Hornady Eld-x Review and other experiences?

Last year I began reloading for my savage 300wm and decided to reload the 178gr Hornady ELD-X. I managed to shoot about .6-.9 moa depending on the day and at 2970fps. Previously I have always used power points and partitions for deer and antelope which leaves a good size exit hole damn near the size of an orange and for elk always used power points and accubonds, both of which also left good sized exit holes. The 2017 year hunting season I managed to take a CO Whitetail Buck, WY Mule Deer and WY Antelope with the 300wm 178gr ELDX load and am very happy with the results, for the most part.

Since this was the first year reloading I liked the overall accuracy of the ELDX. With my 300wm in Savage and dads in Howa both managed the shoot at least 1 moa no matter the powder charge and seating depth but with a little more tuning we managed to get average .75 moa which in my opinion for hunting is accurate. My 264wm on the other hand is shooting about .9 moa and seems to like the load as well but a little more load development I would like to start using it for all game. Overall accuracy from factory rifles and reloading seems to do well.

Whitetail deer was shot running about 50 yards away just behind the shoulder but high below backstraps, dropped in its tracks. High lung shot good size entry not exit hole but internal organs were shredded no recoverd bullet. Overall happy

WY Deer on the other hand was a little different, a little more long range was at 601 yards in GEN A deer hunt shot a 140in mule deer. Shot once heard a hit by the time I acquired him in the scope again he had walked 10 yards and I watched him pile up. It was a perfect midbody behind shoulder heart and lung hit. The bullet didn't seem to expand as much as I had imagined about average sized entrance but maybe only a golf ball sized exit if best. Internally still did a lot of damage that's why he went down but still would have thought at 2000+fps it would have been a bigger exit hole.
WY Antelope managed to shoot a doe at about 200 yards. Hit high shoulder that it manage to hit bone and snap the spine. Recovered bullet and almost 80 weight retention on the small doe. Seems to still do good at medium ranges but unsure on longer distances. I think I'm going to try my 264wm for all 3 species this 2018 hunting season. My dad managed to also take a mule deer buck and antelope buck near the craig area with the ELDX both within 200 yards and bullet performance seems exceptional all 1 shot kills.

But I'm curious does anyone have experiences with bullet performance at the longer distances say 600+? Also what are thought on 264wm for elk? Ballistics shows it hits harder and faster than 300?

The 264 does not hit harder than the 300WM...you have to compare same bullet types. The 300 will scoot a 178gr bullet faster and therefore will hit a lot harder.

Having said that, 264 is fine for elk, but not sure why a 600+ yard shot is required...300yd performance seems adequate but what do I know.

I don"t have any pictures, but my brother shoots the 143 ELD-X out of a 6.5CM as factory loads, and has killed 3 elk, several deer and several antelope with it. very impressed with accuracy and performance. the mulie buck he killed in 2017 was at roughly 200 yards, found the bullet under the hide on the off side. Perfect textbook mushroom. I am planning on running the 143 gr. in my 6.5CM as well as the 162 in my 7mm RM.

This is the 6.5 143gr ELD-X I recovered from my mule deer this fall, not quite a mushroom but no fragmenting. It was quartering away at 189 and I found it under the hide on the opposite shoulder. I had complete pass-through on my antelope at 279yds, with a decent exit wound, and my buddy also killed a small muley buck at 60yds with my rifle. It's very accurate and it kills well. I've read that the bullet actually performs better expansion-wise at over 200yds or so in the Hornady factory load.

My son shot his first deer with a 143 eldx this year. 350yd. complete pass through 1 shot. Sorry I didn't recover the bullet from the hillside to verify mushrooming

I doubt the 264 mag will have any trouble with an elk if you use a good bullet. I have killed two Elk with my 6.5x06 and 140gr Hornady inter lock's. I wouldn't think twice about using my 6.5x55 for that matter. It's about bullet's and where you hit them.

Good to hear. I just worked up a load today for my 6.5x284 using this bullet. Got my rifle shooting in the .3's with this bullet.

I've been using a 6.5x284 for the past 5 years. Started with 140gr Berger Hybrid and switched last year to 143gr ELD-X. Between those 2 bullets, the gun has taken 6 elk, 7 or 8 deer, several lopes, and 1 mountain goat. Ranges have been between 100 & 550 yards. no problems. I'm very happy with the ELD-X and love the gun. 264wm is plenty for elk. If you like the ELD-X, go with the 143gr.

Shot three mule deer bucks and a Bighorn sheep. All from the 6.5 MtMuley(creedmoor). Lots of entry damage yet good mushroom and quite a bit of wt retention. I gave a feeling they are going to sell a ton of the 143 grain. Here’s some pics.

Stubaby said:

6.5 MtMuley(creedmoor)

Click to expand...

This made me laugh...

Ive used my 6.5 creedmore with the 143 eld-x and my savage loves them,,quarter sized groups at 200+yrds,,have dropped 2 antelope like a sack of potatoes so far and used it on my Nevada cal bighorn sheep hunt this year,,the sheep did go a little ways though.