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  1. #1
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    Default .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Good day,

    I am looking for some people with experience using Hornady's 178Gr ELD-X .30cal bullets in a .308? Could someone perhaps provide me some of their experiences using this bullet?
    For shooting anything from Impala up to Eland

    Regards

  2. #2
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    I was not impressed with the 200gr ELD-X in two .300 Weatherby rifles. Below is a link to our blog, with description of bullet performance and photos of recovered bullets. Because of the lower impact velocities of the 178gr bullets from a .308 they may perform better but there are much better bullets available for hunting.

    https://bigwatersafaris.com/blog/2019/01/22/hornady-eld-x/

  3. #3
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Quote Originally Posted by TStone View Post
    I was not impressed with the 200gr ELD-X in two .300 Weatherby rifles. Below is a link to our blog, with description of bullet performance and photos of recovered bullets. Because of the lower impact velocities of the 178gr bullets from a .308 they may perform better but there are much better bullets available for hunting.

    https://bigwatersafaris.com/blog/2019/01/22/hornady-eld-x/
    I am working up a load on quick loads, so far my recipe looks like this:
    42Gr Hodgdon Varget powder.
    178Gr ELD-X Bullet
    2515fps from a 20" 1/10 twist barrel.

    What other bullets would you recommend?
    Keep in mind I plan to use these for target shooting as well. I really want to use one bullet for most of the applications as far as practically possible.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Quote Originally Posted by Cbotha15 View Post
    I am working up a load on quick loads, so far my recipe looks like this:
    42Gr Hodgdon Varget powder.
    178Gr ELD-X Bullet
    2515fps from a 20" 1/10 twist barrel.

    What other bullets would you recommend?
    Keep in mind I plan to use these for target shooting as well. I really want to use one bullet for most of the applications as far as practically possible.
    I have used target bullets for hunting and they, mostly, worked but I had some spectacular failures. While Hornady market the ELD-X as a hunting bullet they do not in my experience behave like hunting bullets. In fact they act almost exactly like the old A-max bullets which make really good longer range hunting bullets but can let you down on closer shots on the larger antelope. If you stick to small to medium antelope (up to red hartebeest) and can live with the meat damage then the ELD-X bullets will work.

    However, as you plan to hunt game up to eland, use a target bullet for target shooting and a hunting bullet for hunting. Loosing one large animal because a target bullet broke up on bone and failed to reach the animals vitals will set you back a lot more than developing loads with two bullets. Using Nosler's Ballistic tips for targets and their Accubonds for hunting make this even easier.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    What about Hornady SST 180Gr for both hunting and target shooting?

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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Quote Originally Posted by Cbotha15 View Post
    What about Hornady SST 180Gr for both hunting and target shooting?
    I have found the SST's to be too fragile for use on the larger antelope, it is basically an Interlock with a huge hollow point. I have had two disintegrate on frontal angled shots on blesbuck (154gr from a 7x57) and have seen two more do the same from a 7x57 AI. I can not think of a single lead cored bullet without a bonded core or a partition that I can recommend for use on an eland.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Okay so Eland would not be an animal that I would hunt very often, so maybe leave that out of consideration? When I do eventually go on a Eland hunt I go just go and buy a box of premium hunting ammo specific for that one hunt?

  8. #8
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    That will work. Use premium ammunition for eland, blue wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, gemsbok and kudu bulls and the ELD-X bullets for targets and hunting game up to red hartebeest/black wildebeest size. If you can live with the meat damage, which at .308 velocities should not be too bad anyway.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Always fascinated by TStone's experience! "No, don't use that, have shot XYZ with it and it did ABC!"...

  10. #10
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    Default Re: .30cal 178Gr Hornady ELD-X

    Quote Originally Posted by pblaauw View Post
    Always fascinated by TStone's experience! "No, don't use that, have shot XYZ with it and it did ABC!"...
    That is why I am here asking the people who know what they are talking about. You can save a lot of time, money and effort by learning from others who have done it way longer that I have.

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