Black Hills 308 — 178gr Hornady ELDX Proves the Cartridge Isn't Going Anywhere

The internet has been declaring the 308 Winchester dead for years. Then the 6.5 Creedmoor arrived, shot flatter and drifted less in the wind. Black Hills Ammunition never got the memo. Their Gold 178 grain Hornady ELD-X load makes a strong case that the old cartridge has plenty left in the tank.

The Ammunition

Black Hills is one of the most respected names in ammunition, with a reputation for consistency that runs from commercial hunting loads to work for the military. The Gold line is their premium hunting ammunition, built for performance in the field.

The 178 grain Hornady ELD-X is the heaviest bullet in that lineup for the 308. ELD-X stands for Extremely Low Drag – eXpanding, Hornady’s hunting version of its ELD Match design. The long, high-BC profile reduces wind drift at distance compared with traditional hunting bullets.

The 308 Winchester has been around for more than 70 years. Bullet and powder technology have advanced a great deal in that time, while the cartridge itself has stayed largely the same. This load pairs modern bullet design with a classic case, giving long-range shooters the wind resistance they want and hunters the expanding bullet they need.

The Test

KJ set up the 178 grain ELD-X load on a precision rifle and fired five shots to measure standard deviation. The result was 9.6, cold bore from a cold shooter, and it impressed even him. Consistent velocity from shot to shot is the foundation of consistent point of impact at distance. Five shots is a small sample, but a 9.6 SD from a factory hunting load is a strong start.

Then the crew moved on to small targets at distance: a golf ball, an egg, a rubber ducky and a dum-dum sucker. KJ kept up the commentary (“this dum-dum is going to try to shoot the dum-dums”), but the shooting showed what the ammunition can do. The groups were tight, the hits were there, and the one miss he blamed on his own measurement, not the ammo.

The 308 Isn’t Dead

The case for the 6.5 Creedmoor is real. It offers high-BC bullets in a factory chamber, and it drifts less in the wind at extended range. But the 308 Winchester has plenty going for it too: a huge number of rifles chambered for it, a long track record, and a wide variety of bullet weights.

Pair it with a modern high-BC bullet like the Hornady ELD-X and the 308 stays in the conversation at the distances most hunters and practical shooters actually work. A load that shoots a 9.6 SD with a 178 grain ELD-X is not a cartridge that’s out of the running.

Final Thoughts

Black Hills Gold 308 in 178 grain Hornady ELD-X shows what modern bullet technology can do for a classic cartridge. The consistency was there on the range, and the ELD-X is designed for both wind resistance and expansion on game.

If you’re a 308 shooter who has been told your cartridge is obsolete, this is your counterargument. Find out more at Black Hills Ammunition, load it up and let the results speak for themselves.

Watch the full episode on Shooting Sports Life at shootingsportslife.com.