Description

Why This Load Exists

Match accuracy answers where the bullet goes.
Hunting ammunition must also answer what happens next.

Hornady Precision Hunter with the 143gr ELD-X was developed specifically to bridge that gap—maintaining predictable external ballistics while delivering reliable terminal performance across real-world hunting distances.

This is not a match load adapted for hunting.
It is a hunting load engineered with match-level discipline.

The ELD-X Bullet — Designed for Ethical Distance

The ELD-X (Extremely Low Drag – eXpanding) bullet is built to:

• expand reliably at both high and low impact velocities

• retain mass for penetration through bone and tissue

• maintain aerodynamic stability beyond traditional hunting distances

Unlike pure match bullets, ELD-X is tuned to expand, not fragment, preserving a balance between trauma and penetration that defines ethical harvest.

Velocity Window Matters

The 143gr ELD-X operates within a broad velocity window, making it well-suited for:

• modern 22–24″ 6.5 Creedmoor barrels

• mountain hunting where distance and angle vary

• real-world conditions where impact velocity is not uniform

This load exists to perform after the shot—when variables multiply.

How This Load Is Used in the Gold Country System

This ammunition is positioned as:

• the primary hunting reference load for 6.5 Creedmoor

• a contrast to ELD-Match behavior at impact

• a teaching tool for ethical distance discussions

It is used alongside match ammunition to demonstrate why accuracy alone is not the sole metric in hunting applications.

What This Load Will—and Will Not—Do

This load will:

• deliver consistent expansion across a wide distance range

• maintain accuracy comparable to many match loads

• provide predictable penetration and wound channels

• support ethical shot placement decisions

It will not:

• behave like a match bullet at impact

• replace bullet-specific hunting judgment

• eliminate the need to understand distance and velocity

Its purpose is responsible performance, not paper scores.

Referenced In:

• Shooter’s Edge Magazine — Issue No. 1
  Terminal Performance — Ethical Distance

Related Chapters & Technical Notes:

• CHAPTER 5 — Factory Loads Landscape

• Chapter 9 — Cartridge Family & Variants

• TN-11 — Factory Ammo Consistency Studies (6.5 Creedmoor)

• TN-08 — Velocity Window Optimization

• TN-10 — Terminal Ballistics & Expansion Behavior

Specifications

• Brand: Hornady
• Manufacturer: Hornady
• Manufacturer Part #: 81499
• UPC: 90255814996
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Bullet: ELD-X
• Bullet Name: Precision Hunter
• Grain Weight: 143 gr
• Rounds Per Box: 20
• Case Quantity: 10 boxes (200 rounds)
• Condition: New
• Product Type: Rifle Ammunition
• Intended Use: Hunting / Ethical Terminal Performance