Hornady ELD-X

[mtmuley]

These Hornady bullets have almost as much controversy surrounding them as did the Berger VLD when the craze started. Glad I never fell for the hype. No paragraph needed. mtmuley

 

[dkhor]

I’ve had a similar experience with the 143, one of my favorite bullets for 6.5cm

 

[black dawg]

Saw picture of a bull shot through the shoulders with a 270 grn eldx out of a 338 edge at 600 yds. Damage was huge, and passed through. Looked like what I would expect to see from that bullet/cartridge at 100 yds or closer.

 

[netman]

I shot seven animals(WT,MD and antelope) last year with the 140 Accubond out of my 264 Win Mag. Shots out to 400+ yards. All seven dropped in their tracks. My buddy shot two more deer with my rifle and dropped both in their tracks.
I have worked up a 143 ELDX load for my rifle as they shoot very good. I wanted a higher BC bullet for longer shots. I just never used them for hunting.
I have shot the 140 AB out past six hundred yards and they shoot very well.
I guess my confidence is very high with the AB.
I shoot Precision rifle matches and practice a lot. I shoot a 6 Creedmore using 108 ELDM. They are fantastic bullets. I’m constantly looking for a better bullet but for hunting I’ll stick with the AB.

 

[OkieElk]

Anyone shot the ELD-X in .300 WSM? Saw they have a 200gr. option. Shooting a Kimber Montana

 

[justin davis]

My wife shot a deer last week with the 143 EDLX out of a 6.5 hipster. 100 yard shot. Bullet was pass thru and not found. Deer went down quick.

 

[Tempe.243]

Was lucky enough to hit a Couse buck with my 6.5 CM out of a Savage 16 with 22" barrel. Had been practicing with the 143 g ELD-X and getting groups 2" or less at 200 yards when I did my part. Ended up hitting him from 130 yards out. He was standing up hill, quartering towards me and I was up hill from him. Bullet hit top back of right shoulder and took out top bit of his heart. Exit wound was small compared to entrance, which was bigger than expected. Looks like the bullet blew up when it hit him and the rest passed through.

He stood in is palce dazed before he stumbled down. Figure it would have knocked him down at impact.

 

[lyle_destroys]

I've been using hornady precision hunter factory loads in my tikka 300wsm because of how well the shoot. Put 2 rounds into a good sized bull at 185yds this year. The 1st smashed his shoulder and pulverized a lung. The second was about 2 inches behind the first shot and finished turning the lungs to mush, bullet hit the inside of the offside shoulder and did not exit either. 30cal entrance holes, no exit. They shoot great but I'll be shooting either accubonds or barnes solids from here on out.

 

[chukar_chaser]

Have killed two deer with my 7mm loaded with the ELDX. Both died.

 

[Calbuck]

I'd be willing to bet good money that every deer/elk dies differently. It all depends on shot placement and what exactly was hit. My experience with ELD-X is three one and done dead animals. They didn't all drop "on the spot" but I'm pretty positive none of them suffered any more than being shot with any other bullet. I'll also say that here in California, we now have to use all copper bullets. I've shot two mule deer with my 7mm rem mag/150 gr Barnes and have two one shot/done animals to account for it. Ive shot them with corelokts..one and done. All these bullets have put the deer down, but they DON'T always die immediately, that's just part of hunting. One deer I shot I hit far back and had to put another round through his neck..but that happens occasionally. These animals have a tremendous will to live, and I respect that about them. I don't EVER want an animal to suffer, but if I know that shot was sufficient to terminate the animal, more shots will just spoil meat.

 

[wind gypsy]

1 dall sheep @ 300 yards and 1 wolf @ 40 yards with the 7mm 175eldx @ 2810 FPS muzzle velocity. Came apart pretty good on a high shoulder/spine shot on the sheep.

On the wolf it went in frontal neck/high chest and completely came apart when it hit the spine between the shoulder blades.

Not a bullet I’d want to use at ultra magnum speeds against any notable bone. I also wonder if having a fast twist (1:8) aids in how fast they came apart. Like Bergers, definitely want to use heavy for caliber bullets. People using 178s in Win mags and acting surprised when they blow up.. don’t know what to tell ya.

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[Spiral Horn]

Been running 140ABs and 143ELD-X out of my 6.5CM the past few years while mostly hunting sheep/goats with excellent results on both. As somebody already said the round has moderate velocity and the shots were fairly long, which is kind of what these bullets were designed for. Had those same bullets sometimes separate but cause devastating lethal damage on whitetails at close range.

Took a 9ft+ Brown Bear at about 65 yards with my 300WEA shooting a 180gr TTSX ~3100fps. Entered front shoulder and found in opposite back hip. Great penetration/expansion/retention as the Barnes tends to perform best when pushed very hard and impacting bigger stuff. Wouldn’t expect an AB or ELD-X to penetrate as well, or for the Barnes to match ELD-X expansion at 500 yards on a Chamois.

Point is - finding the best “all-around hunting bullet” is somewhat elusive. Like any tool some are better suited to given situations than others. As far as the ELD-X goes - very satisfied with their performance on mountain game, but for big stuff I’ll more likely use a Barnes, Swift, or TBBC.

 

[wind gypsy]

Bumping an old thread because I like seeing these data points. Shot an elk last week with 7mm 175 eldx at 100 yards, 2830 ish MV. Elk was uphill quartering away. Bullet entered behind the front leg, caused a ton of damage to ribs and liquified most of the heart. Found the bullet in hide on offside in front of the shoulder nicely mushroomed. Bull made it about 30 yards and piled up dead. This was best performance I’ve seen so far from this bullet but was also the best shot placement I’ve made with it.

Entrance

Entrance with flank removed

Exit with bullet as found

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[BuckeyeRifleman]

Let's get back on this for the OP. I'll start.

Three whitetails, one coyote, and two mule deer shot with the ELD-X. Closest shot was 100, furthest was 490. Calibers were 300WM and 7RSAUM. All three whitetails were either DRT or went less than 10-15 yards. Both mulies were DRT. Coyote DRT.

These were my experiences before I had one bad experience with an elk, only one I have personally seen shot with an ELD-X. Did not recover the animal.

Good luck OP. Hope this helps.

This mirrors my experience with with the 143gr ELD-X in 6.5 CM. Great performance on deer and antelope.

Zero blood trail on a perfect broadside shot on a cow elk. 285 yards. Unfortunately lost the animal.

Sticking to bonded or copper solids from here on out.

 

[jarheadhunter]

I have had the same thing happen with Accubonds. The bullet i got out the elk looked like you could shoot it again. No expansion what so ever. The tip was bent to the side. I wish I had a picture of it.

 

[bigmuleyfan]

I have always been impressed with the ELD-x's

 

[wyo2track]

My experiences with a 200g ELD X out of my Kimber 300 win mag, 26" barrel, 2970 mv. with RL26. Most accurate bullet I've shot out of the rifle; well under 1" groups with best 3 shot group being .44 moa at 100 yds.

Cow Elk: 40 yds in heavy timber, shot through shoulder; penetrated shoulder, liquified lungs, did not penetrate offside shoulder. No bloodshot on shoulder just a shredded meat look on backside of shoulder that was shot through. Teenie tiny fragments of bullet only thing that was found. Dropped in her tracks.

Bull elk: big mature 6 point; 125 yard broadside, shot behind the shoulder. Complete pass through, 1" exit hole with a little bit of lung hanging out the exit hole...kinda cool. Bull sucked it up like big bulls do but a cow moved in front of him and prevented another shot. He quietly stood there about 2 yds from where I hit him first for about 20 seconds then collapsed. Lungs were jelly.

Mule Deer Buck: 22" wide 3 point buck, biggest seen after 7 days on a Colorado 3rd season hunt. Spotted him at 150 or so yards while he was walking towards me with the sun in his eyes. At 50 yards facing me he finally spotted me and give me the high head muley look....to late...took him right at the bottom line of the throat patch... Instant death..... but no exit.... bullet evaporated on the heavy neck bone which was broke and the tiny shrapnel followed the bottom of the neck bone and there was bloodshot meat to a point above the top of his shoulders. You would say no neck meat was salvageable. I've shot mule deer before just like this with my old Ruger 7x57 with 140 Partitions and they just make a nice hole in a big hole out the back of the neck. Buts that's an apples to oranges comparison..

I do understand these bullets are designed more for long range which most my shots are usually that 50 to 400 yard range, but they shoot so good in that slender Kimber barrel that I've been giving them a try. I'd expect a 200 grain chunk of lead from any cup-core constructed hunting bullet to kill whatever it hits with a well placed shot. Now waiting for next hunting season and I'll try to get a farther shot with these ELD X but you know you find the game where you find them..

 

[Calbuck]

Another "one and done for my 162 ELD-X/7 mag combo..bull elk front shoulder dead within 25 yards. I didn't take any pics but the shot was a bit low, broke the shoulder and took out very bottom of lung and damaged heart (still able to salvage for yum). Bullet passed through. Range was approx 70 yards on the shot.

 

[SidTheKidd]

My experiences with a 200g ELD X out of my Kimber 300 win mag, 26" barrel, 2970 mv. with RL26. Most accurate bullet I've shot out of the rifle; well under 1" groups with best 3 shot group being .44 moa at 100 yds.

Cow Elk: 40 yds in heavy timber, shot through shoulder; penetrated shoulder, liquified lungs, did not penetrate offside shoulder. No bloodshot on shoulder just a shredded meat look on backside of shoulder that was shot through. Teenie tiny fragments of bullet only thing that was found. Dropped in her tracks.

Bull elk: big mature 6 point; 125 yard broadside, shot behind the shoulder. Complete pass through, 1" exit hole with a little bit of lung hanging out the exit hole...kinda cool. Bull sucked it up like big bulls do but a cow moved in front of him and prevented another shot. He quietly stood there about 2 yds from where I hit him first for about 20 seconds then collapsed. Lungs were jelly.

Mule Deer Buck: 22" wide 3 point buck, biggest seen after 7 days on a Colorado 3rd season hunt. Spotted him at 150 or so yards while he was walking towards me with the sun in his eyes. At 50 yards facing me he finally spotted me and give me the high head muley look....to late...took him right at the bottom line of the throat patch... Instant death..... but no exit.... bullet evaporated on the heavy neck bone which was broke and the tiny shrapnel followed the bottom of the neck bone and there was bloodshot meat to a point above the top of his shoulders. You would say no neck meat was salvageable. I've shot mule deer before just like this with my old Ruger 7x57 with 140 Partitions and they just make a nice hole in a big hole out the back of the neck. Buts that's an apples to oranges comparison..

I do understand these bullets are designed more for long range which most my shots are usually that 50 to 400 yard range, but they shoot so good in that slender Kimber barrel that I've been giving them a try. I'd expect a 200 grain chunk of lead from any cup-core constructed hunting bullet to kill whatever it hits with a well placed shot. Now waiting for next hunting season and I'll try to get a farther shot with these ELD X but you know you find the game where you find them..

Been around a few guns that shot the ELDx well also. Specifically the 200 gr in a 300WM and 300WSM. The Win mag is a Browning HCLR and the 300 wsm is a t3x lite. I was impressed with both factory guns on how well they grouped the bullet.

 

[Smarpin]

Not apples to apples obviously, but had a successful harvest using a 6.5 creedmoor and factory precision hunter at 2613fps. Buck was 204 yards out, when I shot he looked around, confused (using a suppressor), and then trotted off about 10 yards. I thought I missed until he stopped, got wobly then fell over dead. Entry was between the last two ribs, exit was a gnarly looking 2” hole right behind the opposite shoulder. Buck was dead on his feet just took a second to realize it. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to use my 6.5 prc on a bull elk next year