Hornady ELD-X Official Thread

[Terry Scott]

Great Idea for thread,
to the guy who worried about the berger 230s for his 300 Rum....I wouldn't
Went to Africa killed 9 animals with them from hyena to zebra, waterbuck, and Kudu
All went down with one shot. The RUM with a 230 gr bullet kills.
That said I am eager to try the new VLDXs

 

[Wachsmann]

Has anyone had any experience with the ELD-X bullets exploding or coming apart violently? I shot a mule deer during the season and it was quartering away from me. Shot was 760 yards and the bullet hit the back ribs, the liver, and some guts (bla bla). It was dead instantly but I could not find any real part of the bullet. It actually took out about 3 ribs making close to a racket ball size hole. Never found any impact of the bullet on the other side of the animal. It was a 220 grain ELD-X out of a 300 RUM. My muzzle speed is about 3025 on these . Don't have the phone handy but I think it was something like 2225 at impact according to shooter program. They shoot real sweet but it left me thinking what would this have done on and elk.

 

[codyadams]

Has anyone had any experience with the ELD-X bullets exploding or coming apart violently? I shot a mule deer during the season and it was quartering away from me. Shot was 760 yards and the bullet hit the back ribs, the liver, and some guts (bla bla). It was dead instantly but I could not find any real part of the bullet. It actually took out about 3 ribs making close to a racket ball size hole. Never found any impact of the bullet on the other side of the animal. It was a 220 grain ELD-X out of a 300 RUM. My muzzle speed is about 3025 on these . Don't have the phone handy but I think it was something like 2225 at impact according to shooter program. They shoot real sweet but it left me thinking what would this have done on and elk.

I worked up a load for my buddy in his 300 mag, it was the 200 grain ELD-X going 3000 fps on the nose, he shot a 6 point bull elk at 500 yards. On impact it was going about 2460, it was slightly quartering away, he hit at the back of the ribs and the bullet was under the hide on the off shoulder. This below is the recovered bullet

 

[codyadams]

I worked up a load for my buddy in his 300 mag, it was the 200 grain ELD-X going 3000 fps on the nose, he shot a 6 point bull elk at 500 yards. On impact it was going about 2460, it was slightly quartering away, he hit at the back of the ribs and the bullet was under the hide on the off shoulder. This below is the recovered bullet

Here is the elk, he said it didn't drop on the spot, it took one step, put its head on the ground, stood there for a minute, then fell over in this position.

 

[Wachsmann]

That's good to know. I really don't know what happen to the bullet but the deer was dead in its tracks. I would of figured it would of made it out the other side but there was no hole and no sign of exit. Best thing they are shooting around one inch at 200 yrds and they are fitting in the mag. I shot this group prior to my hunt.

 

[the444shooter]

Interestingly enough, my friend just relayed a story to me about the ELD-X bullet blowing up on an antelope at 400yds. 143 ELD-X from his 6.5cm and it exploded inside, not even hitting a rib. He said the Hornady tech told him "his velocity was probably too high" :-/

I told him to buy another box and send the others back for them to test. There's no way that at 400yds the velocity would be too high, especially on an antelope, started at a mild 2700fps.

Only thing I can think of is that someone at Hornady accidentally loaded ELD-M bullets, or he somehow mixed up his ammo with a batch of older 140 amax.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

Impact velocity is around 2100 at that distance hardly a high velocity impact

 

[captacademy]

Interestingly enough, my friend just relayed a story to me about the ELD-X bullet blowing up on an antelope at 400yds. 143 ELD-X from his 6.5cm and it exploded inside, not even hitting a rib. He said the Hornady tech told him "his velocity was probably too high" :-/

I told him to buy another box and send the others back for them to test. There's no way that at 400yds the velocity would be too high, especially on an antelope, started at a mild 2700fps.

Only thing I can think of is that someone at Hornady accidentally loaded ELD-M bullets, or he somehow mixed up his ammo with a batch of older 140 amax.

Glad you posted this, I was just about to load some for a white tail hunt. I think I will stay with the 140 VLD hunting load for now..

 

[the444shooter]

Glad you posted this, I was just about to load some for a white tail hunt. I think I will stay with the 140 VLD hunting load for now..

Like I said, it could've been a mix up with the bullets at Hornady or at his house--I just thought it was odd, especially the tech's response to him.

 

[WildRose]

Like I said, it could've been a mix up with the bullets at Hornady or at his house--I just thought it was odd, especially the tech's response to him.

His response just doesn't make any sense. Maybe they sent you to the bookkeeper by mistake.

I have failed to recover bullets that didn't exit the chest in the past but in each case it was an animal who's chest cavity was torn to shreds with lots of small pieces and a whole lot of blood. In most cases I don't think the bullets blew up/shattered, they were just lost in the mess and I didn't feel like sifting through it all.

I have no doubt that some of these bullets are separating just as I've seen with the interlocks on occasion but I really doubt they are disintegrating.

 

[the444shooter]

His response just doesn't make any sense. Maybe they sent you to the bookkeeper by mistake.

I have failed to recover bullets that didn't exit the chest in the past but in each case it was an animal who's chest cavity was torn to shreds with lots of small pieces and a whole lot of blood. In most cases I don't think the bullets blew up/shattered, they were just lost in the mess and I didn't feel like sifting through it all.

I have no doubt that some of these bullets are separating just as I've seen with the interlocks on occasion but I really doubt they are disintegrating.

What I don't understand is the lack of exit--it was an antelope for crying out loud, at a very reduced impact velocity. I know bullets do weird things on occasion, but to not hit a rib on one of the lightest skinned big game animals and not exit just doesn't make sense.

It did its job, and he said the vitals were soup--no blood when he slit its throat, as it all hemorrhaged in the chest cavity, but it makes me wonder what's behind this particular performance. I'm hoping he gets hold of someone at Hornady again and gets an answer.

 

[WildRose]

What I don't understand is the lack of exit--it was an antelope for crying out loud, at a very reduced impact velocity. I know bullets do weird things on occasion, but to not hit a rib on one of the lightest skinned big game animals and not exit just doesn't make sense.

It did its job, and he said the vitals were soup--no blood when he slit its throat, as it all hemorrhaged in the chest cavity, but it makes me wonder what's behind this particular performance. I'm hoping he gets hold of someone at Hornady again and gets an answer.

Even FMJ's sometimes won't exit if they start to tumble and when they do it's like a shredder going through.

Sometimes bullets just don't make sense.

 

[mdk777]

Even FMJ's sometimes won't exit if they start to tumble and when they do it's like a shredder going through.

Sometimes bullets just don't make sense.

Yup, the Warren commission confirmed that for many.

What you think is/will happen to something moving at these velocities is not always obvious/predictable.

The angle of deflection striking a rib...or just the right distance between two ribs and you can initiate any kind of crazy tumbling action.

I've seen car accidents in real time...and on you tube...and seldom can you predict where the cars will land, and in what direction they will face....

Just my experience.

 

[Wachsmann]

For me I've been thinking it over and the section of ribs that was missing and the liver that was all cut to shreds; I just think the angle I took the shot at and hitting the ribs caused the violent expansion and fragmenting of the bullet. Anyways today I just went and bought a second box because I love the way they shoot and I can stuff them in the magazine. I haven't been able to do this with a 230 berger and get the same accuracy not that I don't like the bergers but single feeding verses running mag length on a hunting rifle and getting very good accuracy. I'll take the mag feeding and good accuracy. Now that hunting season is over I'm going to stretch out its legs some more (300 RUM) and see if I can get some good rock hits out to 12 13 or 1500yrds with these bullets. I'm sure I'll burn through the next box of 100 before it gets warm again in the spring.