How is expansion of the Hornady ELD vs the Amax for varminting?

[VaniB]

I was using the Hornady 123gr Amax in the 6.5 Creedmoor, and the 75 & 80gr Amax in my 22x47L for both varminting and bench shooting .25" to .375" groups. (my 22x47L compares to a 22-250) While I know I'm it's not a V-max bullet, the Amax still often expanded explosively well enough on small animals. For performance closest to my Amax loads, will the ELD-M work about the same? Should I use the the ELD-X instead of ELD -M in the Creedmoor?

 

[1raggedhole]

I also had good experience with 6br using 105 amaxs on prairie dogs. It’s a pity that they’re discontinued. I won’t spend the high price for ELDs. Had to switch to 87 vmax, which is ok because they shoot very well out of my rifle, but they do drift quite a bit more in the wind.

 

[Delfuego]

224 ELD-M work great on prairie dogs

 

[sawcarver]

I've been using 108 ELD-MS out of a 6-06 and have been very pleased with the results. Performance has Bern very similar to A-maxs.

Here are a few pics of one that went lengthwise through a whitetail my daughter shot at 245 yards

 

[moorepower]

It's the same jacket, so it should work.

 

[RAG]

I was using the Hornady 123gr Amax in the 6.5 Creedmoor, and the 75 & 80gr Amax in my 22x47L for both varminting and bench shooting .25" to .375" groups. (my 22x47L compares to a 22-250) While I know I'm it's not a V-max bullet, the Amax still often expanded explosively well enough on small animals. For performance closest to my Amax loads, will the ELD-M work about the same? Should I use the the ELD-X instead of ELD -M in the Creedmoor?

I have been scouring the net looking for information on this. Good news is that guys seem to report good expansion/frangibility on small critters with the ELD-M...if pushed on the faster side. But maybe not quite as good as the A-Max? Could the older plastic tips, that soften more from heat as they head down range, result in faster expansion? I'm guessing so, a little anyways.

And then, looking at recent Applied Ballistics data, they are giving the the ELD-M significantly higher BC values than the equivalent A-Max...its not a small difference. Is this due to tip deterioration at longer range maybe, or change in bullet design?

 

[Mark W]

I have been scouring the net looking for information on this. Good news is that guys seem to report good expansion/frangibility on small critters with the ELD-M...if pushed on the faster side. But maybe not quite as good as the A-Max? Could the older plastic tips, that soften more from heat as they head down range, result in faster expansion? I'm guessing so, a little anyways.

And then, looking at recent Applied Ballistics data, they are giving the the ELD-M significantly higher BC values than the equivalent A-Max...its not a small difference. Is this due to tip deterioration at longer range maybe, or change in bullet design?

I never did completely buy the whole melting tip story. If it was an issue at all, you can bet it wasn’t much of a factor at the ranges that most people were shooting them. I think it was a marketing ploy to help kill off a very good affordable bullet and replace it with the much more expensive ELD line.

 

[RAG]

I never did completely buy the whole melting tip story. If it was an issue at all, you can bet it wasn’t much of a factor at the ranges that most people were shooting them. I think it was a marketing ploy to help kill off a very good affordable bullet and replace it with the much more expensive ELD line.

Ha, yeah, you very well could be right.

 

[46and2]

As far as lethality, it's been suggested to look at each caliber and weight bullet for performance for a particular game instead of a product in general for all criters.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[RAG]

As far as lethality, it's been suggested to look at each caliber and weight bullet for performance for a particular game instead of a product in general for all criters.
Hope that makes sense.

Right. Impact velocity surely makes a big difference. Seems those who are pushing the heavier 22 Cal ELDs really fast (3,500+) report devastating results on small critters.

 

[SSL]

I was using the Hornady 123gr Amax in the 6.5 Creedmoor, and the 75 & 80gr Amax in my 22x47L for both varminting and bench shooting .25" to .375" groups. (my 22x47L compares to a 22-250) While I know I'm it's not a V-max bullet, the Amax still often expanded explosively well enough on small animals. For performance closest to my Amax loads, will the ELD-M work about the same? Should I use the the ELD-X instead of ELD -M in the Creedmoor?

For what it's worth, I was devastated when Hornady replaced the AMax with the ELD-M. I called Hornady to make sure it was true and make my own (as if they would care) complaint. The .224" 52-grain AMax is far and away the best bullet I've ever used in my .22-250 and I was furious that they would just dump it. The gentleman I talked to promised me that he originally had similar concerns himself, but had found that the ELD bullets used the same data, were constructed the same with the exception of a tougher polymer tip and shot just as well as the AMax. Reluctantly, I bought a box and can honestly say that I see no difference in the two on paper targets for this particular rifle/caliber/weight combination. I have not used them on game, since I managed to score several boxes of the AMax to add to my own stash from a friend who is no longer able to shoot ..enough for several years of shooting. The ELDs are sitting in my drawer for future use when the AMax run out.

 

[357Mag]

Right. Impact velocity surely makes a big difference. Seems those who are pushing the heavier 22 Cal ELDs really fast (3,500+) report devastating results on small critters.

RAG -

Howdy !

I have not read your thoughts about the contribution that bullet rpm makes towards explosive expansion on the varmint ? There are shooters that place a lot of importance on the phenominon.

Your thoughts ?


With regards,
357Mag

 

[KMart]

I never did completely buy the whole melting tip story. If it was an issue at all, you can bet it wasn’t much of a factor at the ranges that most people were shooting them. I think it was a marketing ploy to help kill off a very good affordable bullet and replace it with the much more expensive ELD line.

Plus, they are still making and selling a 168 AMax in 30 cal

 

[David Milisock]

For what it's worth, I was devastated when Hornady replaced the AMax with the ELD-M. I called Hornady to make sure it was true and make my own (as if they would care) complaint. The .224" 52-grain AMax is far and away the best bullet I've ever used in my .22-250 and I was furious that they would just dump it. The gentleman I talked to promised me that he originally had similar concerns himself, but had found that the ELD bullets used the same data, were constructed the same with the exception of a tougher polymer tip and shot just as well as the AMax. Reluctantly, I bought a box and can honestly say that I see no difference in the two on paper targets for this particular rifle/caliber/weight combination. I have not used them on game, since I managed to score several boxes of the AMax to add to my own stash from a friend who is no longer able to shoot ..enough for several years of shooting. The ELDs are sitting in my drawer for future use when the AMax run out.

I'm interested in testing the 6MM 103 ELD-X as a 1 projectile solution to my 6MM ARC AR 15.

 

[CT10ring]

I was using the Hornady 123gr Amax in the 6.5 Creedmoor, and the 75 & 80gr Amax in my 22x47L for both varminting and bench shooting .25" to .375" groups. (my 22x47L compares to a 22-250) While I know I'm it's not a V-max bullet, the Amax still often expanded explosively well enough on small animals. For performance closest to my Amax loads, will the ELD-M work about the same? Should I use the the ELD-X instead of ELD -M in the Creedmoor?

I use 73g ELD-M in a Rem 700 22-243 on Pdogs and it is explosive. I have used Amaxes and Vmaxes and they all are explosive on Pdogs. I really like the 105g Amax (6mm), fwiw.

 

[204 AR]

There is a guy on Predatormasters who was/is looking for 123 amax because he uses it on game in his creedmoor and says the eldm doesn't work quite the same. I have almost no experience shooting game with amax's except like a few others here, 105's at pdogs. But as well as those 123's shoot, I may have to try it. My young nephew was gifted a creedmoor a couple weeks ago, and finding ammo is proving to be tough. Heck I can't even find any 129 sp to load for him. They like cheap ammo lol and don't stock up more than they need. Slow learners....

I lucked out a couple times on blems from Midway years ago when they sold them very reasonable, and then as recently as a couple/three/four years ago stopping in at Hornady and picking up boxes of blems very cheap. Not so much now lol... But I'm stocked up pretty well. They've all shot well except some 103 eldx I didn't have real good luck with.