Hornady CX Bullets in .375 cal???

[hoytcanon]

Hello AH Folks... anyone have any experience with the new Hornady CX tipped copper bullets, I assume it is a newer version of the old GMX? I used some of the GMX in 7mm and .30 cal and they expanded nicely and stayed together. How is the new CX version in larger calibers? Specifically the 250 grain .375 caliber. Considering these for a .375 WSM build.

 

[Andrew62]

I happened to see a YouTube video of a cape buffalo hunt just yesterday. The lady shot a .375H&H, 250 grain CX bullets. Seemed to be a pretty good shot, they found her buffalo 3 days later, still alive, after they got it killed, they discovered the bullet apparently blew up on impact. That is the only feedback I have seen, but based on what I saw I would not use this bullet on buffalo.

 

[hoytcanon]

I happened to see a YouTube video of a cape buffalo hunt just yesterday. The lady shot a .375H&H, 250 grain CX bullets. Seemed to be a pretty good shot, they found her buffalo 3 days later, still alive, after they got it killed, they discovered the bullet apparently blew up on impact. That is the only feedback I have seen, but based on what I saw I would not use this bullet on buffalo.

Hmmmm... that doesn't sound good...

 

[Andrew62]

Out near the 5 minute mark you will hear him say what bullets they are using, Hornady 250 grain CX.

 

[hoytcanon]

Out near the 5 minute mark you will hear him say what bullets they are using, Hornady 250 grain CX.

Thanks for that...

 

[JRWcows]

The CX is a very good tough monolithic bullet. I have reloaded and use them in South Africa on serval hunts in a 375 ruger in the 250 grains. With very very good success.!! Everything was a one shot with a few second shots to just make sure the animals anchored so not to have to worry about going deeper in the bush to retrieve them ..I will only use the CX and or Barnes from here on out for this kind of stuff..!!

 

[Ridge Runner]

The CX is a very good tough monolithic bullet. I have reloaded and use them in South Africa on serval hunts in a 375 ruger in the 250 grains. With very very good success.!! Everything was a one shot with a few second shots to just make sure the animals anchored so not to have to worry about going deeper in the bush to retrieve them ..I will only use the CX and or Barnes from here on out for this kind of stuff..!!

Please specify what game you were hunting so we can have more information to base our own opinions on using the Hornady CX.

 

[JRWcows]

Hi there to answer your question I used the CX’s on giraffe eland and cow buff’s and big kudu’s.. I don’t run my loads up on the hot side. I load just a nice middle of the road velocity. 2300 +…And on giraffe and Buffalo, I could catch a couple bullets in the offside Show shoulder and on the kudu and eland they are pass-throughs with major devastation.. At least that’s the result I have had with the CX’s
I was always pretty loyal to Barnes, but back when the Covid deal hit it was hard to get a hold of anything in the bigger calibers..That’s what got me started on Hornady CX’s.
They were available and I was very pleased with the outcome after using them…

 

[Ridge Runner]

Out near the 5 minute mark you will hear him say what bullets they are using, Hornady 250 grain CX.

From my understanding she is using reloaded ammo.

My questions are:

What is the reload data?
Is the ammo max charged?

I wonder if the powder charge exceeded Hornady's recommended max velocity for this bullet causing the bullet to shatter on impact?

Although the shot placement looked good. According to the PH the shot was a bit low and right and implied had the bullet not seperated his estimated guess of bullet path the bullet would have traveled between the shoulder shield and joint disabling the buff for a follow up (death) shot(s) on day one.

Until there is more data and testing of the CX, I'm sticking with Hornady's 300 grain 375 DGS and DGX bullets for buff.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Hi there to answer your question I used the CX’s on giraffe eland and cow buff’s and big kudu’s.. I don’t run my loads up on the hot side. I load just a nice middle of the road velocity. 2300 +…And on giraffe and Buffalo, I could catch a couple bullets in the offside Show shoulder and on the kudu and eland they are pass-throughs with major devastation.. At least that’s the result I have had with the CX’s
I was always pretty loyal to Barnes, but back when the Covid deal hit it was hard to get a hold of anything in the bigger calibers..That’s what got me started on Hornady CX’s.
They were available and I was very pleased with the outcome after using them…

Thanks for the info. This pretty much enforces my theory that she used higher than recommended velocity loads.

 

[Ruraldoc]

When I called Hornady about their 250 grain GMX on cape buffalo, they said it had been tested on plains game up to eland but did not recommend it for Buffalo.

 

[Ruraldoc]

Someone on this site did use it on buffalo and posted pictures of recovered bullets.

They were pretty flattened out and not very confidence inspiring.

The CX is just a new version of the GMX with some changes to make it more aerodynamic.

 

[poco]

When I called Hornady about their 250 grain GMX on cape buffalo, they said it had been tested on plains game up to eland but did not recommend it for Buffalo.

I guess it’s who ever you trust @ hornday? Or they changed their mind about buffalo at hornady ? Because they said I would be fine “ but a 300 dgx bonded is better “
my buddy I am going with says I am a fool to shoot 250gr when I can shoot a 300gr tsx
and his PH in Zimbabwe agreed on this last trip
To tell the truth I’m kinda disappointed a 250cx is frond on because I want to use them on NA game .
also the 250 cx in my 375Ruger aren’t available or in production right now, maybe soon though?

 

[Ridge Runner]

It's been awhile but aren't the ammo manufacturers moving away from the pointed soft poly flex tip bullets in certain calibers replacing the soft poly flex tip with a softer non lead metal tip for the same performance as the lead tip pointed soft point bullet?

Thereby the CX loaded/reloaded to within the velocities of the respective caliber's pointed soft point would result in the same mushrooming effect as a spire point on thin to medium thick skin animals?

 

[hoytcanon]

It's been awhile but aren't the ammo manufacturers moving away from the pointed soft poly flex tip bullets in certain calibers replacing the soft poly flex tip with a softer non lead metal tip for the same performance as the lead tip pointed soft point bullet?

Thereby the CX loaded/reloaded to within the velocities of the respective caliber's pointed soft point would result in the same mushrooming effect as a spire point on thin to medium thick skin animals?

The idea of the exposed lead tip on SP's and RN's is for the tip to rapidly deform backward on impact and initiate the mushrooming. The poly tips were the same concept but with a better ability to control shape and resist deformation while handling. However Hornady found that their original plastic tips were melting from hydrostatic friction in flight, so they cam up with a heat resistant formula for the tips that they "say" won't melt in flight. Other companies have chosen different materials to form the tips on their tipped bullets. My personal belief is that tipped bullets add nothing to accuracy until after 200 yards. I have had many rifles that had the best accuracy with RN's and FN's out to 200 yards, which is the opposite design concept from tipped bullets... the higher BC of tipped bullets comes into play more at longer ranges, where the bullets retain more energy and resist wind deflection better than other designs.