Hornady ELDX for moose

[Curhunter]

I've taken black bears and antelope with the Eldx in different calibers and every time the bullet came completely apart with no exit. On medium game broadside shots it's very effective if you don't mind lead in your meat. The lower the velocity the better they'll work I think.

 

[CFarrington96]

I've taken black bears and antelope with the Eldx in different calibers and every time the bullet came completely apart with no exit. On medium game broadside shots it's very effective if you don't mind lead in your meat. The lower the velocity the better they'll work I think.

What grain bullet and caliber are you shooting? What speed if you know?

 

[Curhunter]

Antelope was with 243 and 95gr around 3,000fps, did not pass thru but a small piece of copper was just poking thru skin on the far side. This was 250yds, I like this load for my rifle, accurate and the Eldx will be suitable for most hunting with the 243.

The bears were 178gr 30-06 around 2,700fps. These were close range over bait and the Eldx completely came apart the largest piece was maybe 70gr. Very devastating for deer and black bear, but required a lot of trimming. Most of these have been 30 yards and no pass thru.

I do have to say that all have been one shot kills without any tracking. I just don't think I'd recommend them for anything bigger.

 

[Jim1187]

I like tougher bullets for moose myself.
Been elbows deep in enough moose killed by the most readily available cup and core options, berngers, assorted premiums to know that the ELD-x certainly will not benefit a moose's health, but I'd much prefer them at sub 3000fps. The 150 partition for your son's .270 Weatherby would be more my preference.

 

[AkRyan]

Thought I explained that in the previous post. The thing is, a bullet that can't make it all the way through a small mule deer, with a broadside, behind the shoulder shot, surely is not going to go all the way through a moose. And that's what I'd want- an entrance hole and an exit hole. Some people don't care about that, but I do.

I've shot a 56" bull moose twice at 40yrds with my 300wsm using 180g accubonds and I found both bullets under the hide. Should we not use accubonds either? Keep in mind the moose died and his rack is what I look at every morning I walk down my hall.

 

[bdan68]

I've shot a 56" bull moose twice at 40yrds with my 300wsm using 180g accubonds and I found both bullets under the hide. Should we not use accubonds either? Keep in mind the moose died and his rack is what I look at every morning I walk down my hall.

Good for you. I would use Accubonds. I like Accubonds. It's a good all around bullet that would be good for just about anything. I didn't realize this topic was so controversial. I just stated my experience of shooting two doe mule deer with 178 grain 30 caliber ELD-X bullets. From that I wouldn't feel confident using them for moose (or elk). Just my opinion. Use what you want. I'm not here to argue.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Not a moose, was 100% unplanned and unexpected, and involved a 308 Win with 178 gr ELD-X...

Shot a mature water buffalo through the lungs around 50 yards which resulted in it almost flipping over backwards. Turned to charge so I shot it again in the sternum. It laid down and died. Neither bullet exited but they did what they were meant to do.

Sample size of one water buffalo using too small of a bullet with too small of a diameter being too frangible going too slowly for the RS realm.

 

[roymunson]

Not a moose, was 100% unplanned and unexpected, and involved a 308 Win with 178 gr ELD-X...

Shot a mature water buffalo through the lungs around 50 yards which resulted in it almost flipping over backwards. Turned to charge so I shot it again in the sternum. It laid down and died. Neither bullet exited but they did what they were meant to do.

Sample size of one water buffalo using too small of a bullet with too small of a diameter being too frangible going too slowly for the RS realm.

The thought of that made my b hole pucker

 

[ColeyG]

One moose with a 200gr ELD-X out of my .300wm at 150 yards. My MV with this round is 2848fps. The bullet clipped a little bit of front shoulder and took out both lungs. Slight quarter towards shot. Moose dropped basically in it's tracks.

I've killed a dozen or so smaller critters (sheep, deer, pigs, etc.) with the 143gr ELD-X coming out my a 6.5cm at 2629fps at ranges from 90-350 yards and all were pass through shots in the boiler room.

I have yet to recover any of the ELD-X bullets to check them out, but I would like to based on what people described as sub-optimal frangibility.

I will say that they make things dead really quickly, which is usually what I am after. They do make a mess when they hit bone and cause more meat damage than say copper mono bullets.

Based on my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to use them on any game animal. Based on the experience of others, I'd be a little worried about using them if targeting brown bears specifically where you'd want something that stays together better, in my opinion at least.

 

[hicountry1]

I posted something similar on another thread on eldx bullets.

They are cup and core, expect cup and core results.

Personally, I wouldn't use them on a hunt where money was spent.

I've never had an issue with accubonds or Sciroccos. They always hold together.

 

[Duh]

One moose with a 200gr ELD-X out of my .300wm at 150 yards. My MV with this round is 2848fps. The bullet clipped a little bit of front shoulder and took out both lungs. Slight quarter towards shot. Moose dropped basically in it's tracks.

I've killed a dozen or so smaller critters (sheep, deer, pigs, etc.) with the 143gr ELD-X coming out my a 6.5cm at 2629fps at ranges from 90-350 yards and all were pass through shots in the boiler room.

I have yet to recover any of the ELD-X bullets to check them out, but I would like to based on what people described as sub-optimal frangibility.

I will say that they make things dead really quickly, which is usually what I am after. They do make a mess when they hit bone and cause more meat damage than say copper mono bullets.

Based on my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to use them on any game animal. Based on the experience of others, I'd be a little worried about using them if targeting brown bears specifically where you'd want something that stays together better, in my opinion at least.

I like it! Shoot the 212 grain eldx in 300 win mag and never had issues with elk at 75 yards out to 600yards.

Sorry if I’m unethical and some will laugh but I’ve even shot a big bull elk at 450 with a Eldx out of a 6.5 cm and he was just as dead as my bulls with the lords caliber (300 win mag).

I haven’t had great experience with the accubonds on elk but they shot awesome groups and still killed elk. Sorry I know it’s not a moose but big animal non the less.

Here’s the 6.5 bullet that I pulled out of from under the opposite side of the bull at 450. Stopped right under the hide.

 

[Short Track]

My moose died from a 6.5cm. Didn't think twice about using it.

 

[roymunson]

My moose died from a 6.5cm. Didn't think twice about using it.

sinner

 

[Short Track]

Plenty of moose died from the 6.5 swede.
For some reason it worked 100 years ago, but not today. ... at least according to the internet..

 

[VernAK]

Almost any bullet from a reasonable cartridge will kill a moose when conditions are right but even as an Alaska resident, I invest serious $$$ in my fly-in moose hunt and I don't care to lose a moose because I went cheap on my ammo.

We had a 60"+ bull come to our call and my long-time friend shot him behind the shoulder with 180 gr cup/core bullet from his 300 H&H. The bull grunted and jumped into the willows. With his neck and head clearly visible at 80 yards, I shot him twice in the neck with a 300 WSM and 180TSX bullets but I did not hit the spine. The bull remained on his feet until I shot him in the head. I recovered both TSX bullets in the neck meat. The neck of a large bull is very dense muscle tissue. Would the bull have succumbed to the cup/core bullet?.....eventually......but where?

I have a video of me shooting a 61" bull....broadside, in the open, double lung......with a 375 H&H and 300 TSX bullets. He died on his feet after 30 seconds and I recovered the expanded bullet on the far side against the hide.

I like to use a bullet that will get the job done under less than optimum conditions.

Yes....I have killed moose with a 270!

 

[Short Track]

TTSX don't expand. Ask me how I know : ) Not sure about TSX.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

2 boxes be enough to take on a moose hunt to newfoundland or does anyone recommend taking more?

it should be plenty for the hunt, but personally i'd want him to shoot at least 10x that in preparation. it doesn't matter what bullet he's shooting if he can't hit in the vitals when the opportunity comes.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

TTSX don't expand. Ask me how I know : ) Not sure about TSX.

the 30 cal 165 TSX went 0 for 3 on expansion opportunities when I tried it.

 

[roymunson]

TTSX don't expand. Ask me how I know : ) Not sure about TSX.

Don't expand, or didn't in your case?

there's a difference and anecdotal experiences aren't gospel truth across the board.

 

[peaceman]

I've taken two moose with the 300WM 200 ELD-x, one at 100 yards, one at 620. Both broadside shots, both exited the moose. The close one ran 50 yards, the one at 620 did a back flip and DRT.