Hornady ELD-X Issue

[SixFive]

I am hunting white-tail deer this year with the Hornady ELD-X. Custom-built Savage 110 6.5-284 143gr ELD-X. at +- 3000fps

I have taken 3 deer this year and noticed this bullet DOES NOT CREATE A BLOOD TRIAL (Small drops sometimes). One I shot dropped in its tracks with the high shoulder shot. The other I shot at 297 yards heart-lung and went about 20 yards with ZERO blood trail. Is anyone else having this issue? The bullet is accurate, I am shooting 1/2moa at 100y but if I end up having to track one, it will be very difficult.

I may switch to the Berger VLD, thoughts?

 

[std7mag]

Is it making an exit hole?

The Berger VLD hasn't made an exit hole for me yet in either 7mm, or 25 caliber.

But i really don't have to rely on a blood trail for them either.
Either DRT, or within 20 yards.

 

[AckleymanII]

Looks like you and the bullet are doing it's job. Perhaps you are wanting a partition. 130 berger vld hunting are not shooting holes through deer either at close range under 100 yds.

 

[CharlieNC]

You can have massive internal damage for killing, or less damage and pass through for tracking. I choose your current option, and the Berger will perform the same way. I liked the Berger until one blew up upon impact, without penetration, for my partner shooting a 300 WM.

 

[AckleymanII]

SixFive, Lapua 139g Scenar will solve the blood trail issue, so does the 129g Hornady Sp.

 

[HandgunHTR]

If it only went 20 yards and you stopped the pumper with the shot, I don't see how it could have left a blood trail.

That being said, I stopped using the ELD-X in my 7-08AI not because of that issue, but because it just damaged too much meat. Using the 150 grain Nosler ABLR now and they do great. I haven't really had to worry about the blood trail with them as the deer usually drop within sight or right after they go out of sight.

 

[std7mag]

If it only went 20 yards and you stopped the pumper with the shot, I don't see how it could have left a blood trail.

That being said, I stopped using the ELD-X in my 7-08AI not because of that issue, but because it just damaged too much meat. Using the 150 grain Nosler ABLR now and they do great. I haven't really had to worry about the blood trail with them as the deer usually drop within sight or right after they go out of sight.

My experience with the 140gr VLD out of a 7mm-08AI .
Doe hit at 413 yards, on a gasline. So about 40 yards wide, by miles long.
The gasline, not the deer. After the shot, by the time i looked, no deer on the gasline.

When i walked up to where i thought the doe was, i couldn't find anything.
Thought i had missed.
Walked another 25-30 yards, and found blood everywhere!
Looked like i shot a can of red spray paint!
Doe had turned 180° & made it 20 yards to the edge of the gasline.

Bullet nicked back of front leg before going in the body, totally destroying both lungs & heart.
Only bullet sized entry hole. No exit hole.

So, yeah. Even at 20 yards, you can have a blood trail.

 

[HandgunHTR]

My experience with the 140gr VLD out of a 7mm-08AI .
Doe hit at 413 yards, on a gasline. So about 40 yards wide, by miles long.
The gasline, not the deer. After the shot, by the time i looked, no deer on the gasline.

When i walked up to where i thought the doe was, i couldn't find anything.
Thought i had missed.
Walked another 25-30 yards, and found blood everywhere!
Looked like i shot a can of red spray paint!
Doe had turned 180° & made it 20 yards to the edge of the gasline.

Bullet nicked back of front leg before going in the body, totally destroying both lungs & heart.
Only bullet sized entry hole. No exit hole.

So, yeah. Even at 20 yards, you can have a blood trail.

I am sorry if I wasn't clear. I was saying that sometimes it takes 10-20 yards to have the bloodtrail start, exactly like in your scenario. Especially if the heart isn't actually pumping the blood out and you are having to rely on gravity only. If the deer drops before then, as in the OPs scenario, you won't actually have a blood trail, just a dead deer. That is what I was trying to say, anyway. Sometimes it is hard to get the point across through a few typed words.

All in all, I would not judge the performance of a bullet's ability to leave a blood trail on one animal that died within 20 yards. If it had gone 50 or 100 with no blood trail, then I would be worried, but in my experience with modern bullets, the only time that really happens is if the hit is a bit high and there is no exit or the exit is also high, and there is no blood because it just fills up the chest cavity and never leaks out.

 

[wboggs]

If you want a good blood trail use a heavy for cal. ( 175 7mm or 200 .308) Nosler partition. I had results with these before the newer designs came out.

 

[SixFive]

I guess as a medium experienced hunter I am just not in the know. I really appreciate the great feedback from all of you. That really explains why the blood does not start until 15 or so yards. The first doe (big one) I shot at 80 yards high shoulder and she fell over DRT. The Second was a very big for SC buck who walked out on me at 20 yards. I made the shot behind the shoulder but as I am zeroed for 200 yards and he was walking I might have hit high and back. There was no blood at the point of impact, I found two tiny little drops 15 yards in, then we found a small puddle beside a tree but nothing major. Then nothing..... The dear made it into the bog swamp, we tracked for 4 hours through that mud. nothing. That is the first deer I have lost, I cannot describe the feeling and guilt, some lessons were learned that day. The next big doe I shot at almost 300yards heart lung shot. As I said we picked up a little blood trickle that led us to her 20 yards away.

Previously I have hunted with my Weatherby 257 Mag and Nosler Partitions, they always seemed to provide a good track of blood but they never killed right there but nothing ever went more than 20 yards. I spend a lot of time on our range with each rifle working loads in the ladder pattern and making sure my skills are super sharp. but like they say it is hunting, every kill is different.

Note though to date I have only killed 4 deer total and lost one. So I am NO expert hunter, dang fine shooter but not hunter

Once again I want to thank you al for your comments, it is nice to talk to fellow hunters and get perspective. I have NO EGO, like with the buck, I know it was all me.

All my rifles I hand build, I have a full machine shop, I blueprint, chamber, etc. If a rifle will not shoot 1/2 MOA at 100 I will not use it to hunt (actually if I cannot get it to shoot 1/2 MOA I do not want it), I like accuracy. The glass I use is always good quality, mostly I shot Meopta but I like Night Force also, and Burris for the money (In the $500 range) makes some decent glass with good light gathering. I also spend a lot of time working up my hand loads for accuracy. I recently finished a 6.5 Creedmore and I have worked up a load using Controlled Chaos 130gr that I am going to try next week. Never shot the bullet hunting, nor have I met anyone else who has, should be interesting.

 

[nakneker]

The ELD-X is a good bullet for extended ranges, we’ve use them effectively out here in Arizona where the shots can be long, the bullet was designed to expand at longer ranges when velocities are lower, same with the Berger VLDs. Those two bullets expand very rapidly at close ranges and penetration suffers. Regardless of range the ELD-X doesn’t exit often, at least not in my experience. We’ve shot a lot of deer and elk with them. A partion, Barnes x or triple shock would probably give you much better results as far as exiting goes. Just my opinion.

 

[Hammer101st]

I know the old A Max's were awesome i still have some old 105's that use just for hunting and never had one go past 20yards in years with an amax. The 105s allways exited but it looks like it took every pint of blood with it made a hell of a mess

 

[Prairiedogger]

I'll have to admit. None of the animals I have shot with 143gr ELD-X has left a blood trail either. If you get rid of them, let me know. I'll buy those faulty bullets from you.

 

[Twdmar]

Often bullets are either too light in construction and disintegrate or too tough and only make a little hole. Look at some of the ballistic tips which are pretty much varmint bullets and the accubond which barely deforms at all on a deer.
Often blood will pool in the body cavities instead of flowing out the bullet hole. Venous blood Often gets stuck in the hair and you need to accumulate enough to get it to drip. If it's a lung shot, sometimes breathing expels the blood. Arterial blood can spurt for a bit too.
Last year I found a deer my uncle shot running with a 223(the knucklehead) I found one spot of blood the size of a pencil point that was probably from the bullet pushing it out. I followed the tracks and found another tiny spot about 30 feet away. I was able to track foot prints and occasionally found tiny bits of blood. I was about to give up thinking it was just a graze because there was so little blood. Then I found a scuff where it looked like she stumbled. The fact that the tracks continued downhill with more scuffs and a little more blood led me to her after about 20 minutes. If there had not been snow I never would have found the first spot if blood. Unless you do brain/spine shots you'll get blood signs like that occasionally. You won't get good at blood tracking unless you follow animals that are shot. Try to read the tracks and blood trail and think why what you're seeing happened.
The winchester deer season bullet in 6.5 is gnarly and pointed so it should fly well over distance. The sierra game kings and remington core-lokt are also excellent on deer and unless your going over 300-400 yds are plenty accurate.

 

[drop_point]

I've killed game at 30 yards and 700 yards with the ELD-X. Worked fine for both for me. Key is to put it someplace important.

 

[Downeast]

My little 7mm-08 featherweight loaded with 140 grain Nosler BT's puts them down consistently. It does make a mess but I shoot to kill and not to save meat. I haven't lost a deer in many years. Hope I never do again. Most aim behind the shoulders to get into the heart/lung region but I've seen too many deer run with a heart/lung shot. I aim for the shoulders, preferably the "point" of the shoulder. That will take out the base of the cervical column (neck). Hit low and you take out the top/front of the heart (aorta) and lungs. Works for me.

 

[wboggs]

My little 7mm-08 featherweight loaded with 140 grain Nosler BT's puts them down consistently. It does make a mess but I shoot to kill and not to save meat. I haven't lost a deer in many years. Hope I never do again. Most aim behind the shoulders to get into the heart/lung region but I've seen too many deer run with a heart/lung shot. I aim for the shoulders, preferably the "point" of the shoulder. That will take out the base of the cervical column (neck). Hit low and you take out the top/front of the heart (aorta) and lungs. Works for me.

You have described my preferred shot.

 

[alf]

Cool when you can hit the liver, both lungs, and the heart......

 

[Downeast]

Doesn't it suck when you blow up the heart. It's the best cut of meat on the whole critter.

 

[Gargoyle]

Hammer Bullets