TARGET BULLETS ARE NOT HUNTING BULLETS!

[Creedmoor shooter]

Last 3 deer I've shot with the eld-m folded like lawnchairs.

 

[RockyMtnUT]

Is the 180 eldm a "mono"?

 

[sierracharlie338]

Is the 180 eldm a "mono"?

No sir match bullet with copper jacket.

Nice shooting OP!! Yeah those match bullets suck....

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The fastest incapacitating bullet I ever used on whitetails was the Hornady 162gr A-Max fired from a custom 7STW.

FWIW - In an older Hornady reloading manual, it specifically recommended the 162 A-Max bullet for "HUNTING" thin skinned biggame. They were apparently ahead of their time. Berger caught on sometime later.

 

[stonehands1]

Agreed. 180-225eldm are killin sumbitches. I like how the 230berger flys long range but it will pencil at low speeds.
1400yds with a 225eldm and the buck was dead before it hit the ground.
Tipped lead cores seem to expand much better at low speeds than no tips.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

The fastest incapacitating bullet I ever used on whitetails was the Hornady 162gr A-Max fired from a custom 7STW.

FWIW - In an older Hornady reloading manual, it specifically recommended the 162 A-Max bullet for "HUNTING" thin skinned biggame. They were apparently ahead of their time. Berger caught on sometime later.

I remember seeing this in their 8th edition manual. However as soon as they dropped the eld-x then all the sudden they were no longer suitable for hunting lol

 

[bluedog69]

We'll see how good he eats. I think I smelled him before I saw him! He's going in the ice chest for 10 days on ice. I'm sold on the ice aging method. We'll see if it works on a rutty buck.

Could you give a quick run down on how you ice age?

 

[memtb]

A 180 eldm has no business being shot at an animal you unethical sons of guns!! Oh wait…never mind. View attachment 410569

Sometimes ya get lucky! Congratulations on winning the lottery! memtb

 

[Ucsdryder]

Could you give a quick run down on how you ice age?

Pretty simple. Add a bag of ice to the bottom of a large ice chest throw in a hind quarter and a front shoulder, add some more ice throw in the other hind quarter and the front quarter and your trim and cover with ice.

Keep it closed up and drain as needed. The ice will melt fairly quickly at the beginning, but once the meat is cooled to the bone, the ice will last a long time. Replace ice as necessary. I've done two antelope and a deer this year so far with the ice aging method and left them for 12 days. I don't think it hurts to rotate the meat either but sometimes the ice gets really hard and it's hard to access the meat.

As you drain the water, it will be extremely bloody at first, but by the seventh or eighth day it's barely pink. I think it does a good job of removing all of the blood. Everything I've eaten has been very tender and mild.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Sometimes ya get lucky! Congratulations on winning the lottery! memtb

I just keep getting lucky over and over again. How many times before it's no longer luck?

Btw, my wife lost a bull with a mono this year. Soooo…tell me again about luck with the eldm.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Could you give a quick run down on how you ice age?

I'm not Ucs, but I've ice chest aged deer and pigs. You simply place layers of ice and meat in a large cooler with the drain left open. Periodically, add more ice, as needed.

IMO - it's best if you can find some type of plastic rack to place in the bottom of the cooler so that none of the meat sits in any water as ice melts.

 

[Fiftydriver]

A 180 eldm has no business being shot at an animal you unethical sons of guns!! Oh wait…never mind. View attachment 410569

In my testing, the eldm opens up a bit quicker then the eldx and will shed a bit more weight terminally but for deer size game thats often a good thing. One thing many do not realize is that with Berger bullets, the Match versions have heavier jackets then the Hunting version. For me loading them in my Allen Magnum and Allen Xpress or Stalker wildcats, at the velocity ranges these are working at, the Match version of the Bergers is all i use as the Hunting version expand to aggressively. All that said, do a little pre hunt Testing and see what they do and then match the bullets to the game being hunted and the rifle/chambering being used. For deer, match bullets often are a fine choice. If you need 4 feet of penetration, common sense should tell you there are better options out there. Nice buck by the way and obviously good shooting!!

 

[Ucsdryder]

I'm not

I'm not Ucs but I've ice chest aged deer and pigs. You simply place layers of ice and meat in a large cooler with the drain left open. Periodically, add more ice, as needed.

IMO - it's best if you can find some type of plastic rack to place in the bottom of the cooler so that none of the meat sits in any water as ice melts.

At first, I was worried about the water. But I no longer pay any attention to it. The water doesn't seem to permeate into the meat like it would normally and turn it gray. I think it's because it still has all the outer silver skin and film on it. I leave the plug closed and then drain the water every day or other day. Never had an issue doing it that way. I think the water does a good job of leeching out the blood as well.

 

[Ucsdryder]

In my testing, the eldm opens up a bit quicker then the eldx and will shed a bit more weight terminally but for deer size game thats often a good thing. One thing many do not realize is that with Berger bullets, the Match versions have heavier jackets than the Hunting version. For me loading them in my Allen Magnum and Allen Xpress or Stalker wildcats, at the velocity ranges these are working at, the Match version of the Bergers is all i use as the Hunting version expand to aggressively. All that said, do a little pre hunt Testing and see what they do and then match the bullets to the game being hunted and the rifle/chambering being used. For deer, match bullets often are a fine choice. If you need 4 feet of penetration, common sense should tell you there are better options out there. Nice buck by the way and obviously good shooting!!

Hey hey, hey… Don't be coming on here using common sense!

I agree, I don't think there is a better bullet for deer and antelope then a ELD match bullet. For elk, I think they are awesome bullets if you're not going to shoot through heavy bone. I hate shoulder shots. Anything bigger and I think it's time to change your bullet.