My experience with the Hornady 147 ELD-M on game. *A Lot of Shot Videos and photos*

[FURMAN]

Cody, I have seen what you last described multiple times with the Berger 168. Fortunately for me all animals were DRT. I still can't explain what causes it. I did not think to look at the time but wonder if it ricochet off the shoulder blade.

 

[codyadams]

Video link added to post.

 

[elkaholic]

Cody. That was some write up with a lot of good data. I have to admit that I am surprised by the results! My experiences, although far fewer kills, we're good, but I can't argue with your findings. I have had other clients use these bullets with good performance, but again, fewer kills.
Thank you for putting in the time and effort for such a complete report.....Rich

 

[xsn10s]

It is so refreshing to see such an excellent write up. And to have other knowledgeable people, who may have had different results, recognize good work.

 

[codyadams]

Cody. That was some write up with a lot of good data. I have to admit that I am surprised by the results! My experiences, although far fewer kills, we're good, but I can't argue with your findings. I have had other clients use these bullets with good performance, but again, fewer kills.
Thank you for putting in the time and effort for such a complete report.....Rich

I was surprised as well Rich....I really had high hopes. This bullet is just so extremly accurate in my rifle, and cuts wind excellently. But like I said, the biggest thing I found was just inconsistency in terminal performance. Out of 16 animals, two, maybe three were complete failures in my opinion, but the others, if seen just by themself, one could argue either way, the fact that an animal ran for 150 yards after having massive trauma to the lungs, then falling over dead, is not what many people would say is unacceptable. I can absolutely see how people can be happy with it. I am just blessed with the ability to have a LARGE testing field. Where I am mainly baseing my opinion here, is just in the last three years prior to this season we killed well over 20 animals, just like this, ranging from fawn pronghorn to bull elk, from 150 to 925 yards, with the same gun, just using the 140 VLD, and not ONE animal ran more than even 25 yards, even with a couple of them having marginal hits. And don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching to use the VLD as an end all bullet, I'm simply saying that I KNOW, from my first hand documented experience, that there are bullets that perform better and more consistently than these.

For next year....I will conduct this same test, and I will attempt to document as good or better, and hopefully have just as many tags to fill, but I will most likely be using the Berger 156 EOL. Hopefully Berger has it in production in time for me to work up a load and validate trajectory.

 

[Ed AO]

I'm wondering if it ricocheted off the shoulder blade also.

 

[elkaholic]

I was surprised as well Rich....I really had high hopes. This bullet is just so extremly accurate in my rifle, and cuts wind excellently. But like I said, the biggest thing I found was just inconsistency in terminal performance. Out of 16 animals, two, maybe three were complete failures in my opinion, but the others, if seen just by themself, one could argue either way, the fact that an animal ran for 150 yards after having massive trauma to the lungs, then falling over dead, is not what many people would say is unacceptable. I can absolutely see how people can be happy with it. I am just blessed with the ability to have a LARGE testing field. Where I am mainly baseing my opinion here, is just in the last three years prior to this season we killed well over 20 animals, just like this, ranging from fawn pronghorn to bull elk, from 150 to 925 yards, with the same gun, just using the 140 VLD, and not ONE animal ran more than even 25 yards, even with a couple of them having marginal hits. And don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching to use the VLD as an end all bullet, I'm simply saying that I KNOW, from my first hand documented experience, that there are bullets that perform better and more consistently than these.

For next year....I will conduct this same test, and I will attempt to document as good or better, and hopefully have just as many tags to fill, but I will most likely be using the Berger 156 EOL. Hopefully Berger has it in production in time for me to work up a load and validate trajectory.

I completely agree with your advice on cleaning the tips on the Berger's! I tell all my clients to run a .040" bit through them. A lot of the vld's are nearly completely closed. I have found the new Elite Hunters to be much better.

 

[codyadams]

I'm wondering if it ricocheted off the shoulder blade also.

I inspected the shoulder blade, it was not hit. The heaviest bone the bullet contacted was a rib, it hit below the blade.

 

[codyadams]

I completely agree with your advice on cleaning the tips on the Berger's! I tell all my clients to run a .040" bit through them. A lot of the vld's are nearly completely closed. I have found the new Elite Hunters to be much better.

I have found it especially important when HBN tumbling. This picture is one of the worst ones I found after tumbling, a before and after drilling out:

 

[elkaholic]

I'm pretty much convinced that this is why people have had such varying results over the years with Berger's! I've found a lot of them right out of the box with tips completely closed. When you pinch the jacket closed from caliber size to approx .060"-.070", it has to happen and it's not a uniform, consistent thing.
I still maintain that a tipped bullet with the same exact jacket and profile will expand at LOWER velocity, but that is for another thread. I may have to re think using the eldx for LONG range instead of the ELDM which is rather ironic

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Nice job Cody. If you are ever interested in reviewing Hammers let me know.

Steve

 

[gillettehunter]

Great write up Cody. We appreciate your sharing. Lots of us can learn from what you have shown us. Good to have a decent sized sample.
Bruce

 

[RockyMtnMT]

My thinking is the bullets are not deforming quickly enough. So maybe not until the far side of the smaller animals, thus not causing the kind of shock that leads to faster kills. Not sure on the left turn on the elk. Not tracking straight is usually an indication of not enough stability. I know fromour testing that we have come to the conclusion that 1.5sg calculated at sea level is a good min for hunting regardless of the altitude they are being shot at. It's about the rpm's on impact not the ballistic stability.

Just my thoughts based on your results.

Steve

 

[tbrice23]

My thinking is the bullets are not deforming quickly enough. So maybe not until the far side of the smaller animals, thus not causing the kind of shock that leads to faster kills. Not sure on the left turn on the elk. Not tracking straight is usually an indication of not enough stability. I know fromour testing that we have come to the conclusion that 1.5sg calculated at sea level is a good min for hunting regardless of the altitude they are being shot at. It's about the rpm's on impact not the ballistic stability.

Just my thoughts based on your results.

Steve

So higher velocity (thus higher RPM) MIGHT result in bettet performance with this bullet?