Hornady DGX

[matt85]

the problem isnt with the bullet, its with the cartridge. i just dont think the 500/416 NE is enough gun for the fearsome black bear we have in this state!

if i end up using my double for bear then i will use either the 300gr TSX, 350gr hot-cor, or these 400gr interlocks. it all depends on what regulates and whats the most accurate. as i said, ive had very good luck with Hornady's RNSP bullets on thin skinned game in the past.

-matt

 

[enysse]

I like the Hot Cor bullets! They would work if they regulate.

 

[Velo Dog]

Matt85,

Yes, hopefully the .500/416 will be enough gun for a 200 to 300 lb animal.
If it doesn't work on the bear, just send it to me (free of course) and I will use it for snowshoe hare.

Part of the fun with doubles is figuring out what bullet, powder, primer and velocity each one will regulate at.
I have not as much experience with double rifles as I would like but, the brand of brass in the .375 Merkel I once owned and loaded for seemed to mean almost nothing (tried Federal, Remington and Winchester, with loads using Winchester brass grouping just slightly better).
However with all other components, it was very finicky.

Once I "broke the code", it shot very well.
With a claw mounted Leupold 2.5x compact scope / heavy duplex reticule and some shots taken with iron sights, I sacked a decent pile of African animals with that rifle on my 2nd safari.
If Merkel had made that one with longer barrels and with ejectors, perhaps I never would have sold it.
Double rifles and double shotguns seem to balance perfectly for me with approximately 26" barrels for some reason.

In 2 others I have owned, I had not much choice in brands of brass available so, I made do with what I could get - .275 Flanged (AKA 7x57R) and .450 No2 NE - and they shot fine, especially the .450 No2.
The only one I have now is a Heym in .458 Winchester and it does not seem picky at all so far.

Good luck with your Searcy, I have heard that they are excellent rifles.

Best regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Regarding Hornady round nose bullets, I do wish they were not slowing production or stopping it or whatever.
But I do understand that they cannot make money from only a few old fashioned guys, while the new generation of shooters mostly want to go faster and faster.

The times they are a-changin' I guess.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

Sadly it looks like more and more hunters are focused on shooting their critters from far away instead of stalking closer to them.
I guess it is a mirror of the modern days where people almost always want the easy solution without working for it.

I remember many years ago when I was around 20 years and very eager to hunt and shoot animals and hunted with my grandfather.
We spotted a group of Roe deer on a hillside in the snow 400 meters away from us.
I had only a 222 with me and thought it was to weak at that range and asked to borrow his 6.5x55 Krag with open sights.
I adjusted the sight to 400 meters and took the shot and the Roe deer dropped.

My grandfather told me it was a great shot, but he also asked me what the point was.
We didn't need the meat to survive and the chance of wounding the animal was very high.
I understood he was right, but I didn't think much about it then.

Today, being a "few" years older, I would not feel I was hunting taking a 400 meters shot.
I try to keep all my hunting shots inside 200 meters even if I am skilled enough to shoot much longer than that.
I might stretch it out to 300 meters for a animal of a lifetime, but I prefer to get the animals inside 100 meters and even better if they are much closer.

This is one of the reasons I very much like bowhunting.
It forces me to get rather close to the animal before I can take the shot.

 

[Velo Dog]

Sadly it looks like more and more hunters are focused on shooting their critters from far away instead of stalking closer to them.
I guess it is a mirror of the modern days where people almost always want the easy solution without working for it.

I remember many years ago when I was around 20 years and very eager to hunt and shoot animals and hunted with my grandfather.
We spotted a group of Roe deer on a hillside in the snow 400 meters away from us.
I had only a 222 with me and thought it was to weak at that range and asked to borrow his 6.5x55 Krag with open sights.
I adjusted the sight to 400 meters and took the shot and the Roe deer dropped.

My grandfather told me it was a great shot, but he also asked me what the point was.
We didn't need the meat to survive and the chance of wounding the animal was very high.
I understood he was right, but I didn't think much about it then.

Today, being a "few" years older, I would not feel I was hunting taking a 400 meters shot.
I try to keep all my hunting shots inside 200 meters even if I am skilled enough to shoot much longer than that.
I might stretch it out to 300 meters for a animal of a lifetime, but I prefer to get the animals inside 100 meters and even better if they are much closer.

This is one of the reasons I very much like bowhunting.
It forces me to get rather close to the animal before I can take the shot.

Norweginawoods,

I wish I could have said what you just posted here.
It is brilliant.

Best regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Very good discussion.
I agree with Paul ( Velo Dog ).
The statement PHEONIX PHIL is very good.
Witold

 

[LivingTheDream]

Definitely take up bow hunting. Where I live in Virginia we have liberal bag limits on deer and a long bow season. 3 deer last weekend shot at 14, 16 and 19 yards. That's fun to have them that close. Sorry to hijack the thread, but up close and personal is the way to hunt.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

This is one of the reasons I very much like bowhunting.
It forces me to get rather close to the animal before I can take the shot.

Unfortunately, bow hunting is succumbing to the "long range" mentality now a days.......at least here where I hunt.

 

[CAustin]

Top photo is of the Hornady DGX in 416 Ruger recovered from Bryson's
Giraffe. The bullet entered as you can see on the left front shoulder at the neck. It was recovered behind the right shoulder blade and just under the skin.

As a point of reference this is my left index finger next to the thick skin of the Giraffe. It is very thick and tough.
I submit here and on my elephant thread that the Hornady DGX and DGS bullets worked just fine for me! I have also used the SST bullets deer hunting with no problems.

 

[larry4831]

Hi Matt

I was shooting DGS & DGX in a Navy Arms 450 NE. No issues.

Most shots that you will take at a Dangerous game - Elephant (10 yards) - Cape Buffalo ( 10 to 40 yards) - Lion ( 20 to 50 yards) - Leopard (30 to 50 yards) and Rhino (20 to 40 yards). Your PH will get you close and still closer for your shots on Elephant - Cape buffalo and rhino. Lion and leopard are usually shot from a blind. Leopards are sometimes run with dogs and lions are stalked on foot.

I have used DGS & DGX on cape buffalo. Shot open sights and off hand. I did not get any recovered bullets, as i did not ask for them.

The DGX exited the off side on my cape buffalo. One of my Cape Buffalo was shot with DGS - solids and the other with DGX - expanding.

I am sure on the first CB, i could have dough around in the bank behind him to see if could have recovered one of my 2 bullets. The second CB was at 10 yards or closer and the bullets exited the off side, you would have needed a lot of time and a finder to located the bullets in the tall grass.

I have 3 new boxes of DGS & DGX on the shelf for when my next DG hunt takes place

Very good info

 

[Gsxrmike]

I used a TSX in .404 Jeffery for my first shot on the buffalo last August. It went through a rib and ended up in the far side ribs. For the unnecessary insurance shot I used a DGS because the custom loads I had all had a flat meplat that would not feed in my CZ. The DGS round entered about 2 inches from his tail, traversed the entire length of his body, and came to rest between the ribs in the front chest area. The DGS bullet was not deformed at all and had only rifling marks. I would have no reservations about using the DGS solids again. They also regulate very well out of the Krieghoff .470 I recently purchased.

 

[CAustin]

Most folks don't have issues with the DGS but rather the DGX.