere in the 500 yard range with a 6mm CM using the 108 ELD-M. Looked to do pretty well.

Here it is.
Hornady 108 gr ELD-M on elk - YouTube

 

[luke moffat]

Very nice! Thank you Luke, I look forward to hearing your results with the 147

What exactly were your qualms with the 225 ELD-M?

It had a high speed come apart impacting at 2750 fps with pitiful penetration.

 

[WRO]

It had a high speed come apart impacting at 2750 fps with pitiful penetration.

Fall bear?

Never killed a brown bear, but I've spent a fair bit of time around them. (Shot my fair share of black ones) They're pretty thick and dense from what I've seen. I'd think a bonded bullet like an accubond or partition would be a better choice.

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[Formidilosus]

Have used, and seen used several different versions. The 147gr ELD-M has been great on deer, the 178gr 30cal is as splashy as the A-Max was, the 180gr and 162gr 7mm have been fine, etc.


They're A-Max’s. They’re probably not going to go stem to stern on an elk, but if chosen correctly create massive wounds and kill quickly.

 

[2five7]

Here are a couple videos I've found of the 180 7mm bullet on elk.

7 lrm, impact velocity around 2000
Huge Bull Elk Gives up the Ghost at 856 Yards - Plus A Surprise...Wait For It! - YouTube


28 Nosler, impact velocity around 2600
Kill Shot On 330? Bull - YouTube

 

[Muley Buck]

It had a high speed come apart impacting at 2750 fps with pitiful penetration.

I see. Thanx Luke!

 

[Muley Buck]

I want to thank you all for the feedback I have received! I do appreciate it!

 

[Muley Buck]

With what sounds to be for the most part, overwhelming success with the ELD-M'S. Where is the point of aim you guys are taking? What is considered to be the ideal spot for bullet placement for these slugs on critters? We will be using mainly on deer and antelope, but I'd like to know any experience on elk as well. As I have no clue with elk, never done em, but probably will in the future. As I've said before I have been running the 168gr ELD-X in my 7mm Rem Mag and I put it on the crease with excellent results so far(deer and antelope). Should I do and expect the same with the 147 ELD-M'S?

 

[luke moffat]

I certainly wouldn’t aim for the shoulder on purpose.

 

[Muley Buck]

I certainly wouldn’t aim for the shoulder on purpose.

Thanx Luke, I didn't think so either, at least I wouldn't plan on it. Unless I had to for some unknown reason???

 

[huntsman22]

I shot a bull at 458 yards with the 140 Amax outta the creed last season. High shoulder/clipped spine (on purpose), dropped like he was poleaxed. The bullet exited with golfball sized hole. That said, 200 and under it'll be neck shots or lungs for me.....

 

[spaniel]

I've yet to encounter a bullet that will perform optimally from 50 yards to 600 yards. Based on my expected hunting scenario, I carry what I expect to perform best in that situation.

I found the 285gr ELD-M .338 bullet to be a great performer on a 713yd elk from an Edge. If I expected to hunt dark timber and shoot elk under a hundred yards, I'd pick a different rifle and bullet. Something with tougher construction, like a Partition, or something launched at a lower velocity.

Overall, in the .338 class, the 285 seems to be a consistent performer across reasonable ranges.

 

[TBossHSauce]

1 moa vs 1/2 moa...3" vs 6" at 600 yards....Maybe you can notice the 3" but for me, I'll shoot the hunting bullet (EldX) over the match bullet (EldM) every time.

 

[FURMAN]

The point is not if you can or can't actually maintain .5 moa in field conditions. You need the most accuracy you can get if you are going to be ethically long range hunting. If you only have a 1moa rifle/load and you miss the wind call be 1moa you are now up to 2 moa off poa. Every bit of accuracy adds to the probability of hitting inside the kill zone. ABM has a program that will actually calculate the difference in hit probably between cartridges. An average cartridge's ballistics with 1moa vs .5 moa accuracy is about 10% difference in kill zone hit probability. Maybe that does not mean much to you but it is huge to me. From the reports I have seen the ELDM is just as lethal if not more than the ELDX. I personally only have two 670-700 yard kills on whitetails with 147 ELDMs and although the animals did not die right there they only ran 30-50 yards. The internal organs of both were destroyed with complete pass throughs. I would not hesitate to use 147s on game. I shot three pronghorn with 120 ELDMs and bullet performance was great but all shots were under 200 yards. I would not hesitate to use the 120s under 500 yards.