162 Eld x bullets that bad?

[muzz]

Read a lot of negative comments about these bullets. I was going to use them on my elk hunt this year. Thinking I’ll go with the hammer hunters .

 

[137buck]

I shot a bull with those bullets out of my 7 mag, I hit the bull two times in the heart and lungs, it kept running over a hill, it died and the bullets did their job, so I guess they were good for me.

 

[Stave]

I dropped three whitetails last year with 6.5creedmore eldx. One dropped in its tracks. The others ran 30 and 50 yards. Those were my first deer with a rifle. 20 years of bowhunting before that so I can't compare eldx to other bullets

 

[Stave]

My bad. I just realized you asked about 7mm specifically

 

[Tahoe1305]

They work as they should. Softer bullet with thin jacket made to expand at slower speeds. Keep impacts between 2900-2000fps and they are solid IMO and experience. (They aren’t built to be tough…they wouldn’t expand slow if they were….trade-offs).

Hit something at 3000fps+ and if you miss soft tissue you’ll likely see the bullet blow up
And perform poorly. Rumor is they work down slower that 2k but I haven’t had any experience there.

I think they are best bang for the buck. Shoot them in 6.5, 308, 7wsm without issue (minus hitting things too fast).

 

[Scorpion]

They’ll work fine, what cartridge?

 

[deserthunter2016]

I shoot 7mm rem mag 162 grains all the time for mule deer and I love them. The last 4 deer I have killed have been with them. 3 between 100-200 yards and they expanded and did their job. I shot one at 75 and it went straight through without expanding as far as I could tell, but it put a hole in his heart so he stopped dead. I wouldn’t hesitate using them. I’m working on reloading 175 grain to see how they shoot as well.


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[eod.tek]

I've harvested 3 deer, two elk, and one bear from 70 to 730 yards using the 162 eldx and a few more deer and a pronghorn using the 143. They all killed the animal I shot just fine. My big issue with them was penciling through, which has caused some issues for me. I've sinced switched bullets to bergers and am seeing how they stand up.

 

[PineBrook413]

Not exactly apple to apple since my experience is with 30 cal. But the 212 and 220 eldx have been very lethal from ranges of 40-450 yards on mule deer and elk.

The 220 on a cow elk @ 406 yards hit both shoulders and was stuck in the hide on the far side weight retention was over 80%. Not a huge sample size but I've been happy with them.

7mm 175elx are likely what i'll be running on my 7prc this year.

 

[Fire power]

I had some real issues with the eld bullets out of my 260. I load my 7-08 and 260 about the same. I had to give these bullets a little more jump to the lands. Shorter overall length. My best powder in my 7-08 is imr and h 4350. Haven't tried the eld in 7-08 yet but I'd bet it's the longer profile bullet needing a little more jump. I've shot everything out of my 7-08 from 120 grain to 175 grain and the best load I have is the 160 Speer hot core using 40.5 grains of imr 4350. These aren't max loads and I wouldn't suggest using mine and I'm sure a lot of people on here would prefer the bullets closer to the lands but the eld had me stumped for 3 range trips.

 

[fowlmeister]

I shot a cow elk last year at 420 yards with my 28 Nosler and 162 ELD-X. MV was 3290 fps. She took about 10 steps and dropped dead. The bullet worked perfectly.

 

[TheCougar]

Killed multiple bulls with those bullets. No tracking jobs, all DRT. However, they go off like little grenades, so don’t shoot anything you want to eat… aim for behind the shoulder.

 

[t_carlson]

There isn't any black magic at work here.

They are a copper jacket/lead core bullet. If you push them too fast into something too hard, they will disintegrate.

I have a buddy that shoots them in his 7mm. I've seen him shoot elk, and they reliably DON'T exit, even with broadside shots.

For me, that's TOO soft. Others may disagree.

 

[parshal]

I have a buddy that shoots them in his 7mm. I've seen him shoot elk, and they reliably DON'T exit, even with broadside shots.

For me, that's TOO soft. Others may disagree.

Don't shoot the Norma Bondstrikes then. Not a single exit on five African animals I shot. I expected pass through like I've always gotten with the Scirocco. Buddy was shooting the 147 ELD-M's and his animals were dead, dead, dead.

With no exits on the Bondstrikes I'm moving to the 143's since my other buddy used them successfully in Africa two years ago on the same animals.

 

[muzz]

They’ll work fine, what cartridge?

7mag

 

[Diced]

I've seen 8 elk killed by the factory Hornady 28 nosler ammo that's loaded with the 162 eldx. The farthest shot being 740 yards and the closest around 175. The bullet performed perfectly everytime. I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

 

[jpmulk]

I have only had good experiences with them. I think I’ve shot 3 or 4 elk, an antelope, and a few mule deer with them out to 450 yards. From what I have read, most people who have “bad experiences” with them don’t understand the bullets intended design. If your philosophy is to blow through shoulders and get pass throughs, this bullet is not for you. If you want to hit them behind the shoulder and hit the vitals, leaving most of the energy in the animal, then this is a great bullet.

 

[Tony2000]

I shot an elk at 50 yards through both shoulders and the bullet was lodged under the skin on the far side. This was with a 6.5 prc running right at 3000 fps

 

[TheCougar]

What @jpmulk said. They aren’t monos. Don’t expect a lot of mass retention. I have had small exit wounds, typically what’s left of the bottom of the core. For the most part though, exit wounds are small or the core is lodged under the far side skin. They work. I’ve never lost an animal and never had to track. Again, and like he said, know what the bullet is designed for. I don’t aim for bone or anything I plan on eating. It causes mass trauma and bruising where it hits. And they are dang accurate bullets. I tried a dozen different bullets and in both my hunting rifles those were the tightest and most consistent groups.

 

[t_carlson]

Don't shoot the Norma Bondstrikes then. Not a single exit on five African animals I shot. I expected pass through like I've always gotten with the Scirocco. Buddy was shooting the 147 ELD-M's and his animals were dead, dead, dead.

With no exits on the Bondstrikes I'm moving to the 143's since my other buddy used them successfully in Africa two years ago on the same animals.

Uh-oh. I bought a bunch for my 300 WSM because that is all I could find.

Thanks for the warning.