Terminal performance of the 6.5mm 140 eld-match (pics)

[Outlaw6.0]

Unfortunately I'm running an 8 twist @ about 1000-1500ft ASL. I'm not sure I can stabilize that projectile especially in cold temps.

Looks like I could drop down to a 120 though

I ran them out of an 8.4 twist 6.5WSM with very good stability. Not sure why they recommend a 1-7... According to Berger's stability calculator, a 1-8" @ 2900 is VERY stable.

Although, the 120 would probably be bottled lightning out of a creed.



t

 

[dblman]

Unfortunately that's really all I can find for pics. Like I said, I'm just really now getting into the documentation side of it. There's many more animals we've killed with it that I just don't have photos of so I'll leave all those out. Just wanted to share my experience with them. I've yet to see any sort of "bullet faliure" of any kind. I got away from the 6.5 for a couple years in favor of my 7mm rem mag with the 180, but I'm back in the saddle with the 6.5. I can comfortably say hands down it's my favorite combo for normal whitetail hunting and reasonable ranges. All from a bullet that only costs about 40 cents to boot.

More on ELD M for deer, bear, hogs, etc. Being a retired hunting/shooting rep I do know many industry people. And, I know this. Hornady guys absolutely shoot ELD M bullets for their hunting. They work and do not break the bank when you buy them.

 

[cajun]

This is what Nathan Foster had to say about the 140 amax which is the older version.

For longer range hunting using the swede, no other bullet can compare to the performance produced by the Hornady 140 grain A-Max. This bullet is best suited to lighter bodied deer under 80kg (180lb) and gives optimum results at impact velocities below 2600fps (beyond 75 yards) which allows the A-Max to shear into large fragments rather than smaller, less lethal particles. Wounding caused by the A-max at ranges of between 300 and 400 yards is such that both exit wounds and bleeding from exit wounds can be easily observed through the hunter's scope. The A-Max has a BC of .550 and produces wide wounding for clean, extremely fast killing out to 500 yards (2000fps), continuing to produce adequately wide wounding at 1800fps, out at the 600 yard mark.

Nathan has done exhaustive testing on terminal performance and his work is impressive.

If you want a little more conventional bullet the eldx holds up better.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I ran them out of an 8.4 twist 6.5WSM with very good stability. Not sure why they recommend a 1-7... According to Berger's stability calculator, a 1-8" @ 2900 is VERY stable.

Although, the 120 would probably be bottled lightning out of a creed.



t

I think I want to mess around with a 120 class for more point and shoot style hunting we have here in the north east. Should get north of 3000fps pretty easy

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

This is what Nathan Foster had to say about the 140 amax which is the older version.

For longer range hunting using the swede, no other bullet can compare to the performance produced by the Hornady 140 grain A-Max. This bullet is best suited to lighter bodied deer under 80kg (180lb) and gives optimum results at impact velocities below 2600fps (beyond 75 yards) which allows the A-Max to shear into large fragments rather than smaller, less lethal particles. Wounding caused by the A-max at ranges of between 300 and 400 yards is such that both exit wounds and bleeding from exit wounds can be easily observed through the hunter's scope. The A-Max has a BC of .550 and produces wide wounding for clean, extremely fast killing out to 500 yards (2000fps), continuing to produce adequately wide wounding at 1800fps, out at the 600 yard mark.

Nathan has done exhaustive testing on terminal performance and his work is impressive.

If you want a little more conventional bullet the eldx holds up better.

We killed a pile of stuff with the old amax top. I killed a Blackie that dressed 312lbs with one. He made it exactly 17 paces

 

[VenatusDominus]

Great information and great post. I love the 147 ELD-M out of my 6.5 PRC, it is accurate and hard hitting, and my favorite load to shoot. It would be my current choice if I still hunted with traditional bullets. Having said that, I will never shoot anything I intend to eat with a lead bullet again. There is now significant research indicating that at modern day velocities, over 1200 ft/sec, lead fragments and contaminates a significant portion of the meat. From huntingwithnonlead.org:

"One study that investigated the prevalence of this health risk brought 30 different eviscerated white-tailed deer carcasses to 30 separate meat processors and asked for steaks and burger packages. The packages were sub-sampled and the researchers found that 32% of 234 ground venison packages contained at least one metal fragment and 93% of all fragments were positively identified as lead."

There are many recent articles documenting this. Here is just one:

New research on the risks of lead exposure from bullets used in big game hunting

The lead in some bullets used for hunting deer, moose, and elk is toxic to the humans who eat the harvested meat and to scavenger animals that feast on remains left in the field.

phys.org

With all the quality monolithic choices available, I am just not willing to risk my family or I ingesting even small traces of lead.

 

[sea2summit]

First deer with 130 ELDMs, 285 m. One hopped about 10-15 yards downhill, other flopped.

 

[sea2summit]

Another day, one was .223 77 grn custom comp. Other two were the .260. 90-110m. No inside pics but none went anywhere.

123 grn, I believe this was a head shot.

Another 123, ~75 m

Damage.

Just over 130m, 6.5C/130

Just over 300m, 6.5C/130, pass though, massive blood trail, he made it about 30 yards.

110m, 123, did not pass through but was just under the skin on the far side. Deer went almost 100 yards downhill. Also the only deer mount I've ever done, was 205 on the scales.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Another day, one was .223 77 grn custom comp. Other two were the .260. 90-110m. No inside pics but none went anywhere.
View attachment 405600
123 grn, I believe this was a head shot.
View attachment 405601
Another 123, ~75 m
View attachment 405602
Damage.
View attachment 405603
Just over 130m, 6.5C/130
View attachment 405604
Just over 300m, 6.5C/130, pass though, massive blood trail, he made it about 30 yards.



View attachment 405605
110m, 123, did not pass through but was just under the skin on the far side. Deer went almost 100 yards downhill. Also the only deer mount I've ever done, was 205 on the scales.
View attachment 405606

Which 123 is it? Eld-m or sst?

 

[sea2summit]

Which 123 is it? Eld-m or sst?

Haven't reloaded any Grendel yet so that's all Black box, 123 ELDM.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Haven't reloaded any Grendel yet so that's all Black box, 123 ELDM.

Ive got some 123 sst. Im just a little nervous it's going to be too explosive.

 

[sea2summit]

Ive got some 123 sst. Im just a little nervous it's going to be too explosive.

If it makes you feel better I've changed all my 308 and .223 hunting loads to V-MAX, works amazing. If your shot is bad…it's really bad lol.

 

[cajun]

Ive got some 123 sst. Im just a little nervous it's going to be too explosive.

Those are made for grendel velocities.

 

[Calvin45]

I've decided to go ahead and post my experience with this bullet on whitetails and black bears. I've only fired this bullet out of the 6.5 creedmoor with velocities between 2700-2850. I've gotten much more into terminal performance over the past 3 years whether it's bullets or broadheads.

It's no secret I'm a very big fan of the ELD-M bullet for whitetails and blackness and for goof reasons. I've yet to see either walk away from this bullet and live to tell the tale. After using it since it came out and killing a bunch of critters with it, I can comfortably say it is absolutely and 100% a winner of a bullet without a shadow of a doubt at creedmoor velocity.

I dont have pics of absolutely every critter I've (or near family) I'll list what I have. I don't have an exact count on how much we've killed with it, but it's quite a few.

I'll start with my latest trip to NC for hunting whitetails. First put is a doe shot at about 125 yards. Broke the front side shoulder, exiting behind the opposing side shoulder. Dropper her like a ton of bricks the rib cGe pics are the exit wound. Entry side coming in was about the size of a golf ball. I didnt get any pics of the vitals unfortunately. As you can see from the stuff in the bottom of the rin cage, everything was literal mush.View attachment 405400View attachment 405401View attachment 405402View attachment 405403

Now we move onto doe #2 from NC. Due to the situation I didn't get any pics of it so I apologize for it. The guides were in a hurry so I honestly didn't have time. This deer also dropped immediately without a twitch. It didn't break the entry shoulder, but it broke the exit with the bullet stopping on the off side in the hide. Very similar to what you saw above

Now we move to doe #3. Shot was 185 yards. Broke the entry shoulder and the hole you see is the exit out the back. Deer wheelies and ran 20 yards. Once again, vitals where mush. There is also a pic of the heart (atleast what's left of it) attached.

View attachment 405406

View attachment 405408Now we move to the deer my son shot the past weekend. Shot was 100 yards. He hit it a smidge back but that was ok because the eld-m sent enough fragments into the vitalsView attachment 405423View attachment 405424View attachment 405425

This next deer was a small buck my wife took at 308 yards. Buch was on the move when she shot him and slightly quartered to.

Picture worth a thousand words as they say