Hornady ELD-X

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I used the 178 grain ELDX in 2018 to drop a Colorado Unit 12 900 lb bull Elk at 280 yards with a vintage Model 70 30'06. When at the range I chronyed the round at 2725 FPS. The first shot planted the bull,and my second shot dropped him at the spot of the first shot. The bullet entries were just a few inches apart, were recovered and retained 69% of their original weight. Both shots were lung/partial heart shots and bullets were on the opposite side of entry./ t was my first experience with that bullet and I would not hesitate to use it again. In Africa though, i think I will use either my Custom 35 Whelen AI or my CZ 9.3 x 62 both with Barnes bullets or Nosler Partitions..

@jimmeerpohl
The Whelen is an awesome round for plains game. Everything I shot with mine was a one shot kill.
Bob

 

[PaulT]

Hello all!!

Has anybody got any experience with the stated bullet? Im thinking about reloading it with my 7x64 and just want to get some feelers out there on performance on game. I would be looking at using it on deer in the UK and PG in Africa. I know its an interlocked bullet rather than a bonded but feel it should be a goodie.

Just had a look and there is also the Sierra gamechanger. Opinions if you may folks!!

Norfolk, i also shoot a 7x64.
For my purposes i have found the Barnes T.S.X's to provide the kind of performance i need from a projectile.
Note; i shoot for the shoulders and NOT behind the shoulders, this is worth noting as shot placement can and does have an effect on bullets performance.
I load 140gn T.S.X's with a mild load that gets them going at around 2900fps and have found this load devastating on game less than 300lbs.
I would not hesitate to hunt plains game up to Eland with this load.
On big boars up to the 250lbs mark they still punch through the thick gristle pad and knock them down hard.
The pic i have attached is a boar of around the 200lb mark.
This particular morning, i was skirting a floodplain, still back in the timber looking for hogs.
When i broke through the cover there were three mature boars out in front of me.
Two were together around 90yds in front and the third (pictured) out alone at about 200 yds.
Getting on my sticks i took the far one out first with a single shot and then swung over on the two closer boars taking both of them with successive single shots.
3 for 3, done and dusted.
The 7x64mm is an underrated, effective, flat-shooting non-magnum cartridge.

 

[Scrumbag]

Paul, thanks for that. I have just loaded some 139gr GMX in the 7x64 (Loaded on some Viht N160) so will see how that does.

Scrummy

 

[norfolk shooter]

Oh to find the perfect target and hunting bullet. I know it doesn't exist but im sure there is something close

 

[hammz]

@norfolk shooter

I've shot the ELD-X in 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm Rem Mag, and 300 Win Mag. It shoots consistently in each rifle (The 7mm was a Model 70 and I've shot it out of multiple rifles in 300 WM, the 6.5 a Savage). The best group I've ever shot was out of a Ruger Precision Rifle in 300 Win Mag at 100 yards, and I shot a 3/8" 5 shot group with the 178gr ELD-X. At 200 yards it grouped at 5/8" with 5 shots.

The Model 70 300 WM shot them good as well. About 1 MOA pretty consistently at 100 yards (3 shot groups).

The Model 70 7mm Rem Mag shot them a tad better than the Model 70 in 300WM. It was consistently shooting about 5/8" at 100 yards (3 shot groups since it's a hunting rifle).

My Savage 12 in 6.5 Creedmoor shoots them 1/2" all day long (5 shot groups).

They shoot great at the range as well as being great, high BC hunting rounds.

 

[meigsbucks]

Ah yes. Nosler stuff is generally pricey with bad availability thought the products are great.

I'm wondering about the 160gr Sierra Gameking SBT or the 165gr Game Change (TGK)

And yes, in Norfolk

Back In the 1980’s, I hunted several times with an outfitter who owned several rifles but pretty much only used the 7mm Rem mag with the 160 gr Sierra SBT for elk and deer. I saw him take a whitetail and and an antelope with that combo. Because of his recommendation I used it on a black bear and two mule deer good results.

 

[Scrumbag]

Oh to find the perfect target and hunting bullet. I know it doesn't exist but im sure there is something close

I would be temted to try the 165gr Sierra Tipped Game King

Certainly my 7x64 likes the 160gr TMK over N165.

 

[bruce moulds]

jim,
replace the partitions with aframes and you will never look back.
bruce.

 

[Graham Hunter]

Or stick with the Partitions and never look back.

jim,
replace the partitions with aframes and you will never look back.
bruce.

 

[bruce moulds]

never put the two in the same sentence.
partitions make a bigger gun better for smaller stuff.
aframes can make a littler gun into a bigger one while handling smaller stuff just as well.
i nearly gave up on the 9,3x64 due to poor performance of partitions, but the swifts really made it sing.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

never put the two in the same sentence.
partitions make a bigger gun better for smaller stuff.
aframes can make a littler gun into a bigger one while handling smaller stuff just as well.
i nearly gave up on the 9,3x64 due to poor performance of partitions, but the swifts really made it sing.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
The Aframe makes the 9.3x64 sing as well as the bank manager when you take out a loan to buy them.
I recently looked at the price of 75 Aframes and 100 Sirroco for my 25cal on used guns. The lovely gentleman offered them to me at the bargain price of $347. Lucky I was sitting down at the time.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

bob,
they are expensive.
and this seems to always be a problem with australians.
however, when push comes to shove, you will find that you fire less of them, as they are so effective, and hence cost no more.
i use them for camel hunting , as i cannot go often, and when i go i need to make everything count due to the overall cost of the trip, and just wanting the most bang/flop kills possible.
lesser bullets require more shots too.
if the situation arose to shoot wild scrub cattle, the 286 and 300 gn aframes would be used without batting an eyelid.
in both situations i would not touch partitions with a bargepole after having failures with them in several calibres.
the 300 gn sierra 375 bullet has proven a far more reliable bullet than the 286 nosler in 9.3, and if speer made a hotcore in those wts i would also choose that for consistent performance over partitions.
the expensive swifts are not for blasting away at targets, but on game are so versatile for a wide spectrum of game sizes.
if you are pushing your calibre they allow this to happen.
culling goats and pigs does not require them.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

bob,
they are expensive.
and this seems to always be a problem with australians.
however, when push comes to shove, you will find that you fire less of them, as they are so effective, and hence cost no more.
i use them for camel hunting , as i cannot go often, and when i go i need to make everything count due to the overall cost of the trip, and just wanting the most bang/flop kills possible.
lesser bullets require more shots too.
if the situation arose to shoot wild scrub cattle, the 286 and 300 gn aframes would be used without batting an eyelid.
in both situations i would not touch partitions with a bargepole after having failures with them in several calibres.
the 300 gn sierra 375 bullet has proven a far more reliable bullet than the 286 nosler in 9.3, and if speer made a hotcore in those wts i would also choose that for consistent performance over partitions.
the expensive swifts are not for blasting away at targets, but on game are so versatile for a wide spectrum of game sizes.
if you are pushing your calibre they allow this to happen.
culling goats and pigs does not require them.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
I agree they are good bullets but to me the good old Woodleigh or the Australian made outer will do for everything. The Woodleigh gives great expansion and penetration whilst the outer edge performance is similar to the Barnes but instead of petals it mushrooms like a conventional bullet but has better penetration than the Woodleigh.
Give the outer edge a go Bruce they're cheaper than the Barnes.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

bob,
i have seen a woodleigh 375 bullet shot into the back of a camels head.
it did not exit.
the outer edge i will have to look into.
bruce.