Poor quality of hornady bullets

[Jurgens]

I have always been a big fan of Hornady bullets however recently I discover about 180 87gr V-Max bullets that did not have a boat tail, only slightly formed. As I am in South-Africa Hornady would not even reply on my e-mails. I have read in a guns of the week articale that someone else also had a problem with Hornady bullets. Is the quality of Hornady bullets deteriarating or is there something else wrong? Has anybody else experience this?

Regards
Jurgens

 

[fivering]

I don't use Hornady bullets, so I can't comment on them, but I bought some new Hornady 6.5x284 brass a couple of years ago, and it is much softer than Lapua and Norma and can not be loaded to the same levels, without having difficult extraction.
I will never buy their brass again.

 

[HPMike800]

Lack of quality control

 

[7stubby]

Those bullets must have been made on a Monday or Friday. LOL I would call Hornady and tell them the lot number. They should take care of you.

 

[infantrytrophy]

I agree with 7stubby. Contact Hornady and send them your picture. They will make you more than whole, plus they need to know this information so that they can correct the problem.

 

[baboonstalker]

Hornady hardly sends anything South Africa's way these days. The importers here recently received a SMALL part of their 2008 orders and stuff like the 75 vmax's (or any other popular bullet for that matter) is unobtainable here now. I would seriously look towards Nosler, at least they look after their market here.
As far as your dud bullets go, i would hammer them (hornady) to send you replacements direct from the factory.
Good luck

 

[camac]

I have not has as bad an experience as you but certainly have had batches that had a "big varition in bearing surface length". In particular the 87gr. A couple of guys reported the 7mm 162gr to be their most accurate bullet in the 284 BUT then a bad batch came through over here. Another report on some 222 HP said he was measuring nearly twice the bearing surface length of some to others. Previously they were his most accurate bullet. Hornady are slowly losing a lot of customers. No doubt they can make outstanding bullets when things go right but QA is lacking somewhere.
Or does the QA department export the bad stuff (we are in AUS) and keep the good for local??
As everyone knows it takes a lot of good publicity to counter 1 or 2 bad ones.

 

[bheadboy]

http://www.hornady.com/contact_us

this web page has a form for contact and complaint,

Contact Us
Hornady Manufacturing Company
3625 West Old Potash Hwy
Grand Island, NE 68803
USA
Phone: 1-800-338-3220
Phone: 308-382-1390
Fax: 308-382-5761

Business Hours
Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Central Time

Good luck, i think you will find Hornady willing to replace them directly to you

Bob

 

[1000yardstare]

I live close to two of Canada`s largest ammo wholesalers. They both say that when the U.S. ammo manufacturers saw a recession coming, they laid off workers. This had the effect of creating an artificial shortage which these wholesalers are still dealing with. They don`t see an end in sight, in particular for primers.

Lay on top of this last year`s panic buying in the U.S. of ammo and components and the military`s on-going requirements for ammo, you have a perfect storm that puts a lot of pressure on civilian supplies.

The first factory function that usually takes a hit when workers are laid off is quality control.

 

[15Tango]

Uh, yeah! Hornady bullets suck, don't ever buy them! Especially not their AMax line! Absolutely horrible bullets. You don't want them!

Wayne

Maybe that'll help keep prices down and supply up for me . . .

 

[Jurgens]

I tried to contact hoornady on their web site with the contact us function, three times, twice in the technical section and once on other. No reply to this date. When you go to the hornady website they seem to have their machines running 24h. Needles to say I will NEVER buy Hornady again! I started using 80gr Berger FB bullets instead, their BC is not that good but they shoot exreamly well from my .243.

Jurgens

 

[bozo699]

Jurgens,
I am very sorry to here that about hornady, I work for one of there competitors
CCI/SPEER,but have been a big fan and user of Hornady bullets. Joyce Hornady made top quality bullets and loaded ammo for years.We have the highest standard in QC where I work and I can't imagine any difference @ Hornady. Maybe there is a problem with communications from S Africa to USA? If you want I would be happy to try to contact them on this matter for you, if I get a responce I could P.M you with results. I live in S.E Washington state USA and again would be happy to do this for you if you wish,let me know.
Wayne.

 

[LWolken]

Wayne,

It would be nice if they would actually make some 105 Amax bullets, mine have been back ordered for nearly 8 months. I made a phone call to them to see what was going on. Sales lady said they as well as others are still behind. I told her they needed to box them in 500-1000 rd boxes since they are match bullets. If match shooters can only get a few boxes every year they will quit using them. I also told her they should raise the prices to balance the laws of supply and demand. If Sierra and Berger can sell there bullets for $25.00-$30.00 per box there is no reason Hornady should be selling theirs for $20.00 She told me that they have not raised the price for the last three years and that if they did they wouldn't have the demand. I replied if you cannot make enough to keep a steady supply then there won't be a demand, plus if you raised the prices you could afford some over time or new machines? Think about it.

 

[jonbearman]

In regards to 15tango. I have bought 1000's of hornady bullets including the .308 amax's and have had no problem with there products. If you think they suck why dont you call them and tell them that you are disatisfied with there stuff.You cant make a general statement that everything they make sucks because it doesnt.I have had problems with sierra bullets shedding jackets,and with a gentlemanly conversation they made me relize what I had done wrong. Many times that is the case.

 

[dfry]

Actually, I think 15Tango was being tongue and cheek, if you notice, he said in small print, That maybe if others didn't buy them that would keep the supply up and price down for him!

There are probably some QC issues at Hornady because they are waaaayyyy behind. It took me forever to get some 87 gr. BTHPs and I have an FFL. The 87 BTHP have always shot great for me along with the 105 Amax in my 6WOA AR match rifle. I have never been able to get the 87 Vmax to shot in that gun, but others I know have had great results.

 

[moorepower]

They did not lay of people, that is B.S.

 

[1000yardstare]

From the Minneapolis-St. Paul StarTribune:

"Federal Cartridge to lay off 40 to 50
Last update: November 5, 2008 - 11:27 PM"

The layoffs happened just before the panic buying of ammo and reloading components in the U.S started up in full swing in early 2009.

This is not Hornady but it is an illustration of how the ammo industry seemed to be caught unawares of the unprecedented demand in the Spring of 2009.

I can only go by what my local distributors tell me. They say that the ammo industry as a whole has been affected by decisions made by various manufacturers as to the emphasis or lack thereof on certain production schedules and the number of workers assigned to these schedules. The companies set priorities that may not coincide with the expectations of certain segments of the shooting fraternity.

 

[bozo699]

1000yardstare is spot on, on the layoffs. That is when they happened,why they happened, And they did happen
Wayne.

 

[Heavies]

Wow, those are some bad bullets.
I regularly use Amax's and I love them, they are in very short supply, and had to wait for months on back order. Try calling CS and get them to send you a new batch, if they have any in stock.
Good luck to you, and I hope they make it right.

 

[6BRinNZ]

Any suggestions for replacing the Hornady 105 A-max for varminting....I have been waiting forever, and with no end in sight its time to move on....