Hornady ELD Match Bullets for Hunting

Krosebil

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
140
Location
Wisconsin
Question for the Hornady guys. I have a 6.5 Creedmoor my son is shooting and the gun (Christensen Mesa)loves 120 Gr. Hornady ELD Match factory ammo. This stuff shoots one ragged hole at 100yds most every time.

I love the confidence of that accuracy potential BUT.... would you hunt with the stuff? I'm torn here, it can't be much different than Nosler B Tips etc.... thinner jacket. Mostly would be thin skinned stuff deer goats etc.

What do you think???

Thx!
 
I use the 75 eldm on coyotes, they leave about a quarter size exit and drop them in their tracks. I have also shot a few pigs with 123 eldm's out of my 6.5 Grendel with the same results. I am going to use the 180's for my 28 nosler, and the 225 in my 300 rum hunting this year.
 
This is what's left of a 162 eld-match coming out of my 7mm at 3112 and hitting a whitetail buck right behind the shoulder at 50 yards. Retained weight was 62 grains. Made a mess of his insides without any meat damage. We shot a bunch with the 140A-max out of ours 6.5s and they did very well. The eld-m is basically an old A-max with a better BC.
20171115_113645.jpg
 
They work fine.
Just think of the ELD-M bullets as Nosler Ballistic Tips insofar as they deliver more "violent" expansion, while the ELD-X bullets are more like Nosler Accubonds insofar that they are more "controlled" expansion and retain more weight upon impact, which has a tendency to cause deeper penetration.
 
The Hornady 6.5mm 123 ELD-M component bullet for handloaders actually has the Interlock ring inside the jacket to help hold the core in place.

I was told that it had the interlock ring, so I cut one apart and melted the core out just to confirm.

I'm told this is the only Hornady ELD-M bullet that has the interlock ring. I can't confirm that though.

I do know that the Grendel shooters are using this Hornady 6.5mm 123 ELD-M bullet with good success on deer and hogs.
 
The Hornady 6.5mm 123 ELD-M component bullet for handloaders actually has the Interlock ring inside the jacket to help hold the core in place.

I was told that it had the interlock ring, so I cut one apart and melted the core out just to confirm.

I'm told this is the only Hornady ELD-M bullet that has the interlock ring. I can't confirm that though.

I do know that the Grendel shooters are using this Hornady 6.5mm 123 ELD-M bullet with good success on deer and hogs.
That is good to know, I'm almost out of 123 Amax which my creedmoor loves for deer hunting.
 
I found this video on YouTube (not mine) the uploader says it was a 180 ELD-M out of a 28 Nosler. Impact velocity should be around 2600-2700, looks like it hits him right on the point of the shoulder, and obviously gets through to the vitals.

 
Wow!!! Very cool guys. Thanks for all of your input! It's cool to see such knowledgeable folks share what they know.

B.
 
Great hit.
180gr. bullet traveling at roughly 2650~FPS at impact = 2,800~ ft/lbs of energy delivered on that bull. That's basically getting hit by a 30-06 at point blank at the muzzle, except that bull was hit at 456 yards away!
 
Have you tried Precision Hunter factory loads in the rifle? Obviously heavier but I would think it's a better bullet for hunting purposes.
Unfortunately, Hornady doesn't make .224 Valkyrie Precision Hunter Ammo. They sell the bullets but do not as yet make the ammo for that bullet. I verified this with Hornady a couple of weeks ago.
 
I've Used eldm's 208 gr .30 cal running at 3,300. Fps For sighting in . And( before i really thought about it) for deer only . 208 is large ,(folks been killing game , buffalo etc with slower lead for years ) I wouldn't even think of using 120's 130's in the Thin jacketed elds , I haven't shot one deer with it yet ,i mostly Trophy hunt with it . Do they work if hit in the vitals only, YES .. if it's a Hit that's off angle and has to penetrate along ways to get to the vitals ( if you take that kind of Shot) i never have yet , or hits bone , the shoulder on Big ELK !! Anyway they come apart and separate at the Closer ranges. THAT i don't like ! They stop penetrating /disintegrate and may not get to the vitals ... solid soft coppers will expand and still penetrate . Barnes may work but they are not soft copper , but they are better that the cup & lead core target ,cheap Hornady bullets , try hammer hunters , bad lands Precision Bulldozer 2's etc they are solid softer copper ,that stay together to allow Penetration. Are about $1 apiece, which these days isn't really that bad compared to barnes lrx ( softer version supposedly) of ttsx at $44 for 50 . Badlands are lathe turned, fly faster because of the ease it goes down the barrel, have a higher BC .so at a long Distance will be ahead of say a lighter 175 barnes vs (195 bull dozer 2 ) long sleek ,but check out what Randy has to say in this Video link Below .He Knows His S*** ! Not bashing the eldm users but , i know there are better choices ,especially in the lighter weights , it took me time , trial and error to figure it all out , still learning ,if you are not a gun nut . You usually don't delve so deep into projectiles and how they React on game at different ranges and speeds etc . So I'm just trying to help others out so they don't have to go through all of the reloading , shooting , etc .That l have done to no good end ! All to start over a few years later , if you want honest facts and not just follow others because that what they shoot . Give Randy the Gunsmith a listen Here.( Eld match 208 left vs 195 BD2 Badlands Right)
 

Attachments

  • 20221217_102655.jpg
    20221217_102655.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 72
I've Used eldm's 208 gr .30 cal running at 3,300. Fps For sighting in . And( before i really thought about it) for deer only . 208 is large ,(folks been killing game , buffalo etc with slower lead for years ) I wouldn't even think of using 120's 130's in the Thin jacketed elds , I haven't shot one deer with it yet ,i mostly Trophy hunt with it . Do they work if hit in the vitals only, YES .. if it's a Hit that's off angle and has to penetrate along ways to get to the vitals ( if you take that kind of Shot) i never have yet , or hits bone , the shoulder on Big ELK !! Anyway they come apart and separate at the Closer ranges. THAT i don't like ! They stop penetrating /disintegrate and may not get to the vitals ... solid soft coppers will expand and still penetrate . Barnes may work but they are not soft copper , but they are better that the cup & lead core target ,cheap Hornady bullets , try hammer hunters , bad lands Precision Bulldozer 2's etc they are solid softer copper ,that stay together to allow Penetration. Are about $1 apiece, which these days isn't really that bad compared to barnes lrx ( softer version supposedly) of ttsx at $44 for 50 . Badlands are lathe turned, fly faster because of the ease it goes down the barrel, have a higher BC .so at a long Distance will be ahead of say a lighter 175 barnes vs (195 bull dozer 2 ) long sleek ,but check out what Randy has to say in this Video link Below .He Knows His S*** ! Not bashing the eldm users but , i know there are better choices ,especially in the lighter weights , it took me time , trial and error to figure it all out , still learning ,if you are not a gun nut . You usually don't delve so deep into projectiles and how they React on game at different ranges and speeds etc . So I'm just trying to help others out so they don't have to go through all of the reloading , shooting , etc .That l have done to no good end ! All to start over a few years later , if you want honest facts and not just follow others because that what they shoot . Give Randy the Gunsmith a listen Here.( Eld match 208 left vs 195 BD2 Badlands Right)

SO it took you a lot of time, trial and effort to determine not to use lighter weight ELDMs, but you also haven't shot an animal with one yet?
 
Top