ELD-X and 308 testing

[DanTana]

Finally Hornady is shipping the new ELD-X. MidwayUSA contacted me couple days ago and said they had supplies of the ELD-X and I ordered a few in .308. Will receive them Tuesday and we should get them loaded and get to the range. Our precision water jug range is already setup and ready for the full load and long distance testing to get an idea of what this slug will do past 400 yards. The photos below Do indicate what we have seen with our jugs that we get more penetration as ranges get out beyond 300 yards but less bullet upset. From what I have read the ELD-X with it's high BC should out perform the AMAX and give AB type game performance.

 

[WSM01]

I went thru a whole box of the .308 , 200 grain ELDX's in my 300 win.
Best I could do was 3/4" group @ 200 yards . This was .080" off the lands & 2850 fps. Pushed it faster but groups opened up. Seemed to foul the barrel more than normal. Let us know your results.

 

[DanTana]

I finally received today a supply of Hornady .308 178 grain ELD-X bullets. The purpose for this testing is to show long distance performance of three different slugs. Hornady ELD-X .308 178 grain, Hornady .308 168 grain AMAX, Nosler .308 165 grain (Hunting) BTs. All were shot using IMR 4895. Only one was shot at full power @ 42.5 grains @ 2647 FPS. Other three were @ 30 grains @ 1800-2000 FPS simulating a long distance shot at 300-400 yards. This testing DID reveal a few surprises.

AMAX copper did fly apart but lead held together and penetrated into 8th. JUG. Deepest of all.
ELD-X @ full power penetrated the least @ 5 jugs. Although it did make the absolute biggest upset of the first 4 jugs. Awesome wound channel.
ELD-X @ slow power did hold together and penetrated 7 jugs.
Ballistic Tip @ slow power did give SAME results as ELD-X. This was the biggest surprise. Be aware that this particular comparison does not say that the BT will outperform the higher BC - ELD-X at 500-600 yards. But at 300-400 yards the BT is comparable to ELD-X mushroom.

I added this photo to show my particular gun shoots the best with IMR-4320 with the 168 gr. AMAX. I have not grouped the new ELD-X 178 grain with 4320. I will put these two slugs head to head in the coming weeks. If you look real close the ELD-X and AMAX look almost the same but the AMAX has a smaller plastic tip and smaller hollow point it fits in.

 

[Changeling]

Did you pry the cores out of the cases or did they come apart on their own?

Thanks for the pictures, they show a lot.

I like your dog, beautiful coat.

 

[DanTana]

No, when we poured the water out of the last several jugs the cup and core fell out.

 

[Changeling]

I was thinking about trying them because of the High BC for hunting but seeing the core separate from the jacket like that just turns me off for using them on game.
Hornady should have put some bonding agent in the jacket, then it wouldn't do that, but it's their company, they can do what they like.

 

[DanTana]

I was thinking about trying them because of the High BC for hunting but seeing the core separate from the jacket like that just turns me off for using them on game.
Hornady should have put some bonding agent in the jacket, then it wouldn't do that, but it's their company, they can do what they like.

Don't be too hasty in that separation thought. Remember this media was water and not flesh a muscle. I believe if you did recover a slug in muscle both pieces would be together.

 

[Changeling]

Sorry but I believe just the opposite, If the bullet will shed it's jacket in water, it will do the same on an animal, flesh and bone make things worse not better then water.

 

[DanTana]

First 200 yards shots I have made with several new slugs. The 125 grain Nosler Hunting BT with varget one grain under max. The 130 grain Barnes TTSX with varget one grain under max. The 178 grain Hornady ELD-X with 4320 one grain under max.

I used the 4320 on the ELD-x due to getting best results with it on AMAX slugs a month ago. At that time the ELD-Xs did work out very well.

Below TTSX 130 grain. 1 1/4" group at 200 yards.

Nosler 125 grain Hunting BT. 1 1/2" group at 200 yards.

Hornady ELD-X 178 grain. This slug is not grouping well in my gun.

 

[Nvreloader]

Keep on testing very interesting,
and good results so far.

IMHO,
She is a good looking dog,
even if she is a half a dog high,
and a dog and a half long.

Tia,
Don

 

[DanTana]

Well my diligence paid off this morning. All the tons of powder and primers I have shot in the last several months getting a good long distance load did well although the shot was only 81 yards . Killed my first NC three legged coyote.

 

[p-man]

Changeling, I used to think the same as you but after thoroughly reading all the bullet impact results on terminal ballistics research dot com, I think that only through actual impact on live animals can we draw realistic conclusions. A heavily constructed, large weight bullet will simply pass thru with very little hydraulic upset on a light-skinned, light-weight animal so in this case of water jugs, how do we know what is actually replicated? The only conclusion we can draw is a comparison between the three bullets. But to get back to the cup and core separation, with all the multi-caliber bullet testing, there was only a little reference to separation with recovered bullets. Surprisingly, the A-Max performed well repeatedly in a number of calibers against various weight animals without separation, so I would think that on that point the ELD-X would perform similarly.

Having said that, I applaud Changeling in that it is surprising how many other hunters prioritize accuracy over terminal performance when to be responsible to the animals we hunt, both should be given equal consideration. Obviously he (and most of you responding to this thread) thinks as I do .

 

[Nomosendero]

Changeling, I used to think the same as you but after thoroughly reading all the bullet impact results on terminal ballistics research dot com, I think that only through actual impact on live animals can we draw realistic conclusions. A heavily constructed, large weight bullet will simply pass thru with very little hydraulic upset on a light-skinned, light-weight animal so in this case of water jugs, how do we know what is actually replicated? The only conclusion we can draw is a comparison between the three bullets. But to get back to the cup and core separation, with all the multi-caliber bullet testing, there was only a little reference to separation with recovered bullets. Surprisingly, the A-Max performed well repeatedly in a number of calibers against various weight animals without separation, so I would think that on that point the ELD-X would perform similarly.

Having said that, I applaud Changeling in that it is surprising how many other hunters prioritize accuracy over terminal performance when to be responsible to the animals we hunt, both should be given equal consideration. Obviously he (and most of you responding to this thread) thinks as I do .

I agree with all of that and of course actual shooting of animals will finish the story. I know this, with my 308 5R with a 24" tube the 178A-Max has been the best Deer killing bullet I have ever used with exit wounds to boot. It would not make sense to me that this bullet with an Interlock ring would do worse. But again, this is 308 velocities, for my 300WM I would go to the 212 gr.