Hornady Eld-x 178

[SEMI-AK]

Has anyone shot any 308 eld-x? I normally shoot 178 Amax out of my Remington 700 AAC SD 20" and thinking of a new hunting bullet. I bought a couple boxes of loaded ammo to try but am getting different velocity data from my Google fu of about 2600-2800 fps. My gun seems to like heavies pushed hard and fast the best. I have tried up to 43.3 with 4895 and am not seeing any pressure issues on Amax.
Thoughts? Most of my shooting is sub 800.

I have some 165 noslers that I could load also but want to stay with a similar high bc bullet to my Amax.

 

[Bfish]

I've not shot anything with an eldx, but I have shot it. Performs like an AMAX as far as shooting goes but from what I've seen online the ELDX has been putting stuff down very well and is an effective hunting projectile. I hope I get to shoot a deer with one soon.

If you are wanting something to fly like your AMAX go for it.

 

[avboiler11]

Just use your 178 Amax...it'll kill deer VERY effectively.

 

[RMC]

Hornady says the A-Max should not be used for hunting because they are not designed to penetrate.

Bullets - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

 

[SEMI-AK]

Thanks you all for the responses.

 

[luvall]

I have been doing a lot of reading on this and it is interesting to find hunters love the Amax for deer.

 

[RMC]

I have been doing a lot of reading on this and it is interesting to find hunters love the Amax for deer.

If they group a lot tighter I might see it but there are a ton of very accurate projectiles available. If that recommendation is seen by someone that isn't that precise on accuracy it could really become an issue. Some folks should think a bit before advocating some bullets or calibers for killing game. It's good to help folks on forums and to give sound advice but, I don't see a lot of advice that is given here as being very helpful. I have to wonder why anyone would insist on using A-Max for deer when the manufacturer says not to. I imagine hitting a bone could destroy the shoulder but if the bullet explodes it might not cause enough shock to the vital organs to guarantee a humane kill. How many people can guarantee a shot between the ribs so no bones are hit? Seriously, with the Hornady ELD-X, Nosler Partition and/or AccuBond, Swift Scirocco, etc, why screw around with a questionable bullet for hunting? JMHO and YMMV - Disclaimer for those that get their panties in a knot.

 

[42769vette]

If they group a lot tighter I might see it but there are a ton of very accurate projectiles available. If that recommendation is seen by someone that isn't that precise on accuracy it could really become an issue. Some folks should think a bit before advocating some bullets or calibers for killing game. It's good to help folks on forums and to give sound advice but, I don't see a lot of advice that is given here as being very helpful. I have to wonder why anyone would insist on using A-Max for deer when the manufacturer says not to. I imagine hitting a bone could destroy the shoulder but if the bullet explodes it might not cause enough shock to the vital organs to guarantee a humane kill. How many people can guarantee a shot between the ribs so no bones are hit? Seriously, with the Hornady ELD-X, Nosler Partition and/or AccuBond, Swift Scirocco, etc, why screw around with a questionable bullet for hunting? JMHO and YMMV - Disclaimer for those that get their panties in a knot.

Ive hit, and gone through sholder's on Pronghorn, and Coyote with a 260, and 140gr amax. I have yet to shoot a deer with it, but Im confident I can hit bone with a 168 AMAX, and be just fine.

Was the Amax designed as a hunting bullet? Absolutely not.
If hunting was my only purpose for the rifle would I go AMAX? Absolutely not
Will the Amax do the job? Absolutely.

I dont speak from what I read on the internet, I speak from walking up to dead animals that have been shot with the Amax. Fact of the matter is, I put a lot of faith in the fact that I know my dope with the Amax so well making my shooting more accurate. All these people going to the woods with a 243 this year are going to thing they can shoot 400 yds without thinking about the wind, because they don't think about the wind at 100yds with their 12ga. I dont care if they are shooting the best hunting bullet in the world, if they have less than 200 rounds through it you don't know what the wind will do to it.

In LR match shooting there is an old saying "practice trumps ballistics every time"

In HP rifle deer hunting folks will eventually learn the same thing. I would much rather know my drop and wind calls like the back of my hand, than have better bullet performance. I definitely agree, that there are better preforming bullets on the market for hunting than the amax, so for folks that don't intend to pratice/pratice/pratice I don't recommend them. For folks like me that have thousands of rounds of the same bullet/same rifle/etc practice in, the AMAX will drop a deer with no issues. You do not have the forgiveness with the AMAX you have with something like the TTSX, but not everyone relies of forgiveness. Folks will soon learn the 243/308 in general doesn't have as much forgiveness as the 12 ga anyways.

 

[RMC]

Ive hit, and gone through sholder's on Pronghorn, and Coyote with a 260, and 140gr amax. I have yet to shoot a deer with it, but Im confident I can hit bone with a 168 AMAX, and be just fine.

Was the Amax designed as a hunting bullet? Absolutely not.
If hunting was my only purpose for the rifle would I go AMAX? Absolutely not
Will the Amax do the job? Absolutely.

I dont speak from what I read on the internet, I speak from walking up to dead animals that have been shot with the Amax. Fact of the matter is, I put a lot of faith in the fact that I know my dope with the Amax so well making my shooting more accurate. All these people going to the woods with a 243 this year are going to thing they can shoot 400 yds without thinking about the wind, because they don't think about the wind at 100yds with their 12ga. I dont care if they are shooting the best hunting bullet in the world, if they have less than 200 rounds through it you don't know what the wind will do to it.

In LR match shooting there is an old saying "practice trumps ballistics every time"

In HP rifle deer hunting folks will eventually learn the same thing. I would much rather know my drop and wind calls like the back of my hand, than have better bullet performance. I definitely agree, that there are better preforming bullets on the market for hunting than the amax, so for folks that don't intend to pratice/pratice/pratice I don't recommend them. For folks like me that have thousands of rounds of the same bullet/same rifle/etc practice in, the AMAX will drop a deer with no issues. You do not have the forgiveness with the AMAX you have with something like the TTSX, but not everyone relies of forgiveness. Folks will soon learn the 243/308 in general doesn't have as much forgiveness as the 12 ga anyways.

Presentation is everything. Saying you have taken game with A-Max is a lot different than a blanket endorsement for beginners to stumble across. An explanation like you gave is much more informative and at least provokes a person to do some research. Have I taken things with my 22-250 that many would say I shouldn't have? Maaaaybe. Would I condone it on a forum? Not a chance. Should you use A-Max on deer? Only you can answer that and why. Pronghorn don't have much for a shoulder and the biggest coyote I've taken was only 65 lbs so I would be curious how it would perform on a much larger deer.

I got into the habit of skinning pronghorn as fast as I could so the meat didn't taste like the hide of those smelly goats. I kept a sheet in my pocket to wrap them in with the head still attached so it could be transported legally. Having pronghorn liver and onions was the traditional meal after a day of hunting. I hunted them in the Dakotas, how about you?

 

[42769vette]

Presentation is everything. Saying you have taken game with A-Max is a lot different than a blanket endorsement for beginners to stumble across. An explanation like you gave is much more informative and at least provokes a person to do some research. Have I taken things with my 22-250 that many would say I shouldn't have? Maaaaybe. Would I condone it on a forum? Not a chance. Should you use A-Max on deer? Only you can answer that and why. Pronghorn don't have much for a shoulder and the biggest coyote I've taken was only 65 lbs so I would be curious how it would perform on a much larger deer.

I got into the habit of skinning pronghorn as fast as I could so the meat didn't taste like the hide of those smelly goats. I kept a sheet in my pocket to wrap them in with the head still attached so it could be transported legally. Having pronghorn liver and onions was the traditional meal after a day of hunting. I hunted them in the Dakotas, how about you?

I gave a better explanation in the other thread about 168 AMAX's. As a matter of fact, thats the thread I thought I was posting in until just now.

I hunted pronghorn in Gillette WY a few years ago. I only got the chance to go once, but now that you mention it, its probably about the right time (mabye a couple weeks late). Hell I can be there by this time tomorrow.

Truth betold, my boss is a jerk, and would probably fire me

 

[avboiler11]

Hornady's TAP line of ammuntion for the 308 features Amax bullets in 155 & 168 varities, as well as the 110gr Vmax in TAP Urban for reduced penetration and massive/fast fragmentation.

If they are good enough for law enforcement to use on people and can still penetrate deeply and expand widely after passing through steel, autoglass, sheetrock and plywood...why wouldn't they be MORE than suitable for light-skinned game like a deer?

I recognize that some are more comfortable using a "dedicated hunting bullet", and there is nothing wrong with that...just like there is nothing wrong with saying "Just use an Amax", because the Amax just works. There are thousands of extremely dead deer photos posted on the internet to verify it, because they have plenty of energy and high enough sectional density to penetrate while expanding/fragmenting.

If I hunt with my AAC-SD this year, I'll be using the 168gr Amax @ 2550ish FPS and am not worried in the least about making a clean, ethical, successful high shoulder shot on the biggest of whitetail.

May each work within their comfort zone...

 

[RMC]

I gave a better explanation in the other thread about 168 AMAX's. As a matter of fact, thats the thread I thought I was posting in until just now.

I hunted pronghorn in Gillette WY a few years ago. I only got the chance to go once, but now that you mention it, its probably about the right time (mabye a couple weeks late). Hell I can be there by this time tomorrow.

Truth betold, my boss is a jerk, and would probably fire me

You can pick me up on the way or park in my driveway and I'll drive.