Bullet choice for cow elk

[rrstein82]

Heading out to Chama, NM on Monday for late season cow hunt. Taking my Springfield Waypoint in 6.5 creedmoor (I shoot it better than my heavier caliber rifles). Rifle shoots both Hornady 143 gr ELD-X and Barnes LRX 127 gr very well. Any thoughts on which is a better choice? Leaning towards the ELD-X just because it's heavier...

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Actually had a hornady rep tell me that the ELD-X bullet is a great long range bullet, and if you have a perfect broadside shot into the heart area on elk sized game it performs amazing. But anything less than a a perfect broadside shot and it does not perform nearly as well. They had failures in testing with quartering shots and thick bone. I’ve gone to Barnes bullets myself the TTSX, I used to shoot Hornady rounds but had a lot of failures with them.


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[Outdoorsman12b]

The 6.5 ELDX is to splashy on bone for my liking on elk. I would be taking the 127 Lrx and keeping shots under 400.

 

[Forest]

Hands down my choice would be the lrx

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[UtahJimmy]

Since you said they both shoot well; of those 2 choices I'd go with the lrx.

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[theleo91386]

Initial weight is more with the ELD-X but it won't retain nearly as much as it travels through an animal. You can plan on maybe %40 weight retention with the ELD-X and around %90 with the LRX. Apples to apples the heavier bullet will penetrate better than a light bullet, but these two bullets are more like comparing apples to watermelons. The ELD-X will be fine as long as you're taking perfect broadside shots and doing the best you can to avoid heavy bones or muscles. The LRX will give you a little insurance on reaching the vitals if you screw up.

 

[Slugz]

Cow elk Wyoming the other day with a 6.5 CM Not one of your bullets listed. Info for comparison.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Am pleasantly surprised no one has told you that any bullet from a 6.5 CM will bounce off an elk.

Killed a water buffalo once (unplanned) using commercial 178 gr ELD-X in my 308 Win. It was a decent size; deformed a half inch gambrel. No issues going through meat and bone with the two shots that I took; vitals were trashed and was a pretty quick kill.

Looking at my water buffalo and my 370” bull elk mounts on the wall; both are shoulder mounts. My bull is about 15” across whereas the water buffalo is about 21” across.

I am thankful that:
1) I did not listen to the experts and
2) the water buffalo did not identify as an elk.

Run whichever bullet gives you the warm fuzzies.

 

[bdan68]

The Barnes for sure. I shot two doe mule deer this year, both about 300 yards with a 30/06 and 178 grain Hornady ELX bullets. Killed them just fine, but the bullets didn't exit on either one, and both were broadside behind the shoulder shots. I definitely won't be trusting that bullet on an elk hunt.

 

[Shooter28]

LRX

I took a cow at 711 yards this year with my 6.5cm using that round. Even at that distance, bullet went thru both sides.

 

[Wolf_trapper]

I've killed a bunch of elk with the eld-x out to 600yds. Don't gut punch em it'll do fine.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

LRX

I took a cow at 711 yards this year with my 6.5cm using that round. Even at that distance, bullet went thru both sides.

At 700 yards that bullet is moving like 1800FPS, ur pushing the limits to get any expansion at all. Did the bullet hit any bone?


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[35WhelenAI]

Well, since you headed out on Monday which is today, anything since the early posts is not gonna do you any good for advice. I hope you took the Barnes.

For discussion, there is "whopping" 16 grains of difference between those two bullets, lol. The Barnes will hold on to about everyone of them no matter it is angled through the animal. I cannot say the same for the other bullet which will lose close to half or more on initial expansion out to medium range. Just a fact. That gives the most options for shot angle presentation close up or far away. Barnes is the hands-down choice (that I hope went on the hunt) in my opinion.

 

[Blacktail.Tracker]

Thanks for all these great case studies. I always find people’s field reports of bullet performance to be way more informative than any of the manufacturer’s stats, even though it’s just anecdotal evidence.

 

[Laramie]

To the OP, please let us know how the hunt went.

I'm not a fan of either choice but am curious what you decided to take and how it worked.

 

[carsonkeys]

I killed two cows with a 6.5 cm shooting the 147 ELD-M's (which I understand to essentially be a less bonded -X) this year and I'll do it again with zero hesitation.

 

[zfountaine55]

I have had good luck with the eld-x in my 30-06. 2 elk (bull and cow) 1 moose (bull) and 2 mule deer (buck and doe). 2 had exit holes, recovered most of bullet under the opposite hide on 2, and had no exit and it appeared bullet had nearly total fragmentation. No experience with Barnes, but I’ve had great luck with Nosler products

 

[roosiebull]

I've killed a bunch of elk with the eld-x out to 600yds. Don't gut punch em it'll do fine.

A friend of mine shoots the 143gr eldx for elk, and it’s been hell on them out to 700+yds

I personally like the federal terminal ascent and accubond… I don’t rifle hunt elk, but my rifle gets used on them every year

 

[jthreeidaho]

Started shooting the 143gr eld-x this season due to not having many other options. Shot a cow at 200 yards, destroyed the right ventricle, she went about 10 yards before falling over. I would think if you take a good shot it will get the job done.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

At 700 yards that bullet is moving like 1800FPS, ur pushing the limits to get any expansion at all. Did the bullet hit any bone?


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Minimum expansion for a .277 cal 129gr LRX is 1,400 fps. The LRX expand at lower velocities, and would assume that .264 127gr LRX would be either comparable or better with a slightly higher BC. The 130gr .308 cal TTSX on the other hand is 1,800 fps. There are other weight/BC of TSX and TTSX that have varying minimum impact thresholds. Hit up Barnes customer service and they will let you know.