450/400 3” DGX performance

[KJE81]

One great thing with the Hornady DGX Bonded and the DGS is that they are easy to load so that they have the same point of impact which is very nice.

 

[Foxi]

But both versions are named DGX.
How can one distinguish between the old ineffective and the new effective designs?
Hornaday could have changed the name of the new DGX bullets to DGXX, DGX2 or something.
But, they did not.
To me, this is deceptive marketing.
For this reason, I do not trust Hornady products!

Anyone who can read has a clear advantage.

Where it says bonded on the box, I have good and justified hopes that these objects of desire are also inside.

My buffaloes were all safe and sound on the floor with the old bullets.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Kevin

Thanks do much for posting. I have a Ruger Number One in 450/400 and have a supply of Hornady factory ammo and component bullets for it.

The DGX Bonded look very good to me.

You list a velocity of 2150 fps.

Were you shooting handloads?

Hi Ruraldoc, it wasn't me but a buddy who was shooting. Yes they were handloads which we had developed a few weeks previously, hence an accurate estimate of the velocity.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I've had decidedly mixed results with Hornady products. But they are the only company (of which I am aware) who currently produces brass for .450-400 NE and several other older cartridges, so there is that. Not that I've seen any recently.

And Bertram out of Australia.

 

[Franco]

Kevin,

Here's a cape buffalo I got on my safari in 2018. The round pictured was fired from Heym 450/400 from about 35 yds. Hit the right shoulder passing through to the left shoulder, breaking both. The bullet was recovered in the skin of the left shoulder.

 

[Rafiki]

These two 400 grain Hornady DGX bullers were retrieved from a buffalo bull. About 2160 fps, from bench set up.
The first shot on the buff was with a 375 and it was badly placed. The buff took off and the follow up guy put in two rounds from his 450/400 double. The buff continued on it’s way a bit further and set up an ambush and that is where it was finally put down.

I posted this comparison quite a while ago; .510cal, 570gr, 2150fps. The Hornady were taken from buff #1, the Woodleigh from Buff #2. The DGX's were the new bonded variety. As you can see they lost quite a bit of weight, basically the tops blew off.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Kevin,

Here's a cape buffalo I got on my safari in 2018. The round pictured was fired from Heym 450/400 from about 35 yds. Hit the right shoulder passing through to the left shoulder, breaking both. The bullet was recovered in the skin of the left shoulder.

View attachment 590680View attachment 590681View attachment 590682

That is a lovely buff Franco. The DGX did it’s work well.

 

[SStomcat]

Kevin,

Here's a cape buffalo I got on my safari in 2018. The round pictured was fired from Heym 450/400 from about 35 yds. Hit the right shoulder passing through to the left shoulder, breaking both. The bullet was recovered in the skin of the left shoulder.

View attachment 590680View attachment 590681View attachment 590682

The bullet did exactly as it was supposed to, blew the top arteries of the heart. Instant kill I guess.

 

[SStomcat]

View attachment 590684
I posted this comparison quite a while ago; .510cal, 570gr, 2150fps. The Hornady were taken from buff #1, the Woodleigh from Buff #2. The DGX's were the new bonded variety. As you can see they lost quite a bit of weight, basically the tops blew off.

As long as the bullet kills and kills cleanly and effectively, I dunno how much bullet weight retention is imp. Not challenging in any way the notion, but to me bullet effectiveness in killing trumps everything else.

 

[SStomcat]

The bullet did exactly as it was supposed to, blew the top arteries of the heart. Instant kill I guess.

Contrary to popular belief I'm a big Hornady fan, specially their bonded and Interlock lines. Most importantly they are accurate in my 470 and 9.3 , reasonably priced, and easily available here in the US. Premium line of bullets may be better but affordability and availability is a subject I'm hard pressed to justify myself as long as the lower priced and freely available bullets meets it purpose. IMHO of course.
As Deng Xiaoping famously said"It doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice"

 

[Franco]

The bullet did exactly as it was supposed to, blew the top arteries of the heart. Instant kill I guess.

Man, I sure thought so. He dropped straight in his tracks, but we could tell he wasn't dead because blood started spurting out of the entry wound - like a hose, every time his heart beat.

I advanced to his rear as the PH advanced to ward off some other buffalo; and the wounded buffalo got to his feet. He tried to spin towards me and I shot him in the "hips".

 

[Rafiki]

As long as the bullet kills and kills cleanly and effectively, I dunno how much bullet weight retention is imp. Not challenging in any way the notion, but to me bullet effectiveness in killing trumps everything else.

Well, they did the job, I just thought the difference was interesting. Next time I'm going with copper monoliths.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Contrary to popular belief I'm a big Hornady fan, specially their bonded and Interlock lines. Most importantly they are accurate in my 470 and 9.3 , reasonably priced, and easily available here in the US. Premium line of bullets may be better but affordability and availability is a subject I'm hard pressed to justify myself as long as the lower priced and freely available bullets meets it purpose. IMHO of course.
As Deng Xiaoping famously said"It doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice"

There is no animal I’ve shot a hornady bullet into that went more than 20 yards after it was hit.

 

[Rafiki]

There is no animal I’ve shot a hornady bullet into that went more than 20 yards after it was hit.

Good for you.

 

[Franco]

Kevin, I will tell you this - That safari in 2018 was first. I had a Heym 450/400 double, a Heym 375 H&H, and a 300 Wthrby Mag. I used Hornady ammo in all 3.
I shot over 30 animals in 18 days, including 4 cape buffalo - with no wounded and no losses. The majority dropped where they stood, the rest within mere yards.

In 2020 I went back and was told to use Barnes ammo. The PH told me he had never seen so many "perfect" shots result in animals not dropping instantly. We didn't lose any - they just didn't drop like with the Hornady. At one point I got so frustrated with zebras and my 375 - I shot one with my 450/400. I was using John LaSala custom loads in the 450/400.

I have no idea what produced the different results.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Kevin, I will tell you this - That safari in 2018 was first. I had a Heym 450/400 double, a Heym 375 H&H, and a 300 Wthrby Mag. I used Hornady ammo in all 3.
I shot over 30 animals in 18 days, including 4 cape buffalo - with no wounded and no losses. The majority dropped where they stood, the rest within mere yards.

In 2020 I went back and was told to use Barnes ammo. The PH told me he had never seen so many "perfect" shots result in animals not dropping instantly. We didn't lose any - they just didn't drop like with the Hornady. At one point I got so frustrated with zebras and my 375 - I shot one with my 450/400. I was using John LaSala custom loads in the 450/400.

I have no idea what produced the different results.

Wow Franco that is quite a tally. I am a total novice in what makes one buffalo drop and another run, but surely shock must be a big factor. Deceleration after impact would equate to energy dump. So the faster a bullet expands after initially entering the hide the greater the damage and shock it imparts thereafter whilst it’s momentum is still high.