Why avoid Hornady DG bullets and ammunition?

[Art Lambart II]

There are better bullets on the market, why use a Hornady DGX Bonded? This seams to be the prevailing argument on this thread when it comes to bullet selection. So, my question is why don’t we apply this same logic to DG calibers? After all the 404 Jeffreys is a much better DG caliber than a 375 H&H, so why use the 375? I’m not trying to disparage the 375 H&H so please don’t answer that question, but you get my point. It’s a matter of personal choice. I’ll admit the Hornady DGX Bonded is not my first choice of DG bullets but its not my last either. If you’re on a DG hunt and your ammo is lost in transit and your outfitter hands you a box of Hornady DGX Bonded are you going to say no thanks I’ll wait for my ammo to arrive or will you go hunting with the DGX? I’m going hunting, what are you going to do?

 

[Forrest Halley]

That's just BS. Who would believe something like that.

You're new here. Dial it down a notch. No need to be quite so defensive. We're generally a jovial bunch with good natured ribbing here and there.

That said I wish they continued production of the 500 grain interbond in the .458. That bullet shoots well for me and could be had at a price where I could enjoy a higher volume of shooting.

 

[Rafiki]

You're new here. Dial it down a notch. No need to be quite so defensive. We're generally a jovial bunch with good natured ribbing here and there.

That said I wish they continued production of the 500 grain interbond in the .458. That bullet shoots well for me and could be had at a price where I could enjoy a higher volume of shooting.

"Defensive" is not correct since my original post on this thread was about recent experience with Hornady DG series not Interbond so there is nothing to be defensive about; "inappropriate" is probably closer.

This thread has strayed form the actual subject but I will say this; I'm with you on the Interbond, wish they were still around. I thought they were a great bullet and shot wonderfully in my 458.

 

[Hunt anything]

Part of the fun on this site is the straying of threads, it may start out about shooting elephant and end up talking about cooking recipes for squirrels! Enjoy.

 

[mdwest]

There are better bullets on the market, why use a Hornady DGX Bonded? This seams to be the prevailing argument on this thread when it comes to bullet selection. So, my question is why don’t we apply this same logic to DG calibers? After all the 404 Jeffreys is a much better DG caliber than a 375 H&H, so why use the 375? I’m not trying to disparage the 375 H&H so please don’t answer that question, but you get my point. It’s a matter of personal choice.

Valid question(s)... but I think we do have those discussions/arguments occasionally... and I think there is very different reasoning for the decisions made..

While a 404 (or 416 or 458 for that matter) may be more effective at killing DG.. whether or not a client can actually manage the recoil, or the weight, etc of a larger caliber rifle comes into question.. For many people a 375 is the max they can handle properly...

Whereas a 300 gr DGX in 375 vs a 300 gr A-Frame in 375 has no real impact/change on the shooter... the only change is on the targeted animal...

Stepping into a 40 caliber (or larger) far more often than not means spending significantly more money.. a $900 Win 70 stainless classic in 375.. or a $700 Interarms 375 might be within reach of a guy with limited purse strings... where your typical 404, 416, 458, etc is usually a good bit more expensive..

The $1 difference in the DGX projectile vs the A-Frame (or whatever the actual cost difference is) is immaterial..

the 375 is far more versatile.. good for everything from dik dik to buff... where the 40's are more limited...

A 375, while it lacks the performance of a 404, 416, etc on DG is still a known, quantified and qualified performer on DG.. where the DGX has had several well documented performance problems..

Its always a matter of personal choice though... I absolutely agree with you on that..

 

[Hunt anything]

mdwest you have brought some cool headed logic into the conversation! How dare you! LOL

 

[Rafiki]

Valid question(s)... but I think we do have those discussions/arguments occasionally... and I think there is very different reasoning for the decisions made..

While a 404 (or 416 or 458 for that matter) may be more effective at killing DG.. whether or not a client can actually manage the recoil, or the weight, etc of a larger caliber rifle comes into question.. For many people a 375 is the max they can handle properly...

Whereas a 300 gr DGX in 375 vs a 300 gr A-Frame in 375 has no real impact/change on the shooter... the only change is on the targeted animal...

Stepping into a 40 caliber (or larger) far more often than not means spending significantly more money.. a $900 Win 70 stainless classic in 375.. or a $700 Interarms 375 might be within reach of a guy with limited purse strings... where your typical 404, 416, 458, etc is usually a good bit more expensive..

The $1 difference in the DGX projectile vs the A-Frame (or whatever the actual cost difference is) is immaterial..

the 375 is far more versatile.. good for everything from dik dik to buff... where the 40's are more limited...

A 375, while it lacks the performance of a 404, 416, etc on DG is still a known, quantified and qualified performer on DG.. where the DGX has had several well documented performance problems..

Its always a matter of personal choice though... I absolutely agree with you on that..

I've recently purchased a .375 H&H RSM. The purchase wasn't about reduced recoil, it was for a pretty silly reason. I made a friend in camp who was using a barrowed 458 Lott which he did not like very much. He called one day and said that he wanted to get a pre-64 Win M70 375 H&H for his next buffalo hunt and said I should get a 375 also; so I did. He ended up with a very nice post-64 push feed M70 Safari Magnum and I got the RSM. My outfitter has asked me a couple of times if I'm going to leave the .500 home in favor of the 375 and seemed pretty relieved that the answer is "no".

Frankly I'm not really sure what I'm going to to with the thing. It was shipped to my 'smith and as yet have not even seen it other than pictures.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Valid question(s)... but I think we do have those discussions/arguments occasionally... and I think there is very different reasoning for the decisions made..

While a 404 (or 416 or 458 for that matter) may be more effective at killing DG.. whether or not a client can actually manage the recoil, or the weight, etc of a larger caliber rifle comes into question.. For many people a 375 is the max they can handle properly...

Whereas a 300 gr DGX in 375 vs a 300 gr A-Frame in 375 has no real impact/change on the shooter... the only change is on the targeted animal...

Stepping into a 40 caliber (or larger) far more often than not means spending significantly more money.. a $900 Win 70 stainless classic in 375.. or a $700 Interarms 375 might be within reach of a guy with limited purse strings... where your typical 404, 416, 458, etc is usually a good bit more expensive..

The $1 difference in the DGX projectile vs the A-Frame (or whatever the actual cost difference is) is immaterial..

the 375 is far more versatile.. good for everything from dik dik to buff... where the 40's are more limited...

A 375, while it lacks the performance of a 404, 416, etc on DG is still a known, quantified and qualified performer on DG.. where the DGX has had several well documented performance problems..

Its always a matter of personal choice though... I absolutely agree with you on that..

@mdwest I agree with you 100%, if I where limited to only one cartridge for Africa it would be the 375 H&H, its a great all around cartridge. The 375 is a good choice for DG but its not the best choice. Its the same with the DGX Bonded, its a good choice but not the best choice. I prefer the A-Frame or a Woodie but if all can buy are DGX bonded, I'll buy them and hunt with confidence.

As a side note I attended the SCI convention in Nashville and stopped by the Swift booth twice and left with over $500 in A-Frames in .30, .375 and .416.

 

[mdwest]

I’m jealous! I swung by the Barnes booth too late at DSC…it was my intention to grab a few hundred tsx in 375 and 416… but they were completely sold out of those options by the time I got there about 3pm on Sunday…

 

[John458Lott]

Valid question(s)... but I think we do have those discussions/arguments occasionally... and I think there is very different reasoning for the decisions made..

While a 404 (or 416 or 458 for that matter) may be more effective at killing DG.. whether or not a client can actually manage the recoil, or the weight, etc of a larger caliber rifle comes into question.. For many people a 375 is the max they can handle properly...

Whereas a 300 gr DGX in 375 vs a 300 gr A-Frame in 375 has no real impact/change on the shooter... the only change is on the targeted animal...

Stepping into a 40 caliber (or larger) far more often than not means spending significantly more money.. a $900 Win 70 stainless classic in 375.. or a $700 Interarms 375 might be within reach of a guy with limited purse strings... where your typical 404, 416, 458, etc is usually a good bit more expensive..

The $1 difference in the DGX projectile vs the A-Frame (or whatever the actual cost difference is) is immaterial..

the 375 is far more versatile.. good for everything from dik dik to buff... where the 40's are more limited...

A 375, while it lacks the performance of a 404, 416, etc on DG is still a known, quantified and qualified performer on DG.. where the DGX has had several well documented performance problems..

Its always a matter of personal choice though... I absolutely agree with you on that..

Mdwest you are absolutely spot on. I have both the 375 H&H & 404J and taken both to Africa and both have taken Cape Buffalo. One is not a better DG calibre than the other. I too was concerned that the 375 was only just "enough" for Buffalo. Turns out it is easily enough with good bullets and shot placement. With the 404J I had to bring a 2nd rifle with the 375 I just brought one which is quite a convenience really. The 2nd a 30-06 was for plains game.

As regards recoil whilst on paper a 400gr 404 J recoils more than a 300gr 375 in my rifles where the 404J weighs only 4oz more the recoil impulse is quite subdued & I might even say pleasant ( if there is such a thing with recoil). This I attribute to the low muzzle velocity of 2150fps for the 404J v 2,550 for the 375 in my handloads.

Kevin Robertson I think discusses the DGX (non bonded) on the Big Game Hunting Podcast and says they were too soft but Hornady now has the DGX bonded but why they don't plaster the word "Bonded" on their loaded ammo or called it something totally new is beyond me. You can only tell by the catalogue nos. I got some old 458 Lott DGX ammo but I knew they were the non bonded ones and going cheap so I bought a couple of boxes to run in the barrel. Their DGS has always had a stellar reputation.

But being an Aussie I used Woodleigh's for all my DG and large plains game and they have performed just brilliantly! Accuracy was sterling too! I'm so glad they are rebuilding after the fire.

 

[dgr416]

I don't like or trust anything Hornady makes except their xtp pistol bullets .My ruger 77 338 win mag which shoot clover leafs with Winchester bullets shoots buckshot patterns with Hornady bullets .I have had problems with their dies and brass and ammo. I LIVED in alasks 12 years and no one trusted Hornady. ITS crazy they make some crappy junk .They use to make some nice stuff but now I don't trust any of it .I heard horror stories of Hornady ammo jamming big bore rifles .I bought Hornady 405 brsss and it's total trash .I trust woodleigh bullets Speer lapua swift Winchester and nosler bullets .I trust lapuabrasa stsrline and Norma brass.