ELD-X performance on KY whitetails

R

ReloadKy

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My brother and I were both shooting the ELDX bullets this year on whitetails and here is what I have learned from two deer being shot:

My brother shot a mature 10 pt with a 6.5 Creedmoor using Hornady factory precision hunter ammo 143 gr. The shot he took was a quartering to shot at about 50 yards. The bullet went through the shoulder and did not exit. The deer ran about 30 yards downhill and died. The blood trail for an entry wound only was very impressive. The vitals were mush. After caping and butchering the deer we recovered his bullet in the cape on the off side. The bullet mushroomed very nicely and weighed 105.7 grains. I say this was very successful.

I shot a mature buck that weighed in at 215 lbs with a 30-06 using 178 gr ELDX reloads behind IMR 4350. My first shot unfortunately hit a bit high and spined him. He dropped in his tracks and I finished him off with a follow up shot through the ribs. The vitals organs were mush on this deer as well. I was able to recover the second bullet in the off side hide and it mushroomed very nicely. It weighed 111 grains. Not as much weight retention as my brothers 6.5 bullet but I would still call this a success.
 
I’m shooting the 200grn ELD-X in my .300wm, I’ve yet to recover a bullet. The exit wounds are just impressive. One went through the 110# doe quartering slightly away, dead center of her heart, exited the shoulder then through the 2X4 band and 4X4 leg on the feeder. Most of the heart was splattered on the feeder. The 2nd sookie had the same exact shot placement, same exit and went 20yds leaving a blood trail Ray Charles could follow even though it wasn’t necessary, you could see her easily. Shot a hog free hand and hit low, blew out bone, tissue and a tennis ball chunk of hide. Kind of hoping I get a hog that’ll present a headshot soon.
 
Thanks for posting these. That is pretty similar to other reports I've read. They expand more than some people like, but they are getting the job done.
 
jmr40 since I have started reloading I am as interested in bullet performance on game as I am anything in regards to hunting. I try to learn as much as I can about different bullets and how they perform.
 
There aren't many hunting bullets for reasonable calibers that won't get the job done. After all, to just penetrate a couple of rib cages and some lungs between them really doesn't take anything really specially designed for the task. If you are shooting something like a large hog through the shoulder or something like that, yeah you need a better designed bullet and jacket....but for deer not so much.
 
The distance of the shot for the 30-06 was about 80 yards. I am pushing the 178 gr ELDX at approximately 2490 fps. I do not have a chrono so I am using published data from Hornady in their manual based on powder weight, barrel length and twist rate. I know it is not exact but it is the best I can do without owning a chrono.
 
If you have any sort of reasonably stout load your 178 is traveling much faster than that. Most likely in the 2750+ range


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Fight, do your homework. According to Hornady's manual their listed max charge for IMR 4350 is 54.3 grains when using a 178 gr bullet. This max load still will only produce velocity of about 2600 fps again, according to Hornady's manual. So "throwing" those ELDX bullets with my load, is not all that far off from the most velocity one could get and still remain in the safe range. My load is accurate. .333 inch 5 shot group at 100 yards. That is why I shoot it. And believe it or not 2400 fps will kill a deer just like the 2750 that you claim I should get.
 
You do you, man. A lot of deer shot with the .308 so if you want to run your 06 at 308 velocities you’ll pile up deer just fine. Probably a great load to practice with too. If you run out of 4350 look into RL26. I’m getting 2960fps from a 22” barreled Model 70 in ‘06 using RL26 and magnum primers behind a 180gr Partition. I’m not the only one, either. Only thing I’m waiting on is to see brass life with this load. I’m up to 4 firings and pockets are still tight.



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Interesting, recovering 2 bullets in 3 shots taken. In 20 years I have recovered 2 projectiles. That is definitely a red flag for me on the ELDX. Thanks for posting. Congrats on the bucks!
 
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