Thread: 178gr HORNADY ELDX

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?

Originally Posted by Flyblown

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Cigar

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

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.

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.
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 metres 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.