ELDX Performance on elk

[Wetwrk]

Well here I go again probably making a lot of you; shall we say...unhappy with my comments. First of all, yes I can shoot long range out to 1000 yards, with a conventional shoulder held firearm. I do not consider any of the new modern, "Precision," rifles to be actual hunting firearms. They are ambush guns not hunting rifles. Yes you can hunt with one, haul that heavy thing out to some stand overlooking a mountaintop or lush farm fields that go on forever, but that is not hunting...that is assassination. Trust in the fact that I spent 30 years in the U.S. Army much of which was as a small arms instructor as well as competitor on various Army shooting teams. I have been hunting since I was 12 (which means some 62 years ago) and while I can shoot long range quite effectively do not consider shooting an antelope at 400 yards or an elk at 800 yards hunting. Hunting is getting as close as you can get, up and personal to your quarry. Creeping up on a deer or antelope laying on your belly to keep them from seeing you until 100 yards or less and an Elk at 50 to 100 yards instead of 500 to 800 yards At this range there is no chance of them even knowing you are out there sighting them in. I shoot Winchester Model 70's, post 64 since they shoot better than the pre 64's including the new modern ones in .308 using 165 gr Nosler Partitions which group 5 shots under .075 inches, I have a Tikka 30-06 shooting again Nosler partitions or Sierra 165 grain shooting a 5 shot group at 100 yards under .60 inches at 100 yards. I have a Tikka .270 that will put 5 rounds into essentially the same hole at 100 yards and only expand the group to 1.650 at 300 yards, all excellent long range rifles despite none of them being any more than conventional shoulder held firearms. Do I haul around a bipod or shooting stick? No, usually where I hunt there is a tree, sapling or rock to brace myself against to steady my aim, one less thing to haul around in the woods or fields. I do admit that all of my rifles have Vortex Diamondback tactical 6 x 24 x 50 scopes that afford the ability to adjust each shot based on range, wind as well as a variety of other factors on a moments notice. While many brag about their successful long range shots, how many were unsuccessful resulting in hopefully a clean miss, or a wounded animal getting away to die a painful death later? All that I ask is that those who consider themselves to be, "Hunters," be ethical hunters not like one I met a few years ago after wounding and not recovering a deer saying, "It's OK, simply dinner for the wolves (or coyotes)" View attachment 286901
200 pound Wisconsin Whitetail November 2020 shot at 50 yards, Tikka T3X. .270 130 gr Nosler Partition handload at 3050 FPS.






In conclusion it's your choice whether you want to be a hunter, or an assassin.

Another thank you for your service from another vet and I appreciate your opinion. I was in the same boat for years. Close and personal. Well it all changed about three years ago. Bare in mind I'm 50 going on 51. Was a die hard .270 kid. All my clan used .270 for deer, elk, and lopes. Here's my open minded change.

I live in a nice long private valley, no neighbors within a mile. I can shoot up to 1400 yards off my porch at targets if I wanted, the hill sides lay out perfect. But never did, I reloaded for my .270, had a 3x9 Leup duplex scope. Put a pie plate out at what I thought was 100 yards, shot and called it sighted in. Then I would sneak into 150yards or less for my shots on game. Simply sighted in for a inch above on a hundred yard target, done.

I was happy til the neighbor kid showed up with his 6.5 Creed, his 7mm, and 300wm. He'd dropped off gongs on the hillside above my house, on his property at 600 yards and 1000 yards from my porch. And dared me. Brat neighbor kid half my age, set up on my porch and did some crap on his phone, twisted some crap on his scope and said I couldn't hit the 600 with his Creed.

First shot with that stupid Creedmoor I wacked 8inch gong hard at 600 yards, no recoil, and I actually got to see the hit through his fancy scope. He did some more crap with his phone, cranked his scope and damned if I didn't hit a 10inch gong at 1000 yards. Not as hard, but I wacked it. Definately going harder than a arrow even at 1000 yards. Did the same with his other rifles but wow they hit harder and I couldn't watch the impacts til the rifle layed back down, then it was just a swinging gong. Turns out he competes, but I didn't know. But I'm hooked and happier knowing I now can take shots way past what I thought I could. In the last three years I've been let's say enhancing my range and upping my equipment to suit my possibles. Neighbor kids gongs are perminate now and we added a few.

I live on a cattle ranch, my fam's been ranching since 1908. same ranch. We eat our friends. We're nice and kind and gentle. We take great care every day of their lives...then we eat them. I raised each and every one at this point, touched each and every single one from baby to grown. Know each one by sight. Then I turn around and have to eat some of them. It's a switch. You can be a kind, repectful hunter at a much longer range than I imagined with ther right equipment. It just takes good gear and a billion hours of pratice, and knowing you can make the shot no problem. If you are nervous you need to get closer. The twenty years I was in the service I lived on the ocean. I used a lever action 30-30. You couldn't see more than 50 yards so what good was a .270?

Thanks again for your service.

ps. There is no closer and personal than a contact shot. Which I made one interesting cow elk hunt with my .270. She walked right into my muzzle, ducking into the thicket I was hunked down in. You don't need a suppressor with contact shots.

 

[2ndson]

That's a pretty big bullet with a lot of energy behind it...keep it off the shoulder and you should be fine. The caveat is that you risk a lot of bloodshot meat if you get too close to the shoulder due to rapid expansion and fragmentation so my personal preference is use a bullet with a more controlled expansion.

 

[Longcruise]

My final decision?

I'll not be using the ELDX on this hunt. Would have liked to use 150 partitions because they have served me so well over the years but no luck with acquisition.

I have located 150 Accubonds and they will be loaded for this year's hunt.

 

[JFriesen]

If you hurry scheels has 150 partitions right now in stock. I think they had 165 accubonds too. Good luck on your hunt

 

[DVLDOG6.5]

My grandson and I both shoot 260 AI - Schneider barrels 1-8 twist, he shoots 129 grain Nosler Accubond LR- antelope kills to 505 yards, I shoot Nosler Accubond 142 grain LR. We both have killed a lot of pigs with these loads, he has shot several antelope and two WT deer with the 129, deadly on all game at any range we have shot inside the yardage of the 505 yard shot. I shoot the Hornady 103 ELDX in my 6 XC and my 243 AI and have had great results on feral hogs big and small.

That's good info for me. I plan on using the 90's and the 103's in the wifeys and my ARC for hogs. Wasn't sure if it was gonna do the trick till I saw this. Thanks for that tid bit

 

[Vann Kirkland]

Is the 143gr Eldx in 7mm Rem Mag too light for elk?

 

[whirlwindjml]

Is the 143gr Eldx in 7mm Rem Mag too light for elk?

The 143 is a 6.5 mm bullet. If they offer a eldx bullet for your 7mm mag I would use it .

 

[Timber Runner]

Have killed 3 elk with 200g eldx from 620 yards down to 240 yards. Happy with all performance.

3 deer with 200 gr eldx. From 40 yards to 330 yards. All dead quick. That's a heavy bullet for deer. I had one with more meat loss than I'd like, but not too bad. Can't argue with performance.

Trying federal terminal ascent this year for elk, maybe one or two deer too. So far it's a stunner at the range.

 

[jshepherd61]

@jshepherd61 we haven't used ELD-X in cartridges that launch above 3k FPS. Judging by the expansion at modest velocity I would fully suspect minimal penetration with 3500 muzzle velocity.

Even then - if lung shots are taken that would be a LETHAL combo. However - oftentimes while hunting we don't always get the shot angles we want.

Thank guys

 

[Vann Kirkland]

The 143 is a 6.5 mm bullet. If they offer a eldx bullet for your 7mm mag I would use it .

I was mistaken….this is what I have to choose from my reloading bench for my 7mm rem mag for elk: Barnes 150 gr. TTSX, Hornady 139 gr. SST, 180gr ELD Match, Berger 168 gr. VLD hunting

I normally hunt with my 30.06 but I won the 7mm at a RMEF dinner 2 years ago. I've read great thing about the 7mm Rem Mag, as well as the above bullets. However, I have read horrible things about each and I find myself at a loss for what to use. Thank you for your time.

 

[whirlwindjml]

I was mistaken….this is what I have to choose from my reloading bench for my 7mm rem mag for elk: Barnes 150 gr. TTSX, Hornady 139 gr. SST, 180gr ELD Match, Berger 168 gr. VLD hunting

I normally hunt with my 30.06 but I won the 7mm at a RMEF dinner 2 years ago. I've read great thing about the 7mm Rem Mag, as well as the above bullets. However, I have read horrible things about each and I find myself at a loss for what to use. Thank you for your time.

The 7mag should be a great gun. The 168 vld hunting will probably shoot great and get the job done. Keep it in the crease or lungs. It will be violent expansion at close range but if it's in the lung your fine.

The precision hunter eldx loaded factory ammo would probably serve you well for up to 600 yards. (If you can find it.) I shot lots of critters with that ammo (creedmoor)before I started loading its spent brass. Now that I have the sd and es where I like it, I shoot the bullets farther than I did with the factory load.

 

[Vann Kirkland]

The 7mag should be a great gun. The 168 vld hunting will probably shoot great and get the job done. Keep it in the crease or lungs. It will be violent expansion at close range but if it's in the lung your fine.

The precision hunter eldx loaded factory ammo would probably serve you well for up to 600 yards. (If you can find it.) I shot lots of critters with that ammo (creedmoor)before I started loading its spent brass. Now that I have the sd and es where I like it, I shoot the bullets farther than I did with the factory load.

Thank you.

 

[coldboremiracle]

ELDX is a great bullet, as long as you have the speed to open it. Ive seen a couple do pretty poorly, but not particularly surprised due to impact velocity.

 

[huntforfood]

ELDX is a great bullet, as long as you have the speed to open it. Ive seen a couple do pretty poorly, but not particularly surprised due to impact velocity.

what was the minimum velocity you saw or what caliber and what velocities did you see issues with no expansion? i am seeing different min velocity recommendations from 1400 thru 1800 fps, but someone mentioned hornady said min is 1700 fps for eldx.