212 ELDX or 225 ELDM

[idcwby]

I've been going back and forth on which bullet would be better for 1000-1500 yards on elk and deer? Than could I trust the ELDM within 100 if that opportunity presented itself? I know I'm asking both extremes of the bullet and that's the tough part of this.
The bullet will be shot through 1-8 twist 28" barrel chambered in 300 RUM.

idcwby

 

[johnnyk]

Truthfully, I don't know as I don't own a .300RUM. I do however shoot a lot of the 212-X's in a .300WinMag out to 1500yds. They are very accurate (2-3" groups @ 1K) in my current setup which is a 28" Pac-Nor, 9t barrel. Can't remember if it's a 5 or 6 groove that's irrelevant, to this. I'm running them with RL-26 at 3070fps with single digit SD. The only deer I have taken with this bullet was not a real test of it's overall terminal performance or versatility. It was a 100yds, neck shot in the throat. He went straight down and was lying on his legs when I got there. Never kicked.
I took another buck about 4 yrs ago with similar results in reaction. He was approximately 100yds, standing quartering to me. Using same .300WinMag but 208gn A-max. At the shot, he went down but again, no death kicks or stretching or anything. Just stone cold dead. I sat and watched him through the scope for several minutes and kept thinking "he must be playing possum cause he ain't moved a muscle". I waited for him to suddenly revive and hall buggie (as they sometimes do) but he never did. It was like the proverbial "flippin' a light switch".
All that to say; if I were to ever own a LR rig in .300RUM I would shoot the heaviest, highest BC bullet available. That think has a big "gas tank" and personally, I would run it as hard as I could without over pressure (I think I just convinced myself to get one!) to get the performance it promises.
We all know the X is for hunting and the M is for targets but the M, just like the A-max will kill the puddin' out of a whitetail (can't speak for elk).
This past season I shot a nice 8pt at less than 150yds with a 147gn -M from my 6.5-284. It was leaving the muzzle at 3050fps, and it went in at the top of his heart and blew lungs out the back side through a golf ball size exit wound.
I know this is long winded but hopefully it helps you in your decision.

 

[idcwby]

Johnny thanks for the reply. My original plan was to use the new A-Tip, but all the tests have been showing these bullets won't expand consistently or at all. Than I thought of using a Hammer bullet, but at 1500 yards I would be below that recommend 1800fps mark. Than I can back to these two bullets and know people have been having luck with both of them. I've had luck on deer and elk with the ELDX within 500 yards, so I know it's a good bullet. I was just seeing if one seems to be working better past 1000.
Thanks again for your reply, sometimes the long winded ones are the best.

idcwby

 

[Jud96]

I shoot the 208gr ELD-M at 3050fps out of my 28" barrel .308 Norma and my cousins shoot it in a .300 WSM and .300 RUM. I have not shot any deer with this rifle, but I did shoot one with this bullet when I had the .300 Win Mag barrel on. I shot a 200lb whitetail buck behind the shoulder quartering away. He was about 60 yards away. I placed the bullet about 4 ribs behind the shoulder, using the offside front leg as a reference for the boiler room. The bullet went in, destroyed the vitals, and lodged in the offside shoulder socket. The buck hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Both of my cousins have killed bucks with the 208s. One at 250 yards, and another around 500 yards. Both of them dropped in their tracks and the bullets left baseball sized exit wounds. I believe the 208gr ELD is one of the best .30cal bullets there is. The only other I would consider would be the 215 Berger Hybrids. I have no experience with them, but they have quite the reputation!

 

[Wachsmann]

I starting to work on some of the 225M myself. I would like to run them at mag length if possible. I'll loose some powder capacity but I'll see how this goes. I also have the 220-X bullets to work on as well. This is all for a 300Rum. I'll be testing H1000 for powder. I also might test some retumbo or RL26. I think i might have another pound or so if it. I been looking at H1000 because it seem to offer good results and I'm finding it a little easier than retumbo or RL26. Will see how it goes.

 

[JJMoody]

212 eldx depending on muzzle velocity will run out of "recommended" speed in a RUM around 1200 yds. Not sure about 225s but I'd imagine a better BC and thinner jacket would be better while exploring the outer limits of on-game performance.

 

[JJMoody]

For close shots, "chootem' in da brains"

 

[Sevy]

I can't speak for the close shots with the 225 but I killed an elk last year at 830 yards with a impact velocity of about 2000fps and it destroyed the vitals.
I killed a bear this spring at 520 and it had the same effect as on the elk. High shoulder and I lost the top half of both the shoulders. The bear died right now and the elk took about 10 seconds before he lost his feet. This was out of a 300 win mag. With the rum I would go for the 225. If you can get them in the realm of 3000fps that would be a hammer.

 

[Techy]

I'd lean toward the 225. I'd like to develop a load with the 225 eldm next. Currently working on a load for the 214 hammers. I have read that Steve doesn't guarantee them opening under 1800 fps, but they do open pretty reliably at way less than that. Just won't guarantee it. Faster twist helps in that regard also.

Shot a good group with the hammers today out of the 300 Norma AI.