Hornady ELD-X: Explodes Like A Varmint Bullet?!

[b23]

You get what you pay for. 

It is entertaining to see folks buy a $1000-$5000 rifle, top it with a $500-$2500 scope and put another $250-$1000 worth of accessories...... Just to worry about the cost of a bullet.   

I shoot Mono's and they average $1-$3 per round.  We shoot a lot and I practice with my hunting rounds.  I refuse to shoot cheap bullets for he sole reason they are cheap.  If they work and they are cheap....by all means....but don't just buy a bullet because it is cheap after spending what you spent on your rifle. 

Inventory was a definite issue over the last three years.....but knowing that was the case, now is the time to stock up.  Bullets don't go bad, buy 3-5 years worth based on your shooting habits.  Store them correctly and you will be good to go.

I don't, personally, know a single person that shoots Berger or Hornady bullets, over ANY mono on the market, because they cost less.  They all choose to shoot Berger's or Hornady's over mono's simply because they shoot as well as perform better for them. 

I'm a firm believer in using whatever makes you happy so if mono's work/perform to your liking nothing else matters but it is no secret, on the whole and by a relatively large margin, conventional bullets shoot better for the vast majority of shooters than do mono's.

[jrebel]

You get what you pay for. 

It is entertaining to see folks buy a $1000-$5000 rifle, top it with a $500-$2500 scope and put another $250-$1000 worth of accessories...... Just to worry about the cost of a bullet.   

I shoot Mono's and they average $1-$3 per round.  We shoot a lot and I practice with my hunting rounds.  I refuse to shoot cheap bullets for he sole reason they are cheap.  If they work and they are cheap....by all means....but don't just buy a bullet because it is cheap after spending what you spent on your rifle. 

Inventory was a definite issue over the last three years.....but knowing that was the case, now is the time to stock up.  Bullets don't go bad, buy 3-5 years worth based on your shooting habits.  Store them correctly and you will be good to go.

I don't, personally, know a single person that shoots Berger or Hornady bullets, over ANY mono on the market, because they cost less.  They all choose to shoot Berger's or Hornady's over mono's simply because they shoot as well as perform better for them. 

I'm a firm believer in using whatever makes you happy so if mono's work/perform to your liking nothing else matters but it is no secret, on the whole and by a relatively large margin, conventional bullets shoot better for the vast majority of shooters than do mono's.

I apparently didn't make my point clear enough.....And I could care less what what others shoot.... But, I continuously hear how expensive some bullets are and that people refuse to pay "X" for said bullet.  It is just laughable to me that folks will buy thousands of dollars worth of gear and then complain over a couple dollars. 

Same is true for folks that complain about the cost of broadheads.  The Arrows they are shooting are 10-20 dollars per arrow and they complain about the price of the broadhead. 

Or they buy a 80-1000K truck and say they are not hunting this year because gas / diesel is $4/gallon. 

Accubonds are some of the best hunting bullets on the market (in my opinion) and folks complain about the cost.  I still shoot accubonds in a few of my rifles and won't change those rifles to mono's till the state forces our hands.  I also shoot mono's in many of my rifles and they are some of the most accurate and deadly rounds I have ever shot.   My point is simple....quality usually cost more.  Not always...but usually. 

I would challenge your performance points with mono's though.  I have been reloading for 25 years and can say without question, the mono's I am reloading are some of the most accurate rounds I have ever loaded.  They are also the easiest rounds I have ever loaded (the process in it's entirety). They kill very effectively and quickly and I have never recovered a shank as they always produce and entry and exit wound.  Would a pick a mono for extreme long range.....probably not, just do to the limitations of velocity.  That said, I'm also not really into the extreme long range hunting scenario....I'll keep my shots to 800 or less and in most cases 600 or less. 

[Stevewazfishing]

I can say after a good amount of experience with a 143 gr eldx out of the 6.5 creedmoor, they perform excellent out of that cartridge. I’ve taken 11 deer and bear with that combo now from 50 to a little over 300 yards and have been nothing but impressed with zero issues. At this point in time after the results I have seen, I have nothing but confidence in this combo on deer and bear sized game at reasonable hunting distances.

[fowl smacker]

I can say after a good amount of experience with a 143 gr eldx out of the 6.5 creedmoor, they perform excellent out of that cartridge. I’ve taken 11 deer and bear with that combo now from 50 to a little over 300 yards and have been nothing but impressed with zero issues. At this point in time after the results I have seen, I have nothing but confidence in this combo on deer and bear sized game at reasonable hunting distances.

Same.  We've killed 3 whitetail and 4 blacktail with the same bullet out of my 6.5 creed now.  Closest was 43 yds, furthest was 570 yds.  Not one went more than 15 yards from where they stood. 

[zwickeyman]

I can say after a good amount of experience with a 143 gr eldx out of the 6.5 creedmoor, they perform excellent out of that cartridge. I’ve taken 11 deer and bear with that combo now from 50 to a little over 300 yards and have been nothing but impressed with zero issues. At this point in time after the results I have seen, I have nothing but confidence in this combo on deer and bear sized game at reasonable hunting distances.

Same.  We've killed 3 whitetail and 4 blacktail with the same bullet out of my 6.5 creed now.  Closest was 43 yds, furthest was 570 yds.  Not one went more than 15 yards from where they stood.

I have heard of guys using the same arrow/broadhead on multiple animals but never a bullet

Sorry couldnt help myself

 

[Rob]

I can say after a good amount of experience with a 143 gr eldx out of the 6.5 creedmoor, they perform excellent out of that cartridge. I’ve taken 11 deer and bear with that combo now from 50 to a little over 300 yards and have been nothing but impressed with zero issues. At this point in time after the results I have seen, I have nothing but confidence in this combo on deer and bear sized game at reasonable hunting distances.

Same.  We've killed 3 whitetail and 4 blacktail with the same bullet out of my 6.5 creed now.  Closest was 43 yds, furthest was 570 yds.  Not one went more than 15 yards from where they stood.

I have heard of guys using the same arrow/broadhead on multiple animals but never a bullet

Sorry couldnt help myself

There was a guy on the Accurate Reloading forum who pulled a fired solid, reloaded it and shot it again.  Can't recall if he was shooting an animal or a newspaper pen test target he had set up though.

[Buckjunkie]

A few friends have had similar experiences with the 143 ELDX and the 6.5 PRC. Very good performance rarely needing a follow up shot.

That said, I have one bad experience with an ELDX. 300 RUM with the 220g ELDX. Uphill shot on a Mule deer at 650. At the shot, the deer bucked, spun around and ran. There was a 2-3” red dot on the off side right where it should be. Four of us hiked up there to 10,000 elevation where the deer was. Looked for hours and found one spec of blood. A big snow storm moved in that night and the next day we caught a couple glimpses of the buck feeding in timber, but weren’t able to shoot him again. That bullet never expanded. Since then I have been told similar stories, but not with the 143 ELDX.

[CamoDup]

My experiences with the 143 ELD-X out of a Tikka 6.5 PRC have been good. I've only been hunting with that rifle for 3 years but I've killed a moose, caribou and antelope. All dropped within seconds after impact.

My all time favorite bullet is the 165 grain Nosler Ballistic tip which they no longer produce.

Going back to the lost bear. I have heard of MANY stories about people losing bears. Different bullets, calibers, grains.... they are a tough animal.

[B4noon]

So after a little debate I decided to switch it up this year having witnessed the explosive damage on animals in the past with the eldx they definitely kill have had 3 elk and multiple deer harvested most with 1 shot with them but upon reading this thread decided to switch to the 140gr accubond for my cow elk hunt this year.  I was able to harvest my cow however she really took the accubond like a champ to the point I thought I was missing her.  First shot was at 400yds and when I realized she was hit I started cutting the distance hitting her again in what should have been the sweet spot multiple times from 300 down to the last shot at 100 yds.  In all I hit her 6 times 5 behind the front shoulder 1 in the shoulder blade all pass through leaving pin holes for exit wounds certainly not the results I was hoping for in the end she was dead but IMO with shot placement she should of tipped on the first shot.  2 days later I took my wife deer hunting switch back to the 143 eldx 1 shot low shoulder and hamburger total destruction however deer didn’t go 10 yds and done
First picture is the accubond exit hole on the far shoulder of my elk
Second picture is my wife’s deer explosion
As said on here how dead is dead I’m not a fan of some of the damage I’ve seen with the eldx but certainly not excited about how many rounds with accubond it took either

[MeepDog]

The terminal ascent is the best of both worlds. It will expand at low velocity, has a great BC, and will punch through tough bone. Sometimes you can even find it for cheap. If your rifle shoots it well I'd take it over a cup and core / match bullet any day.

[OutHouse]

I killed my buck this year with my .270 with the 145 grain in this bullet. Close shot. Pass through. Heart destroyed. Lungs destroyed. Small exit wound with all the blood in the body cavity above the diaphragm. My dad took a huge bodied whitetail back in 2022 with it. Same thing. Very clear pass through with small entrance and exit wounds and all blood in the body cavity. However, the deer died very close to where they were shot and hit the dirt real quick.

I am no expert but I think the bullet does a ton of damage right when it enters the body cavity. That is the value that I see in it because I don't know if either of the bullets referenced above expanded or not.

[jrebel]

So after a little debate I decided to switch it up this year having witnessed the explosive damage on animals in the past with the eldx they definitely kill have had 3 elk and multiple deer harvested most with 1 shot with them but upon reading this thread decided to switch to the 140gr accubond for my cow elk hunt this year.  I was able to harvest my cow however she really took the accubond like a champ to the point I thought I was missing her.  First shot was at 400yds and when I realized she was hit I started cutting the distance hitting her again in what should have been the sweet spot multiple times from 300 down to the last shot at 100 yds.  In all I hit her 6 times 5 behind the front shoulder 1 in the shoulder blade all pass through leaving pin holes for exit wounds certainly not the results I was hoping for in the end she was dead but IMO with shot placement she should of tipped on the first shot.  2 days later I took my wife deer hunting switch back to the 143 eldx 1 shot low shoulder and hamburger total destruction however deer didn’t go 10 yds and done
First picture is the accubond exit hole on the far shoulder of my elk
Second picture is my wife’s deer explosion
As said on here how dead is dead I’m not a fan of some of the damage I’ve seen with the eldx but certainly not excited about how many rounds with accubond it took either

What caliber and weight bullet?  Was this the accubond or accubond long range?  This is definitely not the experience I have had with accubonds (not long range). 

Currently, the two bullets we shoot and love are Accubonds and Hammer Hunters.  Accubonds have killed many deer, elk, bear, moose in our family and have never penciled.....so this is weird to hear.  We have captured many of the accubonds on the offside hide and the performance / weight retention has been phenomenal. 


As I read this thread, it appears the 143 ELD-X in the 6.5 creed and PRC appear to work for most.  It may be that the big 30 cal., heavies are just not built for the speed and kinetic energy they produce on impact.  The ELD-X in the 143 / 6.5 may be the cat's meow.....Only shot them in 300 wm with super poor performance. 

[B4noon]

6.5 creedmoor 143 eldx was the deer and numerous elk in the past

6.5 creedmoor 140 gr nosler trophy grade accubond was on my elk which is all that I shoot out of my 30.06 with great results which made me think I should see similar results with the 6.5

[jrebel]

6.5 creedmoor 143 eldx was the deer and numerous elk in the past

6.5 creedmoor 140 gr nosler trophy grade accubond was on my elk which is all that I shoot out of my 30.06 with great results which made me think I should see similar results with the 6.5

Yeah, that is super weird.  Prior to switching my 6.5's to mono's, we exclusively shot 140 gain accubonds with great success.  Wonder if the newer production accubonds are different from the older production.  We have a pile of the 140's but they were all bought more than 4 years ago. 

[B4noon]

Good question newer production vs older my 30.06 that shoots them with great results I’m still running on  boxes I bought 15 years ago when nosler ran a by one get one free promotion on their trophy grade accubonds that I took advantage of and i  bought 20 boxes which will get me through life on that one.  Interested to know if new production has changed