Curious if anyone has tried the new Bonded DGX on DG.
The old DGX shoot very well out of my rifle.
Scott

I wouldn’t recommend them unless the new design is a vast improvement. Even if so, there are much better alternatives.

With so much selection of pure copper bullets, I would not even try them.

Frankly, apart from the old Speer Tungsten Core bullets for penetration, there is no bullet that performs better on animals than a pure copper bullet.

And I am always weary of those funny bullets with different metals.

Sometimes it seems bullets makers are looking for a problem to solve where non exists.

I recently used the new bonded DGX in 450/400 on a Cape buffalo, shot was quarting towards me at 50 yrds shot entered front edge of the shoulder, I did not find the first round. Second shot was quartering away and hit behind the rib cage and was found in a the front of the chest between the shoulders. Expansion was very good x2, weight retention was about 95%. Buffalo went about 10 steps after the second shot. I will try to up load a picture

Looks like loading pictures is not very straight forward, if you would like to see a pic of the recovered bullet please drop me a PM with email or text number.

posted for scottf

[URL= ]Hornady DGX Bonded[/URL]
[URL= ]2[/URL]

Shootaway thank you for posting the picture.
I rechecked is he retained weight, it was 350g (originally 400g), about 87% retainer weight.

This is a copper clad steel jacket.
Personally, I have tried to limit the number of steel jackets that I send down the bore.
There are good alternatives to steel bullets in rifles.
Sincerely,

It looks like one tough bullet.The shank stayed straight.

Thanks gents for the pix and report.

I will keep this bullet in mind when I run out of Woodleighs.

I just got a packet for the 470 NE and loaded a few. Unusual small flat lead nose.

I'll be using it on the range.

I found the bullet a bit shorter than the DGS and the canelure is located to produce loaded ammo of same length / seating depth.

We just edited two Tanzania shows using this exact bullet. Three on shot buffalo kills, one shot eland kills. I have also used this bullet with great success.

I am not a fan of shooting steel jacketed bullets.

I read of an instance, when the rifling of a beautiful, old double rifle was destroyed by shooting a few steel clad rounds though it.

The old double had to be rebored to .470 NE and the work did not go well.

JMO.

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
I am not a fan of shooting steel jacketed bullets.

I read of an instance, when the rifling of a beautiful, old double rifle was destroyed by shooting a few steel clad rounds though it.

The old double had to be rebored to .470 NE and the work did not go well.

JMO.

BH63

Its all about commercialism (IMO).

Steel jackets for military hardware is fine seeing light and heavy armored targets are involved, but for sporting use? ... seriously now?

A steel jacketed bullet through most double rifles will wear the rifling down in next to no time - the brass/alloy monolithic version that came on the scene years before produced pretty much the same effect on the barrels, especially those in the vintage group.

Some bright spark has recently introduced a new hunting law in the north of Italy and possibly over the whole territory, that ONLY solids and ONLY monolithics may be used to hunt Stag, Roe, Fallow Deer & Chamoix.

Dumbs gets dumber!

I would have imagined that the traditional full copper jacket would have been more than sufficient for the light-skinned animals that range between 30 - 250lbs even though it contradicts the use of the more effective range of soft/expanding bullets, but no, this bright spark has, with a stroke of the pen mandated the sole use of monolithics!

To add insult to injury, wild boar may only be hunted using shotguns!

The highly regarded old Rigby and Hornady solids all had steel jackets and nobody criticized them.

The steel jackets are undersized and then copper plated to the proper O.D. The copper engraves into the rifleing, no steel contact. Rigby pioneered the process a hundred years ago. Hornady used the same process for many years on its Dangerous game FMJ's including a 220 grain 30 cal. Military steel jacket bullets, for the most part, are an economy measure, not for more penetration, mainly used by Com-Bloc nations.

I just returned from a cull hunt in Australia in August where I used the bonded DGX in my 404J. Shot 12 water buffalo and very satisfied with the performance and expansion. Would not hesitate to use on Cape Buffalo.

I’m with Saeed in not wanting to use them. Just not for quite the same reason.

At one time Hornady ruled the roost with gilding metal steel jacketed solids for DG. They changed it for economic reasons without saying so, and there ended up being lots of trouble for PHs and hunters with issues from that.

Further, this makes how many iterations of the DGX now?

They are so inconsistent that I just can’t trust them. No issues with a steel jacketed solid like a woodleigh, just Hornady’s version. I remember seeing sparks coming out with an earlier lot of DGS bullets in one of my rifles.

Hornady makes good cup and core deer/elk/varmint bullets and target bullets, and I’ve liked their brass, but the only way I would use their DG ammo or DG bullets is if they paid for the entire hunt and told me I had to use their ammo.

There are so many other people making bullets, I’m not going to play roulette on whether or not the particular hornady product is right or not.

I've shot a number of buffalo, eland, giraffe and impala with the old DGX in 450-400 and 375 Flanged. No problem for me, but I understand each to their own.

My problem is I think Hornady and the firearms media actively engaged in covering up the issues with the DGX that were very well documented here.

Only after the new bonded was DGX was reported in Guns and Ammo was there a very vailed, meek statement of the issues with the DGX non bonded.

I am willing to believe the new bonded DGX fixes the DGX core separation limiting penetration. Just do not like how it was handled.

In the Natchez catalog you can buy 500 NE TSX and Barnes Soild for less than Hornady.

The FBI has contracted for Hornady 9mm 135 Flexloc plus P. I hope they do not get squib loads and out of speck cases like a member here reported.

I wish someone would bring back the FailSafe bullet loaded in Winchester on the soft side. I know it was not loaded in the African double cartridges, but my Father In Law loves that bullet in 338 WM. He never went to Africa and never will.

On the solid side I wish someone would bring back the Speer Tungsten core unlettered. It died before I came along.

I spoke with some of the guys at Hornady a few years about the bad press they were getting with the DGX. The guy I spoke with told me they were replacing it with a bonded bullet that was in development but I couldn't talk about it. I am guessing Dave Fulson knew about this bullet well before it was launched as well.

I know Hornady is a favorite punching bag, but they have the resources to do what the shooting masses want: look at the ELD line for example: given a Berger, a Sierra, or an ELD, I would bet on the ELD. If they want to build a great DG bullet, they can; it isn't magic.

When I first heard of the bonded version it was on a hunting TV show with Jason Hornady. He said, and I CLEARLY remember this, that the bonding wasn't really necessary, but so many wanted it that they decided to do it anyway. Now they use the bonding as the only marketing ploy to sell the ammo. Both cannot be true.

Guys, my experience is limited - it is what is is, but this Hornady onslaught is a bit much!

I've shot no less than a dozen buff, numerous lions and several elephants with the Hornady DG ammo. All stock ammo, and all very effective, period!!

Any bullet can fail...but my experience has been the latter. Hornady ammo has produced well for me in every circumstance....I highly recommend you consider using it!

I think the new Hornady offerings are worth a try. I additionally am grateful Hornady brought all the vintage cartridges out of obscurity to the main stream.
450NE, 450 / 400, 470NE, 500 NE, 404 Jeff,416 Rigby, etc. Made brass and cartridges far easier to access.
I might second the prior comment that the Failsafe bullet brought out by Winchester and the Speer tungsten core solid were outstanding offerings that are gone.

EZ

I tested 3 shots of the Bonded DGX on the range with my 470NE.

I got a good group of 1 inch from right barrel, right in the middle of the 3 Woodleigh softs also from the right barrel.

Unfortunately the Chrony was playing up.

Very happy with the first trial.

What eezridr said + the Hornady factory .405 Winchester!