Took my first game with the 143 ELD-X

[mcseal2]

I shot a buck Sunday morning with my new 264 win mag set up for longer shots and the 143gr ELD-X. My gunsmith buddy who built the gun had an employee who was drooling over it and wanting to do the load work so I let him. He is a great shooter and guy and they often go shoot at an 800yd range in pasture belonging to the gunsmith's family on calm mornings before work. The gun ended up loving 74gr of RL33 and pushing the 143gr ELD-X to 3240fps with no signs of pressure. I'm not sure where that ranks as far as a hot load as I've never seen RL33 shown on the books but it seems to perform well.

I came home from Sunday mornings hunt having not seen any deer. It was pretty cool and I thought I might have to help Dad get his tractor started so I slipped out early. When I got home Dad's tractor was just backing out of the shed so I headed in the house. My wife immediately told me about the wide racked buck she had seen crossing a field not long before. I knew what buck it was and where it was headed home to as soon as she told me so I hustled back out to head him off. I ended up spotting him about the same time as he spotted me, and ended up killing him on a running shot at 150yds as he headed back toward the timber. I hit him right through the front shoulder and the bullet fragmented on impact. I did not find any pieces of the bullet large enough to recover, but he dropped in his tracks. According to Hornady's ballistic calculator that bullet was still moving around 3000fps on impact so that needs considered too.

I can't say I'm super pleased with the bullets performance, but can't be to upset when it killed the deer like it did at that speed. I know an AccuBond would have held together better. I need to take some more game with this bullet before I decide if I will stick with it or not. The rifle sure likes it and that's important on a long range gun also. I don't feel that it meets the "all range" advertising they use from my very limited test. The Berger started at 2914fps from my other 264 penetrates better than this one did, but the impact velocity of this bullet was higher than the muzzle velocity of my other rifle.

I tried to add a pic but it says the file is to large.

 

[AFG270]

Congratulations on the buck and nice shooting.

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen the 143 ELDX used on quite a bit of game. I think it's too soft for the application described. But , it worked and congrats on that!

I hit a caribou at 339 from my 6.5 Creed carbine...impact was 2100ish and the bullet mushroomed and punched clear through. I think it's a good LR bullet- out there where the impact speeds have slowed down.

I don't really think it's the best choice for a general purpose bullet- particularly in a barrel sizzler like a .264WM or a 26NOS. I find that most Hornady bullets are a bit soft, and the ELDX follows the trend.

 

[fightthenoise]

I’ve shot three deer with the 143gr ELD-X. The longest range was lasered 200y on a large bodied Minnesota white tail. Shortest was under 100 on a tiny Texas Hill Country doe. All three bullets exited with varying exit wound sizes, but the MN buck showed a very small exit that I could only find during the necropsy. No blood. Insides in all three cases were devastated, and each animal ran at most 20 yards. I use an 18.5” suppressed Ruger Hawkeye Predator pushing handloads at around 2600fps. I would not use this bullet if it were being pushed any faster. It just doesn’t hold up. It’s a very accurate bullet and at my speeds performs well, but fragmentation is a bit on the violent side which hinders penetration. My wife will use this gun on elk next season and we will be using Partitions instead and only taking ideal broadside shots.


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[hereinaz]

I carry my first cartridge in the chamber or first thing the mag with a close range bullet for the surprise jump up shot or quick shot within 150 to 200 yards.

If I am going to be shooting a longer range shot than that I am going to need time to set up and have built the muscle memory to eject that first she'll before chainging to my long range bullet.

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[FOTIS]

I’ve shot three deer with the 143gr ELD-X. The longest range was lasered 200y on a large bodied Minnesota whitetail. Shortest was under 100 on a tiny Texas Hill Country doe. All three bullets exited with varying exit wound sizes, but the MN buck showed a very small exit that I could only find during the necropsy. No blood. Insides in all three cases were devastated, and each animal ran at most 20 yards. I use an 18.5” suppressed Ruger Hawkeye Predator pushing handloads at around 2600fps. I would not use this bullet if it were being pushed any faster. It just doesn’t hold up. It’s a very accurate bullet and at my speeds performs well, but fragmentation is a bit on the violent side which hinders penetration. My wife will use this gun on elk next season and we will be using Partitions instead and only be taking ideal broadside shots.


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Creedmore or?

 

[fightthenoise]

I’ve shot three deer with the 143gr ELD-X. The longest range was lasered 200y on a large bodied Minnesota whitetail. Shortest was under 100 on a tiny Texas Hill Country doe. All three bullets exited with varying exit wound sizes, but the MN buck showed a very small exit that I could only find during the necropsy. No blood. Insides in all three cases were devastated, and each animal ran at most 20 yards. I use an 18.5” suppressed Ruger Hawkeye Predator pushing handloads at around 2600fps. I would not use this bullet if it were being pushed any faster. It just doesn’t hold up. It’s a very accurate bullet and at my speeds performs well, but fragmentation is a bit on the violent side which hinders penetration. My wife will use this gun on elk next season and we will be using Partitions instead and only be taking ideal broadside shots.


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Creedmore or?

Right, yes Creedmoor. Sorry about that.


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[SJB358]

Great report. Seems like it works excellent at 6.5 CM or 260 sorta speeds.. Congrats on the buck.

 

[mcseal2]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like it might not be ideal at the speeds I'm running. I might have to do some more experimenting. It shot better in this particular rifle than the ABLR and I did not try the Berger in it. I don't know that the Berger at this speed will be any better. I might need to try the standard AB or a Scirocco in it and give up a little BC to get a tough enough bullet.

 

[sask boy]

Thank you for reporting on the performance of the Hornady bullet. Hopefully you will have time to do a little more load experimentation and will find the right combo for your rifle :wink:.
I am glad that you were able to harvest a nice buck .

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Cleveland48]

I’ve thought about trying that bullet next Deer season, but in a 6.5 CM. As it seems very popular in that size cartridge. I’ve heard of some people getting spotty results with them too though. I think hornady list that bullet at a max of 3,000 fps, but I could be wrong. At your speeds it is no doubt hard on that bullet, but it did kill the Deer though.


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[mcseal2]

Well I got the 264 back out at the end of antlerless season to take a doe. I shot her facing me at 321yds as the sun went down. I tried several times to wait for a broadside shot but she wouldn't stop long enough to get on her as a buck was following her around. She finally moved off from him 50yds and stopped facing me. I got on her and waited about as long as legal shooting light would allow but she never turned broadside so I went ahead and took her. The bullet entered the center of the chest and exited through the bottom of it about 2ft back of the front legs due to the downward shot angle. The bullet then continued and broke a back leg before hitting the ground. I did not recover the bullet but it seemed to have held together well, there was not to much meat damage. Impact velocity should have been around 2730fps. I might stick with this bullet and just be real careful to stay off bone at closer ranges.

 

[Cleveland48]

I figure that bullet works very well in that velocity range. I know it is a popular bullet with the smaller 6.5’s anyways.


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[SJB358]

MC, that sounds like real good performance. I’ve got some on the bench to try out.

 

[mcseal2]

Its an addictive gun to shoot. After struggling with consistent hits on 300yd 28oz Gatorade bottles full of water with the AR in a little wind I grabbed the 264 it got easy. Dial the range, hold the edge into the 10mph wind, and blow them up. I am taking the AR and the 264 to the coyote hunt this weekend and might pack both to stands. I'll set the 264 up on the Harris next to me for the educated ones that hang up at 350+, shoot the AR for normal shots. I've had a couple smart ones hang up lately. I missed one at 350 with the AR and didn't try the other at 385. I just have a 2.5-10x with a duplex on the AR and my ammo is pretty slow at 2964fps with a 55gr V max. It shoots darn good but starts needing quite a bit of elevation and windage guessing past 250yds. The 264 might be just the ticket to reach out and smack the smart ones.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I can see that. I know you have built a good history with that 264 of yours.

 

[TackDriver284]

The two boxes of 143 ELD-X is screaming " Shoot me please". I wonder why its taking too long for me to start load developments with the 143 ELDX. I hope I do before spike season ends in early February. The 143 is a great bullet.

If I were to do load developments, I'll use the Hybrid100 V that is sitting on my shelf , just to finish up the last half pound that remains. I hear the Hybrid 100V pushes faster than H4350. I'll just save my H4350 for more precision shooting. :mrgreen:

Congratulations on the buck and fine shooting.