Nosler Accubond LR vs Hornaday ELD-X 6.5 PRC

[TheViking]

Curious to hear opinions on bullet construction/performance between these two. LR AB is bonded, but softer than a regular AB. I’ve never killed anything with either (only regular ABs).

Looking to load some rounds for elk, 140 AB and Partition are also in the mix. Mainly looking for info on AB LR.

 

[EdP]

I have not had success getting secant ogive bullets to shoot well in any of my rifles. There are plenty on the market so I think others have, but I stick with the regular ABs and other tangent ogive bullets.

 

[Slugz]

We load nothing but Nosler. Went to the ABLR and had no issues. Weight retention as specified ( recovered a few)

Its just like a AB just less energy required at range. Longest has been a moose at 467yards and had no issues. All other shots were 200yds and under.

Id base your bullet on expected shot range.
Short partition
Medium AB
Long over 450 yards ABLR

 

[Steve O]

I stopped using Eld-X. Got tired of just finding a jacket and no exit. I usually use Accubonds but always like trying different things. For my desert sheep in December I tried the 142g LRAB in my 264 Win. I was impressed. The entrance was quite dramatic and blew a fist size hole in the shoulder. Never found anything else but a nice nickel sized exit hole opposite. Shot distance was 300 yards so not long range.

 

[TheViking]

I stopped using Eld-X. Got tired of just finding a jacket and no exit. I usually use Accubonds but always like trying different things. For my desert sheep in December I tried the 142g LRAB in my 264 Win. I was impressed. The entrance was quite dramatic and blew a fist size hole in the shoulder. Never found anything else but a nice nickel sized exit hole opposite. Shot distance was 300 yards so not long range.

What’s your muzzle speed on that?

 

[Kimber7man]

The 142 ABLR will kill bull elk dead.

All with 6.5x284 Norma, at 2,975 muzzle velocity.

365 yards



300 yards




140 yards



250 yards

 

[Steve O]

What’s your muzzle speed on that?

3060

 

[chutinlead]

I killed 3 antelope and a big bodied mule deer with the 142gr ABLR with great results. I was running them at 2650 out of my 18" Sig cross and figured the lower start velocity with the shorter barrel wouldn't hurt the softer ABLR.

 

[ElCidAviator]

I stopped shooting ELD-Xs from my 6.5 PRC after shooting a 40lbs hog and finding the bullet in the hide weighing 78gns. If I can’t get a pass through on a little hog, then I don’t think it’s the best round for Elk.

With that said, it has killed everything we’ve shot with it, and none of them have a taken a step.

Also, is anyone shooting 150 ABLRs? That’s what we went to, but I haven’t loaded them up yet. Hopefully we get good accuracy with velocity over 2900fps.

 

[TheViking]

Also, is anyone shooting 150 ABLRs? That’s what we went to, but I haven’t loaded them up yet. Hopefully we get good accuracy with velocity over 2900fps.

This is why I started this thread...I would love to shoot the 150's, hoping they're better built than the ELD-X. A regular 150 accubond would be ideal...hopefully more bullets will become available in the next few years as the 6.5 PRC grows in popularity.

 

[Slugz]

We are currently able to load the ABLR with really no issues. Been pretty handloader friendly.

 

[ElCidAviator]

This is why I started this thread...I would love to shoot the 150's, hoping they're better built than the ELD-X. A regular 150 accubond would be ideal...hopefully more bullets will become available in the next few years as the 6.5 PRC grows in popularity.

No bullets perfect, but I’m hoping the ALBR will be a nice compromise between expansion and penetration. I should get a few shots at some bigger hogs with them before my wife takes it into the Elk woods. I learn a fair amount of bullet performance busting up the shoulders on hogs.

 

[mfllood3800]

Yea I ditched the eldx for Berger 156 EOL. I am almost done with development and then finally start some doping.

 

[magnum44270]

ABLR over eldx any day. I have not found the ABLR to perform any different from AB, just work out the further distances better

 

[bonepoint]

I would take the ABLR over the ELD-X for elk, no question. I have not put the 142 or 150 ABLR into game, but have had good performance with the 129 ABLR (6.5 Creedmoor) on deer (through the spine) and elk (through rib bones) where it held together great. We did have one 168 ABLR (7 RM) fail to exit on a 250 yd shot a caribou, which was a bit surprising. Didn't dig around for the bullet, though.

A lot of people love the ELD-X. I think they are easier to get to shoot accurately than the ABLR, and they kill really well on rib shots. A few buddies love them on game. Sometimes they penetrate great, but also a lot of stories of them blowing up and and lack of penetration. Cup and core bullets won't be as consistent in performance, so no surprise there. There are some similar stories of ABLR, but seems to be a lot fewer, which would be expected with a bonded bullet. Other than being a high BC bullet, there is nothing special about ELDX. They are just a cup and core bullet that benefits from heavier weights and usually a little lower velocities. That makes them great for most applications, but I wouldn't roll the dice on them with elk with better options out there, in the case you have less than an ideal shot and have to break bone or make a quartering shot. I would go with the 140 AB, unless you plan to do the long range game and expect to be taking 600+ yard shots, then maybe the 142 or 150 ABLR.

 

[david2duck]

Outlier here. I’d shoot the eldx. We’ve killed a good amount of animals from deer, elk, bear, 10 animals in Africa, you name it. Performance has been great for us. Lungs and heart turn into jello….. which means dead animals wether you get a pass through or not.

 

[WoodBow]

I'm not ready to jump out of the eldx camp yet either. I haven't seen an exit on anything but a coyote but stuff just plain dies. No tracking needed. I've killed an oryx, a nilgai, and a pile of pigs with it. I'm a big supporter of the frontal shot.

 

[Buglebrush]

We load nothing but Nosler. Went to the ABLR and had no issues. Weight retention as specified ( recovered a few)

Its just like a AB just less energy required at range. Longest has been a moose at 467yards and had no issues. All other shots were 200yds and under.

Id base your bullet on expected shot range.
Short partition
Medium AB
Long over 450 yards ABLR

How far from the lands are you seating your ABLR and regular Accubonds?

 

[Slugz]

How far from the lands are you seating your ABLR and regular Accubonds?

In our 280AIs the 175gr ABLR like .084

I cant remember our older AB loads. I can look them up in the log books when I get home ( overseas at work now)

 

[Harvey_NW]

Outlier here. I’d shoot the eldx. We’ve killed a good amount of animals from deer, elk, bear, 10 animals in Africa, you name it. Performance has been great for us. Lungs and heart turn into jello….. which means dead animals wether you get a pass through or not.

No pass through = full energy dump. The irony of bullet performance reviews on dead animals makes me giggle.