ELD-X is it unreliable for close range hunting (less than 200 yards) and should it only be used for long range?

[nubraskan]

I shot a bull elk right at 200 yards with a 6.5 prc eld-x (lungs), and then shot it again at around 40 yards through the heart to finish it. Both bullets went through without fragmenting, so minimal spoilage. Good experience in my book

 

[KenLee]

"Sounds to me like you don't subscribe to the whole wound cavity size matters camp?"

I've killed deer with a 22lr up to a 45-70.
Last 5 years I've used 7mm-08 and 300wsm almost exclusively. Small for caliber NBT is currently my favorite ammo to send. Have many "borrowed hunting midgets" and ladies using 223 up to 7mm-08. Usually use Barnes monos in rifles for the real newbies, as I want to make sure there are exit holes for bloodtrailing the occasional bad shot. They get excited.

 

[S.Clancy]

This thread is why I am shooting Hammer Hunters now. ELD-X (and SST before it), great killers but the meat loss got to be too much for me. Shot Barnes TTSX for years, they killed fine, but we had a couple of animals that basically didn't leave a blood trail even with great placement. I wanted something (preferably mono) with better performance. The HH so far have been awesome. Good performance (expanding and wound channel) without horrific meat loss. Excellent wound channels (for a copper, ELD-X would still be better) out to the mid-600s. Although, I did shot a buck in AZ last year quartering too me at 180 yards and basically lost an entire shoulder, but that was the first instance of that with the Hammers vs multiple times with ELD-X and SST's. It's all about finding something that works for your style.

 

[wartak]

This thread is why I am shooting Hammer Hunters now. ELD-X (and SST before it), great killers but the meat loss got to be too much for me. Shot Barnes TTSX for years, they killed fine, but we had a couple of animals that basically didn't leave a blood trail even with great placement. I wanted something (preferably mono) with better performance. The HH so far have been awesome. Good performance (expanding and wound channel) without horrific meat loss. Excellent wound channels (for a copper, ELD-X would still be better) out to the mid-600s. Although, I did shot a buck in AZ last year quartering too me at 180 yards and basically lost an entire shoulder, but that was the first instance of that with the Hammers vs multiple times with ELD-X and SST's. It's all about finding something that works for your style.

Well said!

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Starting this thread to get others to quit hijacking the 6.8 western thread.
There seems to be an argument that the ELD-X is a great option for close range hunting. I however think it's a terrible option sub 200 yards.

Because…

 

[JustiSmi]

Here is what is left of 143 ELD-X out of a 6.5PRC going 2951 at the muzzle that was found in the offside shoulder of a buck shot by my son at ~70 yards. Buck was slightly quartering to and downhill at ~7 degree angle, shot through the shoulder, and came to rest behind the shoulder on the opposite side.



I was quite pleased as I had read stories of more fragile bullets 'blowing up' on shoulders at high velocity. I have mostly shot bonded bullets (accubonds, trophy bonded tips, and terminal ascents primarily), and seeing similar entrance behavior at such close range sold me on the ELD-X even more.

While we lost some meat, It wasn't egregious and in line with what I would expect with a shot through the shoulder. Here is the entrance, and as you can see, it didn't 'blow up'. It left a nice little hole with only a couple of hairs blown out of place indicating where it went in.

 

[wartak]

Here is what is left of 143 ELD-X out of a 6.5PRC going 2951 at the muzzle that was found in the offside shoulder of a buck shot by my son at ~70 yards. Buck was slightly quartering to and downhill at ~7 degree angle, shot through the shoulder, and came to rest behind the shoulder on the opposite side.
View attachment 736622


I was quite pleased as I had read stories of more fragile bullets 'blowing up' on shoulders at high velocity. I have mostly shot bonded bullets (accubonds, trophy bonded tips, and terminal ascents primarily), and seeing similar entrance behavior at such close range sold me on the ELD-X even more.

While we lost some meat, It wasn't egregious and in line with what I would expect with a shot through the shoulder. Here is the entrance, and as you can see, it didn't 'blow up'. It left a nice little hole with only a couple of hairs blown out of place indicating where it went in.
View attachment 736623

Looks like it worked perfectly, I wouldn't argue against that performance. It seems like really mixed reviews and depends on the conditions, caliber used etcetera.
Unfortunately I only ever shoot a couple of animals each year so it's tough to get data quickly. I am going to try the Terminal Ascent this year on Caribou and moose maybe next year I might give the ELD-X another shot if I'm not satisfied with the Federal TA's

 

[TimberRunner]

Was using factory precision hunter eldx out of a 300wsm, 200 gr, for a couple of seasons. Sub moa, first kill was a bull elk at 620 yards. Frontal brisket shot, cup and core separated and one frag broke neck, instant drop.

Mule deer at 340ish yards. Hit behind shoulder in bread basket, ran hard. Found an hour-ish later bedded. Put another one in neck which killed it. Behind shoulder barely knocked one lobe of lung out. Hmmm.

Shot several smallish whitetails at 70-140 yards, no big issues.

Next season in New Mexico, nice big 6x5 elk at 300 yards. 3 200 gr in bread basket, 2-3 inches apart. Elk runs off into timber. Jump him 30 mins later. Couldn't get another one in him. Back out. Hear him crash. Come back 2.5 hrs later and he's dead. Lungs are jello at that point. Maybe he's just a tough bull. SOB had a broken arrow shaft under his spine.

Next season, a case of fed term ascent dropped in my lap. Probably not shooting eldx at game anymore.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This is the same things folks have been trying to say abut the SSTs for a quite a while as well. Yet they keep breaking through shoulders, ribs, spines, and killing animals every year. No matter the yardage.

This buck was close to the same weight as a cow elk. 129 SST.