Hornady ELD-X

theox

Very Active Member
Messages
2,278
Hey just wondering if any of you guys are using the eld-x and how you have done hunting with them. I recently loaded up some 162 gr for the 7mm RM and had really great results (3/4 inch group at 100 yd) on my first ladder of reloads before i even did any tinkering with the loads, not sure if i got lucky and found the right combo immediately or i can tighten that up any... but ill sure play with them a little..

ANy way in real life how have they performed on elk, deer, antelope etc?
 
I've shot deer, elk and pronghorn with them. Only expansion I saw was on a cow elk spine shot. Everything else was pin hole entrance and pin hole exit. All shot under 500 yards. I wasn't impressed with their performance. Accurate as can be, hunting wise left much to be desired
 
>I've shot deer, elk and pronghorn
>with them. Only expansion I
>saw was on a cow
>elk spine shot. Everything else
>was pin hole entrance and
>pin hole exit. All shot
>under 500 yards. I wasn't
>impressed with their performance. Accurate
>as can be, hunting wise
>left much to be desired
>

interesting! hmm i dont like the sound of that! you were shooting the X not the M?
 
>>I've shot deer, elk and pronghorn
>>with them. Only expansion I
>>saw was on a cow
>>elk spine shot. Everything else
>>was pin hole entrance and
>>pin hole exit. All shot
>>under 500 yards. I wasn't
>>impressed with their performance. Accurate
>>as can be, hunting wise
>>left much to be desired
>>
>
>interesting! hmm i dont like the
>sound of that! you were
>shooting the X not the
>M?

Yes sir. 143 eldx out of a 6.5 creedmoor and a 200 gr eldx out of a .300 win mag. Got the same results with both rifles
 
Ox,
That's not what I've seen on a couple deer and a couple elk so far.

While the 143 ELD-X in the Creedmoor doesn't produce the same trauma as with super-intense cartridges, it did expand well and killed dead! One has to remember that the velocity with that bullet in that round is WAY down there around 2600+/- fps so I'm opting for a lighter bullet for deer in the future.

The 300 RUM was put to the test this year with the 212 ELD-X and there's nothing to say other than DRT! Zero pencil-through and the bullet was recovered on one elk at 147 yards an it certainly expanded well.

I suppose we all have our own experiences and there will be unique differences based on factors beyond our control.

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
Oh, I've also shot a couple pronghorn with the 143 ELD-X launched from a 6.5 WSM and that's like the hammer of Thor!!!!

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
>Ox,
>That's not what I've seen on
>a couple deer and a
>couple elk so far.
>
>While the 143 ELD-X in the
>Creedmoor doesn't produce the same
>trauma as with super-intense cartridges,
>it did expand well and
>killed dead! One has to
>remember that the velocity with
>that bullet in that round
>is WAY down there around
>2600+/- fps so I'm opting
>for a lighter bullet for
>deer in the future.
>
>The 300 RUM was put to
>the test this year with
>the 212 ELD-X and there's
>nothing to say other than
>DRT! Zero pencil-through and the
>bullet was recovered on one
>elk at 147 yards an
>it certainly expanded well.
>
>I suppose we all have our
>own experiences and there will
>be unique differences based on
>factors beyond our control.
>
>Zeke
>
>#livelikezac


guess ill just have to try it out myself.. i love the accuracy ive gotten so far. I know its matter of personal opinion alot of times. ive shot the hornady interlock at elk and i was not impressed at all yet people love them... lmao at your antelope comment.
 
I'm with Zeke, I too have had great success with the ELD-X out of my .280ai i'm shooting the 175gr...

Two elk, two coues and one antelope all with one round and each with about a silver dollar exit hole. Except for one elk the bullet was just under the skin of the opposite shoulder.. Below is the bullet from that elk..

They've worked great for me...

99314img9137.jpg
 
First time using it this past fall and it worked well for me. I was shooting the 145 gr out of a 270. First shot at 200 yards blew through the front shoulder and I found it underneath the hide on the off side. Expansion was great and so was weight retention. Second shot (the deer was already dead on his feet) was quartering to and I never found that bullet. The buck didn't go 40 yards. Here are a couple pictures of that first bullet.

97820img3137.jpg


13377img3138.jpg


Its a good bullet. It's really accurate out of my 270 which is the most important part to me and in my sample size of one it performs really well in the field.
 
>I'm with Zeke, I too have
>had great success with the
>ELD-X out of my .280ai
>i'm shooting the 175gr...
>
> Two elk, two coues
>and one antelope all with
>one round and each with
>about a silver dollar exit
>hole. Except for one elk
>the bullet was just under
>the skin of the opposite
>shoulder.. Below is the bullet
>from that elk..
>
>They've worked great for me...
>
>
99314img9137.jpg

WHat distance on all those critters? any long shots/ short shots? mid range what?
 
>>I'm with Zeke, I too have
>>had great success with the
>>ELD-X out of my .280ai
>>i'm shooting the 175gr...
>>
>> Two elk, two coues
>>and one antelope all with
>>one round and each with
>>about a silver dollar exit
>>hole. Except for one elk
>>the bullet was just under
>>the skin of the opposite
>>shoulder.. Below is the bullet
>>from that elk..
>>
>>They've worked great for me...
>>
>>
99314img9137.jpg

> WHat distance on all those
>critters? any long shots/
>short shots? mid range what?
>

Ox, the antelope was 260yds, one elk was 180yds., the bullet above was at 300yds, one coues was at 80yds and one was at 620yds...
 
>>>I'm with Zeke, I too have
>>>had great success with the
>>>ELD-X out of my .280ai
>>>i'm shooting the 175gr...
>>>
>>> Two elk, two coues
>>>and one antelope all with
>>>one round and each with
>>>about a silver dollar exit
>>>hole. Except for one elk
>>>the bullet was just under
>>>the skin of the opposite
>>>shoulder.. Below is the bullet
>>>from that elk..
>>>
>>>They've worked great for me...
>>>
>>>
99314img9137.jpg

>> WHat distance on all those
>>critters? any long shots/
>>short shots? mid range what?
>>
>
>Ox, the antelope was 260yds, one
>elk was 180yds., the bullet
>above was at 300yds, one
>coues was at 80yds and
>one was at 620yds...

well quite a wide range of distances then with one fairly long distance shot. thats cool. well i cant wait to try ti out this year!
 
I killed two deer and a pronghorn with 162?s out of a 28 Nosler this year. Shots were between 500 and 175. None took a step. Blew the bullet to pieces on a deer at 175. PM me a number and I will text you a kill shot video. These bullets perform exactly like you would expect based on their construction. No surprises. Very accurate for sure.?????-SS
 
zeke, if I didn't get a pass through with a 212 grain bullet at that yardage with a RUM, I'd be concerned some. I've killed bulls at over 600 and not recovered an Accubond. mtmuley
 
My experience couldn't have been more opposite of moose. 5 critters from antelope to elk with a 143 out of a 6.5-284 and a 175 from a 28nos. Internal damage was massive (actually wasn?t a huge fan of loosing some meat) and none of them toted it out of sight. They worked well for me and that is coming from a guy who is pretty biased to the regular nosler accubonds for hunting rigs.
 
I shoot the same as you... 162 grain out of the 7mm mag. I shot an elk at 520 yards and it worked great. I love the bullets. Shot great for me at longer distances as well
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-07-18 AT 10:44AM (MST)[p]Mature mule deer.
6.5x284 handloads
Hornady 6.5 143 EXD-X
2735 FPS @ muzzle
185 yards, deer quartering away.
Entered and broke second to last rib, exited body cavity and lodged in muscle of off shoulder.
Before weight 143 gr.........after weight 56 gr.

I liked the BC and accuracy of this load but was hoping it would hold together a little better.
It only hit one bone, (rib), and this is what is left.


9133758159143eldxbeforeandafter.jpg
 
Between my family and friends and I we killed 6 deer and an antelope this year at ranges from 50-702. Every single animal was a one shot kill. Most went through the chest and left the "silver dollar" size hole on the exit. Even the critters at extended range were broadside, pass through shots, with lots of damage to internal organs. 6.5 Creedmoor 143 gr ELDX at 2725fps. I like them great for deer and antelope, sadly didn't get to put them to the test on an elk yet.
 
>zeke, if I didn't get a
>pass through with a 212
>grain bullet at that yardage
>with a RUM, I'd be
>concerned some. I've killed bulls
>at over 600 and not
>recovered an Accubond. mtmuley

I too have used the 200AB on several elk and some I find and some I don't. Closer shots simply produce more bullet-upset and weight loss and greater chance of finding one on the off-shoulder.

I'm sure you understand that there's MORE bullet upset and weight shedding at closer ranges than farther ranges because of the impact velocity differences!

This is why the 143 ELD-X isn't as upsetting in the Creedmoor as it is in the WSM and it all has to do with impact velocity.

There's little surprise here and nothing to worry about.

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
It looks like your bullet lost its core and would have weighed substantially more if it had been found. After extensive research this seems to be common with the ELD X but in most cases the jacket is found somewhere in the other side of the critter and the core continues on through. I will be trying this in my .260 this spring and if it shoots to my liking I will use it for antelope and deer with full confidence.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free... it expects what never has and never will be." -Thomas Jefferson
 
It's no wonder the ELD-X has a fragmentation issue. but the real debate should be how does it compare to it's competition in the long range bullet market, the Berger.

If it holds together better than the Berger I see a use for the ELD-X , if it doesn't then I don't .

















Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Never got exited about this bullet. It just doesn't do anything that stands out from anything else. I'd rather shoot Bergers, and for sure Noslers. mtmuley
 
Killed a mule deer buck at 300 yards, DRT. Killed a whitetail buck at 180 yards, went 25 yards. Both with the 7mm 162. Recovered the bullet from the mule deer, full penetration to opposite side, core and jacket separated but wounding was massive. It also shoots really well. I like accubonds too. My guns just shoot the ELD's better.
 
I have used the 178 grain ELD-X in my .300 Winchester Magnum. The best accuracy I have ever had with any rifle or any load has been with this bullet. It shoots sub 1" three shot groups at 300 yards. I have shot a couple of deer and one sheep and they all went right down. I have had more success with this bullet than I did with the Nosler Accubonds.

mh
 
I've killed three animals. One elk, one mule deer and one antelope using a 6.5x284 and the 143 ELDX. The shots ranged from 30 yds, to 650 yds. Big holes and lots of damage has been my experience with rib/lung style shots behind the shoulder. I could fit my fist in the hole.

I think its a better expanding and retention bullet than a berger, but isn't designed to be a barnes or even a bonded core like a partition. So far, I would say it has worked similar to the SST in my opinion with better accuracy.
 
My bro used the same 162 gr ELD-X for his browning x-bolt 7mag to take his LE elk this year. One shot at 600 yds put the elk down where he stood. Slight quartering away shot, entered behind the front shoulder and damage was impressive internally (never recovered the bullet however). We are by no means any long-range experts but we did some load development and were able to get close to 1/2 in. groups at 100 yds and 600 yds was his max yardage. Couldn't be more happy with the accuracy and downrange performance of the ELD-X.
 
My 11 year old grandson shot a 5x6 bull at 320 yards low in the lungs with the 143 eldx with a 6.5 creed. Looked like a nuclear bomb went off,never recovered the bullet, internal damage was massive.
 
>My experience couldn't have been more
>opposite of moose. 5 critters
>from antelope to elk with
>a 143 out of a
>6.5-284 and a 175 from
>a 28nos. Internal damage was
>massive (actually wasn?t a huge
>fan of loosing some meat)
>and none of them toted
>it out of sight. They
>worked well for me and
>that is coming from a
>guy who is pretty biased
>to the regular nosler accubonds
>for hunting rigs.


So do you prefer the ELDX over the accubonds ?
 
That's a good question. Both bullets perform as advertised in my experience and for medium sized game I may actually lean toward the ELD. If I were hunting moose and elk I'd lean more to the accubonds.
 

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