Hornady 500 gr DGX Bonded .470 NE Bullet Performance
One Day...

Hornady 500 gr DGX Bonded .470 NE Bullet Performance

And the recovered bullet weight is...

So, we have a weight retention of 440.4 / 500 = 88.08%
88 % :) :) restweight,thats perfect.
how do you feel with your Krieghoff double ?
 
Yes, this is good performance for a bullet that went through a buffalo (see hunt report at https://www.africahunting.com/threa...proper-way-to-hunt-buffalo.45092/#post-475649).

The Hornady 470 NE 500 gr DGS / DGX Bonded factory loads shoot consistently 1.5" in my rifle, so I am pretty happy.

Yeah, I know, Hornady haters say there are much better bullets that break both shoulders, vaporize both lungs, obliterate the heart, spine, gut and skin the buff at the same time, and in a pinch would mount it on a plaque for you, all in one smooth motion, LOL. Perfect, have at it! I do not discount those, I just like the convenience of shooting universally available and well proven - notwithstanding what haters love to blog - very reasonably priced ammo.

Beside, since my gun was regulated with Federal ammo, I also have that option.

As to the Kreighoff itself (https://www.africahunting.com/media/kreighoff-classic-big-five-double-rifle.69045/) what to say that has not been said? It just plain works. I like it better with the blued action than with the nickel plated action (the 'bling-bling' plating somehow makes the gun look cheap in my view, and it looks absolutely terrible when it begins to bubble and chip away as I have seen on one gun exposed to the rainy season). With a 2 lb mercury reducer in the stock (factory option) it balances perfectly, right at the middle of the action, and the stock and iron sights fit me perfectly. At 11 lbs 6 oz it is not too heavy to carry, and it really soaks up the recoil. It is a breeze to shoot. I could not be happier.

Regarding the cocking systems, because the cocking system acts as both a cocker/decocker and a safety:
1) It is objectively not as easy and unobtrusive to switch as a regular safety is (you need to exert a certain pressure to coil the strikers' springs), so if you are in the habit of switching automatically the safety on/off as you mount/dismount the gun to your shoulder, it is not as smooth as a traditional safety. I appreciated this smoothness on my previous double, a traditional pre-WWII Jules Burry 450 #2.
2) It is objectively immensely safer than a regular trigger-locking safety when carrying the gun, especially on the shoulder, in single file, when muzzle safety can be challenging, because the gun can be fully loaded while fully safe (uncocked). It is even safer than a firing pin-locking safety (e.g. Mauser or Winchester "3 positions safety;" Weatherby safety; etc.) that makes a bolt action as close to fully safe as possible while loaded.

Overall, I feel unquestionably safer along the hunt with this system, but I DID have to acquire a new muscle memory reflex to cock it as I mount the gun.

Also, for those who have been confused by armchair or internet 'experts' let me clarify that contrarily to what has been said, when the Kreighoff cocker has been cocked, it remains in the cocked position, even when the gun is opened and reloaded, so there is no requirement to recock the gun after it is opened (as I believe the Blaser S2 requires). Reloads are therefore entirely identical to those with traditional guns: break open, flick the empties out, drop two fresh shells, close, aim, shoot. Or if you do not need to shoot again, you can then decock any time you later want.

So, in summary: it is different; it works; like everything new, it needs to be learned; and, in my view, it is an improvement. I never felt comfortable resting my two hands on top of the muzzles of my .450 #2 - and I always cringe when I see someone do it and trust 100% the trigger safety of their fully loaded double - but I would now feel safe resting my hands on top of my uncocked .470 ... if it was not bad muzzle safety discipline anyway ;-)
 

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