Are the Eld x bullets that bad

If you are hungry for negative nay-sayers, check the internet. I don't shoot anything I'd want to eat at over 300yds and my favorite is still Nosler partitions. either 140 or 125 in .264.
I love my 6.5 X 55 with 140gr Nosler Partitions. Shot a mule deer at 275 yds. Front shot at steep uphill angle. Entered in the sweet spot and exited through the blackstrap. Bullet passed through about 15 inches or so of deer and he was DRT. This gun loves the 142 ABLR but I've only been able to use this reload recipe at the range so far.
 
I see so many hate jacket separation. I guess I fully don't understand. If you shoot. The animal drops in its tracks what the difference where the jacket goes. Look at nosler ballistic tips. Amazing killer but most all explode. I theory is quick clean kill and have had great success with that. Not really worried about how pretty the bullet turns out to be while eating my steak.

Adam
 
I disagree with this statement. Many cup and core bullets that impact an animal at moderate speeds (2000-2500 fps-ish) and mushroom at least 2x their diameter will often not penetrate the far side hide. That certainly does not indicate a bullet failure.

Hunters need to know the characteristics of the bullets they use, and the likely performance outcomes regarding the different factors, including bullet type, impact velocity, and impact location (soft tissue vs shoulder bone).

There's many choices between bullet types, including cup and core, monolithic, bonded. They all perform differently at terminal performance. Just because they performed differently from what the hunter wanted or expected, doesn't automatically indicate there was a bullet failure.

I too, experienced that! A broadside (behind the shoulder) shot on a spike bull elk at about 70 yards. A very quick, decisive kill with no exit and bullet beneath the offside hide……while the elk very quickly expired, I considered this an absolute fail with my cartridge/bullet. I could forgive a recovered bullet on a lengthwise shot on an adult elk….but, not on a broadside shot with the only bone encountered was a rib! I expect…….no demand, more from my bullet than that!

I guess that's what makes the world go round…..we all have different expectations! 😉 memtb
 
Have shot 2 mature South TX bucks, 2 mature South Texas Does, mature 32" Axis Buck and 31" Aoudad Ram with 162 ELD-X from 7mm-08 and 7mm-08 SAW. Distances ranging from 100 yards to 400 yards... all animals recovered. Has been a successful heavy for cartridge round for me and very accurate. I have shot it consistently on steel targets out to 800 yards.
 
My experience is very limited with them as I only shoot the 6.5 143's in my CM, but everything I've shot with it died super quick. Whitetails generally hit the ground on the spot, and coyotes, which are certainly not big or tough, do the same. They shoot well, and it hasn't been hard getting that done with any powder I've tried. I know Hornady's SST's were awful for me, and their interlock were superb. I shoot their 22 caliber bullets in several guns, so overall I'm pleased with their products, but I like Sierra and Nosler too.
 
Doesn't the separation of jacket and bullet give you two separate wound channels, both causing tissue damage? Isn't that a good thing?

In a perfect world ….Yes! However, I don't live in a "Fairy Tale" world…..I want a bullet that will penetrate under the worst of circumstance! I want a bullet to reach the vitals no matter the angle and the amount of animal it must pass through to get to the vitals!

I do not base my bullet selection on small big game……however, I've found that my bullet also kills small, big game (and coyotes) pretty well also! memtb
 
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