PHOENIX PHIL
AH ambassador
Gents,
I came across a story about Hornady factory ammo on another website that I thought was important to share. Been meaning to get this thread started for a couple days now and just getting to it. I have not exactly held back my opinion regarding the DGS and DGX bullets. Honestly I think they're junk. Junk not because they've not been used successfully but based on the overall performance in the field. Do enough research and you'll find many stories on these bullets and their poor performance. With other options that have a much better reputation, I just don't understand why anyone would choose these bullets over others available. A few less bucks spent on ammo when talking about hunting DG just seems like the silliest place to save money. When it is all said and done it is the bullet that will be doing the heaviest lifting.
Okay, I'll get around to it finally. It would seem a fellow hunter using a bolt action in .416Rem was recently at the range. The hunter brought the rifle to a friend when the bolt would not open after firing. The friend gave a few sharp whacks to the bolt handle and was able to break the bolt free and open. The brass came with the bolt and ejected. Cutting to the chase it would seem the round fired had no powder. The primer ignited and created enough pressure to push the bullet into the lands but not so far that the bullet fully exited the brass. The whacks of the bolt handle eventually loosened up the bullet from the neck and the brass was pulled away from the bullet still stuck in the lands. The bullet was pushed back out using a cleaning rod and all is well again with the rifle.
How did this happen? I have no idea. I'm just glad that there wasn't enough charge to push the bullet far enough into the barrel to fully exit the brass and cause at least enough recoil that the shooter thought he sent one downrange. All sort of scary thoughts here in my head.
What I am sure of is this represents a lack of quality control. Lack of quality control and ammunition manufacturing are not words that should ever be said in the same sentence. Could any ammo factory make this mistake, I guess so. But this is just another story I'm reading of poor QC at Hornady.
So I'd recommend that if you shoot Hornady factory ammo, you weigh all of your rounds prior to shooting them at the least and absolutely before you hunt with them. You'll need a scale that will read in grains preferably, but at least grams.
Now in some fairness to Hornady. I have a die set that I really like. I also appreciate that they're making brass in some of the African calibers that other companies have chosen not to. When I had a .416Rigby I used their brass and found it to be fine.
Furthermore, while there are stories of Hornady ignoring complaints from their customers, this appears to not be the case in this situation. Hornady was contacted and has thus far been responsive to the seriousness of the situation. What will come of that I don't know, time will tell.
I came across a story about Hornady factory ammo on another website that I thought was important to share. Been meaning to get this thread started for a couple days now and just getting to it. I have not exactly held back my opinion regarding the DGS and DGX bullets. Honestly I think they're junk. Junk not because they've not been used successfully but based on the overall performance in the field. Do enough research and you'll find many stories on these bullets and their poor performance. With other options that have a much better reputation, I just don't understand why anyone would choose these bullets over others available. A few less bucks spent on ammo when talking about hunting DG just seems like the silliest place to save money. When it is all said and done it is the bullet that will be doing the heaviest lifting.
Okay, I'll get around to it finally. It would seem a fellow hunter using a bolt action in .416Rem was recently at the range. The hunter brought the rifle to a friend when the bolt would not open after firing. The friend gave a few sharp whacks to the bolt handle and was able to break the bolt free and open. The brass came with the bolt and ejected. Cutting to the chase it would seem the round fired had no powder. The primer ignited and created enough pressure to push the bullet into the lands but not so far that the bullet fully exited the brass. The whacks of the bolt handle eventually loosened up the bullet from the neck and the brass was pulled away from the bullet still stuck in the lands. The bullet was pushed back out using a cleaning rod and all is well again with the rifle.
How did this happen? I have no idea. I'm just glad that there wasn't enough charge to push the bullet far enough into the barrel to fully exit the brass and cause at least enough recoil that the shooter thought he sent one downrange. All sort of scary thoughts here in my head.
What I am sure of is this represents a lack of quality control. Lack of quality control and ammunition manufacturing are not words that should ever be said in the same sentence. Could any ammo factory make this mistake, I guess so. But this is just another story I'm reading of poor QC at Hornady.
So I'd recommend that if you shoot Hornady factory ammo, you weigh all of your rounds prior to shooting them at the least and absolutely before you hunt with them. You'll need a scale that will read in grains preferably, but at least grams.
Now in some fairness to Hornady. I have a die set that I really like. I also appreciate that they're making brass in some of the African calibers that other companies have chosen not to. When I had a .416Rigby I used their brass and found it to be fine.
Furthermore, while there are stories of Hornady ignoring complaints from their customers, this appears to not be the case in this situation. Hornady was contacted and has thus far been responsive to the seriousness of the situation. What will come of that I don't know, time will tell.