Exploding Bullets Thread Update! (ELDx)

[Bigeclipse]

Hey everyone. So I started a thread a few weeks back discussing "do exploding bullets actually happen" because of concerns I had reading about the ELDx bullets and how some people reported about the bullet exploding, not penetrating to vitals and such. In the past I have had bullets fragment like crazy, but they still fragmented into the vitals with no problem so my worry was not fragmentation but rather not enough penetration to hit vitals and end up with a wounded deer. Well I wanted to come here and report back on my recent hunting trip and experience with the ELDx bullet at close range.

My target animal was a whitetail buck. I was hunting in a tree stand with shot ranges out to about 150 yards with my 6.5prc. I was using the Hornady 143 ELDx factory ammo. A nice buck came from behind me at about 80 yards. My only option was to use the tree as an anchor since the shot was behind me so I was not the most steady position I could have been in but ive taken close range shots like this in the past. I shot him broadside but just a smidge forward and a smidge higher than I typically like and right when I shot he took a step so I ended up hitting his leg/shoulder but still a good lung shot. also Buck fever definitely played a part. He actually ran towards me after the shot and stopped about 30 yards away from me to my left. I could see there was no exit wound but he was also spitting out blood so I know I hit lungs, all this analysis happened in a split second so I don't want you thinking I just let him stand there. I immediately loaded another round and shot him in the lung zone with another broadside shot. He ran another 5 yards and fell over dead. This all happened in just a couple seconds. I wish I took pictures of the analysis of the wounds but I did not have my phone on me and I immediately brought the buck to our butcher/taxidermist. Any ways, as some people have stated, the first shot that hit leg bone did indeed blow up/disintegrated on impact. the entry wound was like 3 inches. The good news is there were pieces of the bullet and bone which made it to the off side shoulder through the front of both lungs. There was NO substantial pieces of the bullet I could find though and again no pass through. The second shot was further back towards the back of the lungs. The entry was right into a rib, the hole in the skin on that side was about caliber sized but the wound channel after was HUGE due to the bullet hitting the rib. The bullet did exit this time but the exit was the size of my fist so I know the bullet again fragmented like crazy. So my conclusion is the first bullet 100% would have killed the buck and I follow-ed up with a second shot, which was likely not necessary, out of instinct. I personally will only use these bullets for long range from now on. If you intend on using these bullets for close range shots with a fast rifle...stay off the shoulder which is what I tried to do on my first shot but buck fever coupled with not having a steady rest coupled with the deer taking a step ruined that shot. The bullet did it's job but for my hunting situations, which are 90% short range, I will now go to either a bonded bullet like an accubond or a mono-metal bullets like a TTSX.

 

[nodakhunter]

Got an update on ELD-X long range performance for ya. Shot a mule buck last weekend at 702 yards. 338 Lapua with the 270 ELD-X going 2805 at the muzzle. It had lost enough energy at that point that it performed like a hunting bullet should. 1" entry hole, 2" exit. IMO you're spot on with using the ELD-X for longer range but not for inside ~400 yards, depending on caliber.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Got an update on ELD-X long range performance for ya. Shot a mule buck last weekend at 702 yards. 338 Lapua with the 270 ELD-X going 2805 at the muzzle. It had lost enough energy at that point that it performed like a hunting bullet should. 1" entry hole, 2" exit. IMO you're spot on with using the ELD-X for longer range but not for inside ~400 yards, depending on caliber.

exactly. I think the ELDx did it's job but I believe there are better options out there for my hunting situations (Fast shooting rifle at medium to close ranges on deer)...equals I should be using monometal OR bonded bullets.

 

[J E Custom]

I also had these experiences with cartridges that could be used at close distances to far distances (800 +) and decided to use Bonded bullets for close shots (400 and under) and expanding bullets like the ELDx or the ballistic tip for the long shots based on the same results.

In my opinion, Your decision was the right one and your experience may have proved it

J E CUSTOM

 

[Andrew Massi]

If you arent shooting over 150
Shoot bucks in the head or high shoulder and shoot does in the head.
Bonded bullets or a barnes through lungs will yield similar results to your eld-x experience

 

[Bigeclipse]

If you arent shooting over 150
Shoot bucks in the head or high shoulder and shoot does in the head.
Bonded bullets or a barnes through lungs will yield similar results to your eld-x experience

To date I have 23 deer with a rifle. Everyone of them has been shot under 400 yards, with 19 of them under 200. All (but this recent one) were with accubonds or monometals and NONE of them fragmented this bad. Most had caliber sized holes with 2inch or less exits. Calibers used were 3006, 7mm rem mag, 300wsm, and a 7mm08. The one time I had explosive results was with the 7mm rem mag and an accubond that hit the shoulder of a doe on a quartering towards me shot at about 50 yards away. The bullet did not exit but the insides were a complete mess. The bullet had fragmented really badly but the base remained intact and weighed about 50 grains and was found in her hind quarter. Had she not been quartering I would have definitely had an exit. I am not disagreeing that explosive results cant happen with monometals and bonded bullets at close ranges with fast velocities. They certainly can. Im just stating, they are definitely a better option than the EDLx for my purposes.

 

[stonehands1]

I've mostly used the 225eldm. Whacked a whitetail and muley at 860 and both were drt and pass throughs. Also wacked a muley at 50yds. Needles to say it was a pass through and he was definitely drt.
Last year whacked a blacktail at 1400 and he was also drt and a pass through. All had great wound channels.
Recently a bull elk at 400 one behind the shoulder one in front and neither passed through but both were at the hide on opposite side.
Structurally the bullet was intact but most all lead was gone. Wish I could have found the bullets on the deer to see what they looked like at slower speeds.
The 860 muley was through both shoulders so it definitely not exploding/splashing per say. I've had Berger vlds come completely apart at 150yds and not penetrate a deer more than 6 inches.
I wish Hornady could get them 225eldms to retain weight better because its both my rifles favorite bullet. Would use the 212eldx but worry that it would expand to quick at short range. Probably fine at long range but 225 has better bc.
I wish Accubond had a 230 grain bullet for my 30 cal. They seems to lose a lot less weight with there bonding process. Gonna give the 210ablr a try next and see how the do.