Thread: 6.5 ELDM 147g any good for hunting?

I'm using the 140ELDM in my Creedmoor. It seems a little more user friendly to load for and with better velocities than the 143 ELDX. The ELDM also shoots tighter groups. Terminal performance on Deer is very good. At least as good as the ELDX, probably better, especially at longer ranges, they may be a little too explosive on larger animals at short range. I think if I was bush hunting I would choose another projectile.

Litz has a pretty good body of work on why the 147 ELDM is not worth pursuing for 500m+ shooting, BC inconsistency.

However, the 140 ELDM is much better and favoured over the 147 in PRS/NRL.

Personally don't bother with anything but the 7mm ELDM's (162 in the '08 and 180's in the RM) at the moment.

Originally Posted by caberslash

Litz has a pretty good body of work on why the 147 ELDM is not worth pursuing for 500m+ shooting, BC inconsistency.

However, the 140 ELDM is much better and favoured over the 147 in PRS/NRL.

Personally don't bother with anything but the 7mm ELDM's (162 in the '08 and 180's in the RM) at the moment.

While I tremendously respect Bryan Litz, I don't know if I've seen evidence that the 147gr is quite so simple to write off in practical terms -

For example - https://xlrindustries.com/blogs/xlr-...m-bc-variation


who knows what is really going on?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...8220048&type=3

I started using ELDMs in my 6.5PRC cause the 143 ELDx's were shooting super slow and in 1.5MOA groups. The 147ELDm's were 150fps faster out of my rifle (same speed stated on the box), heavier, and shoot 0.5MOA.

I found that animals shot with ELDx's would always run a wee way before realizing they were dead, whereas I've pretty much only had bang flops or they have only gone <5m with the ELDMs. I guess the extra energy is pretty significant.

So far I have got large exit wounds on all animals between 300yds - 500yds away even with steep quartering shots requiring 50cm+ penetration to get through to the other side.

The only bullet I have actually recovered was yesterday on a red spiker from 20-30yds away. He just appeared out of no where! It was very quartering and entered through one of the last rib bones and I found the bullet in the skin on opposite side after blowing through the shoulder plate. As you can see from the photo, it mushroomed pretty perfectly at 2750fps, and still got about about 60cm of penetration after landing square on a bone.

Very good. Shot three reds in a river valley just on dusk a few months ago. Around 290m for the first two and 120m for the last one.

First one was an onside front of shoulder shot, quartering slightly towards. Exit slightly behind off side shoulder. Dropped on the spot.
Exit.


Second was a straight lung shot, just behind shoulder entry, just in front of diaphragm exit. Animal had run after the shot of the first deer, so I was tracking in scope and very quickly left off a shot when it paused. Entry was too far back for my liking. Ran 40m, left a blood trail a metre wide that I followed at a brisk walk in the dark - you can see the blood around the animal the whole trail was like this. So, good terminal effect in less than perfect shot placement (if you're wanting to drop and animal on the spot, it was an adequate killing shot). Lungs were destroyed.
Entry side.

Exit side.


Third I don't have a photo of, my partner sorted the butchering on that one while I did the other two on the other side of the river. The animal had run towards my position and stopped at 120m standing straight on. I shot it in the base of the neck. Wouldn't have mattered what projectile I used, straight down.

A fourth and fifth deer were shot with the same load/rifle a few days later by a friend's son, his first two deer. 190m, shoulder shot dropped on the spot. Second deer shot was too far back and required a finisher upon approach.

So with adequate shot placement the ELD-M 147gn projectiles are very effective. That being said on the same trip three deer were shot with .270win 130gn Hornady interlocks from 150-200m, just as effective projectile performance.

Yes, 147 eld m/ 140 amax/ 123 amax has been the bullet of choice most of my years. Recently also Barnes 120gr TTSX where there is a lead free requirement.

The 123gr can be a little too violent if V0 is >870'ish msec. It was great @ V0 750 msec and I use it in my kipplauf @ 850 msec. Very pleased.

V0 750-850 has worked good for all these bullets, at V0 900'ish msec I found them problematic in terms of excessive carcass damage.