Hornady DGX dangerous game series 300 grains...opinions

[NESTOR]

Dear, I recently used for my 375 H&H, factory Hornady DGX ammunition, dangerous game series 300 grain, for an Asian buffalo. The impact was about 110 yards to the paddle. The tip penetrated and I retrieved it from the opposite side of the animal. When I recovered it, I saw that it had lost its core and therefore more than half its mass. What opinions do you have regarding this tip? I think that because it is a tip designed for large animals, they should retain more mass and not lose weight along the way.
Subo algunas fotos para sacar conclusiones.
Gracias y saludos a todos.

 

[John Wasmuth]

That shouldn’t happen. How old is this ammunition? I was of the understanding that Hornady had fixed this problem with their bonding process….

 

[Vintageguy]

I tried them out when I was developing a load for my 375. I shot a solid into 4 inches of cement from 25 yards. It went through and I found it laying about 6 inches behind it but it too was only a jacket. I decided to pass on them.

 

[TTundra]

Hornady #82334 is the new bonded version DGX 375 H&H 300 gr. May be best to use up the non bonded at targets and get some bonded dgx for future hunts.

 

[ldmay375]

That shouldn’t happen. How old is this ammunition? I was of the understanding that Hornady had fixed this problem with their bonding process….

The newer boxes that I have, are marked BONDED on the box.

 

[fourfive8]

Yep, that is exactly what that POS bullet does! And an excellent example of why Hornady got such bad press... to the point of having to improve it. I thought it would have been common knowledge by now! They remained in arrogant denial for a long time before acknowledging and correcting the flaw. That bullet, even though it was in Hornady's so called Dangerous Game series, is nothing more than a version of their old Interlock bullet with a thin, frangible copper plated steel jacket where the "Interlock" itself is minimal and formed from swaging the cannelure! Both the bullets and ammo of the new DGX Bonded are plainly marked with "Bonded"- as in the box of bullets in the pic below.

And Hornady still clings to and markets the idea that that little annular nub on the interior surface of the jacket of their regular Interlocks will keep a jacket attached to a core... in all their other Interlock big game bullets.... riiiiight! I wish they would explain to me exactly how that little interior ring nub is supposed to keep a jacket attached to the core upon any violent impact and especially if that thin, conventional jacket expands or shreds as they commonly do???

 

[colorado]

In my opinion the DGX is a POS. I wouldn't use one on a deer hunt never mind anything dangerous. With A-Frames, Woodleighs, Barnes TSX, bullets out there why would you use them for anything but plinking.

 

[IvW]

I do not use Hornady.....

 

[Longwalker]

That looks like the old style non-bonded Hornady DGX bullet. Typical results. Ample evidence exists that they were not a good bullet. Your experience just proves a point made many times. Switch to something better, including the new style bonded Hornady bullet, which is actually pretty good, or Woodleigh, or Norma Oryx, or Aframe, or TSX, or Raptor, or Bear Claw, or Nosler Partition or Accubond, Etc.

 

[WAB]

LOL, this is a discussion that just won’t die! My experience is well documented in other threads. Shoot A-Frames, TBBC or Barnes on the nasties. Use up the Hornady’s on paper.

 

[1dirthawker]

i had this conversation earlier this week, your bullets are not the bonded version. IF IT DOES NOT SAY BONDED ON THE BOX, then they are not bonded and crappy bullets.

the bonded bullets as noted above are actually pretty good bullet, i would pick north fork, swifts over them but they are pretty good.

 

[matt85]

Can't say much that hasn't already been said here... Hornady's old non-bonded bullets sucked. I haven't tried their new bullet but it supposed to be better.

I have always used either Swift A-frames or Barnes TSX.

-Matt

 

[NESTOR]

Gracias a todos por sus comentarios. Estas balas de Hornady realmente me decepcionaron; aunque pude cargar contra el animal, esperaba que una punta diseñada para la caza peligrosa se comportara como tal. Lamentablemente en mi país no hay mucha variedad de munición, solo tengo esta y la estándar Orix.
Voy a probar las nuevas versiones vinculadas y, de lo contrario, dejaré de usar Hornady.

 

[Longwalker]

Si cambias a Norma Oryx, serás más feliz. Es una buena bala.

 

[TTundra]

Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the problem isn't a Hornady exclusive problem, its a design effect. Non bonded bullets will have the higher likelihood of losing their cores. What was Hornady's problem is marketing this as a DG bullet when there were bonded bullets out there. Possibly should have simply referred to it as a big bore expanding, BBX, in lieu of DGX. This is where I believe they screwed the proverbial pooch so to say, and then on top of that didn't acknowledge this potential issue until they released of the Bonded DGX.

Below is a Nosler Partition fired from a 375 H&H that lost both the tip and bottom core. Also not bonded. It was recovered in a keyhole fashion from a Blue Wildebeest. Open terrain shot, no obstructions, didn't hit anything. Possibly lost its bottom core in flight, not sure and wasn't recovered but did have some trace lead residue throughout bottom cavity. Ive taken many heads cleanly with the Partition, and will continue to use it as pretty much any bullet can and will have 'issues'. This just happens to be the most evidenced 'issue' Ive recovered.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Gracias a todos por sus comentarios. Estas balas de Hornady realmente me decepcionaron; aunque pude cargar contra el animal, esperaba que una punta diseñada para la caza peligrosa se comportara como tal. Lamentablemente en mi país no hay mucha variedad de munición, solo tengo esta y la estándar Orix.
Voy a probar las nuevas versiones vinculadas y, de lo contrario, dejaré de usar Hornady.

Yo pare usando las balas de Hornady despues una exploto en el hombro de un ciervo colorado en Argentina. Prefiero Barnes ahora pero no tengo ninguna queja usando Oryx de Norma. Es una bala excelente.

 

[Nevada Mike]

The 300 grain .375" Norma Oryx bullets are excellent, but lack a cannelure, otherwise, great.

 

[Hunt anything]

The only 300 grain hornady.375 I have recovered were from a Buffalo taken at about 80 yds. The DGX was recovered on the off shoulder skin and lost little weight, the DGS was a Texas heart shot and recovered in the dewlap it was a little bent but still intact after traversing the entire buff. Another I didn’t recover was on a running sable that hit a 6 inch diameter tree before the sable, I thought that was pretty good performance. This was in 2014 and was whatever was manufactured then. Probably taken about 30 head of game with it and no issues. If I can figure out how to post photos I will.

 

[ldmay375]

Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the problem isn't a Hornady exclusive problem, its a design effect. Non bonded bullets will have the higher likelihood of losing their cores. What was Hornady's problem is marketing this as a DG bullet when there were bonded bullets out there. Possibly should have simply referred to it as a big bore expanding, BBX, in lieu of DGX. This is where I believe they screwed the proverbial pooch so to say, and then on top of that didn't acknowledge this potential issue until they released of the Bonded DGX.

Below is a Nosler Partition fired from a 375 H&H that lost both the tip and bottom core. Also not bonded. It was recovered in a keyhole fashion from a Blue Wildebeest. Open terrain shot, no obstructions, didn't hit anything. Possibly lost its bottom core in flight, not sure and wasn't recovered but did have some trace lead residue throughout bottom cavity. Ive taken many heads cleanly with the Partition, and will continue to use it as pretty much any bullet can and will have 'issues'. This just happens to be the most evidenced 'issue' Ive recovered.

View attachment 444125View attachment 444126

Thanks for sharing this.

These pictures of the Nosler and the Hornady would go well posted in the Firearms and ammunition / Bullet Performance Database.

I have my favorite bullets, but I firmly believe any bullet can fail / fail to perform to its design.
I have no illusions of a perfect bullet, 100% of the time. Nothing is infallible, bullets or shooters.

Standard cup and core bullets, I expect them to lose the core. I am more surprised when that do stay together. Definitely would not be my choice for the potential of hitting large bone, or something that had the potential to do me bodily harm.

I mostly use monolithic bullets. But, there can be a raw material and/or a manufacturing process issue with them also, any of them.
Bonded bullets where the bond was not in fact bonded. Supposedly easily expanding bullets, that did not expand.
I believe All of it can happen, and does.

 

[TTundra]

Thanks for sharing this.

These pictures of the Nosler and the Hornady would go well posted in the Firearms and ammunition / Bullet Performance Database.

I have my favorite bullets, but I firmly believe any bullet can fail / fail to perform to its design.
I have no illusions of a perfect bullet, 100% of the time. Nothing is infallible, bullets or shooters.

Standard cup and core bullets, I expect them to lose the core. I am more surprised when that do stay together. Definitely would not be my choice for the potential of hitting large bone, or something that had the potential to do me bodily harm.

I mostly use monolithic bullets. But, there can be a raw material and/or a manufacturing process issue with them also, any of them.
Bonded bullets where the bond was not in fact bonded. Supposedly easily expanding bullets, that did not expand.
I believe All of it can happen, and does.

Definitely shouldn't lose their cores in flight and keyhole on the exterior though. The entire bullet was visible on the skin, second shot was a clean shot thankfully. You agreed, bullets fail, probably more often than we know as a failure can still lead to a down animal.