any hornafy ELD-X results

[MinnesotaHunter]

I don't think the bonded the core because they wanted 2 stage expansion. If you look there is a lip halfway down to limit expansion and gain some weight retention. Not to nearly the extent of a Nosler partition where there are basically 2 cup and core sections, but there is a mechanical limit involved. To a certain extent "bonded" is a marketing term because bonded bullets can be made with plating, soldering or welding so just because a bullet is "bonded" it could mean a variety of manufacturing processes are used. Its like complaining something is put together with screws and not welded, but there are a lot of other design elements to consider too.

If you read Hornady's website, that ring you referred to is called their Interlock ring, which is used on their Interlock and SST bullets. It's purpose is not to control expansion, but to prevent the core from separating from the jacket. The same concept is used in Remington Cor-lokts.

My understanding is that "Bonded" is not actually a marketing term, but I am sure their is some variance between companies.
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ammo/bonded-vs-non-bonded-bullets/

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

Whether you consider retaining half the weight of the bullet with a band of stronger material holding the bullet together or limiting expansion is a matter of semantics.

I don't think Hornady ever intended the ELD-X to be more than a CXP2 bullet explicitly, but that fact that the ELD-X loads have very good sectional density means in the appropriate caliber they are certainly capable of CXP3 game in the same way that a Cor-Lokt isn't bonded but is considered adequate as a CXP3 round. What you see with the stouter bullet designs is almost all of them use a lot more copper than lead regardless of being bonded. Copper has a higher yield strength and modulus of elasticity than lead. The fact that Hornady offers only one "bonded bullet" and federal has quite a few tells me that a lot of it comes down to the manufacting equipment and trade secrets/intellectual property of the company or their design and financial philosophies.

If you start looking around at the accubond long range which is bonded it's reviews are nowhere as good as the normal accubonds. That is really the only bullet I'm aware of that really competes with weight and comparable BC to the ELD-X. Barnes has their high BC copper solid in the LRX bullet that clearly has controlled expansion and weight retition over the accubond LR and ELD-X but trails the BC by over 20% so it's really hard to compare as being in the same class.

Every equipment choice is going to have a level of give and take, but jumping to the conclusion of "it's a gimmick snake oil!" without understanding the underlying design points and materials just being ill informed.

 

[mtmuley]

I didn't jump to any conclusions. I think Hornady is playing on a level of doubt they placed in the minds of hunters and shooters by their "testing." I haven't seen any evidence of drastically increased accuracy at ultra-long ranges just by using the new ELDX. If it is happeneing, I'm sure it would be passed on. The ELDX is probably a great bullet. Until they start killing stuff, that part of the bullets performance isn't proven. I'm usually all over new bullet tech. Somehow the ELDX just doesn't show any advantage over what I already load. mtmuley

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

The ELD-X to me is an incremental BC and sectional density gain over the Amax design with better construction than the Amax. I'm also wondering if the QC issues with the Amax loads that cropped up during the last panic drove a new bullet design or tooling. The number #1 goal of that bullet is to have the best BC and hold cost down in the 30-40 cent range per bullet. Really good BC means using a lot of lead because it's denser than copper (about 20%) at the cost of being 10x easier to bend and 35 times lower ultimate yield strength than copper (70ksi vs 2 Ksi). If you start looking at BC's of 7mm bullets you can find any design that will get a G1 BC of .450 all day long, but you have to dig pretty deep to get up above .600 like most of the ELD-X bullets. It's definitely a design of give and take when you are maximizing one variable.

Does most of this matter to hunters? not really I guess with the exception of the LR Hunter guys. I'm not a long range hunter by design, but I have killed animals on first round hits out to 450 yards and I certainly do geek out about my gear. The high BC bullets are straight up magic on steel past 400 yards. This issue I was seeing is people not understanding why the ELD-X matters as a bullet rather than lumping it in with a crop of mediocre offerings that make up Hornady.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I certainly wouldn't argue the bullet's ballistic performance or accuracy. Like Mtmuley said, how it performs on big elk bones remains to be seen. Especially if it is still cooking along at 2500+.

 

[tom338]

I hope they shoot, my hunting partner bought a new Tikka T3x and its the only load (162 grain) it will shoot. We are going on 2 different mule deer hunts this fall so hope to get some info on performance then. It's a 7mm Rem Mag, muzzle velocity is right at 2900 ft/sec

 

[sbhooper]

They will work as good as any bullet on deer. Most people do not shoot far enough to take advantage of the supposed BC advantage. Out to 500 yards, it is splitting hairs comparing it to any other average bullet. Past there, then you will gain a little maybe.

The ELD-X is not an amax. It is supposedly built like the Interlock, but with the superman tip and a different contour to help the BC. It is not and never will be any more of a magic bullet than any other one. It will be good as long as it is used for its intended purpose.

I will stay with the standard Interlocks, Partitions, and Accubonds.

 

[Okbow87]

Tip melt or deformation is a real thing. David Tubb was all set to release a polymer tipped high bc 6mm bullet to replace his 115 dtac about 8 years ago and dropped the project just before release. They found the degradation in bc by testing over either Doppler or high end chrono's at distance. They determined either the tips were melting, deforming, or actually coming out of the bullet. No way to really tell.

 

[Muleyfanatic]

Accuracy is showing promise. Still have to do some more validation of the load.
740 yards last night. If load holds true I will hopefully be able to give some opinions of on game performance. 7mm rem 162 ELD X

 

[ccc23454]

That's nice! I have only verified mine to 300 but still holding .5moa so think it will work. Really curious how they hold up on actual animals.

C

 

[300stw]

can they work worse than a accubond? i really doubt it, i have shot a lot of game with a 160 accubond, i am also starting to test the 162 eldx in my 7mag, 7828 ssc, 3118 fps ave over 20 shots with a sd of 12, havent really settled down to shoot groups yet,,,,,

 

[noharleyyet]

Accuracy is showing promise. Still have to do some more validation of the load.
740 yards last night. If load holds true I will hopefully be able to give some opinions of on game performance. 7mm rem 162 ELD X

Dam-fine marksmanship.

 

[Muleyfanatic]

Thanks noharley.
I wanna shoot this load some more at other ranges to verify everything but I gotta get some of the field mowed to set up the target. The furthest I can get on our farm is 980 but at the neighbors I can get 1200 once he gets his second cutting off. I also need to shoot some at around 400 yards.
300stw
I have had excellent performance out of the 160 accubond on stuff 400 yards and closer. I have never shot anything with them beyond this range as they did not perform accurate enough out of my guns at further ranges.
If the hornadys perform like Accubonds do on game at 400 and closer from my experience I will be more than happy.

I like to shoot far but prefer to take game at closer ranges. I do like to have the option of the extended ranges though. I must admit that I am somewhat of gear junky and always like to tryout the latest and greatest to a fault sometimes.
Proof of the bullets performance will not come until after a couple hunting season and some of the Hype fades and guys egos let them speak truthfully of wether it is performing as expected.