Eld-x not performing as expected

[Mecanic thony]

Deer was dead nearby? You sure it didn't shed some weight and the base exit?

Didnt find anything

Man I don't know, it sounds like that bullet worked pretty dang good!! Animals shot in the lungs without cns involvement dont just drop, I wouldn't blame the bullet at all

i came here for education and education is what i’ve found im ok with this

 

[BigNate]

Sure he died but appears that im wrong for assuming he should have drop right there like they use to in the past it’s the first out of maybe 10 deer for me that didn’t drop right there guess im just not use to it

If you're getting them to drop in their tracks 9 out of 10 times that's remarkable performance.

My experience is the opposite with chest shots which is my preference as I try to save all the meat I can. I generally have a short run even with the heart blown out.

 

[bmart2622]

Thats good, theres some people who wouldn't be as open minded as you

 

[roosiebull]

I once I had a 215 hybrid not exit on a whitetail buck at under 100 yards. When it came in on ribs. Caused hell though.

My guess is the shank is all that exited, and that’s not that abnormal imo if the front fell off.

I’d like to see the insides.

I’ve shot lots of deer drt, and I’ve had lots of deer with enormous wound cavities and tons of damage run a bit. Is what it is if you’re putting bullets in the chest cavity.

I agree, I would bet the small exit was the shank, and I bet the insides were a mess between the small entrance/exit holes

 

[Mecanic thony]

I agree, I would bet the small exit was the shank, and I bet the insides were a mess between the small entrance/exit holes

Is that what you mean? He sure kill. My bad i just thought he shouldn’t have left the spot he was shot

 

[roosiebull]

Is that what you mean? He sure kill. My bad i just thought he shouldn’t have left the spot he was shot

Yeah, looks about right

Why should he not left the spot he was shot? Unless you disrupt the CNS, they are most likely going to move some distance, whether it’s a 5yd dazed walk or 100yd death sprint

It doesn’t matter what cartridge/caliber you choose. I watched a video of a doe shot with a 50bmg that was nearly cut in half and she made it over 100yds, it just doesn’t work like that.

If you want drt, you need to disrupt the cns, no amount of energy will change that, there is zero magic in it

 

[CorbLand]

Shot a cow elk with a 143 ELDX at 410 yards. Her lungs looked like crushed up jello. You couldnt pick them up, they would run through your fingers. About a golf ball size hole for an exit, maybe a little smaller. She made it 40-50 yards before she fell over dead.

Hold your breath and take off running. It doesnt stop you from making it some distance, why would it be any different for animals?

 

[TaperPin]

Didnt find anything

i came here for education and education is what i’ve found im ok with this

It’s a popular past time for the regulars here to be sensitive and feel hurt anytime evidence comes along that contradicts their view of the world. You’ll notice the same talking points repeated ad nauseam, and a quick disregard of common sense. In the same breath they will say your rifle is too big, but defend having to shoot animals multiple times with bullets half as big. They’re a good group, just kind of fragile, like a sensitive little brother.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Yeah, looks about right

Why should he not left the spot he was shot? Unless you disrupt the CNS, they are most likely going to move some distance, whether it’s a 5yd dazed walk or 100yd death sprint

It doesn’t matter what cartridge/caliber you choose. I watched a video of a doe shot with a 50bmg that was nearly cut in half and she made it over 100yds, it just doesn’t work like that.

If you want drt, you need to disrupt the cns, no amount of energy will change that, there is zero magic in it

Agreed
I hunt in thick heavy brush and cactus ! And use neck shots whenever possible
To prevent any death sprints

 

[Mecanic thony]

Agreed
I hunt in thick heavy brush and cactus ! And use neck shots whenever possible
To prevent any death sprints

Might start shootings neck at closer range

 

[roosiebull]

Agreed
I hunt in thick heavy brush and cactus ! And use neck shots whenever possible
To prevent any death sprints

I’m with you there, neck shots have always been my favorite. They are not always the best option, but they are effective. Nice and clean too, blood shot doesn’t spread like it does under the shoulder

 

[Fire_9]

What's the possibility that the exit "pencil" hole was a sliver of jacket rather than an intact bullet?

I would say it could have been very likely but I have no idea. Good question

 

[BLJ]

What was the distance from where you shot the deer to where it was found? Apologies if I missed it.

 

[BLJ]

What kind of environment? Eastern hardwoods, swamp, out west? What state? If you don’t mind.

 

[Bluefish]

I started down the rabbit hole of Rokslide due to not getting bang flops. As a late to hunting hunter, everyone talks about drt and I wasn’t getting them. Wanted to understand if I was doing something wrong. Turns out it pretty hard to do a drt. I had one that took one step then down, but got up again and ran 100 yards after 30+ seconds, so even a cns hit can not stop them if they don’t bleed out before recovering from the Ko.

Last year was a 45-70 subs and it had the best results as far as running. Energy is low 900-1100 fps, but it’s a big bullet.

 

[Mecanic thony]

What was the distance from where you shot the deer to where it was found? Apologies if I missed it.

Less than 200 feet im in quebec canada shot in a corn field and run in the neighborhood 5’ thick bruck abandoned field after shot

 

[BigNate]

Less than 200 feet im in quebec canada shot in a corn field and run in the neighborhood 5’ thick bruck abandoned field after shot

I don't think that's unusual.
I'm not saying the eldx is the best, but it's quite popular. If you don't need the high BC long range performance there may be better choices of bullets for you, your gun, and your situation.

I still like and use bullets that aren't in vogue. Shot a deer Friday with an antique Nosler Partition. It did what they've always done. It ran after the shot about 30 yards.

 

[Mecanic thony]

I don't think that's unusual.
I'm not saying the eldx is the best, but it's quite popular. If you don't need the high BC long range performance there may be better choices of bullets for you, your gun, and your situation.

I still like and use bullets that aren't in vogue. Shot a deer Friday with an antique Nosler Partition. It did what they've always done. It ran after the shot about 30 yards.

The field im hunting give me possible shot of 0-750 yard wich i wouldn’t take that far im comfortable shooting at 550 in great condition but this year was a 173y shot opportunity last year was 460y, i just never know where they will show up

 

[EastHumboldt]

I’ve been shooting mule deer since 1980. My usual shot is through the chest behind the shoulder. Sometimes the angle will put the exit through the off side shoulder. I’ve only seen a couple that dropped right there…. Most hump up at the shot and then run until they pass out. A variety of bullets used.

Even in open country they can be hard to find after they fall. I’ve learned to pay very very close attention to locating exactly where they were shot, which direction they run, and how to do a grid search. I’ll say to myself “OK, he was standing in front of that bush with the weird horizontal branch with the yellow leaves on it, next to that clump of sage shaped like a (whatever).” Then I’ll watch that spot like a hawk while I walk over there, so I don’t get confused and walk to the wrong spot. If I don’t see it right away, I’ll place a tape marker at the spot and start walking in a widening zig zag from that spot in the direction that he ran. I’ve been lucky and never lost an animal.

 

[wyodog]

Mecanic thony, I get where you are coming from I want them to fall down when I shoot them also. Unfortunately I doesn't always work that way. The 300 PRC is certainly capable of that however, when everything lines up just right. 200 feet is a pretty short recovery and I wouldn't be concerned with it.

A couple things to consider (which have been mentioned similarly above). Watch some videos of the ELDX being shot into ballistic gel. it is pretty common for the the jacket and and core to sperate. which could mean only a portion of the bullet exited. Also it has been my experience that most of the animals that dropped on the spot didn't have the bullet exit at all, meaning all of the energy was delivered to the animal. when a bullet exits there is energy that didn't transfer in the animal. this energy is creates a shock wave that can stop the heart and/or disrupt the central nervous system cause the brain to lose control of the parts of the body ( not a Dr or Biologist so my explanation is that of a layman).

Ft/lbs of energy absolutely matters, regardless of what others say. However it only matters if the energy is all left inside the animal.