Terminal Performance - results

Opinion. Attached is a photo of two 7mm / 175 ELDX's that were recovered from a 340lb (no kidding) Colorado Mule Deer last year, shot at 383 yards. MZL velocity was 3192 FPS.
They both represent about a 45% weight retention. Is this the performance you would have expected from a hunting bullet?
Nothing is more dense at high velocity that fluid. Close up, at high velocities this is representative of performance. At slower velocity (within a given window high/low) weight retention performance is increased. Simple ballistics. At the velocity you appear to be shooting a much hardier bullet may be more beneficial, such as an all copper.
 
I have had outstanding performance from the 162 eldx out of a 280AI. At 110 yards a chunk of lung 1/3 the size of a tennis ball fell out of the exit wound. Seen some dramatic wounding before but never that much tissue on the ground. Buck made it 30 yards which was impressive

For lower impact velocities they are a great hunting bullet. For my 257wby I am still going to use a 100gr Barnes tsx
 
I was also surprised his bullets did not exit.

Very interested in your experience with the 135 A-tips ... not to hijack the thread, but has some context here discussing performance of a long range hunting bullet.
2 deer, 2 wolves, and 8 coyotes so far. I am impressed with this bullet. The deer were traditional boiler room impacts, exit was 2" roughly, and massive damage to the internals. The blood shot ribs was incredible and very telling of the shock created. I run the 135 at 3100 so it's no slouch. I did not see any fragments so I assume the bullet stayed semi intact. I do have some 153 a tips loaded up to test for fps and accuracy. I doubt I'll switch unless for some reason I choose to hunt larger game and need a heavier bullet. For now the 135 is proving to be quite a wicked little poison pill for predators.
 
The ELD-X bullets in all calibers/weights are highly explosive up close, and still have excellent expansion at long range. You could argue that there are better bullets for close shots because of how violently they expand/fragment.

Here's a picture of a .338 270 grain ELD-X recovered from a bull i shot at 1130 yards, at about 2000 FPS impact velocity. For a long range hunting bullet the ELD-X are hard to beat, assuming your gun shoots them accurately.
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I concur 100% I have found both the ELDX and Nosler ABLR to both be excellent long range Bullets and agree the ELDX does fragment at ranges below 500 yds, the ABLR is a little more stable at shorter distances, I have found. I use both and love both. Biggest thing to remember is that the extrem long range Bullets like both of the above will fragment at almost any range if hitting heavy bone upon impact.
 
Opinion. Attached is a photo of two 7mm / 175 ELDX's that were recovered from a 340lb (no kidding) Colorado Mule Deer last year, shot at 383 yards. MZL velocity was 3192 FPS.
They both represent about a 45% weight retention. Is this the performance you would have expected from a hunting bullet?
I shoot a 103 ELDX in my 6Xc and my 243 AI and have taken quite a few feral hogs with them at ranges under 150 yards, I have yet to recover a bullet.
 
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200 grain ELD-x from the offside hide of an Alaska Bison, weighs 112 grains so like 55% weight retention. Heart was split in half and wound channel was impressive. Impact velocity around 2700 FPS, ambient temp was single digits. Extremely happy with performance.
 
I concur 100% I have found both the ELDX and Nosler ABLR to both be excellent long range Bullets and agree the ELDX does fragment at ranges below 500 yds, the ABLR is a little more stable at shorter distances, I have found. I use both and love both. Biggest thing to remember is that the extrem long range Bullets like both of the above will fragment at almost any range if hitting heavy bone upon impact.
So true… if they hit bone at any distance they fragment.
Here's a pic of only the lead core I found of the 3rd shot (quartering) I made on the bull at 1130 yards. Impact was front of shoulder, hit ribs on both near and far side, and settled in the opposite side leg/shoulder up against the bone. Never found the copper jacket, assume it fragmented within the chest cavity and lost in the soup.

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Opinion. Attached is a photo of two 7mm / 175 ELDX's that were recovered from a 340lb (no kidding) Colorado Mule Deer last year, shot at 383 yards. MZL velocity was 3192 FPS.
They both represent about a 45% weight retention. Is this the performance you would have expected from a hunting bullet?
I hope this isnt offensive but I have hunted 2 farms for 30 years and have experimented with many bullets and velocities. We shot high B.C. bullets that cut through the wind and they also had high sectional density (long and skinny) and so many of these permitted the deer to run into thick brush and no fun to track a deer when starting to get dark. One was hit in lungs and ran over 400 yards. Found out that higher velocity and less b.c. (relation diameter to length) was much better scenario. 125 bt @ 4050 muzzle velocity even at 600 yards the bullet comes apart a d does severe damage. One in particular @310 yards made a basketball size entrance hole (hit a rib) and just a tad bigger offside when leed off hide. There was a hole on exit where the base came on out. Also use a 338 180 grn Accubond at 3750 fps. Almost as good and these deer drop. Another deer @560 yards and it dropped. No bullet left and no ex oh t hole. Many more events but better stop. Might not work for you but works good for us.
 
Opinion. Attached is a photo of two 7mm / 175 ELDX's that were recovered from a 340lb (no kidding) Colorado Mule Deer last year, shot at 383 yards. MZL velocity was 3192 FPS.
They both represent about a 45% weight retention. Is this the performance you would have expected from a hunting bullet?
Do you have a photo of the deer? I would be interested in seeing it!! Sounds like a dandy....
 
Seems everywhere today I read about sniping animals 1100 yards plus. 1 shot kills! No wounding/escapement reports. The equipment, skill and bullets are amazing. I choose to hunt than snipe and have hunted the world. 90% of my shots have been under 200 yards. But I did once shoot a running bull moose offhand at 400+ yards on the last day of the hunt. Hit him right in the heart! Seriously, my guide said he had only seen that once before. Oh, I did shoot a wounded Muskox beyond 500 off my pack. I just can't stand wounding and third rate shooters who don't practice much, like the guy on a BC moose hunt who shot a small cow moose to Swiss Cheese with his custom 7 Mag at 30 yards! This clown had previously shot off a round in camp, while "testing" his safety!!! That guy really ****ed me off! No respect for guns nor game. After researching the ELD-X some I wrote it off. For my type of hunting they seemed fragile and with lackluster penetration. I now have a semi-custom RUM in the works and even though I prefer closer shots at game, am practicing out to 600. I have my reasons, some of which are declining opportunity, competition and Hunt Hating Control Freaks on the rise. One reason I was originally interested in the ELD-X as a hunting bullet was less wind drift, even at shorter ranges. With so many praising ELD-Xs here, perhaps I should take another look at them???
 
What did the vitals look like? What was the damage caused by the bullet?
The vitals were soup, which is a great outcome. The first shot hit just above the heart and the second shot blew the heart up. If it had not been the rut and the animal wasnt still standing for 20 or so seconds after the first shot, likely i would not have had to shoot him again, but I prefer to put the animal down.
 
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