Whats peoples thoughts on the ELDX? Been shooting a few Thar with it recently and not totally convinced.
Seems bloody accurate but killing abilty seems limited.
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Whats peoples thoughts on the ELDX? Been shooting a few Thar with it recently and not totally convinced.
Seems bloody accurate but killing abilty seems limited.
I shot a 140lb pig at 150 yds with 145g ELDX killed it dead as a dead thing took maybe a dozen steps then tipped over, haven't shot anything else with it yet.
Chest shot, lungs absolutely shredded.
Agree it's very accurate
Where are you hitting the animals @Tribrit, and at what range? .308 Win?
30/06. Mostly behind the shoulder. They all die...they just seem to go further and STEEPER than what I'm used to with GMX and SST.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyblown
Love them, in 300 win mag, haven't had any problem with any ELD X in any caliber yet.
I use the 178 eldM @2920, I didn't use them in the roar but have shot plenty of deer under 100m with them, and a few bull Tahr at 350y, sacked them
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Shot deer with 178 eld-x in my 300wsm,2985fps from 50-700 yards and sacked them all.Wont be changing anytime soon
Yeah me too, in 30 cal I’ve only shot 2 reds with the 178gr both at about 275m (2 in 2) and both collapsed on the spot. Have shot lots of pigs with them, instant death.
The only explanation I can think of @Tribrit is maybe you hit them a little too far back for maximum expansion and fragmentation? There’s not much to a regular sized thar under all the hair, sometimes on billy goats I’ll get a short runner with a 30 cal if I don’t hit the shoulder. But hit them well forward and they just fall over.
Seems like the consensus is I need to shoot better! I can live with that. Love how accurate they are.
What surprises me is that we have found a few spent bullets in game and they are well mushroomed and most importantly still together so they can achieve maximum penetration, they seem to be performing as Hornady said, good at closer range and still expanding well out past 500 yards plus.You can see at closer range they break up more at the higher impact velocity but still hold together but out further they mushroom perfectly.
My 308 loves the 178 ELD-X, consistently shoots around 0.5 MOA at 200 and 300m, but I've only shot paper so far. I would be gutted if it turned out they didn't perform on game.
They will perform. Absolutely zero doubt about that. The trick is I think to match the bullet to the game weight, its a pretty heavy and fairly staunch bullet, bit too much for smaller game, they’ve just blown straight through goats and smaller pigs for me. The 6.5mm 143gr is a better bet for those animals, if you have the rifle to shoot them with of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigar
A relly of the wife in SA is now using the 30cals in a 300 Win Mag for proper long range baboon and warthog busting - both big pests on the farm - raves about their long range accuracy.
I'm keen to try the new 6mm 90gr ELD-X when it arrives in NZ, my 243 didn't like the 103gr version, twist rate was too slow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyblown
I don't have a 6.5mm yet, but my next rifle purchase will be a 260 Rem, gotta add to my 308-based collection (without a 7mm 08 of course!).
Best accuracy so far in my 308 stunning at 100 metresAttachment 101226 Hope this info is useful to others
Interesting @flock how 44gr of 2208 seems to work very well in those Tikka / Sako barrels with Lapua brass. That is exactly what I’m putting behind all my 308 bullets irrespective of weight (150, 155, 165, 178gr) and they all work the same accuracy wise, like yours above.
A friend switched from 178 eld-x to 178 eld-m in his .308. Like you he felt the eld-x didn't kill as well. He is very pleased with the results of the eld-m.
I'm pushing my 178's with 42.5 grains of 2208. I only tested as high as 43 gr (still have some 43.5 in the ammo box I never tried). Lapua brass in a Brno ZKK601. I'm waiting to chrono the load (expecting around 2500fps), and I am re-reloading the same group of cases to see how long they last, as I may be getting a bit more case head expansion than ideal. I also had to trim a handful of cases for length when loading the last lot.
Have tried a box of ELD Match 178s, couldn't make them shoot, same recipes as the Xs they just didn't shoot as well. Haven't shot anything with the Xs so all the feedback is interesting. I like a pass thru and blood trail, tried this flangable, dump all the energy inside the animal stuff, haven't been overly impressed.
Attachment 101252 Included is a photo of the difference between the X & M the M is on the right, same 178g the X has a longer bearing surface, which suits my rifle.
There is no other option for a 270 cal anyway hornandy don't do an eldm for that cal for some reason,
Guess I'll stick with the X
Couple of suggestions @flock, probably telling you how to suck eggs, but anyway... the longer bearing surface of the -X means that for a given powder load, it will generate higher pressures, sometimes too much more. The two bullets -X and -M behave very differently in most (all?) rifles and should have seperate load development. The difference in shape, but equivalent weight, is because there’s more lead / less copper (thinner jacket) in the -M. Totally different bullets.Quote:
Originally Posted by flock
Couple of blokes have come unstuck with putting a hot -M load under an “equivalent” -X, blown primers, stuck bolts etc. My experience of loading the two is that the 178gr -M likes a fair bit bigger push than the 178gr -X. Very effective hunting bullet.
Using frangible hunting bullets and expecting the bang flop from dumping all the energy inside... very dependant on shooting the animal in the shoulder or just forward, the old “front line of the foreleg” position. If the traditional heart shot is used, or its a wee bit high and back in the rear lungs towards the liver, expect a runner. Discussed this with @Wingman this week, photos of TMKs shot into the front of the chest cavity. Instant jellification of the lungs and all the important bits connecting to the heart, including the CNS that produces the bang flop. I used A-Max for years with that shot placement, very dependable when you don’t want even a short runner.
What I like about the ELD-X so much is that the top half breaks up and fragments in a wide radius of damage, the bottom half pushes through with dirty great big petals making a big hole. Best of both worlds.
Honestly if a typical meat deer is hit in the position described, it doesn’t really matter if its an -M or an -X, its going down. Just like @GWH’s video yesterday.
Interesting, about the Ms might revisit them with a sampler pack.
Way back (80s) I used to use speer hot core 150s exclusively in a M77 rifle and had good results (C North Island, Bush). Started hunting again,( South Island, open country)
Got all wrapped up in the latest and greatest projectiles, anyway shot a large hind slightly quartering in the usual spot. Distant was 180 yards, using a Berger VLD 168 hunting.
Was not impressed, she reared up and belted down hill and went about 80 yards, which is not bad but with no blood trail and thick matagouri, took ages, with no dog to find her, so a blood trail is important to me.
Hence the stouter ELD-X idea, also I like the high BC, accuracy, giving me more range, for South Island shooting.
Trying for the impossible, one rifle, one caliber, one load.
If I wasn’t a gun nerd who couldn’t in a million years exist with one rifle, one bullet and one load...
Then I’d likely pick the .308 Winchester. And the 178gr ELD-X would be a good pick for an all rounder as it will deal to anything we have in this part of the world, from close range to as far as you’re competent.
Would be a bit OTT for possums and bunnies though. And mynas.
:P
Would be a bit OTT for possums and bunnies though. And mynas.
:P[/QUOTE]
And half-grown bunnies don't like them much either... ��
And half-grown bunnies don't like them much either... ��[/QUOTE]Quote:
Originally Posted by Steelisreal
Bunny mist :killzonesmiley:
Do own several rimfires, PCP air rifles etc, this is my only centerfire rifle and I do enjoy shooting bunnies at long range with it - quite a blast.
