Thanks.
Killed a northern New Mexico mule deer buck with the 6.5 143 ELD-X at just about exactly 100 yards a couple-three years ago. He was standing broadside on a hillside in a patch of Gambel oaks, and the most logical vital spot visible was the "high shoulder." At the shot the buck collapsed and rolled down the slope about 30 feet. The bullet had broken both scapulas and the the spine, and was recovered under the hide on the far side retaining 60% of its weight. The buck's boned meat weighed exactly 100 pounds, and the rule-of-thumb is live weight is 3 times boned, so he was somewhere around 300 pounds.
A friend of mine on the same hunt killed an even bigger-bodied buck at around 300 yards with the same bullet/load. The buck was quartering away, and at the shot did the little heart-shot jump before trotting 30-35 yards and keeling over. That bullet ended up in the far shoulder, retaining 74% of its weight. But as noted, muzzle velocity was a lot less than 3140 fps!
I kinda stuck with if the ELD's are started around 2800 or less, for me, they work awesome. The 147 at 2775 and the 212 at 2700 have been excellent for me with the 212 smashing alot of bone on a raghorn bull and the 147's plowing through deer from a few odd angles but just leaving deer behind. Pretty good bullets in my head at this point.
I'd have been terrified of the 110 at 257 Wby speeds but I guess I am a chicken like that. My cousin used it to good success though and had no issues. I'd have to guess that 110 had to have been 3400+ but that's just a guess on charge and a bit of 257 experience.
