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Hornady 6.5C 143 ELD-X performance issues
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The 124 HH have been excellent out of my 6.5x47. You won't be disappointed.
Chris J Spierings
Well-Known Member
I just found this thread so far for me the 143eldx has been a solid performer on whitetails. I have shot 5 whitetails at ranges from about 60 to 100 yards so definitely more velocity than the longer shots shared earlier but they have all had very heavy blood trails with the deer usually within 40 yards or less. Three of the shots were just behind the shoulder, the lungs were jello. One was forward of where I like to aim and it snapped the near side leg pulped the heart and lungs were shredded by bone fragments (I think) the last was a desperation shot on a wounded deer that wandered in from another farm, that shot I didn't have much to work with and the deer was clearly gut shot. Its not a shot I would normally take except I thought it was warranted given the mess the deer was pulling around. I aimed just below the ear, having a very good rest and a fairly close shot the bullet performed as expected the damage was extensive and the deer dropped where it stood.
With a 162 ELDX in a 280ai I shot a 5 point bull elk at a few yards over 300 this year and the shot poked a small hole in the near side lung, shredded the top of the heart and the top of the far side lung was about 1/3 gone. Bullet was under the scapula on the far side. It looked like the lead separated at the or around the heart and the total weight of the recovered pieces was 127 grains. I have only shot a couple elk and have not been impressed with blood trails on them with any bullet, partition, accubond or ELDX they just seem to soak up shots better than whiteails. Those being shot with 300 win and 280ai.
With a 162 ELDX in a 280ai I shot a 5 point bull elk at a few yards over 300 this year and the shot poked a small hole in the near side lung, shredded the top of the heart and the top of the far side lung was about 1/3 gone. Bullet was under the scapula on the far side. It looked like the lead separated at the or around the heart and the total weight of the recovered pieces was 127 grains. I have only shot a couple elk and have not been impressed with blood trails on them with any bullet, partition, accubond or ELDX they just seem to soak up shots better than whiteails. Those being shot with 300 win and 280ai.
JOE SOBBA
Member
Daughter shot a mature buck with the 143s out of her 6.5 prc this fall. Fell where he stood!
MFGRVA
Member
This has been my first year hunting with the 6.5 CM, and I settled on the 143gr ELD-X as my hunting load since my 5R consistently shoots .5 MOA with it - insanely hard to argue with that for a factory load. On the first opportunity that presented itself, I absolutely failed to drop the biggest buck I've seen in 38 years of hunting at just 80 yards - very clearly no impact. I have ultimately chalked that up to deflection of the round (I found evidence of the shot likely having impacted a branch +/-20 yards from my stand), but that miss has haunted me for weeks.
On the other hand, there is the deer I took last week from a lasered 223 yards, quartering away - damaged the lungs, severed both the Carotid & windpipe and exploded out through the opposite shoulder. Dead right there.
Hoping for another chance at the big guy before our season closes this weekend.
On the other hand, there is the deer I took last week from a lasered 223 yards, quartering away - damaged the lungs, severed both the Carotid & windpipe and exploded out through the opposite shoulder. Dead right there.
Hoping for another chance at the big guy before our season closes this weekend.
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I recovered all the deer I shot with the 143gr eldx and have zero confidence in there design.zero blood and complete jacket separation.I demand a better performing bullet and it looks like the Terminal Ascent is the way to go
deaddownrange
Well-Known Member
Very odd the differences in performance others are reporting on the 143eldx. I had about stopped reloading due to the great performance of this round, With 1 factory box of ammo I successfully harvest a couple antelope,couple of mule deer and a elk or 2 each year, now I did not measure or weigh the bullet if I recovered it, and I can not give an opinion on the blood trail as they all folded and died right where they stood, except 1 mule deer doe shot on a damage hunt at a range of maybe 15 feet she hopped 2-3 times and that is the farthest I've had an animal go. Now my shots have varied greatly from 500 yds. to mainly 200-300 yards. I am not a great shot, eyes are going and I shake a little, I try for opposite shoulder when I can.
Buddy has shot over ten animals with 6.5 prc from 25-600 yards with 143 eld-x. Good preformance on all.
I would say if you recovered all the deer that is a success. There is no free lunch. Look at the pictures of the long range impacts with the terminal ascent. If a bullet holds together at short, medium range it's not going to have as much expansion at longer ranges.
Terminal Ascent
Any hunt. Any range. Go beyond what you ever thought possible with Federal Premium® Terminal Ascent™.
Good luck with them here with a itty bitty 6.5!
They've always performed very consistent for us. They shed a lot of weight and expand violently when hitting bone, big entrance wounds, very rarely do we get exits.
deer, impact velocity 2182fps
Elk @ 2520
bullet was recovered on offside hide (they almost always look like this)
They've always performed very consistent for us. They shed a lot of weight and expand violently when hitting bone, big entrance wounds, very rarely do we get exits.
deer, impact velocity 2182fps
Elk @ 2520
bullet was recovered on offside hide (they almost always look like this)
I have not tested the terminal ascent on deer pass 500 yards yet but will very soon .I would much rather have a bullet that stayed together and got complete penetration for a good blood trail with decent expansion than a bullet that's blows up where the animal runs off with no blood trail and maybe not enough penetration through a shoulder to get to the vitals .shoot what you have confidence in and you gun likes .I have yet to shoot a gun that doesn't like eldx bullets but I have not much confidence in them from real world experience.might not be a big fan of terminal ascent if they act like barns bullets at long rangeI would say if you recovered all the deer that is a success. There is no free lunch. Look at the pictures of the long range impacts with the terminal ascent. If a bullet holds together at short, medium range it's not going to have as much expansion at longer ranges.
Terminal Ascent
Any hunt. Any range. Go beyond what you ever thought possible with Federal Premium® Terminal Ascent™.www.federalpremium.com
When you have to grid search for deer instead of following a blood trail I would say that they have failedI would say if you recovered all the deer that is a success. There is no free lunch. Look at the pictures of the long range impacts with the terminal ascent. If a bullet holds together at short, medium range it's not going to have as much expansion at longer ranges.
Terminal Ascent
Any hunt. Any range. Go beyond what you ever thought possible with Federal Premium® Terminal Ascent™.
If you look at the long range expansion pictures of the terminal ascent it looks like typical barnes performance to me.
