ELDX Performance on elk

[MZmoose]

At close range they are too soft in my opinion for the OP.

 

[whirlwindjml]

These are the 143 eldx elk kills. All 1 shot. 75 yards (100 yard no pic)200 yard,250yrd,315 yard, 515 and 515.

None of the bullets exploded. The tips pop and the core penetrates. Nice wound channel and deep penetration. That's just the elk. I've stacked up a pile of deer also. I'm posting this so you can see results and not opinions.

In my opinion the 143 eldx is one best modern hunting breakthroughs. They are not a partition (but see the pics).I accurately lob them to 1400 yards. Many of my friends have taken notice and are shooting elk just fine in the thick north idaho cover with the same load now. If you hit in the boiler room from 0-600 your good.

The bloody pic passed through at 315 through bone on the small elk. Minor trimming was all needed. I didn't "lose a quarter"

Haven't done any @s$ shot testing though and I keep it inside 600 with the creed and 700 with the prc. I know there's a lot of people that think if you shoot a bonded uber magnum it makes up for poor shooting. I've seen otherwise.

Hopefully it helps and remember my post is my mileage with the 143. I've never used any other eldx yet on game.

Happy huntin!

 

[tokatee]

Sorry this took so long, but here is a photo of the elk shot with 200gr. eldx. bu!let entered where the knife is.

 

[2ndson]

230 should be good, it's going slow enough, you should have no problems. I had a poor experience with a 162 ELD-X on a cow elk last season in my 7mm Rem. The factory ammo shoots very well in my gun, but I have since switched to 168 ABLR loads. My ELD-X shot on a cow was at 285yds, as she was bedded. The bullet hit the shoulder blade and only made it into the near-side lung. Impact velocity shouldn't have been an issue at that distance, but apparently it was. Complete jacket/core separation.
I also shot a Mule Deer buck at 100yds behind the shoulder and had complete pass-through, so I wouldn't hesitate to put one behind the shoulder.

However, to muddy the waters even more, my friend shot a mule deer with his 300 WSM (200gr ELD-X) at 300 yds and upon impact, the bullet turned 90* and traveled the length of the torso and into the near side hip. He had to finish him off with his pistol when he walked up to him.

I really like how they shoot, but performance has been too spotty for me to continue to use them in total confidence. I do believe, though, that a 230gr at 338 Win Mag velocities will get the job done for you.

 

[Brian_Smith]

I know that this forum is about LRH, but please bear with me on this. I'm hoping to get some firsthand or observed reports on the performance of the ELDX on elk at close range. My elk hunting is mostly in timber and shots will most likely be 100 yards and less. Hornady seems very optimistic on this but there's nothing like "been there, done that".

I shot a cow elk in SD at about 30yds. I used good old field craft and snuck right into to middle of the heard. I had a broadside shot right on the center of the shoulder. Out of my 6.5 GAP 4S, a 143 ELD-X is going about 3100, it went through onside shoulder, destroyed lungs, through offside shoulder and laid under hide on offside. I would say it worked.

 

[500mag_guy]

Sorry this took so long, but here is a photo of the elk shot with 200gr. eldx. bu!let entered where the knife is.

Looks like I expected! From what I can tell with this cut through that thin membrane it appears it's all just in the surface. Seen this many many of times. You can eat almost to the whole.

 

[tokatee]

Like I said lost 20% of the meat in the clean up, been butchering my own for 50 years and don't like losing meat, I've shot plenty of animals to compare this with, a Barnes bullet does nothing like this and kills them just as dead. When bullet fragments go into the guts that does nothing for meat guality. I've switched the gun ( a Savage ultra lite) over to 190gr. HOrnadys, witch I have a bunch of, it shoots the. at less than moa. at 1000, so hopefully will see better results this fall.

 

[Teri Anne]

Well here I go again probably making a lot of you; shall we say...unhappy with my comments. First of all, yes I can shoot long range out to 1000 yards, with a conventional shoulder held firearm. I do not consider any of the new modern, "Precision," rifles to be actual hunting firearms. They are ambush guns not hunting rifles. Yes you can hunt with one, haul that heavy thing out to some stand overlooking a mountaintop or lush farm fields that go on forever, but that is not hunting...that is assassination. Trust in the fact that I spent 30 years in the U.S. Army much of which was as a small arms instructor as well as competitor on various Army shooting teams. I have been hunting since I was 12 (which means some 62 years ago) and while I can shoot long range quite effectively do not consider shooting an antelope at 400 yards or an elk at 800 yards hunting. Hunting is getting as close as you can get, up and personal to your quarry. Creeping up on a deer or antelope laying on your belly to keep them from seeing you until 100 yards or less and an Elk at 50 to 100 yards instead of 500 to 800 yards At this range there is no chance of them even knowing you are out there sighting them in. I shoot Winchester Model 70's, post 64 since they shoot better than the pre 64's including the new modern ones in .308 using 165 gr Nosler Partitions which group 5 shots under .075 inches, I have a Tikka 30-06 shooting again Nosler partitions or Sierra 165 grain shooting a 5 shot group at 100 yards under .60 inches at 100 yards. I have a Tikka .270 that will put 5 rounds into essentially the same hole at 100 yards and only expand the group to 1.650 at 300 yards, all excellent long range rifles despite none of them being any more than conventional shoulder held firearms. Do I haul around a bipod or shooting stick? No, usually where I hunt there is a tree, sapling or rock to brace myself against to steady my aim, one less thing to haul around in the woods or fields. I do admit that all of my rifles have Vortex Diamondback tactical 6 x 24 x 50 scopes that afford the ability to adjust each shot based on range, wind as well as a variety of other factors on a moments notice. While many brag about their successful long range shots, how many were unsuccessful resulting in hopefully a clean miss, or a wounded animal getting away to die a painful death later? All that I ask is that those who consider themselves to be, "Hunters," be ethical hunters not like one I met a few years ago after wounding and not recovering a deer saying, "It's OK, simply dinner for the wolves (or coyotes)"

200 pound Wisconsin Whitetail November 2020 shot at 50 yards, Tikka T3X. .270 130 gr Nosler Partition handload at 3050 FPS.






In conclusion it's your choice whether you want to be a hunter, or an assassin.

 

[whirlwindjml]

All that I ask is that those who consider themselves to be, "Hunters," be ethical hunters not like one I met a few years ago after wounding and not recovering a deer saying, "It's OK, simply dinner for the wolves (or coyotes)"

I agree with that part. But this is the long range hunting forum.

Personally I view it as a harvest. Not an assassination. I spend all year every year prepping for the opportunity to fire. I don't let my self or my kids fir on an animal unless I am confident it's dead meat. And even when I do see a long range opportunity there is a lot that goes into the thought process before the shot goes out. Where I hunt their are a lot of areas where you simply have no chance at an elk unless you can lob a bullet a long way through some thick stuff. Last year I never even raised my rifle up.

I applaud your hunting skills though and hope you don't view all of as spray and pray marksman.

 

[MZmoose]

Why use a scope, or a modern rifle at all if you're killing inside of 100 yds. Go lever action open sights or black powder or archery if it's not sporting enough for you. 270 win was designed to be flatter shooting than the ol 06' for big game hunting at extended ranges. Not much shooting skill involved with a modern scoped rifle under 100 yds. Stalking into that range does require skill and wood craft but others choose to use superior shooting skills to extended ranges when they hunt. As long as it's legal and ethical (staying within your capabilities) it's hunting, no need to put anyone down. IMO

 

[Nuclear Worker]

I shot my 5x5 at 110 yards with a 143 in 6.8x284. He took one step and tipped over.

Meant 6.5x284. Have big fingers

 

[Dano in Mexico]

Teri Anne, Thank you for your service.

 

[Prieto9000]

After reading this, should I be trading my 6.5 Accubonds for ELD-X ?

I'll take your accubonds

 

[brant89]

Well here I go again probably making a lot of you; shall we say...unhappy with my comments. First of all, yes I can shoot long range out to 1000 yards, with a conventional shoulder held firearm. I do not consider any of the new modern, "Precision," rifles to be actual hunting firearms. They are ambush guns not hunting rifles. Yes you can hunt with one, haul that heavy thing out to some stand overlooking a mountaintop or lush farm fields that go on forever, but that is not hunting...that is assassination. Trust in the fact that I spent 30 years in the U.S. Army much of which was as a small arms instructor as well as competitor on various Army shooting teams. I have been hunting since I was 12 (which means some 62 years ago) and while I can shoot long range quite effectively do not consider shooting an antelope at 400 yards or an elk at 800 yards hunting. Hunting is getting as close as you can get, up and personal to your quarry. Creeping up on a deer or antelope laying on your belly to keep them from seeing you until 100 yards or less and an Elk at 50 to 100 yards instead of 500 to 800 yards At this range there is no chance of them even knowing you are out there sighting them in. I shoot Winchester Model 70's, post 64 since they shoot better than the pre 64's including the new modern ones in .308 using 165 gr Nosler Partitions which group 5 shots under .075 inches, I have a Tikka 30-06 shooting again Nosler partitions or Sierra 165 grain shooting a 5 shot group at 100 yards under .60 inches at 100 yards. I have a Tikka .270 that will put 5 rounds into essentially the same hole at 100 yards and only expand the group to 1.650 at 300 yards, all excellent long range rifles despite none of them being any more than conventional shoulder held firearms. Do I haul around a bipod or shooting stick? No, usually where I hunt there is a tree, sapling or rock to brace myself against to steady my aim, one less thing to haul around in the woods or fields. I do admit that all of my rifles have Vortex Diamondback tactical 6 x 24 x 50 scopes that afford the ability to adjust each shot based on range, wind as well as a variety of other factors on a moments notice. While many brag about their successful long range shots, how many were unsuccessful resulting in hopefully a clean miss, or a wounded animal getting away to die a painful death later? All that I ask is that those who consider themselves to be, "Hunters," be ethical hunters not like one I met a few years ago after wounding and not recovering a deer saying, "It's OK, simply dinner for the wolves (or coyotes)" View attachment 286901
200 pound Wisconsin Whitetail November 2020 shot at 50 yards, Tikka T3X. .270 130 gr Nosler Partition handload at 3050 FPS.






In conclusion it's your choice whether you want to be a hunter, or an assassin.

If you don't approve of long range hunting then maybe a site that is literally named "Long Range Hunting" is not the place for you. Western hunting is nothing like whitetail hunting in Wisconsin. There are frequently times when you actually cannot get closer to an animal, and that's why so many of us dedicate our ENTIRE offseason preparing for those shot opportunities. I know the kind of shooting "preparation" that goes into deer hunting here in the great lakes region and I am confident that 90% of the long range shots taken by the people on this site are FAR more ethical than those taken inside 100 yards by the local Michigan hunters that shoot fewer than one box of slugs each year. I can't even describe the number of guys that shoot their gun for the first time in a year the night before the season opens at 10PM using their truck lights to see the target (that's if they check their rifle zero AT ALL), and tout their slug guns ability to shoot through dense brush and saplings.

I actually find it much easier to get within 100yds of a whitetail in thick Michigan timber than to get within 400 yards of an antelope in the high plains. And as far as the argument about "ambushing" animals with "no chance of them even knowing you are out there", isn't that exactly the same thing as sitting 20+ feet up a tree or in a fully enclosed permanent deer blind overlooking a food plot? I've had so many deer walk right under me without ever looking up that I hardly enjoy rifle hunting in Michigan because it ISN'T a challenge. Do you also advocate against tree stands, hunting blinds, and camouflage clothing?

In conclusion, every hunter has the right to choose THEIR preferred method of harvesting game, and it's your choice whether to go out of your way to bash the ones that don't agree with you or not.