I used 400grn Hornady DGX bullets the past weekend, shot 3 Impala, in my opinion the construction of these bullets is to soft. I got exesive meat damage on two impala, they were shot inside 75 meters, the other on was shot at 125 meters, ranged afterwards, there meat brusing was aceptedle.
In my opinion the DGX is constructed at below 2000fps impact velocity.
Load was 2350fps at muzzle

As has oft been said on this forum, no need to load the .404 up to that sort of velocity level. This cartridge made its name with original velocities around MV 2100fps. At the ranges you shot your 3 impala MV 2100-2200fps would have done the job easily.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
As has oft been said on this forum, no need to load the .404 up to that sort of velocity level. This cartridge made its name with original velocities around MV 2100fps. At the ranges you shot your 3 impala MV 2100-2200fps would have done the job easily.

+1

I agree with the above that the cartridge does the job at 2100 but believe heavier jackets will solve the problem you encountered and allow the 2400 fps to be used when "needed" to extend your POI for those longer shots. The heavier jacket will also reduce the explosive damage on lighter game.
I have been shooting heavy jacket (.065 and .049 vs. .030) bullets for a while now and although I have not used them to kill elephant or buffalo or an impala, based on wet clay banks and newspaper shooting the heavy jackets hold together well at the extreme velocity of up close testing as well as opening slightly at the slower velocities representing long range.
I recall Elmer Keith writing that he used solids on small game to eliminate the meat damage and the heavy jacket bullet will more closely mimic that affect than a soft.
I have to say, I have not measured the thickness of the DGX and might be way off but in comparing other "premium" bullets I have found some to be very thin skinned.
Frank

At that impact vel, I would want an NF, Swift or Barnes. I haven't shot the Hornady, but the NF & Woodleigh work great @ 2250fps.