Never Seen Damage Like This - Warning *Graphic*

[dcoryn]

Shot my sheep at 160-180 yards broadside with a 162 grain Hornady ELD-X 7mm. This photo is the entry side, and the bullet entered right above the "elbow joint" right where I was aiming. It exited on the offside high in the rear ribs as the shot angle was pretty steep above us.

I have never seen this kind of carnage before on any animal I've shot with these bullets or the SST's I used to shoot before these. Wondering what could have caused all this damage in this instance. The bullet didn't explode, as we didn't find any fragments while cleaning and we had a defined exit hole about the size of a silver dollar...

Thoughts???

Trying to avoid damage like this in the future...

 

[glass eye]

Did it fall off a cliff ?

 

[406dn]

All I can say is wow. I've had more damage than desired but never that bad. That makes a decent case for one of the mono metal bullets.

 

[dcoryn]

She didn't fall off any cliffs, She went right down after the shot and after a minute she tumbled pretty gently down the hillside 20-30 yards

 

[Lyfter1013]

Wow I’ve never seen anything near that

 

[mdeerjunkie]

My buddy shot an elk with a 30.06 ELDX 165gr. And it completely destroyed most of the front quarter. Although that looks a lot worse.

 

[NoWiser]

Easiest solution.....switch to all copper.

 

[MTHunter1321]

That’s unfortunate. ELD-X are garbage bullets. I’ve been shooting all copper for the last 3 years and wish I would have started shooting them sooner

 

[glass eye]

I think that bullet should be renamed to IED

 

[EastTNHunter]

Front of bullet still may have fragmented, even with a defined exit wound. That’s crazy looking

 

[HandgunHunter]

I’m going to guess you hit the elbow dead center and started expansion.

still crazy tho.....but every animal is different.....and Bullets don’t react the same way on every shot....

 

[thomas89]

Had no idea they made these in 7MM!

That sucks, I had the same thing happen with some garbage Winchester bonded bullets a while ago on antelope. Have gone to all copper since and loved the switch. I don’t even think that would make it to the grind pile.

 

[MThuntr]

Easiest solution.....switch to all copper.

agreed....otherwise shooting further back to a strictly lung shot to avoid shoulder damage

 

[rustednuts]

I agree with BCGunWorks, it seems likely that bone shattered and that tore through the meat.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

That's why I don't use frag grenades for hunting.

I've seen ELDs hit oak brush and look like a shotgun blast when we got the animal broken down. Not exactly the same.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Mirrors my experience, switched back to Nosler AB and PT. Plan on playing with Hammers soon.

 

[huronmtns]

I’m going to guess you hit the elbow dead center and started expansion.

still crazy tho.....but every animal is different.....and Bullets don’t react the same way on every shot....

I think you are spot on with the dead center bone hit. I made a mess like this with a 120 Grain Barnes TTSX out of a 7MM-08. It can happen with mono bullets too.

 

[HandgunHunter]

Last year in a speed goat I took with the 44 magnum I had two exits.....

through the front of the chest that was massive....guessing that was bone

and the typical quarter size strait across the body.

odd things happen

 

[Jwill]

Shame these get marketed as hunting bullets.

 

[.270]

I just started playing with these 162 eldx in my 7 mag, might have to try something else.