I have seen tests online for Winchester PDX1 rifle rounds i.e. .308 and .223 but they also make a 7.62x39 round. I have not been able to find a good ballistics gel test online for this round. The other rifle rounds in this line seem to perform quite well in terms of FBI standards for penetration. This one seems like it should but I haven't seen any evidence. Seems like it would be the best round to load into your AK mags if you plan on using it for defensive purposes. After all, most FMJ rounds in this caliber penetrate like 30 inches in ballistic gel and JHP and soft point rounds go well over 20, which is not at all good for an urban setting. We can debate all day whether this round is good for home defense, or whether any modern sporting rifle should be used for home defense but that is not the intended topic in this thread. Please try to stay on topic.
No ballistic gel data for you. I have mags loaded with that ammo for my Ruger Mini30 for home defense. Nobody but wife and I, 3 acre or larger lots in the neighborhood, house is limestone construction, heavy, ruggedly locked doors. So, no worries about slugs leaving the house. If someone wants us badly enough to break down the doors, set off the alarm and beat down the heavy BR doors, I won't hesitate to light him up and TX law completely supports that philosophy. Good luck on getting the info you desire. Don
Don't sweat the FBI standards I'm sure Winchester knows a little bit more about rifle ammo performance than the pin heads at the FBI! Also this is the only 7.62 X39 round I know of that has plated brass.
I don I don't know. The FBI protocol may not be perfect, but for an anti personnel round, 12-18" of penetration in ballistic gel is a pretty consistent, reliable standard for whether or not a round will perform as needed if the shooter does his part. Less than that, under penetration can be a concern as in some .223 varmint rounds. More than that signifies an over penetration risk.
I'm willing to bet that the folks at Winchester are well aware of this and have taken it into consideration when designing their ammo. One of the two 20 round magazines I keep loaded for my Ruger Mini-30 is loaded with this round the other magazine is loaded with a Hornady round, each one for a purpose.
Here's the test you're looking for in the PDX 1 from both a 10 and 16 inch barrel: From the 16 inch gun, the PDX gave about 12" of penetration with massive expansion (over an inch). My guess is that Winchester designed it to reduce over penetration in indoor scenarios, while still meeting the 12 inch minimum. With that kind of expansion, I can't see how it couldn't have a devastating effect on whatever it hits. As another alternative, the Tulammo 154 grain soft point rounds have produced great gel test results (15.8 inches of penetration; expansion over .60") and can be found much cheaper than brass-cased ammo either online or in stores. Here's a link to gel test results for the Tulammo: It's hard to argue with a 30 round magazine full of 7.62x39 soft points.
