175 ELDX expansion testing

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I've been playing with the 175 ELDX lately after seeing some disturbing failures to expand with 180, 195, and 168 Bergers at impact velocities between 2100-1800 fps.
The media I'm using to test expansion is saturated clay soil, not perfect but In my experience it's a very good indicator of real life expansion on game.
I'm sending the eldx at 2800 fps from my 18" 7-300 wsm LRI.
I fired several rounds into the clay at 1000 yards with an impact velocity of 1700 fps, and several at 1340 yards with an impact velocity of 1400 fps.

Here's the results, the two on the left are at 1340, the 3rd is at 1000 yards

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Interesting. Have you ever annealed a berger bullet? I know it sounds weird but it does seem to help them expand reliably. There is a tiny bit of info out there on it if you search. Not saying it'll get you expansion to 1400fps though

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[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Interesting. Have you ever annealed a berger bullet? I know it sounds weird but it does seem to help them expand reliably. There is a tiny bit of info out there on it if you search. Not saying it'll get you expansion to 1400fps though

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No I haven't and if reliable expansion takes that kind of tinkering I'm definitely not interested..
I've made some good kills with Bergers,but the list of people I know who've had failures to expand on game is growing

 

[35WhelenAI]

Nice to see how the bullets perform at extended range, not the typical loading them down to lower velocity and firing at shorter range.

1000 yd looks good for consistent opening, at least to my eye.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I'd like to see an ELD-M in comparison, everyone I know that's shot the X has been less than pleased with performance all around.

 

[Tmac]

No I haven't and if reliable expansion takes that kind of tinkering I'm definitely not interested..
I've made some good kills with Bergers,but the list of people I know who've had failures to expand on game is growing

I wish Berger would make a tipped bullet. I avoid bullets with small HP’s for hunting.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I'd like to see an ELD-M in comparison, everyone I know that's shot the X has been less than pleased with performance all around.

Interesting, I haven’t heard anything bad about the eldx in my circle.
I do have some 180 eldms so I'll add them into this test as well when I get a chance

I wish Berger would make a tipped bullet. I avoid bullets with small HP’s for hunting.

Yeah I hear you, again they've worked well for me but I don't have any kills beyond 500 yards.
But given how many I've recovered behind targets that were just bent up doesn't give me warm fuzzies..
I've literally never had a single eldx or m not expand in any situation down to 1400 fps thus far.

 

[Nomosendero]

Interesting, I haven’t heard anything bad about the eldx in my circle.
I do have some 180 eldms so I'll add them into this test as well when I get a chance

Yeah I hear you, again they've worked well for me but I don't have any kills beyond 500 yards.
But given how many I've recovered behind targets that were just bent up doesn't give me warm fuzzies..
I've literally never had a single eldx or m not expand in any situation down to 1400 fps thus far.

I look forward to seeing that!

 

[Ucsdryder]

Interesting, I haven’t heard anything bad about the eldx in my circle.
I do have some 180 eldms so I'll add them into this test as well when I get a chance

Yeah I hear you, again they've worked well for me but I don't have any kills beyond 500 yards.
But given how many I've recovered behind targets that were just bent up doesn't give me warm fuzzies..
I've literally never had a single eldx or m not expand in any situation down to 1400 fps thus far.

I want to see the side by side of the eldm and eldx.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I might give it a shot tomorrow if I can get some progress in on the orchard and wifey's garden..

 

[Ucsdryder]

I might give it a shot tomorrow if I can get some progress in on the orchard and wifey's garden..

Priorities…the garden can wait!

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Ok I managed to get a few 180 eldm downrange this morning.
Muzzle velocity verified by drop at 1340 was also 2800 fps, interesting side note I ended up 1 grain below what I'm using for the eldx.

I recovered 2 bullets at 1000 yards, Impact velocity 1840
One was recovered at 1340, Impact velocity 1570
And for the hell of it I sent one from 815 yards with an impact velocity of 2000.

From left to right
1340, 1000, 815
They weighed 155 grains, 120, 90, and 115 In order shown .

Clay loam

 

[Mike D Texas]

That cup/core separation concerns me, and that’s a somewhat modest impact velocity.


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[762 ULTRAMAGA]

That cup/core separation concerns me, and that’s a somewhat modest impact velocity.


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Yep it really shows that the ELDX holds together better.
I will say though Bergers pretty much do the same thing as the eldm, and when they do expand its total devastation.

I think the difference is that bergers penetrate deeper before expansion is initiated so you're not going to get blowups with shoulder shots on big critters.
The flip side is that you might not get any expansion at lower impact velocities it you don't hit any bone..

 

[wind gypsy]

175 eldx was a little splashy for my liking but they killed the animals i shot with them.

This thread has pics of splashy entrance wounds on a wolf and elk i shot with 175s. Posts #91 and 93

Hornady ELD-X

These Hornady bullets have almost as much controversy surrounding them as did the Berger VLD when the craze started. Glad I never fell for the hype. No paragraph needed. mtmuley

www.rokslide.com

 

[S-3 ranch]

175 eldx was a little splashy for my liking but they killed the animals i shot with them.

This thread has pics of splashy entrance wounds on a wolf and elk i shot with 175s. Posts #91 and 93

Hornady ELD-X

These Hornady bullets have almost as much controversy surrounding them as did the Berger VLD when the craze started. Glad I never fell for the hype. No paragraph needed. mtmuley

www.rokslide.com

Yep they are definitely “ splashy” , even with the mild MV of a 6.5cm
they will explode on bone under 200 meters, and the terminal energy
is terrible past 500 , core separation Pfff terrible

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

175 eldx was a little splashy for my liking but they killed the animals i shot with them.

This thread has pics of splashy entrance wounds on a wolf and elk i shot with 175s. Posts #91 and 93

Hornady ELD-X

These Hornady bullets have almost as much controversy surrounding them as did the Berger VLD when the craze started. Glad I never fell for the hype. No paragraph needed. mtmuley

www.rokslide.com

Good stuff thanks for linking that thread.
I've made tons of kills with eldms and prior to that the Amax.
I'm definitely not going to deny Hornady tipped bullets are splashy, but one thing I can say is I've never lost any elk or deer shot with them.
I could care less about core separation that's why I hunt elk with heavy for caliber 7mm or above..
Most importantly I want a bullet that will come apart at long range with a high lung shot, or hit a little far back.

 

[Nateskate11]

I actually have switched over to ELD M's for the last couple of seasons. The ELD-X have always shot great out of my rifle but they are very "splashy" from things I have seen/experienced.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I actually have switched over to ELD M's for the last couple of seasons. The ELD-X have always shot great out of my rifle but they are very "splashy" from things I have seen/experienced.

You think the eldm is less splashy?

 

[HuntHarder]

I shot a caribou with the ELD-X and we have taken 3 elk with them. So far the results have been better than my bergers. I was a huge Berger fan, but after a few non- blood trails ( great results in the chest cavity) we started second guessing them. Also had one berger pencil thru a bull at 500 yards and never open up at all. I will say, I have not put the ELD-X thru the ringer yet, but the first 4 large animals all had great wound channels.