Specific Hornady ELD-X Performance

I had a bad experience with a 7mm and Berger 168 on an elk. He was slightly quartering toward me, and I put two into him. Based off sightings on private a few weeks later, it appeared I hugged too far forward and they didn't get past the shoulder...

I had a 30 Nosler built for other reasons, but that elk was in the back of my mind. I am currently using 212 ELD-X with great accuracy at about 3070. I took three antelope and a mule deer this year with great results, I want other's experience.

What have you seen with the 212 or other ELD-X on larger game like elk or bigger?

Being specific.....it wasnt the 7mm or the Bergers fault....it was your choice of shot placement....
I have buried an arrow from the chest end of an elk to its guts...it died...i shot it from 6'.....

26Reload said:

Being specific.....it wasnt the 7mm or the Bergers fault....it was your choice of shot placement....
I have buried an arrow from the chest end of an elk to its guts...it died...i shot it from 6'.....

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I'm aware of what happened there hugging too far forward as I pointed out. The 7mm has the energy, and the Berger has killed many animals. I appreciate you sharing how your arrow killed an elk. Great job getting into 6'.

Moving on, can anyone share any experiences on ELD-X performance, especially the .30s?

brinker19 said:

I'm aware of what happened there hugging too far forward as I pointed out. The 7mm has the energy, and the Berger has killed many animals. I appreciate you sharing how your arrow killed an elk. Great job getting into 6'.

Moving on, can anyone share any experiences on ELD-X performance, especially the .30s?

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I can't speak to the 212 but my clients and I have had good results with the 225 ELDM.

I have used the 212 on two moose, 4 elk, and a muley.
Worked well and performed consistently. I shot the one moose in the shoulder bone and it punched through, breaking the bone and lodging in the far shoulder.
Ive used it from 50 yard to 450yards on elk, worked well, no complaints

I use the 212eldx and have taken 5 elk with it. The closest was 150 and the farthest was 510. So far I am very happy with the way they have preformed. Have recovered a couple of the bullets and the one that stands out was a little far forward and went through both front shoulders, and recovered on the off shoulder. Preformed great in my eyes and weighed 100 grains still was mushroomed and fully intact. Have not had one bull take a step yet they drop where they stood. My muzzle velocity is 2950. Just my opinion hope it helps. Have a great day

brinker19 said:

I had a bad experience with a 7mm and Berger 168 on an elk. He was slightly quartering toward me, and I put two into him. Based off sightings on private a few weeks later, it appeared I hugged too far forward and they didn't get past the shoulder...

I had a 30 Nosler built for other reasons, but that elk was in the back of my mind. I am currently using 212 ELD-X with great accuracy at about 3070. I took three antelope and a mule deer this year with great results, I want other's experience.

What have you seen with the 212 or other ELD-X on larger game like elk or bigger?

Click to expand...

I don't have any experience with .30 cal ELD-X bullets but I did witness a 143 ELD-X fail on an elk this last season.
My buddy shot a beautiful 6x6 at 240 yards with his 6.5 Creed, the first shot caught him center shoulder and the bull took off.
I watched my friend make a great follow up shot on the run that double lunged him, he was very lucky that he got a second bullet in him because the first hit the heavy leg bone and shattered to pieces.
They're good bullets but not for close range shoulder shots.
I'm going to post a few pics from my testing of close range impacts with bonded and non bonded bullets.

The ELDM actually is better on elk for a shoulder shot

I used the 212 eldx for an antelope a few years ago and based on the exit wound size being very small I actually moved on to the 225 eldm. The eldx didn't seem like it expanded it just punched a hole. It worked dont get me wrong the antelope ran 20 feet but I wasn't super impressed. I changed bullets mostly for the BC but I would try them again. The 225 eldm on the other hand demolished my elk this year. But that's all I will say about it since that's not what is being asked about.

elkaholic said:

The ELDM actually is better on elk for a shoulder shot

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What have you seen? I'm interested.

Sevy said:

I used the 212 eldx for an antelope a few years ago and based on the exit wound size being very small I actually moved on to the 225 eldm. The eldx didn't seem like it expanded it just punched a hole. It worked dont get me wrong the antelope ran 20 feet but I wasn't super impressed. I changed bullets mostly for the BC but I would try them again. The 225 eldm on the other hand demolished my elk this year. But that's all I will say about it since that's not what is being asked about.

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I had a broadside antelope at 200 take a double lung from the 212 and run 100-200 yards. About a 2" exit, so I was doubting it. Next antelope at 425 I hit slightly high and forward catching high shoulder. Dropped with nearly 6" exit. A few days later I shot a ~3.5yo muley at 200, broadside double lung, he ran a 20-30yd circle.
So, two of three animals I shot were similar to what you had if the biggest bone hit was a rib.

What did you see with the 225?

brinker19 said:

What have you seen? I'm interested.

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Me too

The 225 was at 830 yards with about 2000 fps impact velocity and everything inside that elk was goo. It destroyed the insides. The exit was decent sized and I found a 44gr piece of lead in the offside. We use the gutless method on elk so I didn't see the heart and lungs but I poked through the chest cavity with my knife and it drained for a couple minutes. Not just blood but chunks and stuff.

brinker19 said:

What have you seen? I'm interested.

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The ELDM actually is a little less explosive, initially, than the eldx because the jacket is thicker at the nose. The eldx has a thicker base, which slows expansion progressively but if it over expands on contact, especially in lower sd bullets, you might never get to the vitals. ( Too much frontal area immediately upon impact). I have had lots of penetration, for example, with a 147 ELDM and done less damage in the first 2-3 inches than you get with an eldx when the impact velocity is high. A good rule of thumb is use heavy for bore bullets when going thin jacket too, because the SD will help retain enough weight. This is more important with magnum velocity cartridges than 308 though.