Hornady ELD-X Official Thread

[Don Titus]

Just checking in to this thread. I will be going to Africa on 5-2-16 and will shoot a Kudu, Oryz, Impala, Warthog, Wildebeest, and maybe a few others with a .300 Win Mag. I'm going to shoot the 200g ELD-X. I'll post my results when I get back. Good thread!

I hope you had a productive trip...your results will be of particular interest since I will be hunting moose this coming fall in NF with my 300 WM using 200 ELD-X's. Currently I'm refining my load using H4831sc ...72.5 gr. @3.555" and 2850 fps seems to be most accurate so far....475" to .825" @ 200 yards.

 

[Don Titus]

I hope you had a productive trip...your results will be of particular interest since I will be hunting moose this coming fall in NF with my 300 WM using 200 ELD-X's. Currently I'm refining my load using H4831sc ...72.5 gr. @3.555" and 2850 fps seems to be most accurate so far....475" to .825" @ 200 yards.

 

[flyfishaz]

Just got back from Africa. Shot a Kudu at 469yds one shot and reared up and rolled down hill 10 yds dead. Shot a Blue Wildebeest (very tough animal according to my PH) one shot, ran 80yds then died. Shot a Blesbok at 398yds, one shot never took one step dead. Shot an Impala at 189yds one shot ran 50yds and died. Shot a Warthog at 92yds, one shot ran 30yds dead. Shot a female Impala at 130 yds, one shot never took another step.
My buddy using the same load shot a big bull Wildebeest at 140 yds. It spun around 3 times and then did the moon walk, then died.

Our load was 200 ELD-X 80g Retumbo seated 3.35 to cycle in our rifles. 2880fps.
I'm very happy how it performed.

 

[Don Titus]

Very impressive! Sounds a lot like the reports provided by Hornady when the went to Africa to test the ELD-X. I haven't tried Retumbo in my Win Mag ...up til now have had best results with 72.8 gr. of H4831SC which chrono'ed at 2850, pretty close to your Retumbo load.

Thanks for sharing your info.

 

[elkaholic]

Just got back from Africa. Shot a Kudu at 469yds one shot and reared up and rolled down hill 10 yds dead. Shot a Blue Wildebeest (very tough animal according to my PH) one shot, ran 80yds then died. Shot a Blesbok at 398yds, one shot never took one step dead. Shot an Impala at 189yds one shot ran 50yds and died. Shot a Warthog at 92yds, one shot ran 30yds dead. Shot a female Impala at 130 yds, one shot never took another step.
My buddy using the same load shot a big bull Wildebeest at 140 yds. It spun around 3 times and then did the moon walk, then died.

Our load was 200 ELD-X 80g Retumbo seated 3.35 to cycle in our rifles. 2880fps.
I'm very happy how it performed.

VERY good info! I am not surprised by the performance based on testing in media....thx/Rich

 

[cowboy]

Just got back from Africa. Shot a Kudu at 469yds one shot and reared up and rolled down hill 10 yds dead. Shot a Blue Wildebeest (very tough animal according to my PH) one shot, ran 80yds then died. Shot a Blesbok at 398yds, one shot never took one step dead. Shot an Impala at 189yds one shot ran 50yds and died. Shot a Warthog at 92yds, one shot ran 30yds dead. Shot a female Impala at 130 yds, one shot never took another step.
My buddy using the same load shot a big bull Wildebeest at 140 yds. It spun around 3 times and then did the moon walk, then died.

Our load was 200 ELD-X 80g Retumbo seated 3.35 to cycle in our rifles. 2880fps.
I'm very happy how it performed.

Any comments on placement of shots, meat damage, exit holes etc.. Any bullets not exit? Thanks for your comments - going to be a couple more months before I can do a self evaluation - I'm switching over from lots of Berger experience - most of it good.

 

[elkaholic]

I am very interested in autopsies as well!.......Rich

 

[284saum]

I have shot 143gr 6.5mm ELD-X in a 26" 8 twist 260 Remington. Nice groups so far with both H4350 & RL26.

 

[nastybynature]

Just got back from Africa. Shot a Kudu at 469yds one shot and reared up and rolled down hill 10 yds dead. Shot a Blue Wildebeest (very tough animal according to my PH) one shot, ran 80yds then died. Shot a Blesbok at 398yds, one shot never took one step dead. Shot an Impala at 189yds one shot ran 50yds and died. Shot a Warthog at 92yds, one shot ran 30yds dead. Shot a female Impala at 130 yds, one shot never took another step.
My buddy using the same load shot a big bull Wildebeest at 140 yds. It spun around 3 times and then did the moon walk, then died.

Our load was 200 ELD-X 80g Retumbo seated 3.35 to cycle in our rifles. 2880fps.
I'm very happy how it performed.

Would love to know what your starting load charge was with Retumbo. When looking at load data i don't see clear info on where to start and I have never used Retumbo before.

Thanks!!

 

[flyfishaz]

Very impressive! Sounds a lot like the reports provided by Hornady when the went to Africa to test the ELD-X. I haven't tried Retumbo in my Win Mag ...up til now have had best results with 72.8 gr. of H4831SC which chrono'ed at 2850, pretty close to your Retumbo load.

Thanks for sharing your info.

I would NOT hesitate to shoot a moose with that round. There is an old saying in Africa that says: A Blue Wildebeest is born sick and every time you give it a lead pill it gets stronger and runs farther. My buddy filmed my other buddies Wildebeest shot and it was AWESOME!

 

[flyfishaz]

Any comments on placement of shots, meat damage, exit holes etc.. Any bullets not exit? Thanks for your comments - going to be a couple more months before I can do a self evaluation - I'm switching over from lots of Berger experience - most of it good.

You guys will have to excuse me for the lack of autopsy photos. I was in a little accident (caught my hand between the leg and hook of a 400 pound hanging Wildebeest) the first day at the skinning shed. That place left me with bad memories the rest of the safari.
I aimed more forward on the animals because all the research, and what I was told, was that the vitals on most of the game are forward. With the exception of the 398yd shot on the Blesbok, not a whole lot of big exit wounds. I do have a picture of it and will try and post it.

 

[Don Titus]

Sounds like that blue wildebeast got his revenge ... after he died! Yes, I am confident that the 200 ELD-X @ 2850 or so will knock the stuffing out of a moose IF my shot placement is good. I doubt that I'll be shooting at distances beyond 200 to 250 given the terrain in NF. My buddy saw 19 bulls and dropped a bull with one shot at 250 yards with his 300 WM using 180 partitions when he was in NF two years ago.

Would love to see any pictures or videos you have of your recent African adventure.

Thanks for sharing,

 

[flyfishaz]

sounds like that blue wildebeast got his revenge ... After he died! Yes, i am confident that the 200 eld-x @ 2850 or so will knock the stuffing out of a moose if my shot placement is good. I doubt that i'll be shooting at distances beyond 200 to 250 given the terrain in nf. My buddy saw 19 bulls and dropped a bull with one shot at 250 yards with his 300 wm using 180 partitions when he was in nf two years ago.

Would love to see any pictures or videos you have of your recent african adventure.

Thanks for sharing,

 

[flyfishaz]