Eld x vs berger
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I went on a mission to test the vldh at short range before season ended, granted it was a 185 30cal at about 2800fps but it left an exit wound you could drop a beer can in on a whitetail. I've been skeptical about using them at short range but it did exactly what I'd hoped it would. Was slightly quartering away with its offside leg down a slope, went in second rib, trashed the lungs and left this. Shot was roughly 50yds. Don't open the thumbnail if your squeamish. I have not seen an eldx close range shot to compare it to but I'm sure someone who has will chime in.
nmbarta
Well-Known Member
We've killed quite a few animals with both, from antelope at 150 to elk at 890 and they both work, but after hunting with the eldx, the bergers are just target bullets for me.
Why? The eldx is a more consistent killer. I have not seen a failure yet, I cannot say the same for bergers. We've had problems at both close and long range with them. They shoot great, but seem to be pretty random when it comes to terminal performance. Sometimes they work great, sometimes they don't.
Don't get me wrong, if the eldx hadn't come along I'd probably still be using them, but I'd be trimming the meplat to try to get more consistent results.
That's just what I've seen, it doesn't make it fact by any means.
Why? The eldx is a more consistent killer. I have not seen a failure yet, I cannot say the same for bergers. We've had problems at both close and long range with them. They shoot great, but seem to be pretty random when it comes to terminal performance. Sometimes they work great, sometimes they don't.
Don't get me wrong, if the eldx hadn't come along I'd probably still be using them, but I'd be trimming the meplat to try to get more consistent results.
That's just what I've seen, it doesn't make it fact by any means.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
IMO the eld's are going to be more consistent! A hollow point has too many variables that can affect it on impact. That said, the Berger will likely be LESS explosive on contact, and LESS likely to expand at distance. This has shown up in both testing in media and impacts on game from my experience.
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gillettehunter
Well-Known Member
I have not used the ELD-X. Heard mostly good things about them. I have taken several animals with the Berger 180's. My results have been very good on 6 animals so far from 50 to 325 yds. No longer shots yet. Be aware on the Berger to be sure and run a drill bit down the tip to make sure it is not plugged. Broz has written about that in the past. If plugged then they don't open up and pencil through.
Bruce
Bruce
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
When I use Berger's, I use a .040" bit.
1Moose
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Shot a pronghorn doe at 300 yards last year with the 185 VLDH from my 300WM. Animal slightly quartering toward me. Bullet would have been traveling around 2400 fps. Exit wound was at probably 5 inches in diameter. If I had shot farther back I wouldn't have had to gut the animal. Dropped so fast I wondered if I had missed somehow. Definitely don't want to aim the shoulder or would risk losing most of the offside front quarter.
5RWill
Well-Known Member
My results with bergers this year have been fair to good. Granted i've not high shoulder shot ever, which i'm about to start doing. I know lots that use and swear by them. We're almost out of 140gr Elite Hunters and i couldn't find anymore so i went ahead and got 143gr ELD-X. I did straight shoulder shoot a young buck at 270yds with the 6.5 SAUM and got no exit and little to no blood, just found him. Shot a doe at 290yds that was DRT. Dad took a small buck at 425yds but he was walking i think, and he hit him in the rump and the second shot took him down. Our SAUM load is 2934fps avg.
Contrary to those results we've had a horrid experience with the 105gr Hunting VLDs @ 2700fps. Both my brother and i made quality shots on two doe 200-300yds within the same week and they both ran 200yds or so up the Bayou. Little to no blood, took forever to find them.
I don't have first hand experience with the ELD-X, i do run 123gr ELD-Ms in my short 6.5x47 @ 2840 and my GF took down a mature buck at 330yds with it. Hit spine, penetrated and exploded. I recovered the tail end of the jacket on the exiting hide and the ELD tip in the back strap lol. Lots around here aren't too fond of the bergers either. Idk what to think except to high shoulder shoot, seems that's what they want you to do with that bullet. The ELD-X seems like a solid round though. Nosler LR accubonds are now like 50$/100ct also with Doppler updated BCs. Probably worth a look there as well.
Contrary to those results we've had a horrid experience with the 105gr Hunting VLDs @ 2700fps. Both my brother and i made quality shots on two doe 200-300yds within the same week and they both ran 200yds or so up the Bayou. Little to no blood, took forever to find them.
I don't have first hand experience with the ELD-X, i do run 123gr ELD-Ms in my short 6.5x47 @ 2840 and my GF took down a mature buck at 330yds with it. Hit spine, penetrated and exploded. I recovered the tail end of the jacket on the exiting hide and the ELD tip in the back strap lol. Lots around here aren't too fond of the bergers either. Idk what to think except to high shoulder shoot, seems that's what they want you to do with that bullet. The ELD-X seems like a solid round though. Nosler LR accubonds are now like 50$/100ct also with Doppler updated BCs. Probably worth a look there as well.
brentc
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I think the LRAB is a well designed bullet and will do what it's supposed to, but getting long range precision out of them is quite often chore. I know a lot of guys, myself included that just gave up on them after they couldn't get them to shoot 1/2 MOA or better. I successfully got the 210 to .6 - .75 MOA consistently with a rifle that stacks 200 ELD-Xs into little knots, but that was about as good as I could do with the LRAB after putting a hundred down range.
The Accubond is bonded so it'll probably behave like a premium hunting bullet with controlled expansion and a good mushroom. ELDX is not bonded and may mushroom well but also may shed it's jacket or fragment, but it won't pencil due to the tip. ELDX will act like an A-max which dumps it's energy in the animal and usually does very well on thinner skinned game. Bonded bullets for thick hide and heavy bones but expensive. Hollow points for great accuracy/bc but statistically less predictable results.
Bonded is never the wrong choice so long as it shoots.
Yotebuster
Well-Known Member
I have shot and seen animals harvested with Bergers say 20 plus big game animals Antelope deer and elk
105 bergers up to 210 30 cal Bergers
Results have been Very good recovery on all animals , it has been drop where standing to maybe 30 yds
I want to try the ElD-X as well but cannot get them to shoot in any of my guns close to the Berger accuracy i'm getting
105 bergers up to 210 30 cal Bergers
Results have been Very good recovery on all animals , it has been drop where standing to maybe 30 yds
I want to try the ElD-X as well but cannot get them to shoot in any of my guns close to the Berger accuracy i'm getting
I have shot too many animals for me to even count with 168VLDH, 180VLDH, and 215Bergers. I have never had to track an animal except for one kudu I made a bad shot on. I shot three animals with 120 ELDMs and two with 147ELDMs this year and am pleased with performance so far. I would never be afraid to use a Berger. I will need more testing with Hornady to have the same confidence.
