Hornady ELD Match Bullets for Hunting

You are correct. The eldm is basically a thin jacketed nosler btip or sst/eldx. All in effect are hollow points though the btip and eldx/sst have thickened jackets to control expansion/enhance penetration where the eldm has a thin jacket to enhance accuracy. None are in class of accubond which also bonds core to retain weight in addition to thick jackry. You can use hunting bullets to shoot groups and use match bullets for hunting but you may not get the desired results if not using for intended purposes. Personally I am conservative and I like to use things for what they are designed for but if use them just be aware what you have

Lou
 
Krosebil said:
Question for the Hornady guys. I have a 6.5 Creedmoor my son is shooting and the gun (Christensen Mesa)loves 120 Gr. Hornady ELD Match factory ammo. This stuff shoots one ragged hole at 100yds most every time.

I love the confidence of that accuracy potential BUT.... would you hunt with the stuff? I'm torn here, it can't be much different than Nosler B Tips etc.... thinner jacket. Mostly would be thin skinned stuff deer goats etc.

What do you think???

Thx!
Click to expand...
Don't be torn. The thinner jacketed ELDM or Amax bullets fragment violently internally making a mess of the vitals and instantly anchoring deer on impact. I shoot for lungs and the violent fragmentation of the bullet causes massive destruction of the lungs. Exit wounds are often 2" in diameter. Shoulder shots work on deer but exits may not occur. Deer size game is fine for the 120s you'll use. I use 140 Amax bullets very often for deer but only at ranges beyond 400 yards. Accuracy is superb in my 6.5-284 and I've never had a deer take one step after impact.
 
Try the 140 eldm. If your rifle will shoot them it's a proven killer. The 120's are a little light. The 140 will go through a deer shoulder not sure about the 120.
 
I'm drinking so bear with me, but I've developed an algorithm that might help.

1. Will your ability to range, read wind, and apply good fundamentals in the field support you to shoot 1 MOA or better consistently? (Yes- go to 3) (No- go to 2)

2. Buy better equipment, get formal training, shoot more. (Go to 4)

3. Go hunting and put the bullet where it needs to go. (Go to 4)

4. PM me for my Venmo so I can buy more beer.


All seriousness aside:

If you're talking about deer 250 and in, I probably wouldn't worry about it. It wouldn't hurt to get a sample pack of a better designed hunting bullet or heavier weight and just see how your rifle does. The 120's WILL kill, it's just probably not ideal with it being a target bullet in a lighter class. I hunt with 140 ELD's and they've done well. I also hunt whitetail with target bullets out of my 338. Believe it or not I've never lost an animal.
 
Kimber7man said:
SO it took you a lot of time, trial and effort to determine not to use lighter weight ELDMs, but you also haven't shot an animal with one yet?
Click to expand...
Here we go with the knit picking BS . TRIAL AND ERROR was for everything involved in this Hunting set up ( load , powder fps , barrel length , contour, scope , caliber Grouping etc. I don't shoot the lighter eld's in any other rifle i have ...I use Barnes , nosler Ab , LRAB , cor lokt , etc fyi , i am not spending and hour rewriting & proof reading , to where no one could possibly not have one little Question , it's my thoughts as i go, it's what i believe in .I didnt post as to WHY i say what i believe . ( i can talk all day , but I'm not Texting a Book ) ( but it's Darn close) I said wouldn't use a light weight ( 80 gr - 150 gr ) ,thin jacketed ,****y a** Cup and lead core, non bonded, hornady , target bullet for deer ... period . But i decided ( first year ) I'd use the heavier , thicker 208 Grain . (At long distance after it slows down some, it tends to open well and Not disintegrate and stays together fairly well ), until i found something that preformed better. But i would only use it on Thin skinned game .I hunt for Trophy Deer 🦌 and i just have not seen one i was willing to shoot , (I Promote let em grow ) . My dad has shot one ( same set up and the heavy Bullet performed well, but i don't feel its an all around great choice for Heavier Tougher Game. I'm just Trying to help out( Giving my time & experiences based on my Findings ) And I'd like to not be Questioned on every supposed misstep , including spelling & punctuation by the grammar police either .I Don't take Grading well . Please overlook my Faults .Take what good you can out of my posts , i really don't like commenting anyway , it does me no good , I Just want to help info seekers , newbies etc . I'm 58 & I've spent Lots of time reading about Guns,powder Ballistics , Hunting etc. I hate to keep my finding all to myself. Take care fellow enthusiasts ! THERE'S KIND OF WHAT I'M AFTER BOYS AND GIRLS ! TAKEN NEAR MY NECKOF THE WOODS !
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221124_122959_Messenger.jpg
    Screenshot_20221124_122959_Messenger.jpg
    141.8 KB · Views: 131
cajun said:
Try the 140 eldm. If your rifle will shoot them it's a proven killer. The 120's are a little light. The 140 will go through a deer shoulder not sure about the 120.
Click to expand...
My thought as well but keep the bullet in the frontal rib cage and it'll be fine.
 
RULOJOE said:
Here we go with the knit picking BS . TRIAL AND ERROR was for everything involved in this Hunting set up ( load , powder fps , barrel length , contour, scope , caliber Grouping etc. I don't shoot the lighter eld's in any other rifle i have ...I use Barnes , nosler Ab , LRAB , cor lokt , etc fyi , i am not spending and hour rewriting & proof reading , to where no one could possibly not have one little Question , it's my thoughts as i go, it's what i believe in .I didnt post as to WHY i say what i believe . ( i can talk all day , but I'm not Texting a Book ) ( but it's Darn close) I said wouldn't use a light weight ( 80 gr - 150 gr ) ,thin jacketed ,****y a** Cup and lead core, non bonded, hornady , target bullet for deer ... period . But i decided ( first year ) I'd use the heavier , thicker 208 Grain . (At long distance after it slows down some, it tends to open well and Not disintegrate and stays together fairly well ), until i found something that preformed better. But i would only use it on Thin skinned game .I hunt for Trophy Deer 🦌 and i just have not seen one i was willing to shoot , (I Promote let em grow ) . My dad has shot one ( same set up and the heavy Bullet performed well, but i don't feel its an all around great choice for Heavier Tougher Game. I'm just Trying to help out( Giving my time & experiences based on my Findings ) And I'd like to not be Questioned on every supposed misstep , including spelling & punctuation by the grammar police either .I Don't take Grading well . Please overlook my Faults .Take what good you can out of my posts , i really don't like commenting anyway , it does me no good , I Just want to help info seekers , newbies etc . I'm 58 & I've spent Lots of time reading about Guns,powder Ballistics , Hunting etc. I hate to keep my finding all to myself. Take care fellow enthusiasts ! THERE'S KIND OF WHAT I'M AFTER BOYS AND GIRLS ! TAKEN NEAR MY NECKOF THE WOODS !
Click to expand...
Thin jackets ARE the plus for me. Violent and fast fragmentation is what I want in a deer. People, shoot the deer where ever you prefer. My preference is in the ribs. They are DRT with that shot Everytime for me. Even for bigger animals like Elk I prefer an ELDM or Amax and shoot the same spot. Same results most times. I've had a bull elk make it 60 yards one time but the exit hole left a paint trail that Ray Charles could follow.
 
The only thing that might concern me is the impact velocity with the 120 out of a creed at close range. Cup and core bullets penetrate better at lower velocities, and in my experience when impact velocities over about 3000 fps penetration is noticably decreased.

If your gun will shoot 130, 140, 143, or 147 eld bullets those are all very proven killers, and the case capacity negates any concern about over expansion. The 120 probably works fine too, you just might see more meat damage than you'd expect.
 
The H 6.5 120 ELD is my favorite 6.5 rodent bullet. I get almost 3200 fps from a 26", 8 twist, 6.5-06 using a variety of easy to obtain powders. The 120 does not shoot as flat as the 140 or heavier 6.5 ELD bullets at 1000 but at ranges up to 700 it is more effective than heavier bullets. Many exciting hits on distant rock chucks on breezy days. Very close to 123 ELD performance at less cost. Presently, I'm using 52.5 gr, R-S Hunter. Exciting expansion & other effects.

Sectional Density (SD) has some effect(s) like penetration. The 140 is a long pointy bullet. The 120 is shorter, less SD but can be driven faster - flies real good but the 140 will pass it of ranges at 600-700. Bullets probably have equal jacket thickness. More velocity of 120 would result in more expansion. Controlled expansion not important for shooting rodents.

Screenshot (536).png
 
Last edited:
This is always a heated discussion. I myself and my son tried eldM 140 in a 6.5x284 for whitetails. On our end we dad a bad experience with both of us. He had a doe standing broadside in a wide open field at 100 yds and cut one loose and the doe jumped and kicked and stood there looking around. He said did I hit her and I responded you had to so he chambered another and sent it and she dropped about 10 seconds after impact. Upon skinning her out neither bullet expanded and just punched a small hole through her with 2 shots being placed behind the crease on the front shoulder. So I took the same combination out myself and had a buck face me in the open. I settled in on a straight front shot at the bottom of the next where it ties into the chest. I cut it loose and he rared up and took off through brush. We tracked him and never did find him. So I talked to gunwerks and hornady and hornady said that they didn't recommend it for that application. So I and my son changed to the Berger 140 hunting bullets and so far everything that was hit with that combination has been one shot kills from bear to whitetails. Just my experience and 2 cents.
 
Longrangers said:
This is always a heated discussion. I myself and my son tried eldM 140 in a 6.5x284 for whitetails. On our end we dad a bad experience with both of us. He had a doe standing broadside in a wide open field at 100 yds and cut one loose and the doe jumped and kicked and stood there looking around. He said did I hit her and I responded you had to so he chambered another and sent it and she dropped about 10 seconds after impact. Upon skinning her out neither bullet expanded and just punched a small hole through her with 2 shots being placed behind the crease on the front shoulder. So I took the same combination out myself and had a buck face me in the open. I settled in on a straight front shot at the bottom of the next where it ties into the chest. I cut it loose and he rared up and took off through brush. We tracked him and never did find him. So I talked to gunwerks and hornady and hornady said that they didn't recommend it for that application. So I and my son changed to the Berger 140 hunting bullets and so far everything that was hit with that combination has been one shot kills from bear to whitetails. Just my experience and 2 cents.
Click to expand...
FYI, I've seen that same experience occur with the Berger 140s as well. The HVLD
 
Been shooting 147s. They kill well but they blow up and destroy a lot of meat with fragments. Muley antelope and coues deer. Longest shot just under 600 with Prc at 2960. Just sharing my experience so far..
 

Similar threads

L
Using Hornady ELD Match bullets for hunting - 300 Win Mag
Replies
6
Views
16K
Thebigbaby
T
B
225gr Hornady BTHP match for hunting?
Replies
3
Views
2K
Lefty7mmstw
Lefty7mmstw
R
147 gr Hornady ELD Match 6.5 CM as a Hunting Round?
2 3
Replies
34
Views
42K
Coyote_Hunter
Coyote_Hunter
G
Match bullets.......Hunting bullets???
5 6 7
Replies
88
Views
10K
hicountry1
hicountry1
gohring3006
New Hornady ELD-M bullets for 2017.
Replies
0
Views
1K
gohring3006
gohring3006

Recent Posts

Top