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

[HereDuckyDucky]

I don't know about "exploding," but my experience with the 178 ELD-X in the .308 Win. on bears has steered me away from them towards either monos (TTSX) or bonded (Accubond).

In Alaska, I coach my guys to take shoulder shots with heavy-for-caliber bullets to anchor the bear on the beach (and thus not allowing them to run into the timber). On my last trip in 2017, one of my hunters shot a large bear at approximately 150 yards. The shot hit squarely on the bear's shoulder, which resulted in the bear going down immediately, spinning many circles, then getting up and taking off while biting at the wound the entire way. The bear was up and into the woods before the hunter could follow up. We spent 1.5 days on our hands and knees tracking that bear before it left us in the dust.

Later on, I had a hunter shoot another bear from about the same distance. I wrote off the earlier bear as an anomaly and had this hunter take a similar shot--directly into the shoulder. This bear absorbed the shot and immediately took off running down the beach. Thankfully the hunter was able to place two more shots into the bear's vitals, which eventually did the trick. Upon inspection, we discovered that the first shot DID NOT penetrate the shoulder blade. The two follow-up shots were directly into the lungs and did just fine.

Following that trip, I no longer use ELD-X bullets for bears, mostly because of what I need my bullets to do on bears: blow through the shoulder. I still use that load for deer, and my wife uses the 143 ELD-X  in her 6.5 on deer as well. They are incredibly accurate bullets and seem to serve that purpose well.

RW

[fowl smacker]

I don't know about "exploding," but my experience with the 178 ELD-X in the .308 Win. on bears has steered me away from them towards either monos (TTSX) or bonded (Accubond).

In Alaska, I coach my guys to take shoulder shots with heavy-for-caliber bullets to anchor the bear on the beach (and thus not allowing them to run into the timber). On my last trip in 2017, one of my hunters shot a large bear at approximately 150 yards. The shot hit squarely on the bear's shoulder, which resulted in the bear going down immediately, spinning many circles, then getting up and taking off while biting at the wound the entire way. The bear was up and into the woods before the hunter could follow up. We spent 1.5 days on our hands and knees tracking that bear before it left us in the dust.

Later on, I had a hunter shoot another bear from about the same distance. I wrote off the earlier bear as an anomaly and had this hunter take a similar shot--directly into the shoulder. This bear absorbed the shot and immediately took off running down the beach. Thankfully the hunter was able to place two more shots into the bear's vitals, which eventually did the trick. Upon inspection, we discovered that the first shot DID NOT penetrate the shoulder blade. The two follow-up shots were directly into the lungs and did just fine.

Following that trip, I no longer use ELD-X bullets for bears, mostly because of what I need my bullets to do on bears: blow through the shoulder. I still use that load for deer, and my wife uses the 143 ELD-X  in her 6.5 on deer as well. They are incredibly accurate bullets and seem to serve that purpose well.

RW

Sounds like they serve their purpose well on bears as well if hit in the vitals!

[The Big Game Hunter]

I don't know about "exploding," but my experience with the 178 ELD-X in the .308 Win. on bears has steered me away from them towards either monos (TTSX) or bonded (Accubond).

In Alaska, I coach my guys to take shoulder shots with heavy-for-caliber bullets to anchor the bear on the beach (and thus not allowing them to run into the timber). On my last trip in 2017, one of my hunters shot a large bear at approximately 150 yards. The shot hit squarely on the bear's shoulder, which resulted in the bear going down immediately, spinning many circles, then getting up and taking off while biting at the wound the entire way. The bear was up and into the woods before the hunter could follow up. We spent 1.5 days on our hands and knees tracking that bear before it left us in the dust.

Later on, I had a hunter shoot another bear from about the same distance. I wrote off the earlier bear as an anomaly and had this hunter take a similar shot--directly into the shoulder. This bear absorbed the shot and immediately took off running down the beach. Thankfully the hunter was able to place two more shots into the bear's vitals, which eventually did the trick. Upon inspection, we discovered that the first shot DID NOT penetrate the shoulder blade. The two follow-up shots were directly into the lungs and did just fine.

Following that trip, I no longer use ELD-X bullets for bears, mostly because of what I need my bullets to do on bears: blow through the shoulder. I still use that load for deer, and my wife uses the 143 ELD-X  in her 6.5 on deer as well. They are incredibly accurate bullets and seem to serve that purpose well.

RW

This is very interesting. I just sent you a PM

[Rick]

My daughter’s spike bull 2 years ago was killed with a 143gr eld-x out of her 6.5 PRC. Broke both shoulders at 220 yds. Yes I intentionally told her to aim for the shoulder to hopefully stop the bull from running downhill into a nasty canyon full of blow down.

The eld-x performed perfectly. The bull stumbled about 10yds and fell over dead.

I used my daughters rifle on this fall’s cow elk. One shot at 80 yards and she dropped in her tracks.  Sample size of two but the eld-x from her 6.5 PRC has been perfect so far

[HereDuckyDucky]

I don't know about "exploding," but my experience with the 178 ELD-X in the .308 Win. on bears has steered me away from them towards either monos (TTSX) or bonded (Accubond).

In Alaska, I coach my guys to take shoulder shots with heavy-for-caliber bullets to anchor the bear on the beach (and thus not allowing them to run into the timber). On my last trip in 2017, one of my hunters shot a large bear at approximately 150 yards. The shot hit squarely on the bear's shoulder, which resulted in the bear going down immediately, spinning many circles, then getting up and taking off while biting at the wound the entire way. The bear was up and into the woods before the hunter could follow up. We spent 1.5 days on our hands and knees tracking that bear before it left us in the dust.

Later on, I had a hunter shoot another bear from about the same distance. I wrote off the earlier bear as an anomaly and had this hunter take a similar shot--directly into the shoulder. This bear absorbed the shot and immediately took off running down the beach. Thankfully the hunter was able to place two more shots into the bear's vitals, which eventually did the trick. Upon inspection, we discovered that the first shot DID NOT penetrate the shoulder blade. The two follow-up shots were directly into the lungs and did just fine.

Following that trip, I no longer use ELD-X bullets for bears, mostly because of what I need my bullets to do on bears: blow through the shoulder. I still use that load for deer, and my wife uses the 143 ELD-X  in her 6.5 on deer as well. They are incredibly accurate bullets and seem to serve that purpose well.

RW

Sounds like they serve their purpose well on bears as well if hit in the vitals!

The problem is I need them to drop the bear in its tracks and not allow it to run, but you are correct that they seem to work perfectly well for shots in the vitals if running into the woods isn't a concern.

RW

[jrebel]

I don't know about "exploding," but my experience with the 178 ELD-X in the .308 Win. on bears has steered me away from them towards either monos (TTSX) or bonded (Accubond).

In Alaska, I coach my guys to take shoulder shots with heavy-for-caliber bullets to anchor the bear on the beach (and thus not allowing them to run into the timber). On my last trip in 2017, one of my hunters shot a large bear at approximately 150 yards. The shot hit squarely on the bear's shoulder, which resulted in the bear going down immediately, spinning many circles, then getting up and taking off while biting at the wound the entire way. The bear was up and into the woods before the hunter could follow up. We spent 1.5 days on our hands and knees tracking that bear before it left us in the dust.

Later on, I had a hunter shoot another bear from about the same distance. I wrote off the earlier bear as an anomaly and had this hunter take a similar shot--directly into the shoulder. This bear absorbed the shot and immediately took off running down the beach. Thankfully the hunter was able to place two more shots into the bear's vitals, which eventually did the trick. Upon inspection, we discovered that the first shot DID NOT penetrate the shoulder blade. The two follow-up shots were directly into the lungs and did just fine.

Following that trip, I no longer use ELD-X bullets for bears, mostly because of what I need my bullets to do on bears: blow through the shoulder. I still use that load for deer, and my wife uses the 143 ELD-X  in her 6.5 on deer as well. They are incredibly accurate bullets and seem to serve that purpose well.

RW

Sounds like they serve their purpose well on bears as well if hit in the vitals!

The problem is I need them to drop the bear in its tracks and not allow it to run, but you are correct that they seem to work perfectly well for shots in the vitals if running into the woods isn't a concern.

RW

The worst bullets ever produced....will kill an animal if it is put in the vitals.  The best bullets ever produced......will kill with less than ideal shots.  I am with HereDuckyDucky on this one.....a well placed shoulder shot should kill a bear. 

I keep seeing people post bullet fragments from their ELD-X experience and say they worked perfect.....I would say if a bullet that has an interlock ring is separating (jacket from core), then it is not working as it should.  Yes.....double lunged and the animal dies, that's great....but doesn't mean the bullet performed optimally.  I want the shank of the bullet to remain intact and drive through the animal, breaking bone in the process.  Mono's do this really well.  Bonded bullets also do this really well. 

To each their own.....but I want a bullet that will work even if I make a non-perfect / non-optimal shot....knowing that is never the objective, but sometimes the reality. 

[duckmen1]

Many bullets are built differently for different results. From my experience bonded bullets and all copper bullets you have more forgiving angles on deep penetration but animals seem to travel a ways after a shot for recovery. Sometimes with low blood trail for a while before they start pumping it out externally from the animal. But overall work well. ELDX bullets I have always seen animals drop in their tracks, or drop within about 20 yards. No issues. Yes they do loose weight retention but it causes large internal shock causing bears and deer to drop quickly. Even some experience of the same on elk. They are more less a cup core bullet with a canular grip ring. Anyone expecting the same terminal performance out of an EldX bullet as a copper bullet needs to relook at the construction of bullets. Also those who try to push ELDX bullets at extreme speeds with hand loads. I don’t believe personally any bullet with such design should be done so in that manner. It is just like sierra gamekings. A standard cup core bullet that I am getting complete pass throughs on both shoulders of elk multiple times. Elk dropping very fast. But I have the cup core bullets only going 2800 fps with a 165 grain bullet. Another example which has had a hate relationship is Berger bullets. The all copper guys say Bergers are trash because they explode and don’t hold weight retention. Well that is kind of the design of the bullet. And all animals we have harvested have had extreme trauma dropping the animals very fast. Everyone wants deep penetration and that is fine. Not complaining with garenteed penetration but there are other factors of trauma that help with trauma with a shot that help put an animal down quickly. Understanding the bullets is step one, their capabilities within speeds and load data for optimal performance. But the biggest lies on the hunter doing his part and making a well placed shot and not thinking he can take sub par shots. Shocker and openly honest about this. The one bear I ever lost was with a 300wsm and Nosler Partition bullets. Must be the bullets and the caliber. Could never have been on my end with shot placement. Or so everyone says. A bullet with such high reputation and to be clear I do like. Then there are sierra gameking bullets, Hornady interlocks, Bergers, etc that are all general cup core bullets in which we have had countless success and never any let downs in loosing any animal. But they are not all the new designs out there so they must not be any good. Anyways it all comes down to perspective and what works for you.

[hunter399]

Many bullets are built differently for different results. From my experience bonded bullets and all copper bullets you have more forgiving angles on deep penetration but animals seem to travel a ways after a shot for recovery. Sometimes with low blood trail for a while before they start pumping it out externally from the animal. But overall work well. ELDX bullets I have always seen animals drop in their tracks, or drop within about 20 yards. No issues. Yes they do loose weight retention but it causes large internal shock causing bears and deer to drop quickly. Even some experience of the same on elk. They are more less a cup core bullet with a canular grip ring. Anyone expecting the same terminal performance out of an EldX bullet as a copper bullet needs to relook at the construction of bullets. Also those who try to push ELDX bullets at extreme speeds with hand loads. I don’t believe personally any bullet with such design should be done so in that manner. It is just like sierra gamekings. A standard cup core bullet that I am getting complete pass throughs on both shoulders of elk multiple times. Elk dropping very fast. But I have the cup core bullets only going 2800 fps with a 165 grain bullet. Another example which has had a hate relationship is Berger bullets. The all copper guys say Bergers are trash because they explode and don’t hold weight retention. Well that is kind of the design of the bullet. And all animals we have harvested have had extreme trauma dropping the animals very fast. Everyone wants deep penetration and that is fine. Not complaining with garenteed penetration but there are other factors of trauma that help with trauma with a shot that help put an animal down quickly. Understanding the bullets is step one, their capabilities within speeds and load data for optimal performance. But the biggest lies on the hunter doing his part and making a well placed shot and not thinking he can take sub par shots. Shocker and openly honest about this. The one bear I ever lost was with a 300wsm and Nosler Partition bullets. Must be the bullets and the caliber. Could never have been on my end with shot placement. Or so everyone says. A bullet with such high reputation and to be clear I do like. Then there are sierra gameking bullets, Hornady interlocks, Bergers, etc that are all general cup core bullets in which we have had countless success and never any let downs in loosing any animal. But they are not all the new designs out there so they must not be any good. Anyways it all comes down to perspective and what works for you.

I agree 
2800-2900 fps does seem like the ELDX sweet spot.
I definitely don't go into the 3000 fps.
If your planning a long range shots ,you might push it over 3000.

[mountainman]

300 PRC 220 GR ELdx.
450 yards