6mm 103 eldx not leaving a blood trail?

[Cdpp880]

I have a 6mm BR that I am shooting 103eldx bullets out of at 2845fps. I have shot 6 smaller central Texas whitetail (80-150lbs). Along with 4 pigs (60-150lbs). All animals have been inside 200 yards. Most in the 80-140 yard range. Every animal has been recovered and none have gone more than 80yards. Terminal performance has been pretty good. I have had complete pass through on all but 2 animals, lungs and hearts have been destroyed. My only problem is that not a single animal has had any blood trail. Not a light blood trail, but non existent blood trail except for where the animals was shot. Even that was only on one animal.

Anyone else had this issue or have better performance out of another bullet?

Don’t really want to go to a softer bullet bc these already destroy too much meat. Considering going to the nosler ballistic tips, accubonds, partitions, Sierra TMK, game changers But am really open to anything.

 

[H80Hunter]

Realistically if you’re getting pass throughs I’m not really sure what a harder bullet would get you except less internal damage.

Might just chalk it up to randomness? I’ve noticed a huge variation in blood trails and its
not wild to get a few in a row that are uninspiring.

 

[The Harbor Master]

I'm no expert but quite honestly if you've shot 10 different animals and recovered them within 80yds, I wouldn't be looking to change anything.

 

[wyosam]

I think if you want big blood trails you need a big magnum 30 (or better yet 338), to get appropriate whallop for authoritative blood trails. 80 pound deer are tough- so you need a tough bullet, too.


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[Lou270]

In my experience, blood trails are hit or miss. An exit wound definitely needed but may take some time for blood to start leaking and often game is down before reaches that point especially if higher up bs say shooting down from an elevated position. For ex, My son shot a buck this year with 170 btip in 270wsm. At spot of hit there was a trail of lung tissue sprayed beyond the deer. It ran a short distance and fell but there was no blood despite a 2” plus exit and lung soup. I have tried everything including big hitters like 45-70, 338 Win Mag, and 35 Whelen. In my experience, bonded bullets produce the most reliable blood trails. Particularly out of a caliber that had plenty left when exiting. I think this is because they maintain a wider frontal area more consistently. Monos exit all the time so will get a blood trail, but the exit are not always as big.

Lou

 

[Boltgun]

Get further away.

Seriously though, at those velocities you get ruined organs, and a death sprint decided by that particular animal’s toughness. 0-80 yds is normal, and a lack of blood trail isn’t terribly unusual.

With shorter barrels and/or longer distances, velocities slow and ELDX performs more traditionally. In one side, out the other, nice blood trail.

 

[brockel]

Shoot them lower in the chest

 

[Jason Snyder]

Shoot them lower in the chest

This.

Any photos of your shot placement?

 

[Wrench]

I killed an elk a few days ago with a 300wsm/200.20x and I had zero blood trail in the snow....like thought I missed zero. I tracked the animal for 20 yards and all hell broke loose out the nose at the death spot.

I didn't get any blood out the chest either.

Don't assume that the bullet is doing anything wrong.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Shoot them lower in the chest

I was going to ask, "Where are you hitting them?"

If you shot is above the bottom third of the deer and you are not shooting from an elevated position, and you are taking out the heart/lungs with fragments, then it isn't surprising that you are not getting blood trails. If there is nothing pumping blood and the holes are in the top half of the deer, by the time the chest cavity fills up, your deer is on the ground. The bullet isn't the issue.

 

[Cdpp880]

4 of the 10 were hit lower in the chest. Still no blood. Again I’m really happy with the internal damage but am afraid of loosing an animal in some of the really thick stuff I sometimes hunt. Especially being that my kids are the primary ones hunting with the gun. I know 80 yards is not far away but a few places I hunt that could still be far enough through some really thick stuff that it could be really hard to find without a blood trail. I may stick with them just wondering what others experience with 6mm bullets was. If grew up shooting a 243 with corlocks and remember following really good blood trails a few times. Just seeing if someone had better experience with a different bullet.

 

[Dukhtr3]

My kid shot 2 deer with 6arc 108eldm. They will blow a softball size exit hole. Lots of blood to follow if necessary but none of his went more than 10 yards.

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[bnsafe]

I quit using eldx for that reason. Just dont like them personally. I went to nosler ballistic tips and have had amazing blood trails tho they arnt going far enuf to worry about it, like 30 yds. I shot one this year with my 6 arc 108 eldm and had the best blood trail of my life probably. The deer didnt act hit at all but man the blood trail was amazing. With that said I was stupid high and shooting almost straight down, blew out the bottom of the heart and had a exit extremely low.
If I reload for the 6 arc it will be with nosler ballistic tips

 

[_S_R_]

103ELDX 6ARC blew shoulder and golf ball size hole through ribs. No drop of blood.

 

[Cdpp880]

Update on this.
I (my kids and I) Have now taken 12 deer and 4 pigs with 103 ELDX.
All recovered within 80-90 or less. But still only one deer had a blood trail and it was minimal. This last weekend we had a very hard time finding animals due to very thick brush and no blood trail.
I do not understand what the dynamic is bc all but 2 have had pass through. With exit holes anywhere between 1/4”-2”. Only one animal had left an OK blood trail. All shots have been double lung shots or lower lung/heart shots.
The terminal performance has been good. Most times the lungs have been jelly or severe damage.

 

[Gstew1930]

I wouldn't over think this. Everything is dying inside 80 yards with zero lost aminals. The bullet is doing well lol

 

[Cdpp880]

Yes it’s preforming well, but we had to spend over an hour looking for two animals this weekend and found them eventually. Part of me wants to agree with you completely. The other part worries we will loose one, one day.

 

[Gstew1930]

What do the vitals looks like when youre cleaning them?

 

[Crowmangler]

There's at least one very extensive thread specifically about the ELDX & it's effectiveness/ terminal ballistics that I'd encourage you to read through. In short, the bullet is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Penetrate & "explode" & turn vitals into jelly. You'll typically find the copper jacket & what's left (if anything) of the lead core under the offside hide (elk mainly speaking). Very seldom is there any blood trail but they won't go far. They're not great at plowing through bone at all. You might wanna look into to a Terminal Ascent bullet but not sure what options they have for 6mm. Otherwise, an accubond is always a good option too

 

[Dukhtr3]

My kid is shooting 6 arc 108eldm. Shot a couple deer and 1 antelope and nothing has made it 10 yards. Big hole and lots of blood. I would try 108s. My buddy has the same problem with 143 eldx

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