308 168 ELD-Ms on Game

[Mountainrancher]

My experience has been they both kill equally, as well. My only point - is that according to the people that design the bullet, eventually it won’t and math will catch-up with you. I did have an ELDM come apart really badly but it just blasted rib bone through the vitals and it was instant death. I can see on a shoulder how that might be a problem.

Do you feel that the same failure that you’re worried about could happen to an eldm could happen to say a federal powershok, sierra gameking, or Berger classic hunter?

 

[Formidilosus]

You should listen the Ballistician’s discuss the Hornady podcast. I think you would find it interesting. They have a lot of data proving the disadvantages. Hornady engineers highly recommend not hunting with the ELDM.

I am well aware of what Hornady’s public position is. It is extremely probable that I have been apart of more animals killed with ELD-M’s and their predecessors- AMAX, than everyone at Hornady combined.


You do not understand how bullets are constructed. There is nothing in construction or mechanics of ELD-M’s that differ from any other plastic tipped lead core bullet- hunting or otherwise.

Im aware. If a bullet comes apart at entry, which the ELDM has a substantial larger chance of happening,

No it doesn’t.

Additionally, the ELDX will most likely cause a larger wound channel, as it is designed to stay together and expand to the lock ring.

No, it doesn’t. The ELD-X creates a narrower wound than ELD-M’s of equivalent caliber and weight.

 

[Dlgies]

I’ve taken several deer with them in multiple calibers, and I have zero complaints. As stated above, they are a cup and core bullet like many others.

 

[156821]

Here is a spine shot whitetail with a 178 eldm from 30-06. Put a mega hole in it.

 

[Luke S]

My 168 gr ELDM went through a 6 foot grizzly just fine. That is not a huge bear but it exited. For comparison, a 260 gr Nosler Partition from a .375 Ruger failed to exit on two grizzly bears shot from similar angles (one was 6.5 footer grizzly that probably weighed at least 100 pounds more, the other was the 8 footer in my avatar). I'm a fan now. I barely hand load now. Its is really nice to grab a box of Hornady ammo at the store and be done. Perhaps more impressive was the fact that a 123 ELDM from our little 6.5 Grendal exited a black bear that was almost as big as the grizzly. It also blew a nice big hole in and out. So yeah, I'd use that .308 on a elk.

 

[np307]

I switched to them in my 30-06 for my Wyoming hunt last year. Killed an antelope at 275 and a mule deer up close. Didn't take necropsy pics but after seeing what those bullets did, I would trust that gun to kill a dinosaur.

 

[RingSteel]

I've only heard good accounts for the .308 168gr ELDM, so I will be switching to them when I finish the last of the Amax bullets that I stockpiled.

 

[NorCal 707]

I’ve had great luck with the 140 and 147 grain ELD-MS on deer. Anyone got experience with the 168 grain ELD-M on deer sized game? I have a great load worked up for my 308.

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I shot this 135 lb wild pig right in the shoulder plate at 120 yds. 308 with a 20" barrel so velocity is 2660 fps. But it went through both lungs wrecking everything, embedded in the shield on the offside in a perfect mushroom. Weighed 113 grains. Not bad at all for hitting mud, shield, rib bones and then tissue. Hog went about 50 yds still and fell over.