143 eldx 6.5 not pleased

[Big Red 82]

Same problem here for me. I shot a doe same ammo. She ran off no blood we looked and looked circle walked covered 4 or 500 yards. 2 days. And the next weekend buzzards showed us where she was. I didn’t get the heart she was lung shot prolly 1000 yards from where I shot her. No more eldx for me. I do love my 6.5 though.

[Fordnandez]

I know I am going to get flamed for this but I have gone back to Core Lokt's for when I am shooting deer. All the ammo that I have tried several different brands, types and grains of ammo but I have never gotten a consistent exit wound that left a good blood trail. I will say that damage has been out of this world with the ELDX, SST, etc. and the animal did not go far but if I made less than stellar shot then I think I would have been SOL.

[PROD49]

While I love the way it shoots in my gun I haven't had the best of luck with getting good pass through on my 7MM on Elk, 6.5, or .270 on Axis. It doesn't seem to do the same internal damage as non ballistic tip bullets...IN MY EXPERIENCE. That said I have moved my wife and kids back to Remington Core Lokt with better results

[Chad C]

For hunting... https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010514260 Load them up and kill some critters!

[skelsey]

Can’t go wrong with core lokts! soft point for pass thru and blood!

[Dale Moser]

Because everyone wants the heart shot. We have become so custom to having sub-moa or sub-half moa rifles thats what we want in our hunting ammo. Because how confident does it make people feel when they are printing clover leafs at 100 yards the week before they go hunt. Hornady has done a great job designing the accuracy of this ammo, but it just doesn't suit our purpose here in Texas 90% of the time.





The ELDX shoots lights out for my rifle, but after going through 2 deer and only finding shrapnel I won't be using them again.

I understand, but that’s why we don’t use target bullets for hunting.


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[DirtyDave]

I understand, but that’s why we don’t use target bullets for hunting.


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I've only ever used Hornady A-Max 105gr in my 6mm. Kills the heck out of deer and hogs. Always get an exit wound and plenty of damage

[freerhunter16]

We have shot the 140gr. Federal Fusion with fantastic results. Good exit wounds on everything we have shot.

[double bogey]

Any soft point non premium bullet will work fine for deer. If I was getting pass throughs with no blood trail I would switch bullets. Sounds like it isn't being driven fast enough to expand in the deer. Backed up by reports here of excellent performance in the faster rounds.
Core lokt, interlock, game king, or ballistic tip are all you need. Not varmint or target. Don't even need partitions, though nobody can argue with their performance. Don't need to spend $1.00 each for raw bullets.

[TxLonghorn]

The 143 imo was designed for 26 nosler and other hotter 6.5. The creed just doesn’t get the velocity up. Most people with creeds have moved to 130-140 eld m for thinner jackets and better expansion.

I used a 143 for some deer and hogs was not impressed.

[BigJimmyRustler]

At 60 yards with a 24-26" barrel the ELD-X is moving too fast still. I know they state they'll expand at close ranges but that's just too close to get the bullet to open up like we want on Texas whitetails.

The 6.5 at its base is an efficient & hot load when compared to a lot of other common rounds (.308, 30-06) and taking point blank range shots on soft game its just zipping right through them or it's hitting hard areas (ie. shoulders) and not holding together and fragmenting all to hell. Hence why others that are shooting heavier/thicker game are seeing better trails & results.

If you back the shots up even 50-100 yards I'd be willing the bet your trails would be better. If you only plan on taking shots that short a soft point ammo is just the ticket as others have stated as being pinpoint accurate isn't that necessary at those ranges.

Theres not one load/bullet type thats perfect for every scenario. Some excel in some areas and ranges much more than others and you have to decide whats most important and select based upon those parameters.
Side Note: I'm still trying to get my step-dad to understand this and he's killed about 4,000 deer in his life lol.

[Randy]

I’ve had the exact opposite issue shooting the 143 eld-x out of a 6.5

[JLC77]

I have had really good results from the eldx 143. Just my experience

[jstamps50]

Here are my thoughts on the ELDX and from my experience. I had heard great things about them. So my dad and I both used them. His in 6.5cm mine in 308. We both shot deer last year. Mine at 120 yards his at 20 yards. Neither of us had exits. Both deer dropped in tracks. I have shot multiple pigs and big pigs 200+lb ones that they have dropped in their tracks. But never any blood that would’ve been trackable.

These bullets hit HARD. But you better hope that the animal does not run or you are in trouble.

These were initially designed for long range hunting 150yards plus from a hornady rep I met.


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You're exactly right. I've had the same experiences. They're not designed for close Texas white tail

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[deep n the heat]

At 60 yards with a 24-26" barrel the ELD-X is moving too fast still. I know they state they'll expand at close ranges but that's just too close to get the bullet to open up like we want on Texas whitetails.

The 6.5 at its base is an efficient & hot load when compared to a lot of other common rounds (.308, 30-06) and taking point blank range shots on soft game its just zipping right through them or it's hitting hard areas (ie. shoulders) and not holding together and fragmenting all to hell. Hence why others that are shooting heavier/thicker game are seeing better trails & results.

If you back the shots up even 50-100 yards I'd be willing the bet your trails would be better. If you only plan on taking shots that short a soft point ammo is just the ticket as others have stated as being pinpoint accurate isn't that necessary at those ranges.

Theres not one load/bullet type thats perfect for every scenario. Some excel in some areas and ranges much more than others and you have to decide whats most important and select based upon those parameters.
Side Note: I'm still trying to get my step-dad to understand this and he's killed about 4,000 deer in his life lol.

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.