Anybody have any firsthand experience using Hornady's hunting bullets, in terms of group size out to 400 yards and killing performance?  I am starting to handload for a .270 Wby Mag using 140-150 gr. bullets over RL-22 powder.  Goal = Dall Sheep in Alaska.  I am looking at the SST, ELD-X, and Interbond.  In perusing Hornady's website, the differences between bullet designs are not readily apparent.  For example, comparing ELD-X to SST:

1.  both bullets are copper jacket surrounding a lead core.
2.  Only the SST has a cannelure.
3.  both bullets are boat tail.
4.  both bullets have polymer tips (the ELD-X uses acetelin resin, supposedly more tolerant to heat and less prone to heat damage/deformation).


I ask, because the SST is available in 150-gr. and has a slightly higher G1 BC (0.525) vs. the 145-gr. ELD-X G1 BC (0.486).

In short, comparing all 3 bullets, think these are the real key differences:

1.  Only the Interbond uses "bonding" between lead and copper jacket, for 90%+ weight retention.  Copper jacket is also heavier ("thick, tough jacket").
2.  "The SST® [Super Shock Tip] creates a devastatingly large wound channel."
3.  "The ELD-X® (Extremely Low Drag - eXpanding) bullet is a technologically advanced, match accurate, ALL-RANGE hunting bullet featuring highest-in-class ballistic coefficients and consistent, controlled expansion at ALL practical hunting distances."

It appears Hornady ballisticians only applied Doppler radar at long range (600 yds.) to verify G7 BC on one of these bullets, the ELD-X.

ELD-X :   https://www.hornady.com/bullets/eld-x#!/  
SST :  https://www.hornady.com/bullets/sst-(super-shock-tip)#!/

Thoughts?  - CS

SST tips melt at high velocity (air friction). You're going after Dall Sheep = tough suckers with dense hair. Use the ELD-X. 270WBY is wicked fast.

I have used the 160gr accubond out of a 7mag and it does out perform the ballistic tip. As far as the ELD vs SST I just use them in my grendel and neither pass through hogs over 150 pounds. I had the 123gr SST not pass through an 8pt buck but the 150gr SST out of my  .308 zipped right through the 8pt buck the next year.  I have not tried the 30cal ELD yet. My  .270 doesn't like solid copper bullets at all. It will shoot the 140gr berger hunting bullet really well with the 140gr ballistic tip right on it's heals. But it really liked plain old 130gr partitions. Them and H4831 it will group moa or better as long as you let the light weight barrel cool. Good luck on your upcoming trip.

Isn't the 145 Eld-x rated at a G1 of 0.536 to 0.512 depending on speed?

Don't know how much of a difference that will make with your calculations but it's a little better than what you had listed.

If you've got muzzle velocity, accurate BC's and sufficient accuracy out of your load, the only thing that it really comes down to is terminal performance, because the rest can be (relatively) predictably accounted for.

Hornady' manual #10 has diagrams of bullet expansion in varying descending velocities. SST seems to expand more rapidly and to a nice wide diameter. The ELD-X provides a bit less expansion, but presumably deep penetration. They say outright that the ELDX is designed to expand at all velocities, but I don't know if that's weighed against the ELDM, which they state expressly is not a reliable hunting round.

Never heard anyone say a bad word about ether bullet.

Either bullet will serve, find the most accurate load.

Check out Hodgdon's extreme powders or Reloder 23 instead of RL-22. RL-22 and RL-25 have developed reputations for temperature sensitivity. They have since come out with other, more stable powders.

X2! My 7mm Mag would do crazy velocity swings with RL22.

If you hit them in the heart-lung's, any of these bullets will kill a Dall Sheep just fine. I would go with the one that shoots best in my rifle, inside of 400 yards, the hi-tech temp sensitivity of the tip won't really matter at higher altitudes and cooler temperatures. The SST, like the Sierra GameKing boat tail, is a great deer-sheep-antelope bullet and will drop the Dall quickly and cleanly if you do your part.

I have used SSTs out to 380 yds on whitetail with excellent results.

That said.......

If I was going on a sheep hunt, I would see if a Barnes TTSX, Swift Scirocco, or Nosler Accubond would shoot in my rifle.

Hornady makes a great 'budget' bullet, but not one I would use for a once in a lifetime or expensive hunt.

X2 I have shot some pretty big hog's with them and a hog's griesle plate is a lot tougher than a sheep's or goat's rib cage. Now I have only shot 3 hogs with the new ELD X but it's looking promising.  As I continue to state see what your rifle likes the best my 7mag likes the accubond better than the SST. But I have not tried the ELD X yet in it. My  .270 likes the 140gr berger hunting bullet and I would not feel a bit handicapped with that combination.

I don't care for Hornady bullets for big game hunting. Too many questionable reports from friends, contacts and the internet. My own experience shooting a bear with an AMAX at short range ended poorly and follow up shots were required. The Swift Scirocco would be my choice if it shot well in my rifle.

It's what I had. The rounds that did the job were R1M1 ball.

My Hornady ELD hand loads shoot around .7 MOA out of my 300 WM. I don't have any experience with the SST.

I bet either would serve you well, as long as you put the bullet where it needs to go.

Edit: Hoping to take an elk and deer with the ELD-X this year, so we shall see.

Just saying AMAX, SST, ELD-M, or ELD-X means nothing. Each bullet in each caliber and weight has its own unique properties. You can't even generalize by weight. Even velocity makes a difference. A 178 AMAX .30 cal from a 300 Win Mag underpenetrates at close range. A 6.5 Creedmoor 140 grain ELD-M at 2700 FPS will penetrate 15" minimum penetration and have better wound channel than a 168 AMAX .30 from a .308. The .223 73 grain ELD-M underpenetrates. But in general, I have found SST is usually slightly bested in accuracy by ELD-X, which is bested by ELD-M... generally.

Take a look at Cavitybackbullets.com.

Image not found.

Those look really cool. But how do they keep from flaring the base upon firing?  And would that change the ballistic coefficient?

Now my curiosity is running over time.

They don't offer 7mm. Dang it now I'm wanting to pay the RPR off early. Urges are killing me.

Oh Sarcasm  Do you remember the Hornady SX bullet? I grabbed some the other day and fired them through a 1-7 twist. One came apart I guess I need to shoot them up and reload to something different. I had forgot I had them.