143 eldx 6.5 not pleased

[BULL21]

The two deer my daughters shot this weekend weighed 200 and 225 lbs. They were both shot at 140 yds straight through the middle of the shoulder as can be seen in the picture of the 10 pt which is the EXIT hole. Both bullets performed the exact same way, dead deer that ran about 25-40 yds without a blood trail. The other 6-8 deer we have shot with them have performed basically identical. For a bullet to not perform in those scenarios is not a good hunting bullet which is why i posed the question of what others have used that has performed well. I will be going to a tried and true core loct or a ballistic tip. They did not seem to stock much selection previously which is why we have been using these.

Y’all have killed 8-10 deer that died inside 40yds, and the bullet is not performing up to your standards? What are you wanting?

[deep n the heat]

I’m worried about when they do not put a perfect shot on one and you have to trail one with no blood trail.

[McClain]

I have had the same issue (bullet blow up with no exit wound or blood trail) with VLD bullets in a 6.5-284 at various ranges. Have had limited use, but good luck, with Barnes TSX in other calibers and think maybe that would be a good choice for high velocity cartridges like the 6.5-284. Any thoughts/experience with the TSX or TTSX in 6.5?

[BigJimmyRustler]

The deer was broad side at 60 yds.

They were both shot at 140 yds

...

The two deer my daughters shot this weekend weighed 200 and 225 lbs. They were both shot at 140 yds straight through the middle of the shoulder as can be seen in the picture of the 10 pt which is the EXIT hole. Both bullets performed the exact same way, dead deer that ran about 25-40 yds without a blood trail. The other 6-8 deer we have shot with them have performed basically identical. For a bullet to not perform in those scenarios is not a good hunting bullet which is why I posed the question of what others have used that has performed well. I will be going to a tried and true core-loct or a ballistic tip. They did not seem to stock much selection previously which is why we have been using these.

Just to clarify, the deer in the pics in the OP are 200 and 225?
Sounds like you know what you want already, I just wouldn't expect them to shoot as well on paper as the ELD-X.
I don't shoot 6.5's myself but do use the ELD-X and have had great results personally. Obviously, different calibers aren't apples-to-apples.

If all you're wanting is a big exit hole just bring more gun, a 7mag with Nosler Parts work great for that lol.

[deep n the heat]

...



Just to clarify, the deer in the pics in the OP are 200 and 225?
Sounds like you know what you want already, I just wouldn't expect them to shoot as well on paper as the ELD-X.
I don't shoot 6.5's myself but do use the ELD-X and have had great results personally. Obviously, different calibers aren't apples-to-apples.

If all you're wanting is a big exit hole just bring more gun, a 7mag with Nosler Parts work great for that lol.

The deer with the big wound was a deer last year and that was the entrance hole from the shot the first day she shot it. He came back the next day barely hurting and she killed him the second time. It was a hill country deer.

They killed the other deer and one more that weighed 200 and 225 last weekend where the small hole in his shoulder is the exit.

[geezer56]

I don't like the ELD-X. I hunt with a Creedmoor, I have found that they either dropped like a rock or run like a turkey. Try the Hornady full boar ammo with the solid copper bullet. That stuff is fantastic.

[TxAg]

Half the guys are saying the bullet is too tough for a whitetail. Half the guys are saying it's too fragile and blowing up.

So which is it?

[BigJimmyRustler]

Half the guys are saying the bullet is too tough for a whitetail. Half the guys are saying it's too fragile and blowing up.

So which is it?

Yes, No, & maybe and all of the above lol.

It's probably not that it's too tough or not.

If a bullet zips through without expansion it creates narrow temporary and permanent wound cavities or it hits something hard (like bone) and the bullet fragments to pieces.
Both of these scenarios result in a less than desirable blood trail for tracking purposes.

Both of those scenarios among other things can be caused by a bullet moving too fast and/or not being presented with enough resistance to make it mushroom.

There's lots of variables involved into whether given bullet will expand, expansion shape, expansion amount, and how it flies. Including material makeup, construction, velocity@impact, density of matter@impact, among other things.

[lordvader]

Hornady interlocks, Winchester power points, and one with a federal blue box special. calibers used were/are 243, 270, 30 06. IMO, premium bullets are a waste of money, for deer hunting. Most of the deer we've killed have dropped on the spot, the ones that didn't, traveled no more than 30 to 40 yards. The 30 06 and the 243 have been our biggest killers. The one kill was with a 270 using Federal 130's. Doe dropped on the spot. Shot placement is key to a good kill. As I said, I don't use premium bullets, and I still kill deer. Good luck and good hunting.

[BigJimmyRustler]

Hornady interlocks, Winchester power points, and one with a federal blue box special. calibers used were/are 243, 270, 30 06. IMO, premium bullets are a waste of money, for deer hunting. Most of the deer we've killed have dropped on the spot, the ones that didn't, traveled no more than 30 to 40 yards. The 30 06 and the 243 have been our biggest killers. The one kill was with a 270 using Federal 130's. Doe dropped on the spot. Shot placement is key to a good kill. As I said, I don't use premium bullets, and I still kill deer. Good luck and good hunting.

Shot anything from 450 yards with a .243 with Winchester power points?
We could sit in a box blind over a corn feeder 50 yards away and shoot deer with a open sight 30-30. Does that make your above gear a waste of money?
Point is not every hunting situation is the same.

[double bogey]

O.P. Are you handloading for the girls? Any chance you are downloading a bit for them? Looking at the Hornady literature it looks like the designed a tipped interlock.
Seems like the no expansion would be driven kinda slow, and the exploding bullets that don't exit are driven very fast.
I have not used this bullet, but I have killed a lot of deer with interlock bullets in .243, .270, 7mm mag, and 300 win mag. Never had an interlock stay in a deer in these calibers. The only deer I have had run any distance was with the .300 winmag, so go figure that. With all of these I have used bullets on the lighter end of the spectrum, except .243 which was 100 gr. 130 gr .270, 139 gr 7 mag, and 150 gr .300 mag.

I bet if you back down to the 125 gr range with these bullets in the 6.5, you will get different results from pushing the bullet faster.
Good luck

[deep n the heat]

O.P. Are you handloading for the girls? Any chance you are downloading a bit for them? Looking at the Hornady literature it looks like the designed a tipped interlock.
Seems like the no expansion would be driven kinda slow, and the exploding bullets that don't exit are driven very fast.
I have not used this bullet, but I have killed a lot of deer with interlock bullets in .243, .270, 7mm mag, and 300 win mag. Never had an interlock stay in a deer in these calibers. The only deer I have had run any distance was with the .300 winmag, so go figure that. With all of these I have used bullets on the lighter end of the spectrum, except .243 which was 100 gr. 130 gr .270, 139 gr 7 mag, and 150 gr .300 mag.

I bet if you back down to the 125 gr range with these bullets in the 6.5, you will get different results from pushing the bullet faster.
Good luck

These are the factory black box Hornady. I believe the box says they are around 2950fps.

[BJ DUPLECHAIN]

Well, this makes me a little uneasy. My son shoots a 7mm08 and the 150gr ELD-X shoot really well out of it. Hmmmm....

[TxAg]

These are the factory black box Hornady. I believe the box says they are around 2950fps.

The Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor eld-x 143 gr are listed at 2700 fps mv

[meltingfeather]

Had great success with them.

Pass through is a trade off for internal damage... and I strongly prefer the latter.