Ammunition companies have been trying for decades to build a better bullet, especially the tipped variety. There are plenty of options on shelves, and for most hunters there’s no reason to upgrade. But wait. What about those seeking perfection and wanting to push the envelope to 600 yards or beyond? That’s the trend today.
Hornady's Precision Hunter line was already due to expand in 2017, with the addition of .270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, .280 Remington, .300 Winchester Short Magnum and .300 Weatherby Magnum. But, thanks to the skyrocketing interest in 6mm Creedmoor, the folks from Grand Island, Neb., are adding it to the line, too.
Most modern bullets use polymer tips, but polymer melts at 320-345 degrees Fahrenheit, while bullets can reach temperatures greater than 800 degrees during flight. To counter this, Hornady created the ELD-X hunting bullet with its Heat Shield Tip, which sports a melting point above 700 degrees and degrades far less, making for a more accurate bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient. The company then loaded it in its Hornady Precision Hunter ammo line.