Hornady ELD-X

[cornstalker]

Regarding ELDX in general, I think a safe rule of thumb is that if the shot is less than 200 yards, yell "frag out!" before you pull the trigger and everything will be fine. Past that, it is business as usual.

 

[JUSTPASSINTHRU]

I decided on not using these bullets on anything bigger than deer sized game a long time ago. For me anyway I feel there are better bullets out there for elk sized game. It's nice to have a wide variety of ammo and bullets to use on different hunts as in different variables.

 

[bowhunterjae]

I picked up a Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor this year to jump on both of those band wagons. Instead of loading rounds for it I picked up some Hornady precision hunter ammo with 143 ELDX bullets. They shot well under a minute at about 2650 FPS. I shot a Muley at 200 yards that was slightly quartering away. The bullet entered behind the right shoulder and landed under the hide after breaking the left shoulder. The bullet was still intact and looked like it retained nearly all of its weight. The buck dropped on impact.

I am pretty happy with both the accuracy and performance on my buck with that ammo, especially for the price.




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I have experienced the same results with same ammo and rifle. Just harvested my 5th deer with this combo, no problems. All shots were 200 yards plus. Not sure about close range.

 

[NorCal 707]

I've shot the eld-x out of the 6.5 Creed, 270, 280 AI, 308 and 300 win mag. 143 to 200 grain. It's a long range bullet. Very soft and splashy with the high velocity cartridges under 200 yds. They do well in 6.5 and 308 that start at 2650-2700 fps. Bullet separation is common. I've found quite a few jackets naked in my animals. After killing two dozen big game animals from 50 lbs hog to 700 lb elk, I've gone another route. It's fine for deer and bear. Not my top 5 bullet for elk. We've had some rodeos. For the 7 mag I shoot the 168 grain ABLR for my long range bullet and the 175 grain Berger Elite Hunter in my 280 AI. The 7 mag is a handload at 2900 fps and the 280 AI is 2930 fps. Great results on elk from 156 yds to 606. I really like the Federal Terminal Ascent but can't find the component of just bullets to load anywhere. The regular Accubond 160 grain has killed more animals than any other bullet on my reloading bench. Never had an Accubomb in 20 years. 140s in 270, 160s in 284s and 180s/200s in 308 Cals. The best all around bullet I've ever shot. And they will open and function even at 600 yds. Just find what shoots best in your rifle and go for it! Good luck!

 

[jrh357]

Eldx is a phenomenal hunting bullet

 

[BearMeat]

I group rifle bullets into 3 categories. 1) target/match bullets. 2) fast-expanding hunting bullets 3) controlled expanding hunting bullets. There's a million different variations within each category, and the pros and cons can be quibbled over forever, but the ELD-X falls in the fast-expanding category. It has a great BC, super neato new pretty tip, but it is nothing more than a somewhat soft, fast-expanding hunting bullet. Different velocities will yield different results. It does fill a nice niche for smaller calibers to allow more energy retention at longer range. 7mm-08 and 6.5 creedmoor are 2 of the best examples of this. Take it for what it is. We will hear fantastic success stories and utter failure stories one right after another for years to come in regards to this projectile. I think it's proven that it can reliably take most game, but sometimes it's not as picture perfect as some would like. I killed a black bear with one out of a .280 rem, it performed just fine. The bear ran about 60 yds and died, bullet blew through the lungs. The bear was not skinned, boned, and gift wrapped for me when I got to it....but then that's never happened with any other bullet either.

Love this answer. There is not a perfect bullet. Each type has benefits and drawbacks, somewhat particular to the cartridge, range and animal hunted, shot placement dependant also. It's really a spectrum and not a true/false.

 

[Laramie]

Love this answer. There is not a perfect bullet. Each type has benefits and drawbacks, somewhat particular to the cartridge, range and animal hunted, shot placement dependant also. It's really a spectrum and not a true/false.

Agreed.

I am liking the 156 Berger out of my 6.5 PRC - they are the closest to perfect, for me, that I have found.

I think in an all round cartridge selection, Nosler Partition is one of the best choices for terminal performance. You get the splash/rapid expansion while the base stays in tact to offer retention and penetration. However, they do fall short ballistically when compared to some of todays offerings. I believe that is why the Terminal Ascent bullets were created - trying to get the best of both. I just wish they were offered in a heavy for caliber bullet.

 

[BearMeat]

Agreed.

I am liking the 156 Berger out of my 6.5 PRC - they are the closest to perfect, for me, that I have found.

I think in an all round cartridge selection, Nosler Partition is one of the best choices for terminal performance. You get the splash/rapid expansion while the base stays in tact to offer retention and penetration. However, they do fall short ballistically when compared to some of todays offerings. I believe that is why the Terminal Ascent bullets were created - trying to get the best of both. I just wish they were offered in a heavy for caliber bull

 

[wind gypsy]

Agreed.

I am liking the 156 Berger out of my 6.5 PRC - they are the closest to perfect, for me, that I have found.

I think in an all round cartridge selection, Nosler Partition is one of the best choices for terminal performance. You get the splash/rapid expansion while the base stays in tact to offer retention and penetration. However, they do fall short ballistically when compared to some of todays offerings. I believe that is why the Terminal Ascent bullets were created - trying to get the best of both. I just wish they were offered in a heavy for caliber bullet.

If they skipped the bonding process on the terminal ascents it'd be closer terminally. All copper shank isn't as dense for penetration as the lead filled partition either. Seems more like a harder accubond in concept to me but i've not shot anything with them.

 

[Chris in TN]

I hated the eld-x when I first used them.

I have since came to appreciate that a bullet that works well in the 2000' to 2600' window at which I tend to hit things, will be splashy at 3000', and I just have to be aware of that. Or just don't shoot things at 3000'.

 

[BearMeat]

Agreed.

I am liking the 156 Berger out of my 6.5 PRC - they are the closest to perfect, for me, that I have found.

I think in an all round cartridge selection, Nosler Partition is one of the best choices for terminal performance. You get the splash/rapid expansion while the base stays in tact to offer retention and penetration. However, they do fall short ballistically when compared to some of todays offerings. I believe that is why the Terminal Ascent bullets were created - trying to get the best of both. I just wish they were offered in a heavy for caliber bullet.

I use both ELD-X and Berger on the rapid expansion side, and Cutting Edge, Maker and CX in the "solid" category. For shots under 100 yards with rapid expansion bullets, I highly prefer high neck shots. The animal is close, so it's a massive relative target and lends to amazing terminal performance for that style bullet. As range increases and they are not so expansive, traditional vital v shots are highly effective, in my limited experience. I am a firm believer that at least several dozen similar shots are necessary to get a real feel for a bullet's exact performance in like scenarios due to even micro-nuance mattering when encountering a complex biological organism. Sometimes there are variables we fail to consider and label the "failure" the bullet's fault, when it could be something else.

 

[Teaman1]

1 kill that made me a little cautious on the ELDx was a whitetail I shot last year.
Pretty close, 50 yards or so.
Hard quartering away. Bullet hit the farthest back rib while I was aiming for the off shoulder. Bullet did not touch the offside hide or any of the offside shoulder meat.
Was nice to not ruin any meat and the deer folded immediately.
I’ll just probably pass on any hard quartering away shots on an elk haha.
200 grain ELDx a bit over 2800 fps at the muzzle.

 

[kcm2]

Regarding ELDX in general, I think a safe rule of thumb is that if the shot is less than 200 yards, yell "frag out!" before you pull the trigger and everything will be fine. Past that, it is business as usual.

I had an ELD-X out of a 6mm Creedmoor penetrate a total of 4 inches on a pronghorn at a measured 275 yards. I won't use any ELD-X bullets for game. Now, the CX, another story, they do what they are supposed to do.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I had an ELD-X out of a 6mm Creedmoor penetrate a total of 4 inches on a pronghorn at a measured 275 yards. I won't use any ELD-X bullets for game. Now, the CX, another story, they do what they are supposed to do.

I’m sick of Hornady in general, both the ELD’s and SST will definitely kill but make it a mess when they explode, the CX I can’t get the accuracy I can out of a ttsx ,

 

[kcm2]

The CX is superb in my 270 with the 130 gr Superformance ammo. My 270 Weatherby with the TTSX Choice Ammo is varmint rifle accurate.

 

[KenLee]

I hated the eld-x when I first used them.

I have since came to appreciate that a bullet that works well in the 2000' to 2600' window at which I tend to hit things, will be splashy at 3000', and I just have to be aware of that. Or just don't shoot things at 3000'.

Turn those splatter bullets loose!!!

 

[KurtR]

Killed more shit than the plague with the old 140 amax and now 143 eldx. Only bullet i had fail was a accubond. If i have to shoot copper its front shoulders other wise they are to inconsistent

 

[NDHUNTER24]

I have had good performance with the 143 ELDXS for elk and deer. They also shoot the best so far in my rifle.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

ELDX was pretty killer last season. 2 elk and 1 deer. All hit the ground within 5 seconds. 178 at 3000 FPS and shots within 250 yards. Both elk had the jacket and core separate on offside hide at less than 150 yards. Deer had full penetration at 254 yards. Don't really care, not one critter took a step this year. Complete opposite experience from the ABLR I used last year.

Not sure if the 30 cal 178 is built differently than the others but would not hesitate to use it again.