winchester PDX1 ammo for hunting?

[tahunua001]

hello all,
I am in a unique situation where I am able to pick up PDX1 ammo for a fairly reasonable price in 7.62x39mm. I was wondering if the HP ammo is any good for hunting? they don't really market it for killing anything other than bad guys. anyone used it to any success?

 

[TimSr]

I have no experience with it, but most personal defense ammo is made to expand rapidly, which makes a good varmint round, but not so much larger than coyote targets where you need a bullet to stay together, expand controllably and penetrate.

7.62x39 has some great 150gr options if you handload, especially with 30-30 bullets, but its hard to get anything other an 123 or 125gr factory ammo. I think I'd still choose a factory pointed soft point over hollow point defensive ammo.

 

[taylorce1]

Just read the specs on the ammunition, it's a bonded 120 grain bullet. It's probably okay for killing deer. The only thing that might have me a little worried is the notched jacket. I imagine they do that for rapid expansion which will limit penetration, which means you probably won't get many exit wounds.

 

[Mobuck]

A couple of years back, I bought 5 X 50 round boxes of Hornady SST ammo(7.62x39) which will last me many years of "deer hunting" with this round. This bullet works better than anything else I've tried although I have not tested the PDX-1 ammo.
Considering the very moderate velocity of the cartridge, a "controlled expansion" bullet shouldn't be necessary and even a "varmint" bullet might be adequate with some care given to placement. My younger Son's friend killed 3 deer here using handloads with Remington .3095"(actual measured diameter)125 grain bullets which are generally considered "varmint/small game" bullets when used in .308/30-06.