Ammunition Test - Hornady DGX Bonded VS Swift A-frame

[Aussie_Hunter]

Thanks for the awesome test. As an owner of a .375 H&H and a .458 Lott, I am anxiously awaiting your results with your further testing with the Lott. Will you test the Lott with the AF also?

Unfortunately I can't get factory loaded A-Frames in Australia for the 458 Lott, which is quite disappointing because as I mentioned earlier I think the A-frame takes the number 1 spot as a buffalo bullet. I will however try and get my hands on some Factory loaded woodleighs and TBBC to test at the same time as the DGX bonded in the 458 Lott.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Federal TBBC is a proper premium bullet and I appreciate the suggestion.
However, I've just fallen out of love with Federal as of late.

They promise they will make the Woodleigh Hydro...and then don't.
I personally have been told via email that they will be starting production on the 375H&H Hydros...lies, pure lies.
It's been years since I've seen "new stock" 375H&H Hydros for sale.

Now I hear they are doing the same with the SAF's in a couple different calibers.
Can I count on them to be making the TBBC when it counts...dunno and neither does anyone else.

I understand your fondness for the TBBC and I may change my mind but for now...
There are too many other very good and reliable choices to be making a possible bad one.
Sorry Major.

@BeeMaa something you may be interested in, please see below email response I received from the Australian importer of Federal ammo in regards to factory loaded TBBC for the 458 Lott.

"The lead time to supply this ammunition could be up to 6-9 months. Depending on when Federal have it scheduled for production. They don't generally keep stock of many premium loading's and if they were sold out they would collect orders until a sufficient amount/number was reached to tool up for a run."

 

[WAB]

Would you mind adding 1 more ammunition to your tests , Bee Maa ?
The Trophy Bonded Bear Claw soft point bullets . The last time l saw them being used was in 1988 by an American friend of mine . They were extremely effective on American grizzly bears , Kodiak bears and black bears , based on what l had witnessed during my visits to America to spend time with him and his family . My friend would use a custom made .458 Winchester magnum calibre rifle built on a Springfield Model 1903 action . However , l had read a few reports on these forums that the new consignments of Trophy Bonded Bullets are not so good .
View attachment 330471

Major, I have two TBBC bullets, each recovered on one shot kills on Cape Buffalo. These are 500 gr Federal loads in .458 Lott. Weight retention was roughly 95% in both instances. I am a huge A-Frame fan but my experience indictates that the TBBC is its equal.

 

[Major Khan]

Major, I have two TBBC bullets, each recovered on one shot kills on Cape Buffalo. These are 500 gr Federal loads in .448 Lott. Weight retention was roughly 95% in both instances. I am a huge A-Frame fan but my experience indictates that the TBBC is its equal.

Thank you so much for the data , WAB. I heard a few rumours that the quality of Trophy Bonded Bullets deteriorated after Jack Carter stopped being invited involved with their manufacturing.
Clearly , they were just rumours.

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa something you may be interested in, please see below email response I received from the Australian importer of Federal ammo in regards to factory loaded TBBC for the 458 Lott.

"The lead time to supply this ammunition could be up to 6-9 months. Depending on when Federal have it scheduled for production. They don't generally keep stock of many premium loading's and if they were sold out they would collect orders until a sufficient amount/number was reached to tool up for a run."

First, allow me to apologize to you as the OP for the hijack.

With all due respect to @Aussie_Hunter...lies, plain and simple lies from Federal.
I will believe it when I see it and even then I'm not likely to buy their product.

I purchased my first 375H&H in May 2017, nearly three years ago.
It was then I started looking for Woodleigh Hydros to possibly use on Buffalo.
I sent an email a year later in 2018 asking about it, and they said they would start production shortly.
Apparently "shortly" hasn't happened yet.
Sent another email in 2019, still nothing and documented on this thread.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/federal-375h-h-woodleigh-hydro-solids-sold-out.45166/
Hold your breath if you like, I'll find a better solution.

I may become a reloader yet...

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

First, allow me to apologize to you as the OP for the hijack.

With all due respect to @Aussie_Hunter...lies, plain and simple lies from Federal.
I will believe it when I see it and even then I'm not likely to buy their product.

I purchased my first 375H&H in May 2017, nearly three years ago.
It was then I started looking for Woodleigh Hydros to possibly use on Buffalo.
I sent an email a year later in 2018 asking about it, and they said they would start production shortly.
Apparently "shortly" hasn't happened yet.
Sent another email in 2019, still nothing and documented on this thread.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/federal-375h-h-woodleigh-hydro-solids-sold-out.45166/
Hold your breath if you like, I'll find a better solution.

I may become a reloader yet...

All the more reason for you to use the DGX bonded, there you go I have already tested them for you, you are welcome.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thank you sir, I do appreciate the test and posting of results.
The Hornaday DGX will get a fair accuracy test from me in both 375H&H and 416RM.

Apologies again for getting my blood up...it just pisses me off.
Cheers.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Thank you sir, I do appreciate the test and posting of results.
The Hornaday DGX will get a fair accuracy test from me in both 375H&H and 416RM.

Apologies again for getting my blood up...it just pisses me off.
Cheers.

hahaha all good mate, no problems here.

 

[Ray B]

Aussie hunter- I've been planning on a similar test of 375 bullets using similar tests. I use used 1 gallon milk jugs filled with water. Looking through the bullets available to me I have Hornady Interlocks, Noslers, Speers, Sierras, Swifts, North Forks, Bitterroots and a few other small "cottage" makers. It is getting difficult to find a place to shoot- rifle ranges won't allow shooting at anything but standard targets and few private landowners want the hassle of dealing with all the shooting. But a few places are opening up so I may be able test. In addition to firing them at standard H&H velocities I may have access to a 375 Wby and a 375 RUM. That combined with what you're doing should result in a valid comparison of bullets. Do you have access to Woodleighs?

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Aussie hunter- I've been planning on a similar test of 375 bullets using similar tests. I use used 1 gallon milk jugs filled with water. Looking through the bullets available to me I have Hornady Interlocks, Noslers, Speers, Sierras, Swifts, North Forks, Bitterroots and a few other small "cottage" makers. It is getting difficult to find a place to shoot- rifle ranges won't allow shooting at anything but standard targets and few private landowners want the hassle of dealing with all the shooting. But a few places are opening up so I may be able test. In addition to firing them at standard H&H velocities I may have access to a 375 Wby and a 375 RUM. That combined with what you're doing should result in a valid comparison of bullets. Do you have access to Woodleighs?

Yeah I should be able to get my hands on some Woodleighs and hopefully some TBBC but as you may have seen from some other comments on here, TBBC aren't the easiest to find anywhere in the world at the moment. Once I have some more premium softs at my disposal I will put them through the same testing.

 

[Ray B]

I have a couple Trophy Bondeds, .375 240 gr made when Jack Carter was running the company that would be an interesting comparison with current production.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

I tested the 270 TSX, 300 A-Frame, and the 350 grain Northfork in water. I don't remember the exact penetration for each but the Northfork out performed the others, and the Barnes penetrated the least, which was a surprise
I posted it all on the bullet performance thread

 

[Scott CWO]

I tested the 270 TSX, 300 A-Frame, and the 350 grain Northfork in water. I don't remember the exact penetration for each but the Northfork out performed the others, and the Barnes penetrated the least, which was a surprise
I posted it all on the bullet performance thread

View attachment 330494

View attachment 330495

Your results don’t surprise me because the heavier bullets penetrated more. It would be interesting if you compared bullets of equal weight.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I tested the 270 TSX, 300 A-Frame, and the 350 grain Northfork in water. I don't remember the exact penetration for each but the Northfork out performed the others, and the Barnes penetrated the least, which was a surprise
I posted it all on the bullet performance thread

View attachment 330494

View attachment 330495

Do Northfork actually manufacture ammunition or just projectiles? I have never even seen a Northfork bullet or heard of them until I joined this forum. We are a bit limited with availability over here in Australia.

 

[Luvthunt]

Glad to have found other folks with Federal issues,I thought it was just me.Have used Sledgehammers since the days of Jack Carter. Last year called Federal for Sledgehammer availability and the customer service guy told me that they had no idea when bullets would become available as they didn’t care about the reloaders. Not enough margin I guess.

 

[Ray B]

Federal didn’t care about the reloaders. Not enough margin I guess.

I guess I should be glad that they sell their primers as components.

 

[superdutch]

Thanks for the posting the results! As the owner of a 450-400 NE, 416 Ruger and 375 Ruger, the Hornady ammo is by far the most available. I am glad to see that it performed well!

 

[Art Lambart II]

Thanks for the great test on the DGX Bonded, I'm always glad to see product improvement.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Do Northfork actually manufacture ammunition or just projectiles? I have never even seen a Northfork bullet or heard of them until I joined this forum. We are a bit limited with availability over here in Australia.

Just the projectiles. But keep your eyes open here on AH. Production is being moved at the moment. Once things are up and running again, hopefully they’ll be available to you then.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Do Northfork actually manufacture ammunition or just projectiles? I have never even seen a Northfork bullet or heard of them until I joined this forum. We are a bit limited with availability over here in Australia.

As far as l know just the bullets.