Why avoid Hornady DG bullets and ammunition?

[Art Lambart II]

@Longwalker I would be fine using the DGX Bonded bullet in a 450/400. I think this argument is down to good, better, best, most people agree that the DGX Bonded is not the best expanding DG bullet on the market but with a 90% weight retention its certainly a good DG bullet. Give the fact that your double was regulated for Hornady ammo makes it the best bullet you can use. All of the famous hunters we so often quote on this site never had a NP let alone a bonded bullet, they used cup & core or solids for their storied exploits. The only modern hunter I know who has a similar number of safaris to the legends is Craig Boddington and he uses Hornady ammo and never had an issue with the original DGX bullet.

 

[BeeMaa]

There is certainly no love for the old style Hornady DGX in this discussion, and I understand why. Too many failures a few years ago. I may have missed it, but I did not read a single post that discusses the merit / failures of the currently produced Hornady DGX bonded. My understanding is that Hornady did actually respond to the problem, and came out with an improved bullet with bonded core & jacket that is designed to prevent core separations. I also did not read anything that would cause me to question using the DGS, except for comments that other solid bullets are "better". I have had no problems with Hornady ammunition in several smaller calibers, like .222, .308, 7x57, 9.3x62, and it has served me well. I have no particular brand loyalty to Hornady, but do have a dilemma.
I have a Merkel 450-400 3" double rifle and Hornady is the one factory load available to me in Canada. (it seems that the new Kynoch ammo is not sold here) My rifle is regulated with the Hornady factory loads.
So please advise me, I was planning to take this rifle to Namibia in October and use it for hunting buffalo and elephant. Loaded with DGX bonded for buffalo and DGS solids for elephant. Is there a current practical argument for leaving this rifle at home or should I have sufficient confidence in the Hornady solid and bonded soft at 2050-2100 fps while hunting big dangerous game?

Longwalker - Check out this thread.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/hornady-dgx-ammo.47985/
It gives the lot number above which the new bonded ammo is made to make sure you get the bonded bullets.

I have not used Hornady DGX ammo and therefore have no personal experience with it.
When I was testing loads on my 375H&H is when Hornady was having problems so I've just avoided their brand altogether.

If you are still uneasy about using Hornady, maybe look into having custom ammo made from Hendershot's.
https://hendershots.net/product/450-400-nitro-express-extreme-custom-ammo/
I'm not familiar with Canadian law re: ammo and it's sale, but there must be someone who can work up some hand loads.

 

[Longwalker]

those lot numbers will be helpful thanks!

 

[1dirthawker]

@Longwalker,

not a expert on african DG, but...i would not be concerned about using the new bonded bullets, DGX bonded as a soft. the DGS will be like a woodleigh solid. are there better softs, probably. are the DGX enough? i would use em. i ended up shooting north fork softs and solids.

that said, i WOULD use the NEW hornady bonded ammo if my rifle regulated for it and i did not reload.

as longwalker said above, there is some justified discontent for the old hornady DGX. i was one of those guys. then they fixed the bullet and made it better, so... good on em. the best bullet available, not in my never to be humble opinion. will they work? bet you a $100 bucks they will.

i recently read on the nitro express site about how a hunter (80+ years ago) shot not one but two buffalo, wounded them, and never recovered them. that behavior would not be acceptable today. would cost you 10-20,000 in trophy fees for an animal NOT RECOVERED.

we have better bullets now and different ethics. would a hornady bonded work? yup, with good shot placement. will a swift a frame work, yup, with good shot placement. both will suck if the buffalo is gut shot. both will work if hit properly.

shot placement, then a proper bullet is every thing. the one thing you cannot change once you pull the trigger.... the bullet. if you are thinking about that, then you are on the right path. good hunting.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

@Longwalker,

not a expert on african DG, but...i would not be concerned about using the new bonded bullets, DGX bonded as a soft. the DGS will be like a woodleigh solid. are there better softs, probably. are the DGX enough? i would use em. i ended up shooting north fork softs and solids.

that said, i WOULD use the NEW hornady bonded ammo if my rifle regulated for it and i did not reload.

as longwalker said above, there is some justified discontent for the old hornady DGX. i was one of those guys. then they fixed the bullet and made it better, so... good on em. the best bullet available, not in my never to be humble opinion. will they work? bet you a $100 bucks they will.

i recently read on the nitro express site about how a hunter (80+ years ago) shot not one but two buffalo, wounded them, and never recovered them. that behavior would not be acceptable today. would cost you 10-20,000 in trophy fees for an animal NOT RECOVERED.

we have better bullets now and different ethics. would a hornady bonded work? yup, with good shot placement. will a swift a frame work, yup, with good shot placement. both will suck if the buffalo is gut shot. both will work if hit properly.

shot placement, then a proper bullet is every thing. the one thing you cannot change once you pull the trigger.... the bullet. if you are thinking about that, then you are on the right path. good hunting.

I agree with 1dirthawker.

 

[BeeMaa]

@Longwalker,

not a expert on african DG, but...i would not be concerned about using the new bonded bullets, DGX bonded as a soft. the DGS will be like a woodleigh solid. are there better softs, probably. are the DGX enough? i would use em. i ended up shooting north fork softs and solids.

that said, i WOULD use the NEW hornady bonded ammo if my rifle regulated for it and i did not reload.

as longwalker said above, there is some justified discontent for the old hornady DGX. i was one of those guys. then they fixed the bullet and made it better, so... good on em. the best bullet available, not in my never to be humble opinion. will they work? bet you a $100 bucks they will.

i recently read on the nitro express site about how a hunter (80+ years ago) shot not one but two buffalo, wounded them, and never recovered them. that behavior would not be acceptable today. would cost you 10-20,000 in trophy fees for an animal NOT RECOVERED.

we have better bullets now and different ethics. would a hornady bonded work? yup, with good shot placement. will a swift a frame work, yup, with good shot placement. both will suck if the buffalo is gut shot. both will work if hit properly.

shot placement, then a proper bullet is every thing. the one thing you cannot change once you pull the trigger.... the bullet. if you are thinking about that, then you are on the right path. good hunting.

I will start by saying that I have a great amount of respect for 1dirthawker.
In your profession and personal life have certainly taken more game than I.
So I agree with you to an extent, but that being why are you not using the absolute BEST available?
I understand that if the Hornady is the only ammo that regulates in the firearm, then yes, of course use the Hornaday.
IMO if you are not using the best constructed bullet that you can afford for the game to be hunted, that lacks ethics as well.

 

[Michael Dean]

I'm sorry, the basic fact that there have been so many complaints regarding their products that it would generate a forum discussion leaves me to believe that there is something fundamentally wrong with Hornady products. There are too many excellent bullet manufacturers to chose from today that it seems foolish to compromise a hunt by using a questionable and marginal product.
If you don't reload there are several companies that will taylor a cartridge to your specifications, there's no reason to use a questionable product.

 

[Pheroze]

If you are still uneasy about using Hornady, maybe look into having custom ammo made from Hendershot's.
https://hendershots.net/product/450-400-nitro-express-extreme-custom-ammo/
I'm not familiar with Canadian law re: ammo and it's sale, but there must be someone who can work up some hand loads.

Importing is easy. It's the dollar difference that sucks. Having said that, if you wanted to try this out I like working with

http://www.reloadinginternational.com/

They have imported bullets and a rifle for me. Worst case scenario you get trigger time!

 

[Royal27]

The only modern hunter I know who has a similar number of safaris to the legends is Craig Boddington and he uses Hornady ammo and never had an issue with the original DGX bullet.

You mean the guy that's paid to sponsor a product says good things about them in public. As I recall, sponsors defending product is part of how this thread got so long.

Candidly and respectfully, I think your statement says more about the effectiveness of sponsorship than it does about the effectiveness of dgx bullets.

@Longwalker,

As long as you understand that you're not shooting a true premium bullet (which I'm pretty sure you do) I say take the rifle (ensuring you have the new bonded version should help too). If you reload and have time to find a better bullet that regulates I'd tell you to try and do that first. But as much as I have a personal distaste for Hornady, dgx in particular and Hornady quality control in general, it's still more powerful than a bow and arrow and we hunt with those .

My annoyance always comes from people who say "dgx is just as good as...." It's not. And, I think that's been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. That said, if I were in Zimbabwe, lost my ammo, and had to use dgx or not hunt I'd use it. It's better than nothing.... It's not premium is all. The mild levels of the 450-400 should also help I would think.

On the DGS yes it seems that there are fewer issues, but there are still issues. My personal belief is that it's a quality control issue more than a design issue. Although, the dgs design is not true premium either with it's lead core. Below is a dgs recovered from a lion of all animals.... Not exactly thick skinned....

Good luck with your hunt and enjoy every second!

 

[Royal27]

Out of 176 votes cast only one person would choose Hornady over all other options for DG . There used to be two votes for Hornady but apparently someone has since changed their mind.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/one-and-only-one-bullet-manufacturer-for-dangerous-game.39399/

 

[Big5]

You mean the guy that's paid to sponsor a product says good things about them in public

I have known Craig for many years. In my experience I have not only found him to be a man with a wealth of hunting experience but one of integrity as well. I do not believe the man I know would prostitute himself and tarnish his reputation by sponsoring a product that he knows to be defective. But to each his own.

Just my 2 cents . . . . and good hunting to you with no matter what ammunition you choose.
.

 

[Royal27]

I have known Craig for many years. In my experience I have not only found him to be a man with a wealth of hunting experience but one of integrity as well. I do not believe the man I know would prostitute himself and tarnish his reputation by sponsoring a product that he knows to be defective. But to each his own.

Just my 2 cents . . . . and good hunting to you with no matter what ammunition you choose.
.

There is a 23 page thread on the subject of Mr. Boddington . I like cheese on my eggs.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/cb-finance-debate-egg-recipes-etc.42879/

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

In my 404Jeffery and 9,3x62 I use cartrdges from RWS,Hornady and Norma with bullets TUG, DGX and ORYX.
I've never had problems.
The barrels in my rifles are Lothar Walther.

 

[Big5]

There is a 23 page thread on the subject of Mr. Boddington . I like cheese on my eggs.

Yes, I'm aware of that thread and have read the 23 pages you mention. Along with those comments I also remember much being said about a lion hunt involving Dr. Walter Palmer and Theo Bronkhorst. And before all that there was a thread on this site entitled; 'Lion Killer to Be Charged in Namibia'.

It was no surprise to me when that thread, right here on the AH site, began with unfounded and negative comments. I hate to think of where that thread would have gone if not nipped in the bud quickly. Most likely more than 23 pages.

I say it was no surprise because for some reason people seem drawn to joining in and commenting on negative and disparaging threads of all kinds. Realizing that to be true I'm one who takes most negative internet comments with a grain of salt. But as previously said, to each his own.

Once again, just my two cents and good hunting to you.

 

[Ryan]

There is certainly no love for the old style Hornady DGX in this discussion, and I understand why. Too many failures a few years ago. I may have missed it, but I did not read a single post that discusses the merit / failures of the currently produced Hornady DGX bonded. My understanding is that Hornady did actually respond to the problem, and came out with an improved bullet with bonded core & jacket that is designed to prevent core separations. I also did not read anything that would cause me to question using the DGS, except for comments that other solid bullets are "better". I have had no problems with Hornady ammunition in several smaller calibers, like .222, .308, 7x57, 9.3x62, and it has served me well. I have no particular brand loyalty to Hornady, but do have a dilemma.
I have a Merkel 450-400 3" double rifle and Hornady is the one factory load available to me in Canada. (it seems that the new Kynoch ammo is not sold here) My rifle is regulated with the Hornady factory loads.
So please advise me, I was planning to take this rifle to Namibia in October and use it for hunting buffalo and elephant. Loaded with DGX bonded for buffalo and DGS solids for elephant. Is there a current practical argument for leaving this rifle at home or should I have sufficient confidence in the Hornady solid and bonded soft at 2050-2100 fps while hunting big dangerous game?

Here's some field testing of the new bonded DGX by "Doctari" Robertson. It could be biased since it is sponsored by Hornady, but the results are pretty impressive.

 

[Royal27]

My last comment wasn't clear @Big5 . I simply meant if you wanted to discuss Mr. Boddington's integrity there was a place for that in another thread.

I never questioned his integrity in this thread. I questioned using a PAID sponsor as validation for a product. The name used by another poster happened to be Boddington's, it could have been anyone's name and my comment would have been the same.

Unlike you, I don't personally know Mr. Boddington and therefore have no reason to believe he lacks integrity. I also have no reason to believe he has any for the same reason.

I stand by my original comment. Buyer beware!

Good hunting to you as well!

 

[K-man]

Out of 176 votes cast only one person would choose Hornady over all other options for DG . There used to be two votes for Hornady but apparently someone has since changed their mind.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/one-and-only-one-bullet-manufacturer-for-dangerous-game.39399/

Yes but he was a sponsor here and decided to leave....lol

 

[BeeMaa]

Impressive video.
Still buying A-Frame.

 

[Royal27]

Impressive video.
Still buying A-Frame.

So is Doctari

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Great video Ryan.