Thread: First fail - 6.5mm 143gr ELD-X

As has been said anyone can post what they like regarding numbers and distances of deer shot. Speaking for myself I stopped counting when I was 20 and dont tend to shoot past 400. I have used the 162 grain ELD-X out of a 7mm Rem Mag (my third) on five deer, so a small number but my observations are based on having tried a large percentage of the 7mm pills available over the years in the 140 to 162 regions.

1. A large bodied Fallow, but you know still a Fallow at 250. High Lung fully side on. The animal never took a step but having said that he didnt go down for at least 45 seconds. I thought I had missed as he was light coloured but I couldnt see any sign of a hit I was about to shoot again when the back legs began to get a bit lighter and he tipped on his nose. My 7mm08 with 140 GKHP would have dropped him with authority at the that range and placement Im sure.

2. A ratty Red spiker. Not a big animal but alot bigger than the previous Fallow. 220 yards, base of the neck. He went down just like he had been shot in the neck with a 7mm Rem at 220 with a 162 gr pill ie- DRT and rolled out of sight. I didnt get to this animal for about ten minutes and when I did and located him from about 25 yards he looked pretty dead to me. But no one told him that he was dead and the bugger got up and started trotting/running straight down the hill away from me. He looked pretty sick but still had it in him to be travelling with purpose. He was nearly into cover when I hit him with a hurried rakeing shot down one side which put him down. After a few more minutes I got to him and he was still alive so of course I put him down. That spiker would have to be the toughest animal Ive shot for years and just prooves the tanacity of some animals. He had a pretty large hole in the lower neck but the concussion obviously only stunned him, Im still surprised he hadnt bled out.

3. Average Fallow spiker. 270 yards rakeing forward shot. Tipped him right over no problem.

4. A very large Red hind in perfect condition. 330 yards mid lung (crease) facing slightly away and alert. Hit where I was aiming and saw the impact, she ran out of sight down hill. When I got to where I had shot her she was about twenty yards away and I suspect she only got that far because of the steep down hill angle. I didnt autopsy her but the bullet performance was fine as she went down almost immediatly.

5. Fallow doe (large). 300 yards steep down hill rakeing shot. heard the impact so knew it was a hit but same result as the first Fallow in that she just stood there. I would have expected a instant drop at this shot but she stood there for about thirty seconds, again didnt take a step and I was about to shoot again as I absolutely hate seeing animals suffer but as I was taking the shot she turned and trotted into scrub and I lost sight of her. By the time I got to the spot she was found thirty meters down hill dead.

Obviously none of the above could be called a projectile failure but myself and my shooting mate (he has many hundreds of deer under his belt) felt that these pills were just abit too hard for what I do with them. Im sure the bigger the animal the better, such as big Reds,Elk etc would be excellent sizes for this calibre/weight of projectile.

I wasnt going to post as often some one else will have had only great experiences with the same combo and will take another opinion as an affront but I can only post my experiences. I hope they are of some use/help.

I admire hunters that put in as much time as possible to track/find lost game. Hunting is dynamic and anything can happen but its respect for the animal hunted that gains you respect from other hunters in my experience.