Why avoid Hornady DG bullets and ammunition?

[Wheels]

Exactly....it's not a bonded bullet!

I have asked Hornady employees at the Hornady booth at DSC what "Interlock" means a few years ago. They said it was proprietary, but explained it as "bonded"! (using that specific word) I will take it, that is what they meant.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Exactly....it's not a bonded bullet!

Without sharing the trade secrets what does "Interlock" actually mean?
(I see Wheels has some description, but...)

 

[gizmo]

I was under the understanding that it had something to do with bonding but I truely don't know.

 

[gizmo]

At the end of the day it doesn't matter if they use chewing gum and duct tape (which by the way it performs is most likely the case) the design is flawed and doesn't work.
The fact is the design is unreliable and fails a large percent of the time. Yes even the sun shines on a dogs ass some days and under the right circumstances will work as advertised but..... it lacks the trusted reliability that one would expect from a major manufacturer.
It's pathetic that to defend this crap ammo one has to dream up possibly scenarios where it may work.
There are a whole lot better choices out there for DG hunting in every category.
Hornady advertises it to be a great,reliable, all round bullet. It's not and even the guy getting paid by Hornady has admitted that.
On that point Hornady blatantly falsely advertises their product and know it has a lot of problems. Myself and a ton of other people have called to complain and or get explanations for this issue only to get the contradictory run around very similar to what Sheephunter has been giving all along. That tells me they know there is a problem but as opposed to fixing it they'd rather pull some lame excuse outta the hat and blame their clients for an obviously flawed product.

 

[Hank2211]

Without sharing the trade secrets what does "Interlock" actually mean?
(I see Wheels has some description, but...)

It means "bonded".

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My 416 Ruger up to this point was a 1400$ waist of money. I hunted with it(mind you best experience of my life) once and it has spent the rest of the time in the safe with the exception of every now and again shooting and the odd hog hunt just for giggles. I had a perfectly good 375 in the safe but alas I bought into the Hornady hype. Now, the second that a premium bullet manufacture begins to make a premium bullet in a factory offering it will become my go to DG rifle. I truely believe that the 416 Ruger is a superstar of a round just not with Hornady ammo. I could hand load for it as I am an avid reloader but I only will use factory ammo on a DG hunt. I love the 416 in a standard action and the rifle itself is well built and very accurate. I wish the rest of the ammo manufacturers would jump on the band wagon and start loading for it. Until that time comes it will be the 375 H&H which I should have brought in the first place.

Problem solved...........

https://hendershots.net/product/416-ruger-extreme-custom-ammo/

 

[gizmo]

Problem solved...........

https://hendershots.net/product/416-ruger-extreme-custom-ammo/

View attachment 192156

Ha! Perfect. I'll have to check into the folks a see if they do a good job. That really makes me happy.

 

[IdaRam]

Well, technically...
Hornady's "Interlock" has been around for a long time. It is not "bonded". It is a "mechanical" lock, versus molecular.
The intelock is a ring of jacket material that protrudes inward radially inside the jacket and serves to better "lock" the lead core with the jacket material.
Think of it like this. Offroaders use wheels with bead locks to mechanically secure their tires to the rims so that when they let the pressure way down the tire doesn't come off the rim. The "interlock" is the bead lock. Bonding would be more like "gluing" the tire to the wheel with black max super glue, although the process is entirely different.
I hope that helps ???
And just a side note, Hornady's old RN Interlock bullets were very good bullets. Far superior, in my humble opinion , to the DGX. Just not sexy.
And, and, and... Hornady does make a number of very good products. Just thought I'd go on record saying that

 

[BRICKBURN]

Thanks for the explanation. I rely on you gun nuts for this stuff.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

It means "bonded".

Just in case this thread has driven anyone to drink...............and to further discuss the term "bonded:"

A term you might see on a bottle is Bottled-in-Bond or Bonded. This means the bourbon was made at a single distillery, by one distiller in one distillation season, aged for at least four years in a federally bonded and supervised warehouse, and bottled at 100 proof.

 

[PeteG]

Just in case this thread has driven anyone to drink...............and to further discuss the term "bonded:"

A term you might see on a bottle is Bottled-in-Bond or Bonded. This means the bourbon was made at a single distillery, by one distiller in one distillation season, aged for at least four years in a federally bonded and supervised warehouse, and bottled at 100 proof.

So bonded is definitely better???

 

[CTDolan]

Hornady's Interlock feature can be seen in the images below (the raised band of metal about 1/5 of the way up the jacket, from the base, the purpose of which is to grip the NON-BONDED lead core).

 

[IdaRam]

So bonded is definitely better???

I think you are confusing "bonding" with "bondage"
You know it had to go there eventually

 

[johnnyblues]

Bottom line their DG bullets are garbage. After hearing all the stories about them I made sure I ordered Swift A frames and North fork solids for my upcoming Buffalo hunt. Period.

 

[PeteG]

I think you are confusing "bonding" with "bondage"
You know it had to go there eventually

Ha ha ha
I was trying to keep it civil... you know for the sake of the thread and all!!! Ha ha ha
But now you've gone and dragged this nice thread down into the dungeon... ahem... I mean stripped it if its decency...
ah bugger!

 

[IdaRam]

Ha ha ha
I was trying to keep it civil... you know for the sake of the thread and all!!! Ha ha ha
But now you've gone and dragged this nice thread down into the dungeon... ahem... I mean stripped it if its decency...
ah bugger!

Sheesh, where's a ball gag when you need one?

OK, I'm done now

 

[Shawn.54]

I myself have never hunted DG and doubt I ever will unless I win the Lottery but as a person who experienced bullet failure in several calibers and bullet brands.
Let me say what we as hunters want in a bullet is a tall order expansion retained weight over a large speed range doesn't sound like much until you try to get fast bullet to hold up to the speed yet to open at all at longer range.
This has been achieved buy several companies with bullets with. Solid copper to stop expansion or bonding to keep lead from separating from jacket.
Some do both.
I left Hornady bullets when 139gr in a 7mm-08 were not giving me full penatration on white tail deer unless shots were 100 yards plus. Nosler accubonds solved this problem.

Now to sale a bullet that acts the same on DG marketed for DG makes me wonder if these bullets are for DG or to make the hunting a dangerous game.

I do want to say that I can't tell you how the accubonds hold together because I have never found one in a deer. If they are coming apart the parts are leaving the same hole.
I do use GS Custom bullets in my 22-250 for deer with full pass through on all shots including 1 deer shot 172 yards on an angle. If you look at my post in Up to .375 I have all the details and pics.
My best recommendation is whatever bullet you use try digging a few out of the backstop if possible if all you are finding is shredded copper and pieces of lead you may want to try a different bullet. My backstop is shale on private property so it's easy for me may not be for public ranges.
I do have a 375 Ruger and it will never see factory ammunition for simple reason of cost I can use the best premium bullets and put $20.00 back in my pocket for every box.
My .02
Shawn

 

[Pheroze]

This has been a fantastic discussion, thanks to all who took the time to participate!

I am now looking at the Cutting Edge bullets a little differently. I was skeptical of the technology that relies on breaking apart, but it would appear to have some merit.

 

[IdaRam]

I myself have never hunted DG and doubt I ever will unless I win the Lottery but as a person who experienced bullet failure in several calibers and bullet brands.
Let me say what we as hunters want in a bullet is a tall order expansion retained weight over a large speed range doesn't sound like much until you try to get fast bullet to hold up to the speed yet to open at all at longer range.
This has been achieved buy several companies with bullets with. Solid copper to stop expansion or bonding to keep lead from separating from jacket.
Some do both.
I left Hornady bullets when 139gr in a 7mm-08 were not giving me full penatration on white tail deer unless shots were 100 yards plus. Nosler accubonds solved this problem.

Now to sale a bullet that acts the same on DG marketed for DG makes me wonder if these bullets are for DG or to make the hunting a dangerous game.

I do want to say that I can't tell you how the accubonds hold together because I have never found one in a deer. If they are coming apart the parts are leaving the same hole.
I do use GS Custom bullets in my 22-250 for deer with full pass through on all shots including 1 deer shot 172 yards on an angle. If you look at my post in Up to .375 I have all the details and pics.
My best recommendation is whatever bullet you use try digging a few out of the backstop if possible if all you are finding is shredded copper and pieces of lead you may want to try a different bullet. My backstop is shale on private property so it's easy for me may not be for public ranges.
I do have a 375 Ruger and it will never see factory ammunition for simple reason of cost I can use the best premium bullets and put $20.00 back in my pocket for every box.
My .02
Shawn

I'm with you on the Accubonds. I use them in quite a few cartridges that I hand load for and have been very happy with their performance.
And yes, I tend more toward the "mushroom" vs "frangible" school of thought on DG.
Both of these Accubonds penetrated through heavy bone, passed through heart and lungs and came to rest under the hide on far side.

 

[IdaRam]