What is your experience with this ammo? Softs & solids?

I have observed and/or observed the following:

1- Had a large number of rims out of tolerance.

2- just saw a 500 NE round that would not fire out of 2 different guns.

3- saw some rounds where the primer would move. At times it would stick out too far. At other times it would be flush.

4- a very well respected gun guy was extremely critical of the ammo. Quick description of the problems would be inconsistentcy in speed and performance of the bullets.

5- I have heard some horror stories with the softs from some PHs I know well.

6- on the other hand, a well known custom ammo manufacturer thought they were good.

7- I have taken a fair number of animals with the solids with zero problems this far.

Frankly,the failure to fire in brand new ammo and the primer issues scare the hell out of me. I am wondering if I should have some custom loaded.

Thoughts?

My experience is limited to about 10 rounds of 470NE and less of 458Lott, so I've little to add. I'd be interested to hear others opinions, though. The ammo I fired showed fist size accuracy in the Lott (25 yards off hand, me driving being the limiting factor...) and similar in the 470. No failures to fire.

375 Ruger stuff form Hornady (250 grain ) worked well on Biebs moose ( ) and mine.

If i take the 375 ruger to africa I got some custom loaded 375 ruger w/ barnes tsx.

Mike

I'll load whatever you and Jeff need Larry. Just let me know.

Larry - Don't really know much on the ammo side, but really see their bullets as second tier. I hand load all my stuff and prefer to stick with Nosler on soft skinned game like Leopard, and use Barnes TSX and Solids for everything Kudu and up. Has worked for me.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

I've had no problems with 3-4 boxes of .458. Good accuracy too. The one buff I shot with the DGX and another I backed up with DGS both bullets went through. The velocity was measured at 2050, not the 2150 advertised but a lot of factory ammo doesn't meet the advertised mark.

The prices sure are unbeatable so at the very least they are good for practice!

Larry
I've used the DGS ammo quite a bit in my 500 on ele., no issues whatsoever with its performance
Or with the brass, some of which I've reloaded 6 or so times now.
Only criticism is I feel it's a little" soft" I would prefer a load with a bit more velocity,
Mine chrono around 1950- 2000 fps out of my VC. The 3 tuskless shot with them didn't feel any difference though!!!! They regulate well in my rifle so I'm happy to use them, although I prefer my hand loads using
Monolithic solids either CEB, woodleigh hydro or Barnes which have a little more velocity but still regulate well.

Cheers

Nick

I load Hornady brass in-
450 NE, 450-400, 500 NE, 6.8SPC,(and a few others I cannot recall)

Personally, I have not had inconsistent rim issues--
I am currently petitioning them to produce 375 Flanged Mag

The Hornady bullet debate has ground on for years-

my take- I' ve had failures of Nosler, Barnes, Hornady, Sierra--

But not many --which is the key-

ALL companies have product failures-

In the past -Barnes was my favorite-
I am now working with CEB's and others-

However- I would not hesitate to hunt with factory Hornady

I've used some of the 404 Jeff DGX and DGS for practice because I got it cheap and needed more brass anyway. I've had no issues with the factory ammo, and the brass looks great.

I've always used CEBs in Africa, and I've been happy with them.

Ive never shot any of their loaded ammo, but all I shoot out of my .416 Rigby is Hornady Brass and DGS and DGX bullets.

No complaints from me, though I havent killed a ton of game with it or anything.

Only killed one buff with it, and the DGX went through, and lodged under the skin on the far side, nicely mushroomed and intact. Shot him with a DGS for insurance after he was down and it whistled all the way through.

I have also killed two fairly big hogs with DGS bullets, got full penetration and a big wound channel both times. (One broadside on a 300 pounder, and one end-for-end on a 200 pounder).

Good accuracy for me, and the solids and softs shoot into the same hole, which is nice.

Just completed my 7th year (season)in RSA. Graduate of SA National Professional Hunting School. Am also in the wildlife ranching business raising golden wildebeest. Have harvested cape buffalo with .450 NE DGX and been back-up shooter on four other buffel. Harvested a problem lion using same ammo. No problems.

Hornady .450/.400 soft (stock from before the DGX moniker): tested into buffalo, bullet disintegrated so completely that I never used that ammo on live animals, keeping it for plinking.

Hornady DGX .458 Lott: poor weight retention, lead too frangible. One round shot at a departing buffalo penetrated a total of 4" in the thigh muscle. No bone whatsoever, skin and flesh only. That is Four Inches.

Hornady solids, including DGS, .458 WM and Lott: no observed problems.

I've only used the DGS/DGX in the 375 Ruger and didn't have any problems. Running shot on a warthog punched through a 4" mopane tree before hitting the pig. Didn't kill it outright but after a lot of tracking and some more shooting he was in the bag.

quote:

Originally posted by Philip A.:
Hornady .450/.400 soft (stock from before the DGS moniker): tested into buffalo, bullet disintegrated so completely that I never used that ammo on live animals, keeping it for plinking.

Hornady DGS .458 Lott: poor weight retention, lead too frangible. One round shot at a departing buffalo penetrated a total of 4" in the thigh muscle. No bone whatsoever, skin and flesh only. That is Four Inches.

Hornady solids, including DGX, .458 WM and Lott: no observed problems.

You have the two monikers mixed up. DGS is the solid. DGX is the soft.

My experience with DGXs is limited to one water buffalo and a borrowed .450 NE and factory loads.

I got my chance at 50 yards or so and gave him both barrels. By the time I got the VC loaded again he had closed the gap by half and I got two more shots into his opposite side. Nothing glamorous as a charge, he just picked the wrong direction to run. I dropped the last two rounds that I had readily available into the double and gave him another into the shoulder and the last one into the neck. The bullets were blowing up without penetrating very far. Barring the unlikely event that Hornady starts paying for my hunting trips, they can shove them up their keester. I don't owe them another chance when there are so many good bullets out there.

For what its worth:

Have had no issues with the solids, and took a an ele with the .470 DGS. However, I prefer bullets with driving bands (NF, Barnes, Cutting Edge, Woodleigh Hydros)

The softs - DGX - are very soft. Shot a lion with a .470 and recovered the bullet? Maybe the perfect bullet for cats, but buff - not so sure.

I used to have a .450/400 that was regulated with Hornady ammo. The original ammo I purchased was "old", and it didn't pattern at all (velocity varied by over 100 fps). A newer patch, however, was much better and remained within 30 fps.

No problems with the brass so far, and thank goodness Hornady manufactures large-bore brass!

I've taken one tuskless with the solids in 404 Jeffery. It worked fine for me.

I took two boxes of 470 nitro for my PH and the rims were to thick for the gun to chamber. I took it form Canada to Zim. Good luck with the refund,
I also find the SST ammo is all over the barndoor with my wife's 7-08.
'I think their products are poor and I won't have any more. I was out over 280.00 for rh3 470 ammo

I have never had any problems with Hornady brass, and I have used it extensively in my 450/400 and .500NE. Without getting into another emotional discussion about bullets, let me just say that my opinion is that there are several better bullets out there on the market (CEB, Woodleigh, Barnes, North Fork, Swift etc). For hunting dangerous game, a second or third best bullet is just not good enough for me.
For Jeff and Larry , I would take up Todd on his offer. He knows what he is doing.

Have no experience with their terminals but I have been involved with re-regulating the barrels on my 1905 Gibbs 450NE. I decided to use Hornady 450NE factory ammo in the regulating process as this load is used in many of the factory regulations. Running the 480gr DSX over my chrony 10 feet from the muzzle showed them at 1980fps right barrel and 2004fps left.

I should add that I have been using Hornady Brass since they started producing Brass for the 450NE and I have had no noticeable problems

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Philip A.:
Hornady .450/.400 soft (stock from before the DGS moniker): tested into buffalo, bullet disintegrated so completely that I never used that ammo on live animals, keeping it for plinking.

Hornady DGS .458 Lott: poor weight retention, lead too frangible. One round shot at a departing buffalo penetrated a total of 4" in the thigh muscle. No bone whatsoever, skin and flesh only. That is Four Inches.

Hornady solids, including DGX, .458 WM and Lott: no observed problems.

You have the two monikers mixed up. DGS is the solid. DGX is the soft.

Right... Corrected in post, thanks.

All of this scares the hell out of me. Particularly the failure to fire. I think I am relegating the remaining Hornady ammo I have to practice .

I have shot a lot of Hornady double rifle ammo, .450 NE, .500 and .450/.400. I have never had a round fail to fire in any of seven or eight different rifles in those calibers. But I could certainly see how one incident would shake someone's confidence in the ammo.

When I worked as an appy in Zambia, I carried my Searcy double in .450 NE, usually loaded with a pair of DGS solids. On the two wounded animals I shot in 2012 (a charging buffalo and a wounded hippo in chest-deep water), the bullets performed very well, penetrating like crazy and not deforming. I occasionally carried DGX softs, but I've never witnessed their performance on anything dangerous. Based on what others have seen, though, I would probably pick something else for a soft, unless using them for cats. But the solids are great, and I'd gladly bet my life on their performance again. Notably, I've never had any reliability issues with Hornady ammo through my .450 NE, and I've probably put 300+ rounds through it to date.

I have shot Hornady ammo in both .375 Ruger and .470 NE. No problems with the DGS or DGX bullets. I have reloaded both calibers with Hornady components and have had no issues.

quote:

Originally posted by sandyhunter:
When I worked as an appy in Zambia, I carried my Searcy double in .450 NE, usually loaded with a pair of DGS solids. On the two wounded animals I shot in 2012 (a charging buffalo and a wounded hippo in chest-deep water), the bullets performed very well, penetrating like crazy and not deforming. I occasionally carried DGX softs, but I've never witnessed their performance on anything dangerous. Based on what others have seen, though, I would probably pick something else for a soft, unless using them for cats. But the solids are great, and I'd gladly bet my life on their performance again. Notably, I've never had any reliability issues with Hornady ammo through my .450 NE, and I've probably put 300+ rounds through it to date.

The bullets might perform well. However , if the round doesn't fire ...............

What of Hornady I shot ( 500 and 450 NE ), never misfired

Two Issues.

The original failure to fire was in my Merkel. We then loaded it in Larry's VC and snapped dud again. Prior to loading it in Larry's gun I noticed the primer was not seated fully. The VC seated fully but it did not go off.

Issue 2: I talked to Brad at Hornady customer service and found his attitude flip at best. I told him I would not be risking my life on Hornady ammunition. A very prominent gun builder told me some things that I will have to ask his permission to share.

No more Hornady for me.

Jeff

Yup. While the failure to fire is bothersome, their attitude is even more so. I have to wonder how many times they have heard this given that attitude

This is troubling as I've got quite a bit of it in various large bore calibres. Haven't hunted with any of it and haven't had nay problems on the range. But the misfires are a concern, as are the issues with the softs coming unglued. I know that was a problem in the past, but I thought it had been cured. Do you know how old these bullets that failed were?

Brand new.

quote:

Originally posted by subsailor74:
I have never had any problems with Hornady brass, and I have used it extensively in my 450/400 and .500NE. Without getting into another emotional discussion about bullets, let me just say that my opinion is that there are several better bullets out there on the market (CEB, Woodleigh, Barnes, North Fork, Swift etc). For hunting dangerous game, a second or third best bullet is just not good enough for me.
For Jeff and Larry , I would take up Todd on his offer. He knows what he is doing.

subsailor,what do you use the 450/400 on- just curious?

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
This is troubling as I've got quite a bit of it in various large bore calibres. Haven't hunted with any of it and haven't had nay problems on the range. But the misfires are a concern, as are the issues with the softs coming unglued. I know that was a problem in the past, but I thought it had been cured. Do you know how old these bullets that failed were?

Just purchased from Midway USA.

Jeff

I have used the DGS on elephant and the bullets performed great. Penetration was good and not deformed.

Have used DGX on various animals with mixed results. It seems that they can fail on big animals. I have a few that I have recovered somewhere. Can take pics if someone is interested.

No issues here. I have loaded the DGS and DGX into Hornady cases for my 450/400 and taken multiple buff, hippo and a tuskless cow with no problems whatsoever.

Having said that, I started loading NFs - softs and cup point solids - and just returned from Moz where I used them for a buff. The CPS is currently my absolute favorite bullet. I used it (in 375) for blue duiker, red duiker, oribi, and suni - perfect.

I have no experience with Hornady's factory loaded stuff, but for my 450/400 Hornady is still pretty much the only game in town for brass.

No failure to go bang with my 404 but just shot paper so far.

The only failure to fire I have ever experienced was with Hornady ammo in .376 Steyr. Lost a boar because of that.

I've used Hornady ammo in my 450/400 double rifle without any issues. I have killed 6 cape buffalo using it. Every buffalo has either dropped on the spot or ran no more than 40 yards.

The ignition problems are frightening. I have not experienced them in c. 50 shots 450 NE including good performance of the DGS on elephant.