Anyone using Hornady ELD Match for LR hunting?

Vandy321

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Was just searching this exact topic.

Was all set to have my .300 throated for berger 215s...then my smith recommended the 230 hybrids...now today, the other smith in the shop urged me to look at the 225 ELDs.

Based on the age of this thread and the experience you folks have (Ryan/Broz) if you were spinning up a new barrel for elk, what would you throat it for out of those 3, and more importantly, why (26" 1:9 twist 300wm)?

Hard to argue with Broz's documented success with the 215s (the 215s vs 230s topic has been beaten to death on the forums, but the 225 throws a new twist in the arguement maybe?)
 
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Was just searching this exact topic.

Was all set to have my .300 throated for berger 215s...then my smith recommended the 230 hybrids...now today, the other smith in the shop urged me to look at the 225 ELDs.

Based on the age of this thread and the experience you folks have (Ryan/Broz) if you were spinning up a new barrel for elk, what would you throat it for out of those 3, and more importantly, why (26" 1:9 twist 300wm)?

Hard to argue with Broz's documented success with the 215s (the 215s vs 230s topic has been beaten to death on the forums, but the 225 throws a new twist in the arguement maybe?)

I'd have it throated for 215 bergers. They seem to be the gold standard for performance at win mag velocities. You don't see the mixed reviews that you do with 225 ELDm. 215s have a better form factor (BC given the weight) than the 230s and hit a nice spot for velocity at Win Mag capacities. 230's seem to be a good choice with big magnums that might push 215s into "blow up" velocities at close range.

I haven't used 225s but assume they have a longer bearing surface than bergers like most ELD's compared to similar weight berger hybrids. 300 WM doesn't have a long neck, if you throat for 225s and want to use 215 hybrids you might end up with very little bearing surface in the neck to get near the lands.

Now, the 230 A-TIP might throw a wrench in it all... but if throated for a 215 you could still shoot it just fine i'm sure.
 

30338

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Brag picture. Daughter is getting ready for her elk hunt. Shot this last night at 800 with a 12-15 wind coming in at 10 o'clock. My wind read was off a bit but she stacked 4 of the 147 eld-m at 800. She shot my 30-06 at 500 almost as well. Nice night shooting.
 

Broz

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I hope it's ok I share this here, if not admin please remove. But it is in our best interest to be aware of a potential issue. It has been a concern of mine for quite a while. 3 and 4 groove barrels with cup core thin jacketed bullets may wreck your day hunting. Especially when complied with faster twists and high velocity. I see now results are coming forth. Take it or leave it, just be advised.
Jeff

 
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I hope it's ok I share this here, if not admin please remove. But it is in our best interest to be aware of a potential issue. It has been a concern of mine for quite a while. 3 and 4 groove barrels with cup core thin jacketed bullets may wreck your day hunting. Especially when complied with faster twists and high velocity. I see now results are coming forth. Take it or leave it, just be advised.
Jeff


Not unique to the ELD-M’s, how thick are the EOL jackets?
I saw this from a 28 Nosler just two weeks ago. 5R barrel and 3200fps with a 195 Berger. Other 4 shots were 5” to the right.

8f5d67a01c8741cfe08538822e38702f.jpg



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Broz

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Not unique to the ELD-M’s, how thick are the EOL jackets?
I saw this from a 28 Nosler just two weeks ago. 5R barrel and 3200fps with a 195 Berger. Other 4 shots were 5” to the right.

8f5d67a01c8741cfe08538822e38702f.jpg



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Fast twist I assume or did you skip it in? LOL
 

Broz

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Ha! Nope it's an 1:8". This was also a consistently sub 3100fps charge weight load. I still need to pin gauge the bore to see but it's gotta be a bit tighter than others.

Mike
I would say this is more of a fluke than what we are compiling with numerous 4 grooves and mostly 147's in 6.5's over 3K
 
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Mike
3200 with a 195EOL? RL33?N570? That’s pretty fast. I’m running RL33 at 3030 and have had excellent results on game and groups.
 

30338

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I keep thinking that my daughter's rig shooting the 147 eld at 2700 fps muzzle velocity should be very consistent on game out to farther than she will ever shoot. More importantly I am thinking it should behave well in the 100 to 200 yard range as well. Those bullets coming unhinged at 3100 and 3200 are pretty surprising.

A guy gives up some BC with the 180 7mm Scenar but wondering how its jacket would hold up to those velocities? Tip of the hat to you guys putting the LONG in long range with those rigs.
 

mt100gr.

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Just got back from a deer hunting trip on Kodiak. 17 deer in 6 days. Deer were shot with 147 ELDM, 130 ELDM, 230 new A Tips, and 175 ELDX. All worked just fine. Shots were as close as 250 and as far as well over 600 yards :)
Were these launched from a Creedmoor, Luke? Muzzle velocity?.....the 147s, that is.
 

Jon Boy

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Didn’t seem too critical as all rifles/bullet combos seemed to work great despite no one being able to tell ya exact groove numbers in their barrels. I guess we all got lucky....even the 7s killed stuff without issue ;)
What cartridge was the 175 shot out of and performance achieved?

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But what about all the accubonds and TTSXs I have caught in animals that didn't pass through either and left much smaller wound channels? I have only seen 4 animals with ELDX so far, but none have gotten away and don't seem to kill any better (or worse) than CoreLokt, Accubond, Scirocco, TTSX, Fusions, TBBCs, Partitions, or anything else.

I have seen pass throughs as well as caught all of these. If an animal doesn't get killed from a bullet in my experience it isn't the bullet's failure to work but rather lack of placement. Only time I really had a bullet fail to work is when I used my dad's gun to shoot a moose. Unknowingly to me he had loaded FMJs in his .308. Well 3 shots to the boiler room later with 3 .308" holes in and out within 1.5" of each other the moose died. :)


That said a match bullet with an impact at 3000 fps likely isn't ideal. Just like a TSX at 1800 FPS isn't either. :)
IMO when one makes an argument for a "non hunting" bullet (as advertised) to be as good a game killer as a "game" bullet, given the time, trouble and testing put into them by the manufacturer they are dancing with the devil, so to speak
 
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Just got back from a deer hunting trip on Kodiak. 17 deer in 6 days. Deer were shot with 75 ELDM, 147 ELDM, 130 ELDM, 180 ELDM, 150 eldx, 230 new A Tips. All worked just fine. Shots were as close as 250 and as far as well over 600 yards :)

Luke, you caught my attention with the Atip. Did it seem to have similar performance to the eldm’s?

After only a sheep and wolf with 175 eldx thus far, I think I’m going to keep looking for something else to try on elk. They seem very splashy.

This is an entrance wound. Arrow is pointing to a good chunk of the bullet jacket that was visible. 2810 MV, impact at 40 yards. 5 groove barrel.

732384595bf08ff91bd9dc0a1aa0593c.jpg
 
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