Hornady 125gr ECX bullets in .308... any experience?

[ShootyBang]

My normal lead-free hunting "war round" is a Barnes 130gr TTSX, which has produced very reliable terminal performance and very good accuracy for me in my .308 (previously a Steyr Scout, and now a Bergara BA-13). Looking at Dauntsey Guns out of curiosity, I notice they are stocking these new(ish?) Hornady ECX bullets, in 125gr. They are semi-flat nose and flat-based, with rubbish Ballistic Coefficients (0.181 (G1)), but for <200m hunting will probably produce VERY good accuracy.

Has anyone tried them out on the range, or on game?

 

[Acm]

My normal lead-free hunting "war round" is a Barnes 130gr TTSX, which has produced very reliable terminal performance and very good accuracy for me in my .308 (previously a Steyr Scout, and now a Bergara BA-13). Looking at Dauntsey Guns out of curiosity, I notice they are stocking these new(ish?) Hornady ECX bullets, in 125gr. They are semi-flat nose and flat-based, with rubbish Ballistic Coefficients (0.181 (G1)), but for <200m hunting will probably produce VERY good accuracy.

Has anyone tried them out on the range, or on game?

View attachment 310207

Yes, I have 120 loaded up for use in my .30-06, they are very accurate and have given me excellent terminal performance on fallow and roe. My furthest shot is 270m on a fallow buck which ran about 10m.

 

[Acm]

I’ve wound them up to just over 3000fps, here’s an expanded bullet retrieved from water at 100m

 

[ShootyBang]

I’ve wound them up to just over 3000fps, here’s an expanded bullet retrieved from water at 100m

Nice. What load are you using? Anything with Viht powders?

 

[Acm]

Nice. What load are you using? Anything with Viht powders?

61grns of n160, sako case, cci primers, looking at Vihtavuori data, which always seems to be quite cautious anyway, you shouldn’t have a hard time matching me for speed with the .308. I didn’t push the speed with the 06.

 

[ShootyBang]

Cool, I have N140 and N135, and will try with those I reckon. Thanks!

 

[25 Sharps]

61grns of n160, sako case, cci primers, looking at Vihtavuori data, which always seems to be quite cautious anyway, you shouldn’t have a hard time matching me for speed with the .308. I didn’t push the speed with the 06.

Cool, I have N140 and N135, and will try with those I reckon. Thanks!

N140 will be great for that application so I’d start there

 

[Bowland blades]

150 yard plus impacts from the 223 50 grain ECX

 

[Bowland blades]

sorry came over a bit blurey here is some 100 and 120 grain TTSX from the 260 . from close up to around 400 mixed species . these still expand at 400 , often the bullet punches a hole in the opposite side with the pressure wave but you find the bullet just back from it or litrally it falls out the other side . Look for a skid mark otherwise and you will pick them up at the end of a short tunnel . hopefully this is clearer in the picture

 

[ShootyBang]

sorry came over a bit blurey here is some 100 and 120 grain TTSX from the 260 . from close up to around 400 mixed species . these still expand at 400 , often the bullet punches a hole in the opposite side with the pressure wave but you find the bullet just back from it or litrally it falls out the other side . Look for a skid mark otherwise and you will pick them up at the end of a short tunnel . hopefully this is clearer in the picture

So my take-home from these pics is that terminal effects from the ECX are broadly similar to TTSX?

 

[Bowland blades]

So my take-home from these pics is that terminal effects from the ECX are broadly similar to TTSX?

That is what i have found but we are comparing 52 grain from a 223 and 100 / 120 grain from a .260 rem . I really like TTSX and have killed a fair head of beasts with them now , ECX just getting started but they seem pretty much carbon copies . Hornady aint beginners at making bullets and i am pretty sure their guys studies the TTSX very closely.
I am not into these bullets that break up , i honestly think its a mistake that's been sold as a benefit . I have killed a lot of deer with lead of course like many but i find i am just not using up the lead i have now .

 

[w0rks2much]

My normal lead-free hunting "war round" is a Barnes 130gr TTSX, which has produced very reliable terminal performance and very good accuracy for me in my .308 (previously a Steyr Scout, and now a Bergara BA-13). Looking at Dauntsey Guns out of curiosity, I notice they are stocking these new(ish?) Hornady ECX bullets, in 125gr. They are semi-flat nose and flat-based, with rubbish Ballistic Coefficients (0.181 (G1)), but for <200m hunting will probably produce VERY good accuracy.

Has anyone tried them out on the range, or on game?

View attachment 310207

Afternoon,

Yes, I used these (factory loads) in Scotland on the Arran scheme.

Very good group at 100 yards - clover leaf.

I shot a Red spiker, 168 yard heart shot. It stumbled 8 feet and dropped.

Tikka T3 .308 off sticks.

Cant ask for more than that.

Hope it helps.

Jeff.

 

[Border]

Have you considered the Fox 130 classic hunter? Also well proven by the FC.
@Edinburgh Rifles

 

[ShootyBang]

Yeah a lot of guys in my syndicate use the Fox 130gr. A bit more dear, aren't they?

Have you considered the Fox 130 classic hunter? Also well proven by the FC.
@Edinburgh Rifles

 

[Martes]

I’ve taken red, fallow and roe with these and rate them. Chronographed at 941m/s for factory load out of a 20” tikka barrel. Cloverleaf at 100m. Drop was noticeable due to the poor BC, but nothing that you can’t work around and have shot out to 200ish successfully. Generally bang and flop, or a very short stagger. Meat damage was also generally low and blood trails good. In comparison with TTSX 130s, they kill as well, slightly less carcass damage, but noticeably more drop.

 

[Selous]

N140 will be great for that application so I’d start there

N135 will be better! n140 is a touch slow for light bullets and you end up with quite a compressed load. Using a long drop tube helps get enough powder in the case but there are limits

 

[25 Sharps]

N135 will be better! n140 is a touch slow for light bullets and you end up with quite a compressed load. Using a long drop tube helps get enough powder in the case but there are limits

According to the data N140 max load gives an additional 120 fps over n135 at max load which doesn’t look particularly compressed?

But I’m aware real life doesn’t always read the books and N135 may be better in a shorter barrel due to the faster burn rate.

 

[Selous]

I can assure you that getting 3000fps from a 308 using N140 , albeit with a 130g TTSX requires a heavily compressed load significantly above maximum Vihtavuori load data . The case volume is the limiting factor. The lighter 125 grain bullet will only magnify this issue although the absence of a boat tail may counteract this to some extent. I have tested this in perhaps half a dozen 308 win rifles

 

[25 Sharps]

I can assure you that getting 3000fps from a 308 using N140 , albeit with a 130g TTSX requires a heavily compressed load significantly above maximum Vihtavuori load data . The case volume is the limiting factor. The lighter 125 grain bullet will only magnify this issue although the absence of a boat tail may counteract this to some extent. I have tested this in perhaps half a dozen 308 win rifles

Ok. Maybe you should take it up with Viht as it’s their data I am referring to, data specifically for the bullet the OP asked about, which indicates N140 is the better powder out of the 2.

46.5 grains with a sierra 2155 is not heavily compressed, maybe the ecx is shorter than the barnes.

But, as I say, if viht have misunderstood the internal volume of a .308 case then I may be wrong!

 

[Selous]

Ok. Maybe you should take it up with Viht as it’s their data I am referring to, data specifically for the bullet the OP asked about, which indicates N140 is the better powder out of the 2.

46.5 grains with a sierra 2155 is not heavily compressed, maybe the ecx is shorter than the barnes.

But, as I say, if viht have misunderstood the internal volume of a .308 case then I may be wrong!

Here you go some real life data from a 20 inch 308 barrel all with the 130 gr TTSX. This barrel is quite fast as they go. I’ll take a picture of a case with a full dose of N140 in it later. These were Norma cases but Lapua cases aren’t much different.