147 ELDM “TAP Precision” Experience

[aftriathlete]

@Formidilosus or anyone else have any experience with the 147 ELDM “TAP Precision” LE ammo for the 6.5 CM? I can get it on Mil/LE deal, and I’ve been reading a lot about the 147 ELDM. Seems really appealing ballistics wise, has greater energy at the muzzle by a small bit but the retained energy at 500 yards above the 140 ELDM is a significant difference. I read some stuff here that indicates that the 147 has trouble with not expanding/fragmenting near/below 2000 fps though. This LE version looks different though, the polymer tip is definitely different from the 140 ELDM and Hornady’s promo material says it’s designed for “large wound cavities,” so does this tip design improve the issue of under expansion? Or is that all just theoretical because no one has ever actually used it on game?

I can always just stick with 140 ELDMs, but would like to hear inputs from anyone with first-hand experience.

https://press.hornady.com/js/pc.retrieve?mid=MTQxMDk5NTczMw%3D%3D

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus or anyone else have any experience with the 147 ELDM “TAP Precision” LE ammo for the 6.5 CM? I can get it on Mil/LE deal, and I’ve been reading a lot about the 147 ELDM. Seems really appealing ballistics wise, has greater energy at the muzzle by a small bit but the retained energy at 500 yards above the 140 ELDM is a significant difference. I read some stuff here that indicates that the 147 has trouble with not expanding/fragmenting near/below 2000 fps though. This LE version looks different though, the polymer tip is definitely different from the 140 ELDM and Hornady’s promo material says it’s designed for “large wound cavities,” so does this tip design improve the issue of under expansion? Or is that all just theoretical because no one has ever actually used it on game?

I can always just stick with 140 ELDMs, but would like to hear inputs from anyone with first-hand experience.

https://press.hornady.com/js/pc.retrieve?mid=MTQxMDk5NTczMw%3D%3D

It’s the same 147gr ELD-M. It’s shoots and kills fine. Ft-lbs of Energy isn’t a wounding mechanism and does not tell you anything about the wound created.

 

[aftriathlete]

Gotcha, OK then. It looked in the grainy little cross-section pic on the linked promo sheet like the base of the polymer tip was different.

The 147 ELDM seems to be a little vilified here, I read an old thread that linked to a LongRangeHunting.com thread about some guy's experience with the 147 being "inconsistent" and that seems to have been the nail in the coffin here among WKRs.

 

[aftriathlete]

@Formidilosus I found a thread from a few years ago that sounded like you were a big fan of the 147. You mentioned something to the effect of it's in a class of its own, ballistics and terminal performance-wise. Are you still that high on it? Or have you seen anything in the last couple years that tempers your expectations for the 147?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus I found a thread from a few years ago that sounded like you were a big fan of the 147. You mentioned something to the effect of it's in a class of its own, ballistics and terminal performance-wise. Are you still that high on it? Or have you seen anything in the last couple years that tempers your expectations for the 147?

The 140gr and 147gr ELD-M as well as the 143gr ELD-X all perform similarly.

 

[aftriathlete]

Will probably just stick with the 140s then, I’m zeroed for them already and it doesn’t sound like there is much between the 140 and 147. Especially for the relatively small game out here. Thanks for the input.

 

[Formidilosus]

Will probably just stick with the 140s then, I’m zeroed for them already and it doesn’t sound like there is much between the 140 and 147. Especially for the relatively small game out here. Thanks for the input.

There’s not enough difference to be noticeable.