Hornady Precision Hunter 338 Lapua Mag 270 gr ELD-X: Redefining Long-Range Hunting Performance

For serious hunters who demand absolute precision, devastating terminal performance, and ethical one-shot kills on medium to large game, the choice of ammunition is paramount. When facing challenging long-range shots or pursuing formidable animals, compromise is not an option. This is where the Hornady Precision Hunter .338 Lapua Magnum 270 grain Extremely Low Drag-eXpanding (ELD-X) ammunition truly distinguishes itself, setting a new benchmark for hunting cartridge excellence.

Are you searching for the best ammunition for your next big game hunt, especially if it involves extended distances? Do you need a cartridge that combines a high ballistic coefficient with reliable expansion across a wide range of impact velocities? The Hornady Precision Hunter line, specifically engineered with the revolutionary ELD-X bullet, provides a definitive answer to these critical questions. This ammunition isn't just about raw power; it's about intelligent design, advanced ballistics, and the assurance of a humane harvest, even when conditions are less than ideal.

The Engineering Marvel: Hornady ELD-X Bullet Technology

At the core of the Hornady Precision Hunter ammunition lies the groundbreaking ELD-X (Extremely Low Drag-eXpanding) bullet. This isn't merely an ordinary hunting projectile; it's a masterclass in modern bullet design, fusing the best attributes of match-grade accuracy with the terminal performance required for ethical hunting.

• The Game-Changing Heat Shield Tip: What makes the ELD-X bullet truly unique and superior? The patented Heat Shield tip. Unlike traditional polymer tips that can melt and deform due to aerodynamic heating during flight, especially over long distances, the Heat Shield tip is crafted from a heat-resistant polymer. This innovative material ensures that the tip maintains its precise, aerodynamic form throughout the bullet's entire trajectory. Why does this matter?
  • Consistent Ballistic Coefficient (BC): By resisting deformation, the Heat Shield tip ensures the bullet's ballistic coefficient remains true, delivering a consistently high-in-class BC. This translates directly to less drag, higher retained velocity, flatter trajectories, and significantly less wind drift downrange. For a hunter, this means more predictable and accurate shot placement, particularly when engaging targets at several hundred yards.
  • Reliable Expansion Initiation: Beyond aerodynamics, the Heat Shield tip plays a crucial role in the bullet's terminal performance. Upon impact, this rigid tip is driven backward into the bullet's core, initiating rapid and controlled expansion. This is a critical design feature that ensures reliable mushrooming, even at the lower impact velocities encountered after long flights.
• Streamlined Secant Ogive and Optimum Boattail Design: The external shape of the ELD-X bullet is a testament to Hornady's dedication to aerodynamic efficiency.
  • Secant Ogive: This design minimizes drag, allowing the bullet to cut through the air with remarkable efficiency. It contributes significantly to the bullet's high BC, reducing velocity decay over distance.
  • Optimal Boattail: The carefully designed boattail further enhances aerodynamic stability and reduces base drag, ensuring a stable flight path and maximizing energy retention. These features combined mean less drop and less wind deflection, making long-range calculations simpler and more reliable for the shooter.
• Advanced Manufacturing Process (AMP) Bullet Jackets: Precision starts with consistent manufacturing. Hornady's AMP (Advanced Manufacturing Process) bullet jackets are renowned for their near-perfect concentricity and virtually zero wall thickness variation.
  • Unmatched Accuracy: This extreme precision in jacket manufacturing ensures that each bullet is incredibly balanced, leading to superior rotational stability in flight. The result is match-grade accuracy, allowing hunters to place their shots with surgical precision, even at extreme distances.
  • Consistency: When every shot counts, knowing that each bullet will perform identically to the last instills unparalleled confidence in the hunter.

Dual-Performance: Adapting to Every Hunting Scenario

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Hornady ELD-X bullet within the Precision Hunter line is its dual-performance capability, specifically engineered to deliver optimal terminal performance across a wide spectrum of impact velocities. This ensures ethical and effective kills whether the game is close or far.

• High-Velocity Impacts (0-400 Yards): When a Hornady Precision Hunter 270 gr ELD-X bullet impacts at high velocity, typical of closer ranges (e.g., 0-400 yards), it behaves in a controlled yet devastating manner.
  • Continuous Expansion: The bullet expands continuously throughout its penetration path, creating a large wound channel.
  • Deep Penetration: The robust construction, including the thick shank of the jacket and Hornady's legendary InterLock ring, ensures deep penetration, reaching vital organs even on large, tough-skinned animals.
  • Excellent Weight Retention: Hunters can expect impressive weight retention, typically around 50-60%. This retained mass contributes directly to deep, reliable penetration and energy transfer within the target.
• Low-Velocity Impacts (400+ Yards): This is where the ELD-X truly shines for long-range hunting. At extended distances, where impact velocities naturally drop, many conventional hunting bullets struggle to expand reliably.
  • Heat Shield Tip Initiation: The Heat Shield tip, driven backward into the bullet upon impact, acts as an expansion initiator, ensuring the bullet mushrooms consistently even at lower velocities.
  • Controlled Expansion & Large Mushroom: The bullet exhibits controlled, yet significant expansion, forming a large, mushroomed profile.
  • Superior Weight Retention: At these lower velocities, the ELD-X maintains an exceptional 85-90% retained weight. This high retained mass, combined with the large mushroom, guarantees deep penetration and massive cavities, leading to rapid and humane incapacitation. This ensures hunters can confidently take shots at extended ranges, knowing their bullet will perform as designed.

The Power of .338 Lapua Magnum: A Caliber for the Elite Hunter

The .338 Lapua Magnum is not just any rifle cartridge; it's a ballistic powerhouse renowned globally for its extreme long-range capabilities and formidable stopping power. When paired with the advanced Hornady ELD-X bullet, it becomes an unparalleled tool for serious hunters.

• Designed for Performance: Originating from military sniper applications, the .338 Lapua Mag was specifically designed to deliver accurate, destructive force over distances exceeding 1,000 yards. This inherent long-range accuracy translates directly to the hunting field.
• Ideal for Large Game: With a muzzle energy of 4699 ft lbs and a muzzle velocity of 2800 fps (for the 270 gr ELD-X), the .338 Lapua Mag generates tremendous kinetic energy. This makes it an ideal choice for hunting some of the toughest and largest game animals across the globe, including moose, elk, bear (brown, grizzly, polar), and various African plains game. Its stopping power ensures quick, ethical kills, minimizing animal suffering.
• Overcoming Environmental Challenges: The heavy 270-grain bullet, propelled by the .338 Lapua Mag, boasts superb sectional density and a high ballistic coefficient. This combination allows it to resist wind drift and maintain velocity exceptionally well, making it a favorite for hunting in open, windy environments or across vast plains where long shots are common.

Why Choose Hornady Precision Hunter 338 Lapua Mag 270 gr ELD-X?

For the hunter who leaves nothing to chance, this ammunition offers distinct advantages:

• Unrivaled Accuracy: Achieve surgical precision thanks to the AMP bullet jackets and the inherently stable design, enabling confidence in shot placement even at extreme distances.
• Ethical Harvesting: The dual-performance ELD-X bullet ensures reliable expansion and deep penetration at both close and extended ranges, leading to humane, one-shot incapacitation.
• Predictable Performance: The Heat Shield tip guarantees a consistent ballistic coefficient, translating to predictable trajectories and less reliance on complex windage and elevation adjustments.
• Maximized Energy Transfer: High weight retention and controlled expansion mean more energy is delivered into the target, maximizing terminal effect.
• Versatility for Big Game: Whether you're hunting elk in the Rockies or plains game in Africa, this cartridge provides the power and precision needed for a successful outcome.
• Trusted Brand: Hornady has a long-standing reputation for innovation, quality, and performance in the ammunition industry, ensuring you're using a product developed with meticulous attention to detail and rigorous testing.

When you're preparing for that once-in-a-lifetime hunt, or if consistent long-range precision is your priority, choosing the right ammunition is a decision that can define success. The Hornady Precision Hunter .338 Lapua Magnum 270 grain ELD-X cartridge provides the technological edge and peace of mind necessary to make every shot count.

Detailed Specifications

Feature	Detail
Brand	Hornady
Model	Precision Hunter
Caliber	338 Lapua Mag
Bullet Type	Extremely Low Drag-eXpanding (ELD-X)
Bullet Weight	270 gr
Rounds Per Box	20
Boxes Per Case	6
Casing Material	Brass
Muzzle Velocity	2800 fps
Muzzle Energy	4699 ft lbs
Game Type	Medium to Large
Application	Hunting
SKU	50524
MPN	82313
UPC	090255823134