Hornady 30 Cal 200 Gr ELDX On Game

[Double Dropper]

Gents, anybody hit anything with this bullet?? I shoot a couple of 300 Win Mags and was wondering how this bullet holds together vs the Accubond?? I am using RL-26 right now and results are very promising on load development but how about bullet performance on elk, moose etc.

 

[Dosh]

DD, a good friend killed a bull on the late November hunt here with the 212 ELD-X in his 300WM at 60yds. Said it appeared unphase and staggered 10yds and fell dead. Said he hit it behind the left front shoulder and exited behind right shoulder with minimal meat damage, but heart and lungs destroyed. I know he used Nosler brass and H1000. I've seen quite a few elk taken with the ELD-X at long range on tv, but always wondered how they performed at closer range. Now I know. Good luck

 

[Double Dropper]

Thanks I need accuracy but this unit will punch more than paper LOL, it will Keel!

 

[catorres1]

Not sure I can help much here, but I killed a couple smaller animals a week or so ago with a 200 ELDX out of a 300 win mag. Load was fairly light, about 2725-2750 or so.

First was a boar at 90 yards, weighed about 130 pounds. Hit behind the shoulder while it was on the move...DRT. Unfortunately, due to time, we did not get but a few seconds to look at the wound, but it passed through. We did a gutless method, so did not see the insides.

A few minutes later, shot a whitetail doe at 300. Stupidly did not hold for wind and we had a constant 10 mph, mostly full value, and she was quartering to just a bit, so the bullet drifted to the front point of the onside shoulder. Clipped the bone and took a bite out of it. Put about a 2 inch hole through the ribs on the on side and probably 3 inch on the off side. No bullet found, it was a pass through. DRT, she went down like lightning.

Again, we were guests of the state and the rangers wanted to go home (it was already late and getting very cold), so we had to really hurry, so I did not get to examine the results as I wanted to.

But in both cases, the bullets did pass all the way through, killed instantly, and were devastating from what I could see in the hurry to get done.

I was a bit concerned as to how these would do on something like Elk, as these are little animals, so am worried the bullets might be too fragile. But from what I have read, it sounds like these bullets will just keep expanding and penetrating all the way through, and wounds will be similar regardless of animal size. Don't know if that is true or not.

Hope that helps, interested to see if anyone has anything else to add...

 

[Double Dropper]

gun)Cool, thank you catorres1, that is the type of input I was looking for. I was shopping the other day and was looking at the cost of the ELD-X vs the Accubonds, its about $69.99/100 for the Hornadys and its about $55.00 for a 50 count of the Accubonds. If they both shoot, both stand up to game hits well, it does make dollars and sense LOL

 

[catorres1]

Yeah, I went with ELDx's due to cost as well, as well as BC and after calling them and talking to them on the phone about the design and philosophy of the bullet. My son shoots accubonds in his 270, and he has had good luck so far, but we just started with them this year. I am planning on using BT's for him to practice with, hopefully, we get the same point of impact.

I am glad this was helpful to you, but I am not fully convinced on the ELDX 200's, I am not sure what to think to be honest. I want a round that I can use for deer to elk. One one hand, I've have never had animals (deer, mouflon, goats and now a hog) go down like that...using a 270, a 65 grendel and even a 375 h&h. With this mild 300 load and the ELDX, they went down fast and hard, both at 90 yards and 300, and they were not cns hits.

On the other hand, the holes in the ribs were large, there was a lot of shredded and bloodshot meat, but the actual exits in the skin were small, under the skin, damage was massive. My guess is it expanded back and exited at a near caliber diameter...but not sure. I will say that the hits at 90 and 300 looked pretty much the same as far as bullet performance from what I could see.

So I wonder about expansion, penetration etc on something like an Elk, especially if it has to pass through a shoulder bone or something, especially considering my load is quite mild. Hornady told me it is designed to act like 3 bullets. At close range, it expands, sheds, expands, sheds and then expands again, exiting at a 40-50% weight.
At medium range, it should expand, shed and expand again, exiting at more like a 60-70% weight. At long range, it should just expand and exit with a 80-90% retention. So maybe it is working as it should and would perform the same, not sure.

I am hoping to hear more now that the season is ended. If you hear more please pass it on. I wish I had had more of a chance to do a proper necropsy, but we were rushed so just had to get it done and get on down the road asap.