6.5 prc with eldx on game

My wife took a whitetail and I took and Axis and a hog with ELD-Xs in a PRC, all DRT.

The little 40lbs hog caught the bullet on the far side hide and there wasn't much left of the bullet with a complete cup/core separation.

In comparison, at the same time, my dad took about the same size hog with a 120Gn SST in a Creedmore. The hog was DRT but the bullet passed through leaving a nice large exit hole.

The PRC is my wife's Elk gun, so do you think the ELD-X is good enough for elk out to 350 or would a bonded/mono bullet be better?
So I hate to be that guy but I would move to the hammer 124 if you are going for elk. That's what I've been shooting out of mine and currently loading it for my dads 6.5 creed for elk. Just in case it hits the shoulder socket. Or some other weird chance.
 
Oh I know. Lol
I got pulled in by my brother for the creed. Now I make a point to prove how capable it is with the hammers. That being said I always hate the crowd. Mainly the guys that think it can do more than it can. But to be fair I was balls deep into the hornady's until I had several tough animals shrug them off. They were recovered but man I questioned my bullets and caliber. That's what got me on hammers. Now I keep thinking what can't this little round do. Just took a red stag drt both shoulder broke with the 97gr hammer in my grendel.
Anyway yep that's me😜
 
So I hate to be that guy but I would move to the hammer 124 if you are going for elk. That's what I've been shooting out of mine and currently loading it for my dads 6.5 creed for elk. Just in case it hits the shoulder socket. Or some other weird chance.

Any idea's on the max range for ethical 124HH hits on elk with a Creedmore? I have two boxes of 124HH's ready to go for my GF's Creed so Im not opposed. Maybe best for inside of 500 with the 124HH's? I dont' know if you can drive them hard enough with them still tracking straight past 500 and still do their magic. I haven't found a post anywhere yet of a elk kill past 500 with HH's and pictures showing the damage they do inside of 500. Just don't know?

Here's my story. In between loading up those 124's, a opportunity presented itself and with my creedmore and I shot my cow elk at 550 yards with the 143eldx. I had the load pretty hot, 2950fps with RL26 (varified by drop/cheap chony and lined up great for the Strelok app) and just perfect conditions. The herd was feeding between my 500 and 600 yard gongs. I was on a bench on my deck with a bag on front and rear. Put it right in her heart. She stood there for what seemed forever. Walked about ten yards and fell over. I could spot the hit, she barely even flinched. During processing found the core against the far hide and the jacket had took off and did some work on the off shoulder. The hit looked soft, she acted like it was soft. I didn't like it. It felt like if she was just five yards further away there would have been no jacket seperation or expansion. Didn't like it so much I traded that Creed in for a 6.5 PRC. I don't want a cannon, or magnum, just wanted a wee bit more. I'm hoping those 156 Bergers and that PRC like each other I'm thinking and hoping it will give me a couple more hundred yards.

Yep she dropped at 550 with the eldx. So who's arguing?-WW
 
I self impose 600 yards on myself. That way if the shot is not perfect I still have something behind it. That also keeps me above the min FPS for the bullet to open properly. I can run numbers and see where it would end for min opening but at PRC speeds I would think 800 would be easy enough if you are able to hit what you are aiming at.
 
Just to clarify this isnt a rifle thats getting much use on elk. Mostly just pronghorn and deer.
Given the game you're hunting you won't need anything heavily constructed. I'd chose the most accurate, high BC bullet and stay off the shoulder if close. There was a good post on another forum for 6.5-280 AI and Steve Timms wrote about what bullets they used. Even with Ballistic Tips they shot elk and moose with excellent results.
 
Ive shot UOTE="abdul-hannan, post: 2410877, member: 120865"] Been thinking about loading eldx in 6.5 prc. Was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with this combo. How did it perform on game? Thanks! [/QUOTE]
Been thinking about loading eldx in 6.5 prc. Was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with this combo. How did it perform on game? Thanks!
I've shot total of 2 buck deer, 2 doe whitetail and 2 doe antelope in 2018 with the 143 ELDX in a 6.5 Creed and 2 buck deer and 3 doe antelope in 2019 with 6.5 PRC. All one shot kills from 75 yds. to 442 yds.. They killed quick. Accurate. Just a little explosive on bone. Not as bad as Bergers but they aren't meant to be bone busters. I wouldn't use an ELDX on elk because I like shooting them in shoulder so they go down and still do vitals damage. In 2019 I shot a N.M. muley, good size buck at 75 yds. with 6.5 PRC. Shot high and hit spine. Blew spine in half. I used a 124 Hammer Hunter on a good size muley buck in Ca. X12 last Sept.. missed him at 598 yds. Jumped him at around 60-70 yds. I still had my CDC on scope set at 600 yds.... Hit base of neck instead of frontal shot at cheats. It broke his spine and passed through body broke back rib and exited in front of hind leg if I explained it correctly. I don't think an ELDX would of done that. The muley buck in Wy. 2019 with ELDX at around 100 yds. was classic behind shoulder/lung shot. DRT. The last 3 bucks were all PRC. WY. muly buck last Nov. I shot off hand also like other 3. He was about 110 yds. Hit high again and spined him with a 156 Berger. DRT.
Sorry for long post !
 
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Many big game animals have dropped with hits from my 6.5PRC and 143 ELDX in the last 3 years - my X-Bolt rifle is sending them right around 3000fps at muzzle. Deer as close as 45 yards, antelope @ 80 yards and a big Cow elk at 496 yards. Lots of deer (10+) in between those distances. None required tracking. All died very quickly. The elk staggered maybe ten steps and was done. One deer at 240 and one at 365. Most others from 100-200.

As has been said here many times. Choose a bullet that shoots well from your gun, that you practice with and are confident with. When hunting make sure you do your part to place the bullet in the best location to have a quick kill and you have nothing more to worry about. Doesn't matter what people say or think about your selection of bullet or rifle. You set your own boundaries and stick to them!

Best of shooting to y'all! Be safe have fun!
 

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