What bullet/load?

[Bandit16]

I have a pronghorn hunt coming up end of August and a chamois in Romania in November. Hoping to use the same load for both. I’m using my great grandfather’s Model 70 in 30-06. I know there are better cartridges but his one is special and I want to use it because it is 80 years old this year.

I’ve been working on some hand loads and have two that shoot ragged holes .5 - .75 inch at 100.

165 grain Barnes TTSX at 2765 fps - pretty mild load
178 grain Hornady ELDX at 2725 fps - near to max load

The difference between the two is basically nil accuracy wise. At 5 shit group from either might be slightly larger or smaller than the other but is inside and inch.

Ballistic tables from AB show the drop to be about the same for either. The 178 bucks the wind slightly better but not life changing.

I’m not a super long range shooter on game I doubt I’ll take a shot over 300 unless conditions are prefect and even then 400 would be max.

Which load/bullet would you go with?

 

[Pescetism]

ELDX

 

[Idahobugler]

Either will do just fine but the Barnes will always get the nod from me.

 

[The Guide]

My vote is on the ELDX. Both species are thin skin and narrow width game. Due to these factors, the Barnes bullet may not open much due to the lack of resistance and the longer neck length of the wound channel. By the time you get your maximum expansion, your bullet will be close to exiting the animal. With the ELDX you should have a shorter neck length and earlier expansion/fragmentation in your wound path.

Both species are frequently taken with varmint style bullets due to their thin skin and light frame. With either bullet i would aim to hit on bone to get at much damage as possible and to shorten the neck length on the wound cavity.

Jay

 

[Bandit16]

My vote is on the ELDX. Both species are thin skin and narrow width game. Due to these factors, the Barnes bullet may not open much due to the lack of resistance and the longer neck length of the wound channel. By the time you get your maximum expansion, your bullet will be close to exiting the animal. With the ELDX you should have a shorter neck length and earlier expansion/fragmentation in your wound path.

Both species are frequently taken with varmint style bullets due to their thin skin and light frame. With either bullet i would aim to hit on bone to get at much damage as possible and to shorten the neck length on the wound cavity.

Jay

Thanks. In regards to bullets I was hoping the ballistic tips would work in this rifle but both the 165 and 150 grain just wouldn’t group well. The accubonds were right around an inch but noticeably larger groups than these. I’ve got some Swift Scirocco on hand to try but I’m running out of time for load development before my hunt due to some work travel. And these are grouping as well as I think this rifle is capable.

 

[waspocrew]

I’d go ELDX out of those two. I used the 145 LRX last year on 4 animals (bull elk, mule deer buck, and 2 whitetail bucks) and they all died quickly, but exits were very small.

 

[Wolfshead]

I know you asked about the two you’ve listed, but I shoot 150 grain Accubonds from my REM 700 30-06 while hunting whitetail deer and it’s a great combination.
For out to 300 yards you’re going to be able to hit in the kill zone without much problem

 

[eaglemountainman]

I'm in the Barnes camp, but I'd drop down to 130 TTSX.

 

[Matt5266]

I'd go eld. I'm not a fan of the ttsx

 

[Bandit16]

I'm in the Barnes camp, but I'd drop down to 130 TTSX.

Thanks but I’m out of time for load development. Due to some work travel I’m going to get one more short range session before the hunt and that will just be to foul the barrel and check zero.

 

[E tusk]

I have taking them with bullets ranging from 85 grain to 330 grain. They all work well. They are frail creatures and not all that robust.
In 30-06 we have used 125 150 165 and 180 gr.

Whatever works well in your rifle.

 

[Tradchef]

I’m a big Barnes fan for pretty much any situation. However, for lopes the ELD-X is about as perfect as it gets. I’m guessing Chamois would be about the same with results.

 

[E tusk]

I’d like to see the performance of the 140 or 156 elite hunter in the 260ai.

 

[OXN939]

Thanks but I’m out of time for load development. Due to some work travel I’m going to get one more short range session before the hunt and that will just be to foul the barrel and check zero.

Barnes TTSX all day long. Look up the history of the ELD-X- it was originally a target projectile Hornady had great accuracy results with, so they tweaked it to develop a "new" a huting bullet. The results in terms of terminal performance, to say the least, are mixed, as you see in this thread.

The TTSX was designed from the ground up as a hunting bullet and a 165 doing 2700ish will do the job for really anything in North America.

 

[rookieforever33]

I would go with whichever shoots flatter. Or stabilizes beeter at longer range. Otherwise its a coin flip