200gr ELDX and 180gr AB 30cal?

Totoro

WKR
Joined
Jun 10, 2017
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463
Location
NorCal, PRK
Hey fellas, sifted through the forums and read a bunch of threads but no real info so I will pose the question:

For the 200gr ELDX and 180gr AB in 30cal, how has the bullet behaved BELOW the recommended minimum velocity respectively?

With the projected velocities outta my rifles, minimum velocity limit around 700yds.

So past 800yds, because of limited expansion should POA be more centered around shoulder area rather than behind the crease?

Thanks!
 
Out of curiosity, which 30 caliber are you running? The distance where the AB and ELD-X reach their minimum velocity should be nowhere close to one another. The 180 gr AB going 2960 fps will hit 1800 FPS around 735 yards. The 200 gr ELD-X going 2850 fps will hit 1800 fps around 860 yards.

Once you get actual velocity numbers, run the ballistics. I personally would not push it as you're already in a hole from a distance perspective before you even begin your tracking job. Then if the animal does not die right away, you can be looking at a long tracking job or a lost/wounded animal.

With all of that said, I'd put one through the lungs rather than aiming for the shoulder. It is a more forgiving target area from a placement perspective.
 
I've shot quite a lot of 180ABs into animals from my 300WSM. They are definitely tougher than the ELDX and less ideal for long range work when your impact speeds are down. The 180AB is more ideal when the target is closer, I've shot and recovered a bullet as close as 50 yards. 65% weight retention with an impact speed of over 2900fps. I'd imagine at 700 yards, expansion would be pretty minimal. I've recovered one bullet from a 400 yard impact that had about 80% weight retention, I wouldn't trust it at twice that range to expand at all.

The ELDX is more comparable to the LRAB, which is a bit softer.
 
I will look for it later to take a picture. But the longest shot on an animal I have taken with the eld x was 822 yards on a elk. I was running the 212 grain out of my 300win mag. At that distance I'm roughly 1900 fps. The bullet performed perfectly, mushroomed nicely. And the elk literally just dropped on the spot.
 
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