ELDX and exits.

[WildRose]

A few years ago my buddy and myself shot 32 does late season with 6.5 creedmoors.
He shot a few more than I did.
He used 140 nosler ab.
I used 143 eldx.
There was very little difference in the amount that exited between the two.
Both preformed very well. The only ones that ran were the ones that were shot a little far back.
I was very impressed with the 6.5 creedmoor as it was the first year that I had used one.
Ranges were from 50 yards to a little over 600.
Hornady has always had the theory that a bullet should deliver all of the energy inside the animal and be under the hide on the off side.
So the hornady bullets do not surprise me to not having exits.
But a bonded bullet did.
But as stated by others the more that you expand or the ability to expand at lower velocity will sacrifice penetration at higher velocity

Sorry but that's simply not correct, that is not the theory Hornady has been working off of for many years. If it were, they'd have never developed the Interbond.

 

[WildRose]

Proof of concept:
https://www.hornady.com/support/faq...not-bonded,-will-the-jacket-and-core-separate

I'm not sure what proof we're supposed to see there but the ELD-X absolutely will see core/jacket separation with high velocity impacts particularly with tougher animals like the larger species of African Game, hogs, even large deer and elk.

We saw numerous examples of that separation problem right here as a great many members jumped hard on the ELD-X when it first hit the market.

They fly great but separation at high velocity is a problem with them.

If they'd spend the extra couple of cents to make it a bonded bullet they would probably have the best all range lead core bullet on the market.

 

[WildRose]

I agree. Didn't the market for bonded and monos begin because people weren't happy with cupncore bullets terminal performance? (Rhetorical question)
The Wheel just keeps turning lol

Not quite. The original market for mono's was large and dangerous game where the only two factors that really matter are penetration and tracking. The bigger opening in the market has come with more and more restrictions on the use of lead core or solid lead bullets due to the environmental nuts.

 

[dfanonymous]

I'm not sure what proof we're supposed to see there but the ELD-X absolutely will see core/jacket separation with high velocity impacts particularly with tougher animals like the larger species of African Game, hogs, even large deer and elk.

We saw numerous examples of that separation problem right here as a great many members jumped hard on the ELD-X when it first hit the market.

They fly great but separation at high velocity is a problem with them.

If they'd spend the extra couple of cents to make it a bonded bullet they would probably have the best all range lead core bullet on the market.

Agreed. That's what I said in the prior post. I posted this in addition to show that it's not a hidden secret from the company either, in addition to my post.

 

[WildRose]

Agreed. That's what I said in the prior post. I posted this in addition to show that it's not a hidden secret from the company either, in addition to my post.

Definitely not. They know me pretty well as I've been shooting their bullets and picking their brains as well as giving my own feedback since the 90's.

After the first dozen or so animals I shot with them I spent about an hour on the phone with their development team.

 

[Vol1975]

You sure you don't have that backwards?

I would much rather have a deer fall in its tracks next to a god awful SC lowcountry cut down because of a VLD exploding vs a pass thru where I've gotta track.

Personal preference
I personally want a holes in each side of the animal to ensure a leak.

You sure you don't have that backwards?

I would much rather have a deer fall in its tracks next to a god awful SC lowcountry cut down because of a VLD exploding vs a pass thru where I've gotta track.

No
I like holes in animals near thick stuff. An accubond, interlock, parition. I've had fast moving Berger's on cross shots on animals , hit a twig in the woods end up not dropping the deer in there tracks and the deer run a 100-150 yard. Well a hundred yards in SC low country as you know can be difficult to find a deer in a thicket with no blood. With that being said I use Berger's a lot. Just not in thick woods and or place where I'm sure there is a possible shot In thicker woods where the deer may run amongst thickets. Been there done that. But each his own.

 

[DF7753]

 

[DF7753]

285 gr lead started about 1650.
Deadly, but little meat damaged at 120 yards.
Dribbled blood on the snow for about 60 yards - easy tracking, good venison

 

[Canhunter35]

Not quite. The original market for mono's was large and dangerous game where the only two factors that really matter are penetration and tracking. The bigger opening in the market has come with more and more restrictions on the use of lead core or solid lead bullets due to the environmental nuts.

Agreed, ppl wanted better terminal performance, so options were explored.

 

[David Lindler]

338 edge 270 grain ELD-X exit wound at 490 yards

 

[LRMonkey]

I have used Hornady factory .308 178gr ELD-X ammo for deer hunting. Rifle used is a Steyr Scout. Muzzle velocity almost 50 meters per second lower than factory given speed, i guess because of the 20 inch barrel.
Shot about 2 dozen doe, spike bucks and calfs, distances 80-175 meters.
The bullet does excellent work when shooting behind shoulder, lung shots, drop them right there. On shoulder shots that i've tried just for comparison, not that great reaction on adult animals, they usually run for 30-70 meters.
Now i've got a custom build Tikka55 in 6.5CM, shoots one hole at 100 meters with Sako TRG match ammunition. Build with Lothar Walther barrel, GRS laminate stock, AseUtra SL5i silencer, Zeiss FL 4-16x50 scope. Shot a grouse at 224 meters last october with the Sako ammo.
Going to load some ELD-X for that and try them on deer etc. next season. Can not get Hornady ELD-X factory ammo for it here in Finland.

 

[LRMonkey]

I have used Hornady factory .308 178gr ELD-X ammo for deer hunting. Rifle used is a Steyr Scout. Muzzle velocity almost 50 meters per second lower than factory given speed, i guess because of the 20 inch barrel.
Shot about 2 dozen doe, spike bucks and calfs, distances 80-175 meters.
The bullet does excellent work when shooting behind shoulder, lung shots, drop them right there. On shoulder shots that i've tried just for comparison, not that great reaction on adult animals, they usually run for 30-70 meters.
Now i've got a custom build Tikka55 in 6.5CM, shoots one hole at 100 meters with Sako TRG match ammunition. Build with Lothar Walther barrel, GRS laminate stock, AseUtra SL5i silencer, Zeiss FL 4-16x50 scope. Shot a grouse at 224 meters last october with the Sako ammo.
Going to load some ELD-X for that and try them on deer etc. next season. Can not get Hornady ELD-X factory ammo for it here in Finland.

And forgot to mention, the ELD-X exited all those deer.

 

[Hespco]

The only thing that exited in my 85 yd shot deer was guts & meat every where. No thanks ELDX .. The mono's I've used ( Brand doesn't matter ) have made clean exits every time. Blood shot meat , an absolute minimum. Deer or elk. Rib cage or lungs. All my deer & elk hunting from now on will absolutely be with mono's.

 

[WildRose]

Personal preference
I personally want a holes in each side of the animal to ensure a leak.



No
I like holes in animals near thick stuff. An accubond, interlock, parition. I've had fast moving Berger's on cross shots on animals , hit a twig in the woods end up not dropping the deer in there tracks and the deer run a 100-150 yard. Well a hundred yards in SC low country as you know can be difficult to find a deer in a thicket with no blood. With that being said I use Berger's a lot. Just not in thick woods and or place where I'm sure there is a possible shot In thicker woods where the deer may run amongst thickets. Been there done that. But each his own.

Interlocks will fail at high velocity as well. Had a long discussion with the Hornady development team as soon as I got back from Africa in 2015.

None of my three shots on my big zerbra stud exited and when recovered all three bullets had separated and broken up.

We reloaded a bunch of my brass for both the .300wm and .375 Ruger with Peregrines and that ceased to be an issue.

I'd had it happen before with high speed impacts under 200yds but never at the kind of ranges we were shooting there but admittedly I only bought the .375 about six months prior to my trip that year in prep for same.