Hornady ELD-X Ammo issues

[SDHNTR]

Cow elk, 317yds, 6.5 creedmoor, 22” barrel, factory 143eldx ammo, slight quarter to, no exit, didn’t find the entrance till dragging rubbed the hair off, cow ran around 40 yards then stood around several minutes, then laid down w/head up for a few minutes before dropping her head.

You drug an elk? You must be really strong.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Shot my first Whitetail with the ELDX today. It is a 6.5 PRC shooting the 143 grain ELDX. I purposely made a lung shot as it was a doe for the freezer. Exit was about the size of an orange and she ran about 50 yards. It was a 216 yard shot. Good blood trail. This ammunition is extremely accurate in my Ridgeline. I shoot Barnes Vor-Tx in all my other rifles but Barnes only produces a 130 grain in that caliber.

 

[dieselchessy]

You drug an elk? You must be really strong.

LOL, drug it with my rig. Was getting it out of the pasture and out of the sight of snowflakes so I could field dress and break it down. Was a damage control hunt. Best to keep things low key.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

I personally feel the ABLR gives a bit better margin for error on funky shot angles, closer ranges, or if I need to punch a shoulder. I have no issue using an eld-x on elk any day of the week.

This is my thought. ELD-X will absolutely work but there is a smaller margin for error. I prefer a bullet that works for the great shot and the not so great shot (through bone). Bottom line not all shots are going to be perfect in the field. I don't shoot either bullet but I agree with you.

 

[BjornF16]

You drug an elk? You must be really strong.

Not that hard…

 

[Fowl Play]

This is my thought. ELD-X will absolutely work but there is a smaller margin for error. I prefer a bullet that works for the great shot and the not so great shot (through bone). Bottom line not all shots are going to be perfect in the field. I don't shoot either bullet but I agree with you.

Not sure what your criteria for “working” is. Don’t know if you’ve seen what actually happens to a shoulder when it “stops” a bullet coming in with 1,000lbs plus of energy behind it. But there’s a dead animal attached to it.

You don’t have to punch a little hole through a shoulder to kill the animal. A softball sized entry hole with a bunch of shoulder shrapnel through him is perfectly acceptable as well.

I actively avoid shoulders with the eld-x but not because I’m afraid it won’t perform. Almost exactly the opposite. There will be catastrophic damage and more meat loss.

 

[Bluumoon]

Distal scapula of 6x6 bull, at least what’s left. 6.5 143 eldx 450yards, bullet was found posterior edge of front quarter, bad angle, not a lack of penetration.

 

[Bluumoon]

Hole into chest cavity after passing through and wrecking the thickest part of the humerus

 

[wyosam]

I am currently using the Hornady ELD-X precision hunter ammo in my 6.5 PRC. It shoots great and by far the most accurate factory ammo I have shot. However, my son and I went on a caribou hunt last year and we both ended up shooting caribou through the front shoulder and it seemed as if the bullet just disintegrated after impact of the front shoulder bone. On both caribou the front shoulder was completely destroyed. Both had softball size entry wounds. Both entered the chest cavity but no evidence of impact on the opposite side of the chest cavity. We did find some small bullet fragments throughout the shoulder. Anyone else have this issue with shooting these rounds on large game animals? Obviously we would have preferred to miss the shoulder, but I would still expect better performance.

Performed exactly as expected


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[Mule3006Elk]

I actively avoid shoulders with the eld-x but not because I’m afraid it won’t perform. Almost exactly the opposite. There will be catastrophic damage and more meat loss.

Agree. Perfectly said. That's why they're not for me. Meat loss. Shoot what you want doesn't bother me.

 

[SwiftShot]

I filled a management tag last year on a cow elk with 300 RUM shooting 212 ELDX. I shot her at 40 yards, so way to much gun for that. Anyway, no bone hit I put it 2 rib behind the leg. Bullet entered 2 inches and exploded. Chest cavity was jelly, she fell in 2 feet. No exit, I found the jacket with the core ejected on the offside skin.

First, I asked a lot of a bullet right there. Dang close for shooting that fast. An ELDX is a long range bullet. It had to hit that elk at around 3000 fps. Did it work, yes, was it optimal, no. I love the way the ELDX shoots, I have killed a few animals with it, without problems. Those have all been ideal shot placement as well. They just dont hold together at close range. Everything I have hit at distance had great performance. Also I have not it but one rib on the way out.

I am moving to a monolithic bullet now. I want something that stays together better and on the off chance I hit bone and break off the petals, I want weight to keep pushing for vitals. I ask myself now, would I hunt brown bear with it. Not side shots but pissed off mama running at me. If the bullet will not hold up to that I picking something else for big game.

I truly think the ELDX is perfect for deer nd Pronghorn. That is thin game and it is just awesome for those especially at ranges past 200 yards and low 2000 fps.