ELD-X vs Accubond

[brentc]

So how do you explain the bullet failures others are having? I don't think the post is with respect to accuracy, just some failures to perform/penetrate.

I can't explain what others have going on, but I am confident based on dozens of large critters killed with the bullets above that if you hit an animal with shot placement in or around the "crease", the bullet will perform as advertised. I can even recall shoulder shots on two large bodied oryx, one with a 200 grain ELD-X and the other with a 270 ELD-X at short range that blasted straight through large bones without any problems. I don't doubt that people have problems, I just haven't seen it.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I've never used any ELD-X/M bullets, used to use 208gr A-MAX outta 1 of my 300's, but when they dried up, I went back to 200gr AB's.

I also have NEVER seen a melted tip off a BT/AB bullet, have recovered several inside the chest cavity, they are deformed, but definitely not melted.
Even have an orange one from a 22 cal 50gr shot from my 22-250AI that was on the ground behind a fox I shot. It was virtually unscathed besides a little flattening right on the tip...go figure. 3800fps impact velocity I guesstimate at the time.

Cheers.

 

[mike33]

So is the report everyone giving that they are loosing too much meat? Is animal going down quick? I really don't care about the meat I want something to drop quick and if it makes a mess I don't care.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

My boy and I both used 200 eld-x this year on deer, 300 win and 300 wsm. No issues and no "explosion" on bullets, from 25 yds to 150 yds. Entry as expected and exit about golf ball. Both hit behind shoulder, 1 shot. Granted they weren't elk. Another friend swears by 180 accubond in his 300 rum, another 175 eld-x in his 7rum and 212 eld-x in a 300 wby. One with a 7rum has used this round on long range elk as well, again no explosion and performed. My opinion eld-x shoot and perform as needed.

Stop and think for a moment about how this bullet reacted at the close yardage you shot your deer. Then think of what would happen if you had hit shoulder bone or elk that have 5 times thicker skin? I fathom that you would have probably had lost a huge amount of the front end of your deer as a golf ball sized hole is enormous in my opinion at that range. I am curious about how much meat you lost to blood shot?
Congratulations on your successful hunt.

 

[dreamhunt]

My understanding on the Nosler LR bullets is for the bullet to perform at 1300 fps. Most hunting bullets do not expand or perform as well when the velocity gets below 1600 fps.
I reckon in theory you could extend the range from 800 yards to 1100 yards and still have a hunting bullet that expands. This would be for a 6.5 CM, I do not know what different calibers are.
I aint interested in shooting any animal past 400 yards, so the Nosler LR would be a waste of time and money for me. Maybe so with the ELD-X too. If I can get a flat base hunting bullet to shoot good out to 500 yards that would be my money bullet. I like flat base spire point bullets for hunting most deer sized animals. I suppose we all got different ideas about hunting bullets.

 

[Toddxusmc]

Hey Guys. Thanks for the add!

I have used Nosler Accubonds in my elk rifle (300 WM) for a couple of years now. For deer I've always used Hornady bullets e.g. SST's. When Hornady came out with the ELD-X I was really excited about the possibility of their use on elk. However I've recently heard of problems with the ELD-X in terminal performance over 500 yds. What are the recommendations from this forum? ELD-X vs Accubonds. Don't talk about Bergers. Ive counted those out.

Thanks in advance!

Do a search on my post from last year concerning this issue, includes photo. Buck at around 70 yds. Bullet exploded on impact. Probably a better bullet for 400+ yds.

 

[Capt RB]

My understanding on the Nosler LR bullets is for the bullet to perform at 1300 fps. Most hunting bullets do not expand or perform as well when the velocity gets below 1600 fps.
I reckon in theory you could extend the range from 800 yards to 1100 yards and still have a hunting bullet that expands. This would be for a 6.5 CM, I do not know what different calibers are.
I aint interested in shooting any animal past 400 yards, so the Nosler LR would be a waste of time and money for me. Maybe so with the ELD-X too. If I can get a flat base hunting bullet to shoot good out to 500 yards that would be my money bullet. I like flat base spire point bullets for hunting most deer sized animals. I suppose we all got different ideas about hunting bullets.

Why would you be opining on a long range hunting forum then?
400yds is inside of mpbr for some of the factory cartridges used here and well inside of some of the long range wildcats developed for this disipline.
The 270AM for instance shooting the 165-195 class of bullets is 14-15 moa to 1000yds and tof is less than a standard cartridge to 500.
Most of the bullets listed in this thread are marketed for long range hunting which is beyond your imposed range limit.
Most on this thread shoot well beyond what they would take game at and can ethically take game shots more than double what your imposed limits are. They want a one and done bullet which is a very tall order. Hammer bulldozer and to a much lesser degree the Barnes can all handle the high impacts of very close range. They do not have the BC of a BErger or ELDX or Accubond LR. This requires more practice for better wind calls. It also may require being loaded single shot due to the longer lengths of a mono metal. Not a problem from an overwatch but problematic if in grizzly country.

 

[cajun]

Pretty much a Nosler guy. For deer sized game the Ballistic tip is a great bullet. The partition if it had a higher bc would be the ultimate hunting bullet. The Accubond is a great compromise. Decent BC in a bonded bullet. I found this site very interesting.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/ For long range work the old Amax worked really well I assume the eldm or x would be as well.

 

[Double Dropper]

Just read an article...gotta find the link where 5 x long range bullets were tested in ballistic media, 212 ELDX, 190 grain Accubond LR, 190 grain Berger VLD, 200 grain Barnes LRX and think it was a Hornady 180 grain SST. Anyways shot at close range to observe performance and again at 800 yards, Berger, and the Barnes LRX did not open up. Close range the SST was almost demolished and the rest did well at both ranges. Having a bullet perform like magic at all ranges is a challenge. I would have liked to see the 200 grain Accubond @ 800 yards though.

 

[memtb]

Just read an article...gotta find the link where 5 x long range bullets were tested in ballistic media, 212 ELDX, 190 grain Accubond LR, 190 grain Berger VLD, 200 grain Barnes LRX and think it was a Hornady 180 grain SST. Anyways shot at close range to observe performance and again at 800 yards, Berger, and the Barnes LRX did not open up. Close range the SST was almost demolished and the rest did well at both ranges. Having a bullet perform like magic at all ranges is a challenge. I would have liked to see the 200 grain Accubond @ 800 yards though.

What was the impact speed at 800 yards? Barnes will have little to no expansion below 1700 fps! How well did they perform, especially the failures, at close range, and how close was "close range? memtb

 

[Double Dropper]

Found the article Field and Stream Five Big-Game Bullets by Richard Mann October 10, 2016. Bullets were fired at 150 yards and expansion and penetration measured, and again at 800 yards.

 

[memtb]

Found the article Field and Stream Five Big-Game Bullets by Richard Mann October 10, 2016. Bullets were fired at 150 yards and expansion and penetration measured, and again at 800 yards.

Thanks, but would love to see the same bullets at the same velocities tested at "close range" .....perhaps inside of 20 feet! Then we could/would get a glimpse of bullet integrity at "close range"!

I guess that "Close Range" has different interpretations.....much as "Long Range"! memtb

 

[Double Dropper]

Its all subjective for sure LOL

 

[memtb]

I must have, for reasons of sanity, have a bullet that will "hold together" at "hair burning" distance. For this reason, and the fact I'm "not" a great marksman....I use the bullet that I've chosen with that as a priority.....knowing I should and will limit my shots to inside of 600 yards! memtb