Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Is the Hornady ELD-X .284 150 gr. bullet a good choice for elk?

Been working up a load for my .280 with the 150 gr. ELD-X bullet, using Alliant RL26 powder. Results have been very satisfactory- sub-MOA accuracy, and 3020 fps MV out of my .280. Having applied for an RFW elk permit here in CO, with enough pref points to draw, it's pretty certain I will draw.
I'm thinking I will leave my .300 Wby. and .270 WSM behind this season, and give the .280 some 'out of the safe' time this year. My tried-and-true load for this .280 has been the 140 gr. Barnes TTSX, with comparable accuracy to the ELD-X, but the Hornady bullet offers better wind drift numbers.

Given the choice of the two bullets, which would you choose? Yeah, I know, both will work, I just don't have any actual field experience with the ELD-X.

I have shot several elk with my .280 I'm using the 162 ELD-X . There is no reason the 150 shouldn't be a good round. Last year, 2 elk, 2 shots to the head, 200yds. What else can you want?? Maybe someone to pack it out for you.
Use the load your rifle will shoot accurately, Then practice shooting. Accuracy trumps size.

150 Eldx mv 2790, 409 yards, 7mm-08



I’m a believer.


Edit to add not a head shot. Broadside through the chest tight to the shoulder. Wrecked both lungs and exited.




P

Given the size of your target I would not necessarily choose the most accurate or slippery-coefficiented bullet, but the most adequate performance-wise, except if you intend to take your shot from a different county, of course.

I am sure the ELD-X would do the job, specially if the bullet does not hit a heavy bone like the humerous joint on its entry, but I am also sure there are better choices.

Ye ole Parition, for example, or your tried-and-true TTSX load, whose coefficient is not all that bad.

My 280 AI likes the 162 grain ELD-X, the 150 should work also.

last year saw a 143gr eldx off a shoulder of an elk at 260 yds in a large grassy plain. This was out if the deadly 6.5 Creedmoor. One drop of blood. Elk ran off, never saw it or any sign of blood again.


I'm sure it will be fine if its in the breadbasket, but anywhere else, I'm out. YMMV.

Are you saying the bullet bounced off?

Never used them, never will. I have witnessed core and jacket separation with Interlock and SST’s so I call BS on their 80-90% weight retention. Maybe at 1,800 fps impact velocity.... Happy Trails

Makes perfect sense.....

Sounds like 32 ACP story

I assure you the Barnes 140gr TSX will completely penetrate an elk. Even thru both shoulders & sharp angles. This can be accomplished with a 7x57 or a 7-08. Same with a 270 & the 130gr TSX. I use a 6.5 & have never had a Barnes 120gr TSX fail me. These bullets will not fail you if properly placed. One bit of advice . Be prepared for a close shot of under 150yds. Practice off hand shooting. . It is very likely you will get a close shot where off hand shooting will be your only choice. Many talk about long range shooting but reality is close in shooting happens. Be prepared.

Hesp,
Concur on the TTSX. The boys at Barnes recommended and use the 130 gr TTSX in their .270 WSM for deer and elk. I don’t see why the 140 TTSX would be any different. Personally, I have taken several elk at various ranges out past 250 yards with the 150 gr TTSX out of my 7mm Weatherby with pass through and one shot kills. I have worked up a 140 gr TTSX for my 7x57 which I hope to deer hunt with this fall, but wouldn’t hesitate to shoot elk with that load at sensible ranges. I too have had close shots where a lesser bullet may have failed at high velocity. I have taken mule deer and elk from 38 to 308 yards with Barnes TTSX from 7mm and .300 magnums and none have failed and never recovered one. I did find a shard of a copper petal in a roast once. Happy Trails

Bounced off? I don't know. Penetrated? I don't know. Elk ran strong for 1/4 mile, searched rest of day, nothing. Watched thru spotting scope as bullet hit shoulder. Sounded like a solid hit. So you tell me.

Hope I'm not stealing the thread. However, I'm just about to start working up a load for my .280 Rem. I have both the Hornady 150 ELDX and the Nosler 150 ABLR. Is the Nosler a tougher bullet than the Hornady or are they comparable in performance?

Considering the time , effort & money an out of state hunter or any hunter would invest in an elk hunt, also gaining preference points. Why would you not want to use the toughest deepest penetrating bullet available. I have watched hunters drag themselves out of warm sleeping bags on early dark cold mornings. Hunt till dark & crash getting ready for the next morning.. Do this several mornings in a row. Dead tired, I have seen hunters give up & leave early. So if after all this effort you stick it out & spot a legal elk!!! , Wouldn't you want the toughest deepest penetrating bullet available.. That bullet for me is a one piece homogeneous copper bullet. Pick your brand. Seems to make no difference when it is placed accurately. As long as the mono's are available I will not use a lead core bullet of any kind.on elk. You don't always get a picture perfect broadside shot. Most of the elk I have shot has been at an angle. Mostly going away. Some times up hill. Some times small windows going thru willow or aspen patches. What ever caliber you prefer the mono's make them deadly on elk .

I load for when everything goes wrong, Barnes in this case, and I'd not look back.

Fwiw, have killed no elk with either bullet, the 150g ELD-X & the ABLR--but have on deer.

No doubt they would kill an elk but I sure wouldn't employ either...unless it was at long range lower velocities. The ELD-X was better than the ABLR (for me) as it was less expansive than the ABLR at 200 yards & change.

Imagine the heavier 162g ELD-X would be fine for elks.

I was wondering about the ELD-X toughness.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it just a cup and core, with a high bc ?

A hollow point at that, with a plastic tip to start expansion.

I don't see how it can retain 80-90%....

Pass me a partition, Accubond or Scirocco.

162 eldx, but out of a 7mm Rem Mag




One shot, he went maybe 20 feet.





P

The ELD-X is a C&C bullet with a catchy name. Copper alloy jacket with a lead alloy core. Other than a high BC , the same as any other jacketed bullet.

Big cow, 162 eldx out of the same 7mm Rem Mag, 375 yards I think.





Notice the entrance hole.





P

Entrance on the cow





Lungs pretty much wrecked





Shoot whatever you want, I’m pleased with the eldx.





P

Mature bull . 260m Rem, 120gr Barnes TSX. 207 yds. Completely penetrated both front shoulders Not a rib cage shot. The mono's penetrate.

But can they penetrate both rear shoulders?

Nice bull.

Did you notice the part where I said “shoot whatever you want?”

That’s funny as hell.




P

Real nice bull...

I'm sure the ELD-X is a fine bullet and it works great..

I'm just calling BS on the 80-90% weight retention, marketing hype.

Ain't buying that from a cup and core.

Hey, I use the 150bt out of my 280, but I know it's not retaining 80%+.....

Regarding the Nosler ABLR, talking to hrnhntr, he's had, and told me of stories of pards who've had really bad experiences on elk and deer using them.

To the point of the local gunshop taking them off the shelves and sending them back to the distributors.

Tony

New elk hunters need to understand you are not going to get a soft tissue rib cage shot every time. You are very likely to get an extreme angle shot from the front or rear. This is where maximum penetration is required & can make the difference between a wounded lost elk or a successful hunt. The cost of the mono bullets is more than made up for when you consider the dependability of penetration. . Just because a certain bullet shoots little tiny groups should not be the criteria for selecting an elk bullet. Decent accuracy , yes. Tough deep penetration, should be the main consideration.

Good discussion. After much thought I'm going to regain my common sense and forget all the marketing hype of these new bullets and just fall back on what I know works from personal experience. That being the tried and true Nosler Partition.

Hesp,
I’ve always found that bullets/ammo is the cheapest part of an elk hunt, even a home state hunt. Also the bullet is the only connection between you and the elk. Don’t skimp or get caught up in a trend that doesn’t give the highest probability of optimal performance. Happy Trails

Between the ELD-X and TTSX, I’d use the Barnes without hesitation.

Same here. We use a lot of TTSX, have about 50% straight-down DRT results, none that went far and none recovered including two lengthwise through mule deer, front to back.

Dropped a mature cow with a .30-06 and 150g AB a few years ago. It was on the ground before I recovered from the recoil, broadside with no bullet recovered. Daughter #1 will be using a 150g Long-Range AB in her .270 Win this year, antelope, deer and elk..Her hubby's brother will be using the same load for elk as well.

Not a fan of Cup-and-Core bullets for my bolt rifles. They are less expensive and I us them for target practice, but for hunting it is North Fork SS, Barnes TTSX, Nosler AB and LRAB and Swift Scirocco II.

Here's my last non-deer kills, and what I've used...

Moose, 300Rum, 200ab...drt
MTN Goat....300rum, 200ab...drt, 350 yards
Bull elk....300rum, 180 Scirocco, 475 yards, drt
Bull elk.....7 STW, 160 partition...125 yards, drt... dropped him on his snoot, punched both shoulders.

I think I was more impressed with the STW/160 Partition than any other combo on elk

I use nothing but premium bullets on all of my hunts out of state

Really liking the Lapua Scenar though. Here in VA, I've killed black bear and deer with the 30 call 155 Scenar out of my 06. Really impressive performance, and super accurate.

Going on an interior grizz hunt in one month, I'll be using my 300Rum and 200 partition on that hunt

I wouldn't hesitate using the TTSX either.

Tony

It's a medium weight for caliber cup and core. Probably workable, but there are numerous better options. Consider a 160-175gr premium. I like the 175gr Weldcore myself.

I think that’s a wise decision. When it comes to hunting bullets, the Partition is never a bad choice.

FWIW- When I first started hunting elk, some 50 years ago while living in Wyoming, I used a 7mm Rem. Mag., with whatever ammo I could buy at the local store, usually Federal or Remington, obviously loaded with cup and core bullets. With that rifle, and ammo, I killed a half-dozen elk, several deer and antelope, and a moose. That 7mm dropped nearly everything in its tracks- so reliably so that I considered it some sort of death ray. I gave that rifle to my son, who continues to use it.

Fast forward to today's premium, and monometal bullets- the past three elk I have killed have been with Barnes TSX bullets, one from my .300 Wby., one from a .30-06, and one from my .257 Wby. All were hit in the heart-lung area, but two required a second shot, and the bull elk ran nearly a hundred yards after the first shot before stopping, where a neck shot dropped him.

I continue to use Barnes bullets- they penetrate wonderfully, and with less meat damage than other bullets. But, based upon my own experience over many years, and many critters, I cannot say that they are 'better' than anything else.

Spectacular stuff.

I wish my buddy had similar results.

As I've enumerated here before, I watched a 9 year old girl kill a bull bigger than any I will ever kill before I leave this life with a 55 gr swift. Shoot what you are confident in. Eldx doesn't fit that confidence quotient for me.

😜

Personally, I do not think the 6.5 Creedmore is a good elk round. It can be done and has been done, that said there are far better rounds for elk out there.

I’ll throw my 2 cents in here. My 14 year old has been shooting 150 ELDXs at for the past two seasons and so far they accounted for 1 antelope buck, a small 6 point bull and a cow. Nothing was shot any closer than 150 to 200 yards. He’s shooting a Tikka 7mmRM but he’s just a kid so they’re watered down to about 2,850 fps so that the recoil is manageable. Antelope about 200 yards, pass through, 2” exit wound. Small 6 point x broken horn about 150 to 200 yards (early morning and things were happening fast so no rangefinder used) again behind the from shoulder, complete pass through, 2” exit. Cow at about 350, one pass through and one through both rear legs which hit 2 big bones was caught in the elk. Mostly still together but it had shed may 40% of it’s weight.

My opinion of these bullets is that they’re highly accurate and have good BCs. They hold together pretty well and produce kills if the velocity is kept relatively low. I’m not sure they would hold up very well at higher velocities and short ranges. I think they have better BCs than the 150 Ballistic Tips but aren’t really any tougher. I’m a big 7mm fan and primarily an elk hunter so I think that the 280 AI is a great elk cartridge but if you’re going to be in an area where you might be shooting big elk at short ranges with full house loads, I would look at tougher bullets.

BTW, in my opinion, the 150 Swift Sciroccos are crazy good bullets. They open up well at least down to 2,000 fps or so and work well at long range and at closer ranges they smash bone and blow nice exit big exit holes. I’ve never recovered one in a critter shot at less than about 400 yards except for a whitetail buck shot in the neck straight down the spine. The bullet broke about 10 or 11 veribrate and the came to rest in the spinal column. Diameter of the bullet was about 1 1/4” and still had about 80% weight retention. The buck fell over like a mannequin.

IMHO, That is an excellent decision!!!!!

So you're saying you saw exactly where the bullet hit at 260 yards? It sounds like the bullet just grazed the shoulder given the "one drop of blood" description.

Hello All,

Lots of opinions on bullets out there. There is the toughest bullet crowd at one end and the match bullet crowd at the other end. Both with lots of stories of success and failure.

I have shot a lot of elk with a lot of different bullets (not any of the mono metal ones (but I do know that they work)). I personally will not use a bullet that the manufacturer do not recommend for hunting the big game that I am hunting (as in Match bullets for big game). I shot many elk with Hornady Intrelock bullets in at least three calibers,Hornady Inter Bond, Swift A-Frame, Swift Scirocco, Nosler Partion, Nosler AB, factory loads (the cheapest I could find during my short on money youth) and the last few with Hornady .284" 162 gr. ELD-X out of a 7mm mag.

To answer the OP's question use either of those two bullets and you will do fine. Elk are NOT armor plated.

8mmwapiti

I killed the bull in the pic above at 200 yards or so. Close to 3k MV so the bullet was still humming right along.



P

You'll get no argument from me. Prior to my ELDX experiment I was a Nosler homer. If it wasn't a NAB or PT I would use it.

Confidence is essential.





P

Close shots. Heresy! Offhand = double heresy. Ban this poster from the campfire!

What did everybody do, before we were blessed with high bc bullets? They just killed stuff and never worried about it.

I like it! It's kinda come full circle. I worked in the bullet, ammo, training, firearms world. Cup and core, extruded, bonded, mono bullets and there's always that single common denominator huh. "Shot placement". They all work, just need to keep in mind how they work.

Anyone here shot an elk with the 7mm 180 eldm yet? I'm considering my next build being a 280 or 280 AI and the 180gr eldm sounds pretty good in that rifle.

Yep. My ballistics program says it should have been going about 2,670 fps at 200 yards. They’re good bullets and they’ll certainly kill elk. I guess when I said close range I should have specified bow range. If I was taking a 280AI to North Idaho or someplace like that where 20 yard rifle shots are common, these wouldn’t be my first choice. However, if I had no choice, I’d probably try to stay off the shoulder especially on a big one.

Here’s my take: I hunt a custom 284 Win (so same-same with your 280) and have for years. While I have the same ELD-X 150’s on the shelf ready to try, my go-to for all the big game I’ve taken well with it so far — A very old, good mule deer buck, a very good whitetail buck (at 500 yards, which I would note here, as pertinent to your post regarding “wind drift” numbers), a beautiful blonde black bear, and a six-point bull elk — have all been with the 140-gr TTSX at about 3100 fps. And I might add with superlative bullet performance when I could actually recover one and see it. I’ve only caught one when it went through about 4’ of mule deer to the scrotum from a direct front-on brisket shot on that big, beefy, older mulie.

There is no advantage to the ELD regarding its “wind drift values” until you get way,..way! out there — I mean WAY out there. For deer, ok, but why for elk? Are you going to try a big bull beyond 450-500 yards with your 280 wherein even at that range the wind-drift difference is not that great. But the real odds are you will get a chance at much, much, much less than that range where bullet integrity has a much greater priority overa its atmospheric slipperiness (which, practically speaking , isn’t that much greater than the Barnes 140-gr TTSX..).

But, there will be no doubt that from fifty yards onward the TTSX will not break up or lose weight regardless of what resistance it meets — shoulder, spine, or whatever — as it traverses a bull elk.

I have lots of experience with the eldX. Its a great high BC cup&core! The weight retention is totally dependent on the impact velocity. I mainly shoot the 162eldX in the 280. I find it is a very soft, quick expanding bullet and ideal for longrange deer and pigs here in Texas. It will be good for Longrange elk too(slower impact velocity). My only concern is an up close hard-angle shot at high impact velocity, it will expand rapidly with a MV above 3Kfps. That makes it extremely deadly with a behind the shoulder rib shot but may be lacking penetration if a hard quartering is necessary.

In my experience with Elk and lots of ballistics testing on wet phone books and milk jugs. I recommend the Nosler Accubond in the heaviest offering available in your caliber of choice. The 160AB would be a great choice in the 280
Happy Hunting
James

I’ve killed elk with 7mm RM Nosler accubonds, Balliistic tips, partitions and had good to great performance until I hit a good sized bull with an NBT behind the shoulder and had a palm sized entry wound. Recovered him after 600 yard run - the shrapnel in his lungs finally stopped him. Without the snow it would have been iffy finding him.

Switched to the Barnes TTSX and gave up a tiny amount of accuracy, dime vs quarter best groups to gain the confidence to take shots at any angle to the vitals. Best so far 550 yards on a large cow, First shot stopped her and she made a quarter turn toward me, 2nd had her do a backflip off a little drop into a small tree. 300 Weatherby 180 grain TTSX shared exit wound. I am a Barnes believer.

168 NBT out of my brother’s .30-06. Behind the shoulder. 20 foot recovery.

Just sayin’.





P

It'd be hard for me to go away from Barnes in a rifle I already knew they work well in. The results for me have just been so consistent across a wide range of calibers, weights, and distances. Coyotes, pronghorn, whitetails, mule deer, caribou, elk, and moose. Under 50yds to over 600. .243/85's up to .308/200's and multiples in-between, they always do the same thing. Caliber sized entrance, ~golf-ball sized exit and viscera stew between the holes.

IMO/IME, Paritions are never the wrong answer for big game hunting either.

I've shot deer with A-max's(75, 105, 162), V-max's (50's), .224 55gn soft-point varmint bullets, ballistic tips, Sierra Game kings, Hornady Interlock, Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, Partitions, TSX, TTSX, ABLR, Sierra varminters (90gn .277's) off the top of my head. I could go back and use any of them again if I had to. That said, when it's time to fill tags, I grab ammo tipped w/TSX-TTSX.

You'd like what I have. 1000 of the original Nosler Solid Bases 30-180. I bought them for my 30-06. The old Customer Satisfaction guy recommended them to me.

I have shot about 30 elk and been with friends and family on many more. My advice is free so take it for what it's worth...
There are a lot of different elk shooting situations. If you get a perfect 150-200 broadside shot almost anything will work just fine. If you prep for a real long or real close shot, the requirements are opposite. In my opinion if you shoot an eldx, or similar light construction bullet at a bad angle bull up close you are asking for a problem. It will probably kill him but you may never find him. Same thing for a super tough bullet that doesn't expand at long range. For what it's worth, I use Swift scirocco, nosler accubond, or Barnes.

145 LRX

I see a dozen elk shot every year. I shot my last elk with a 143 ELD-X out of my 6.5-284. 200 yards and DRT with exit. Impressed me. Killed a dozen whitetail with that bullet the last two year, all exits and all DRT or shot track jobs. IF I were hunting elk in the timber and knew my shots were going to be close, I would use a heavier bullet and not worry so much about accuracy but I can generally know the ranges I will need to shoot.

I used to carry two loads, one loaded in nickel cases for the close stuff and the one my rifle was sighted in for in a regular brass case. I killed a lot of bulls at 80-100 yards with 200 grain soft points from my 300 wby and when I glassed one on a ridge that needed a longer poke, I would just chamber a softer, sleeker bullet. Worked very well for me.

I have seen really good things with the ELD-X but I agree that the weight retention is not going to be 90% unless you are shooting 800 yards. The jacket is thick enough that they hold together.

When I went to Africa last summer I got to use two loads, one with 168 TSXs and one with 150 Partition Golds. My buddies were using same 168s. Game shot with the copper bullets ran a long ways. Almost every time. The game shot with the Partition golds went down or less than 25 yards.

I am a believer in good jacketed bullets. The Partition being the best I have used for everything but the long range stuff.