Thread: 162gn ELDX not expanding

Originally Posted by Nick.m

Anyone else had problems with this projectile not performing at close range? I initially thought it was the ducks nuts when the first few deer I shot went bang flop. However they were all at 300-400 yards, recently I have shot a few deer up close and had them all run in excess of 100m. The load is 162gn eldx, 72grns of 2217 going 2990fps out of a 7mm Rem Mag.

What’s a good alternative for the bush from the rem mag, Thinkimg of using a Barnes ttsx, anyone shooting them out of a rem mag?

The facts: The ELDX is not working up close but it works at distance, so despite what the manufacturer says it is going too fast when close. Going to another soft projectile will likely just fuck the carcase and turn a whole side black and no one wants that. Accubonds will give penetration and expansion and handle the high velocity. So will the partitions that others have mentioned.
My guess as to what is happening based on similar problems in a different but also fast calibre, is that you have a partial surface blow-up at close range which dissipates the bullet energy outwards causing a shallow flesh wound and then pencil penetration of the core base.