Hornady Interbond Bullets DGX and DGS

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I can't speak to the use of Hornady's on dangerous game. However, they are somewhat inexpensive, so I buy them whenever I can (in .338) for practice. I put a LOT of them down range on paper and cardboard targets prior to my trip to SA and I'm sure it helped me develop my tolerance for the recoil and helped me get a "feel" for the rifle. If I had to do that with the accubonds I was planning on hunting with, I think I probably wouldn't have been able to take a few more animals while on safari!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I agree with MR. 16 gauge.
Witold

 

[The Engineer]

I second the Barnes TSX. Shot all the way through a buffalo and left a huge wound channel.

 

[Panielsen]

I often wonder what brand of ammunition PHs' use in their rifles. I personnaly use and very much like Hornady ammunition, and am planning/practicing with their products for my upcoming Buff hunt in SA in October. I am planning on loading my own for the trip, but they will be Hornady up front. I have toyed with bullet types a lot over the years shooting at wet phone books and water bottles, but no live killer critters yet. The bullets held together nicely out of my .375 Ruger with a decent expansion. I did not weigh them, but did verify velocity with a chronograph. The ammunition was as accurate as I would expect a medium bore rifle to be. The factory loads performed well in my opinion and did show slight variation on the chronograph, but were fairly consistant by any account. I have NOT tried the other brands as of yet, but since my new Winchester Safari Model 70 chambered in .458 arrives next month, I will be trying other brands as well. For fun.... Anyway, I would like to hear from you PHs' as you are in the hunt every season, all season long!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Thanks Velo Dog.
Witold

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

You have asked me a whole bunch of questions - so here goes.
Since moving up to 600 grainers in my .505 I have never gone back to 525's. The difference is remarkable. and I think this can be explained by the math.
I'm a great believer in the influence and importance of sectional density when it comes to terminal ballistic performance on the pachyderms. It we look at the most successful 'big game' bullets used in Africa - the 500 grn .458, 410 grn .416 and 400 grn of the .450/400's they all have similar properties - SD's of .341, .338 and .338 respectively, and when all are shot at about 2150 fps they are all proven killers of the pachyderms.
It long bothered me that the 525 grn .505 has a SD of only .294 despite the fact that I used these bullets to kill many buffalo and some elephants. When I acquired my .505 it came with 300 original Gibbs 525 grn nickel jacketed solids made in 1936 which I re-primed after some classic hang fires and I used these bullets for the next 20 yrs. On buff I'm sure they all tumbled because the knockdown effect was truly impressive but on a few elephant they failed - the jackets were to thin. 525 grn Woodleigh SP worked well on buff expanding to the size of a 5 Rand coin and the solids were OK but when 600 grainers became available (Dzombo's) the difference in penetration was so significant and I never went back to 525's. I put this down to a better SD (.334) and more momentum. 2150 fps was plenty fast enough and OK to shoot - recoil wise.
I got Ken Stewart to make me some on his excellent bonded core Hi-Performers in 600 grain and they were very good as well. I'm sure the jackets on the 600 grn Woodleigh PP's I used in Zim in 2012 were too thin - they broke up on buff shoulder bones, and I was not happy with their performance.
Regarding Cutting Edge safari raptors we have some in .416 and .458 to try but to be honest the concept of the petals breaking off worries me when used on buffalo as I'm not too sure in my own mind when this happens. Most (about 80%) of shots at buff are from the frontal angles and the frontal chest skin which is loose and supple and an inch thick is a serious obstacle obstacle for any bullet, so is the point of the shoulder which is a big piece of pretty solid bone. I have always believed an expanding bullet should stay together and not loose too much weight, and this is exactly what these bullets do.
My game ranger friend here in the KNP is waiting for the opportunity to shoot a buff with a 500 grn .458 Safari Raptor and I'll hopefully get the opportunity to see what the effect was. We also plan to shoot a wildebeest with a 400 grn .416 one which I will also autopsy. The CEB solid looks a very nice shape and design for a FNS. Here in the KNP the Dzombo FNS is king - 475 grn .458's for trail guides but 600 grain .458's (at 2150 from .450 Rigbys) is the bullet of choice for elephant control. The 600 grain .458 FNS's are giving full body length penetration on big bulls! Front to back or back to front - the effect is the same - from one end to the other in a straight line which is quite remarkable - and it all boils down to SD once again, and a good momentum value.
I have the highest regard for both the Barnes TSX and the Swift A-Frame. I see no reason why a 525 grn TSX will not work very well on a buff but I would not shoot it too fast just in case it comes out the other side of a side-on one - 2150 to 2200 fps will be plenty fast enough. The 570 A-Fame will also work well at about 2100 to 2150.
The North Fork SP is really proving itself here in the KNP - for problem buffalo, 550 grain .458's at 2175 fps (again from .450 Rigby's) is the buff bullet of choice. If I could get hold of 600 grain NF SP's I would use them without hesitation on buffalo.
But I'm so impressed with the NF CNS that this is what I would use if I get to hunt another buff. Here in the KNP this is the buff bullet of choice for a .450 NE as well - 500 grainer at 2200 fps from a Heym double.
Hope this answers some of your questions. Doctari

I often wonder what brand of ammunition PHs' use in their rifles. I personnaly use and very much like Hornady ammunition, and am planning/practicing with their products for my upcoming Buff hunt in SA in October. I am planning on loading my own for the trip, but they will be Hornady up front. I have toyed with bullet types a lot over the years shooting at wet phone books and water bottles, but no live killer critters yet. The bullets held together nicely out of my .375 Ruger with a decent expansion. I did not weigh them, but did verify velocity with a chronograph. The ammunition was as accurate as I would expect a medium bore rifle to be. The factory loads performed well in my opinion and did show slight variation on the chronograph, but were fairly consistant by any account. I have NOT tried the other brands as of yet, but since my new Winchester Safari Model 70 chambered in .458 arrives next month, I will be trying other brands as well. For fun.... Anyway, I would like to hear from you PHs' as you are in the hunt every season, all season long!

I'm not a PH but I have no plans on using the DGX on anything that may bite back or stomp on me. So for me it's the North Fork, A-Frames or CEB Raptors. But I've posted a quote from @doctari505. He would know more about proper bullets for DG than just about anyone I can think of.

 

[Panielsen]

Thanks Phoenix Phil. Like I said, just curious about what the PHs' are using brand wise. I can't speak with any authority until the Buff is in the salt so to speak, but will get pics of the bullets if I am able to recover them. I do have to admit, that while I hope the results are satisfactory, I do realize that 1 buff doesn't make me an authority on DG bullet performance. Lol

 

[Velo Dog]

In my photos you can view a couple of DGX bullets recovered from zebra and buffalo.
However, it is important to note that I do not use high velocity rifles on large game.
Any cup and core bullet can over expand or even shatter against heavy bone if driven too fast.
Conversely, any hollow point bullet can fail to expand if driven too slow and / or if the hole gets plugged with hair, dry mud, or dry vegetation (tree branch, grass, leaves) prior to impacting wet tissue.
For other than long range shooting (beyond about 300 yes) I have had excellent success with heavy for caliber, round nose and / or flat nose dreaded cup and core bullets.
However, I use larger calibers than some folks think necessary (for instance, I personally would prefer to use .40 / 400 grain as my minimum on buffalo.
The one I have as my avatar was shot with a .450 No2 NE double.
If I was stuck using a .375 on buffalo, I'd prefer 300 the Swift A-Frame (too bad they don't offer it in round nose shape, heh, heh.)

 

[Velo Dog]

I killed 8 elk with Hornady interlocks and then on the ninth one the bullet blew up on the skin of the animal and never penetrated the skin at all. I have read of many others having the same problem.

LIBERTY,

I usually do not dredge up two year old posts, but this one is too good to pass up.
After reading that the .30-06 with old fashioned JSP 180 gr bullets at 2700 fps is suddenly unable to penetrate elk hides, it is obvious that elk have evolved into super beasts these days.
Therefore, I am considering replacing the ceramic strike plate in my heavy Kevlar raid vest with a similar size / shape piece of elk skin.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist making a smartass comment on this one,
Velo Dog.