A lot of game has been taken with 300gr Sierra HPBT....shot placement is key.If you lost that elk it was due to poor bullet placement, not the construction of the bullet.
A lot of game has been taken with 300gr Sierra HPBT....shot placement is key.If you lost that elk it was due to poor bullet placement, not the construction of the bullet.
I've used the Amax originally and now ELD-M's for hunting white tail. Now they are 30 cal 208 grain but never had any of them take 2 steps, 200 to 400 yards, neck shots on Turkey dropped in their tracks, in side 200 yards.When comparing Berger target bullets to edlm target bullets the OPs assumptions have been correct from my experience. I don't use either of these for hunting but have seen them used numerous times in 7mm. The 180 edlms have been very consistent in there performance on game where the Berger hybrid targets have been less consistent. The Berger's failed to open and tumbled on a few animals. The edlm have been have performed consistently and all opened and showed fine results.
Edlx have shown to be a good hunting bullet but they definitely harder to get to shoot than the edlms or Berger's. If your gun likes them they are great but it seems to be about 50/50 for the guns I've tried them in.
My advice instead of messing with either of the targets bullets get the Berger elite hunters. Target bullet Accuracy and long range performance and they are consistent and killers on the 20ish animals I've used them on. Only reason I use a few different bullet is cuz I can't find enough elites now a days.
I will weigh in on elk. I have killed several game with both. I would not hunt elk sized game with the 225 ELD-M. This past fall I hit an elk in the shoulder. I hit it hard and we trailed it in the snow for well over a mile. The animal bedded 5-6 times over that mile and we found 3 chunks of shoulder bone bigger than a quarter but intimately the blood dried up and the animal started going up hill where there was no snow and we never recovered it. 200 yard impact distance out of a 300 PRC. My son shot a cow broadside in the crease and she went 20 yards, but there was no exit. I also shot a bull im the back of the head/base of neck. DRT but no exit.Been researching these bullets a fair amount. I've already killed a decent amount with bergers, but the ELD-M's have peaked my interest lately also. It seems like their construction is very similar, except for the tip on the ELD-M. I think the tip on the ELD-M may make expansion just a hair quicker at closer ranges, but aid in the expansion, and more importantly, consistent expansion, at longer ranges.
I've been looking specifically at the 225 ELD-M as an option for my 300 NMI. They are readily available and have a higher BC than the 230 Hybrid Bergers.
Curious if this makes sense to anyone haha? Or if anyone has used both for a comparison? Or even specifically, used the 225 ELD-M as of late for killing deer & elk.
You can use either for paper but stick to the one who's purpose is to hunt with, not the same.Been researching these bullets a fair amount. I've already killed a decent amount with bergers, but the ELD-M's have peaked my interest lately also. It seems like their construction is very similar, except for the tip on the ELD-M. I think the tip on the ELD-M may make expansion just a hair quicker at closer ranges, but aid in the expansion, and more importantly, consistent expansion, at longer ranges.
I've been looking specifically at the 225 ELD-M as an option for my 300 NMI. They are readily available and have a higher BC than the 230 Hybrid Bergers.
Curious if this makes sense to anyone haha? Or if anyone has used both for a comparison? Or even specifically, used the 225 ELD-M as of late for killing deer & elk.
You can also kill an animal with a controlled expansion bullet and not find it after a dead run.That's like the drunk who hasn't had a DWI accident yet.
If you shoot enough animals with target bullets it's only a matter of when, not if it's going to happen.
I've only lost one elk. It was a perfect double lung shot. Bullet penciled through because I hit no bone I'm guessing. It was a .284 160 grain accubond fired from a 7mm WSM at approximately 3150fps. Elk was standing broadside at 125 yards. I found the elk the next day spoiled. No blood trail and small holes on both entrance and exit. I still tagged the elk hoping I could salvage some meat, but had no luck. There are no perfect bullets, but Hammers are very close IMO!!If you lost that elk it was due to poor bullet placement, not the construction of the bullet.
It's a target bullet, I would not shoot it at game. The ELD-X however is a very good hunting bullet.
I too thought the ELDM's or A-Tip's with their high BC's would be good bullet alternatives to Berger, however I usually run larger capacity cartridge's with higher velocity loads. This poses a problem for the ELDM and A-Tip bullets in their ability to handle rotational RPM. I have read too many accounts of the ELDM's and A-Tip's vaporizing 30 to 100 yards out of the muzzle. In particular the 6.5 147 grain ELDM and 153 grain A-Tip projectiles in hand loads, and even factory 6.5 PRC ammo running (275,000 rpm)! 290,000 to 300,00 rpm seems to be considered the practical limit for jacketed bullets. Erick Steckler of Berger posted quite a lengthy write up on this topic in 2007 on LRH. The higher the velocity, faster the twist, the squarer the rifling, the more friction, the more likely these bullets will come apart.Been researching these bullets a fair amount. I've already killed a decent amount with bergers, but the ELD-M's have peaked my interest lately also. It seems like their construction is very similar, except for the tip on the ELD-M. I think the tip on the ELD-M may make expansion just a hair quicker at closer ranges, but aid in the expansion, and more importantly, consistent expansion, at longer ranges.
I've been looking specifically at the 225 ELD-M as an option for my 300 NMI. They are readily available and have a higher BC than the 230 Hybrid Bergers.
Curious if this makes sense to anyone haha? Or if anyone has used both for a comparison? Or even specifically, used the 225 ELD-M as of late for killing deer & elk.
Sorry but I'm going to disagree with you on this one. Maybe I had a bad bullet or something, I'm not sure. I lost a bull elk shot at 125 yards with a 7mm WSM shooting a 160 grain accubond at around 3150fps. It was a perfect double lung shot. The bullet penciled through hitting no bone. I couldn't barely fit my pinky in either hole. I did find the elk the next day spoiled. Of course I did an autopsy to find out what happened. I don't really have an explanation other than the bullet failed to expand. Don't get me wrong I like accubonds and shoot them in other guns still. Maybe my experience is the exemption to the rule, not sure. There is no perfect hunting bullet but Hammers are very close!If you lost that elk it was due to poor bullet placement, not the construction of the bullet.
800 yards, impact velocity approx 2000 fpsYardages and impact velocity if you have it please? Dont spend a lot of extra time on it.
I was going to respond to a certain member on this thread but after reading his 20th post I've decided it's not worth it.Now we are throwing out late night internet insults-- nice work, must be past your bedtime.
I understand it just fine-- and now you are walking that statement back because you literally have no idea where that gentleman shot that animal do you?? You have no actual idea where he put it or if it did it's job.
You are stuck with your head up your fourth point of contact and unwilling to consider that you might be the very person you described that can only believe what you think is best.
Yes this is what I'm sure happened to the bull I lost with the accubond.I hit one very well and it was a long time before recovery. Shot behind the shoulder didn't expand well but exited. If that had been an Amax, that animal wouldn't have went anywhere if hit in the exact same spot. I'm not recommending to anyone that a target/match bullet should be your choice but as many animals as I've killed with them and not one lost (99% DRT), I will always use them on many of my hunts depending on the animal.
Been researching these bullets a fair amount. I've already killed a decent amount with bergers, but the ELD-M's have peaked my interest lately also. It seems like their construction is very similar, except for the tip on the ELD-M. I think the tip on the ELD-M may make expansion just a hair quicker at closer ranges, but aid in the expansion, and more importantly, consistent expansion, at longer ranges.
I've been looking specifically at the 225 ELD-M as an option for my 300 NMI. They are readily available and have a higher BC than the 230 Hybrid Bergers.
Curious if this makes sense to anyone haha? Or if anyone has used both for a comparison? Or even specifically, used the 225 ELD-M as of late for killing deer & elk.
ELD-M 225 grain is an absolute joke for big bull elk. No penetration whatsoever.Been researching these bullets a fair amount. I've already killed a decent amount with bergers, but the ELD-M's have peaked my interest lately also. It seems like their construction is very similar, except for the tip on the ELD-M. I think the tip on the ELD-M may make expansion just a hair quicker at closer ranges, but aid in the expansion, and more importantly, consistent expansion, at longer ranges.
I've been looking specifically at the 225 ELD-M as an option for my 300 NMI. They are readily available and have a higher BC than the 230 Hybrid Bergers.
Curious if this makes sense to anyone haha? Or if anyone has used both for a comparison? Or even specifically, used the 225 ELD-M as of late for killing deer & elk.