180gr ELDM for hunting?

[cb4128]

I currently have a 7 SAUM with a 22" barrel that is my main hunting rifle out west, and I've been shooting the 175gr Berger Elite Hunters out of them for about a year and they are extremely accurate.

However, I haven't been thrilled with their performance on game - mostly big bodied whitetails and big hogs, with the occasional coyote.

I've been spoiled by the performance of the 156gr berger and the 215gr berger in other rifles. Usually animals crumple at the shot if I hit them in the shoulder area with those rifles. For whatever reason, these 175gr elite hunters just haven't performed the same for me.

***Does anyone have experience with the 180gr Hornady ELDM offering in the 2,850-2,950 fps realm? Listening to a podcast about the 7PRC got me thinking about it - that bullet has a crazy high BC. I've shot the 162gr ELDM in another 7 SAUM in the past but wasn't thrilled with the lack of blood or exit when I shot several whitetails.

They are cheap, which is very appealing as well.

Thanks for any input!

 

[xsn10s]

@Creedmoor shooter

 

[loonie]

They wont work any better than the elite hunters. Very poor performance on several elk for me, ok on deer lung shots. I quit using them for hunting.

 

[cb4128]

appreciate the input!

 

[mrjashu]

I shoot them out of my 7 saum at 2800 ish. Only used them on on two whitetails (smaller Coues here in AZ) and both were DRT, hit them HARD. I haven't used them on elk as I have a load with Hammer bullets for elk.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I've shot enough of them out of big magnums w/ 8 twist and they frequently come apart before they reach the target. I'm done with them.

 

[eoperator]

180eldm looked awsome in gel test I did last winter. I plan to use them this year.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I've shot enough of them out of big magnums w/ 8 twist and they frequently come apart before they reach the target. I'm done with them.

That's horrible.

 

[cb4128]

What speeds were you running them? I've also heard that 4 groove barrels are harder on them vs 5, but not sure.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Anything that fragile doesn't belong on a hunt regardless of twist or MV or grooves.
Hard to win matches when you don't have the same number of holes down range as you do fresh smoking brass.
Go big H

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

Try ELD-X. Or a Berger vld 168 grain. I'm surprised to hear that.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I'm told Berger has heavier jackets on the VLD target than VLD hunting to resist deformation for accuracy purposes.
Anybody know about ELD M/X??

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

I'm told Berger has heavier jackets on the VLD target than VLD hunting to resist deformation for accuracy purposes.
Anybody know about ELD M/X??

I've heard the same on the Berger target but me Personally I wouldn't be comfortable using a bullet that specifically says target not hunting. Same with the ELDM but lots of people seem to use it. I used the ELDX on a few whitetail, hogs, and dad used on an antelope and seemed to perform well. Almost all bullets exited which was nice and all animals dead in short order long as they were hit good.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I have to wonder, as a percentage, how many people use high BC long range and sometimes fragile bullets and don't shoot past 300 yds.
Guessing 80%