Just returned from Dallas Safari Show tonight. Hornady has a new line of DG ammo. Both softs and solids have the same profile, size and BC with a flat noise.They come in 300gr 375caliber 400 caliber(.410"); 400 grain 416 caliber; 480 grain in 458 caliber and 500 grain in 458 caliber.
Loaded ammo comes in 375 Ruger; 416 Rigby; 450/400 Nitro Express with 400 grain bullets; 450 Nitro Express with 480 grain bullets; 458 Winchester and 458 Lott with 500 grain bullets. Note that the 375 Ruger had one other load available the 270 grain soft point.

But the 450/400 is downloaded to 2050 fps.

I guess a handloader could yank the bullets and add their own powder!

But gun manufacturers are saying they are regulating using Hornady factory ammo.

The 450/400 was supposedly originally loaded to 2150 fps. The factory loading by Hornady seems too anemic. I wonder what the regulation at 2050 will do at 2150 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
But the 450/400 is downloaded to 2050 fps.

I guess a handloader could yank the bullets and add their own powder!

But gun manufacturers are saying they are regulating using Hornady factory ammo.

The 450/400 was supposedly originally loaded to 2150 fps. The factory loading by Hornady seems too anemic. I wonder what the regulation at 2050 will do at 2150 fps.

That seems a little slow to me also. I think that is about like some of the loads I have seem for the Marlin 45-70 and a lot of people don"t like those.

I like Hornady. Who else would provide products such as these at everyman prices. Many lament the loss of Northfork bullets. They were obviously a superior product. As a Canadian, I would never see a box of Northfork bullets. Woodleighs in amounts that count, require either a 2 day drive or a 2 year wait. Trophy bonded solids I will never see either.

Barnes and Hornady are the only brands that I can get in the Great White North. My hat is off to both of them. Hornady especially, for keeping prices sane, and the shelves stocked.

quote:

and the shelves stocked.

. . . with shitty bullets.

Andy

I, for one, have always had good luck with Hornady bullets in the larger calibers - both in the accuracy department as well as for their performance on big game.

Hornady is throwing some real effort at building better big bore bullets. The rep at the show was showing some new DGX bullets (softs and solids) that feature a beefy jackets and flat meplats. They look good but the proof is in the pudding.

The guy I spoke with runs the case manufacturing facility and he told me that Hornady will start loading for the 404 Jeffery at mid year and will also introduce .423 bullets at the same time. This is really good news.

This same guy said Hornady R&D along with Ruger have been looking at various follow-ons to the 375 Ruger. I asked about the possibility of a 416 Ruger and he said there was no production scheduled for as far as he could see and his plant production schedule is set about a year in advance.

Maybe Hornady would be interested in purchasing the North Fork technology???

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
But the 450/400 is downloaded to 2050 fps.

I guess a handloader could yank the bullets and add their own powder!

But gun manufacturers are saying they are regulating using Hornady factory ammo.

The 450/400 was supposedly originally loaded to 2150 fps. The factory loading by Hornady seems too anemic. I wonder what the regulation at 2050 will do at 2150 fps.

From what I can gather, that 2150fps original spec was from 28" barrels. If you shoot the old Kynoch in 24" barrels, you get about 2050, and that's what the major manufacturers use. I think it is SAAMI standard to use 24" barrels.

quote:

The 450/400 was supposedly originally loaded to 2150 fps.

The key word is supposedly. From what length barrels, 30"? I've seen slower specs for the 3" than the 3.25" also, depending where you look. 1960's kynoch averaged 2020fps in my 26" barrels and occasionally would only clock 1950 or so.

I think it is common for reality and the "listed" velocity to vary by 100fps or so, especially when you consider that no one had chronos so you had to take kynoch or eley's word for it.

Advertisers are still "incurable optimists" (polite term for full of it) but the ammo got the job done.

Bob

Are they not producing loaded ammo in .375 H&H???

Sounds like Hornady are getting on the Norma bandwagon

I suppose that Hornady will be priced a tad lower, but ammo cost is hardly the decisive factor when going to Africa for buffalo etc...

Don't get me wrong. My hat is off to Hornady for producing ammunition that most probably thought would never happen.

Will.....I have pondered the same question. If the new 450/400 rifles are regulated at 2050 fps, what happens if you are the proud owner of a new 26" barreled rifle and wish to load to the proper 2150? Nothing against Hornady...they should be set on a pedestal for doing what they are with all of the classic calibers...but to us fanatics, it may be an issue to get the numbers where we like them and still shoot to POA.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

The folks at Hornady were well aware of the blue sky in the published (and now accepted as gospel) velocities of Kynoch ammo and since they hope to sell this ammo to folks with older 450/400 doubles they tried to duplicate real world velocities.
Handloaders can do whatever they wish with the brass and bullets - and thanks to Hornady they will now be able to get them at reasonable prices

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
The folks at Hornady were well aware of the blue sky in the published (and now accepted as gospel) velocities of Kynoch ammo and since they hope to sell this ammo to folks with older 450/400 doubles they tried to duplicate real world velocities.
Handloaders can do whatever they wish with the brass and bullets - and thanks to Hornady they will now be able to get them at reasonable prices

All that is true. The only concern I would have, not that I'll ever have a 450/400, is that at 2050 fps it is way behind the 375 H&H in muzzle energy, if that is of concern.

Will!

You well know that muzzle energy is a poor predictor of stopping power. The 378 Weatherby has more muzzle energy than your 470. Does that also concern you that your 470 doesn't have enough stopping power?

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
Will!

You well know that muzzle energy is a poor predictor of stopping power. The 378 Weatherby has more muzzle energy than your 470. Does that also concern you that your 470 doesn't have enough stopping power?

465H&H

And a 22 LR has less muzzle energy. Is it not a stopper too?

Hornady's, Solids and DGX(Dangerous Game Expaning) bullets are copper clad steel jacketed. They are still making the original guilding metal RNSPs, think of them as practice bullets for Safari, or using them stateside.

Keith

Anybody who dis's Hornady bullet performance on game has derived their hunting experience from magazines. I would use them guiding but most experts from America would feel like their not getting their $ worth with a hick guide.

Did anyone hear a release date for the DGX ammo in 375 Ruger? I'll give them the "mudbank" test, and see if they look better than the current bullets... of course, I might try to come up w. something better as well... Maybe I could try and get a number of feral pigs in a row/line up their carcasses -- supposed to be helping w. a cull in a little bit...

waterrat, speaking of hunters not feeling they got their money's worth from a guide who didn't live up to their ideals, I had a couple hunters years ago who were mighty proud of their choice of armament (one of their rifles was on the cover of Rifle magazine). They were hunting interior Grizzlies so I carried my beat up old 1919 M-94 Win 30-30 during the hunt just for the effect.
So don't worry about using good Hornady bullets.