Hunting usage for 230 gr. ELDX .338 caliber bullet

[wildcat westerner]

Based on shooting the 143 gr. ELDX in two different 6.5's, I am finding these bullets are extremely accurate but have not used them when hunting.

In building up a .338 Win. mag (1-10) am looking at the Hornady 230 gr. ELDX bullet. Does anyone on this site have hunting experience with this bullet?

WW

 

[TRG65]

I've been using these for several years on whitetail. They are very destructive. If you are looking for a meat saving bullet, not a good choice. If you are looking for a bullet that expends all of its energy very quickly, they are excellent. Broadside it punches through both shoulders on a whitetail. However, on a steep quartering away through a large body buck, I couldn't find an exit. I was so impressed on another by the distance of the offside spray from a broadside shot that I took more pictures of that than the deer. That load was going about 2930 from a 24" barrel + can. Before I started using the can and with a prior lot of powder, it was 2860. I'm in the process of reworking the load, where I found the best accuracy and consistency was around 2810 so that's what will get used this fall.

 

[wildcat westerner]

TRG65,
So from the velocities you are mentioning you are using a .338 Win mag for deer hunting? Thanks for your input.

WW

 

[TRG65]

Yes, it is a 338 Win Mag. Originally, I built the rifle for elk. I took one that year. Since then it has been used for deer and groundhogs. This year it is going aoudad hunting. It is just used for whatever. I've used 250 accubond, 250 Bergers, 200 SSTs, and 230 eld-x. The accubond only got used for the elk. The batch I got had issues with the tips falling out. I tried the Berger. They did not give me the performance that many see from Berger. I tried 200 SSTs, which did ok and dropped deer well. When the 230 eld-x came out, I went to them. I was hoping for an all around bullet. However, given the performance I've seen with them, I might try for a load with an accubond or barnes for "tougher" game.

 

[wildcat westerner]

Thank You,
It would seem to me your bullet journey is a logical one and I believe the circumstances surrounding the early Accubond situation was unique and non repeatable. I used the Barnes 165 TTSX in my 300 WSM for a single shot and near instant kill on my Oryx here on the White Sands Missile Base in New Mexico. Either bullet should prove satisfactory to you.

WW

 

[ARlife4me]

I have eld-x in various calibers, but don't hunt. I do however have pigs I would love to decimate! 230edl-x in 338lm will be hellatious on them!