Winchester PDX-1 9mm 124g +p: WOW!

[Macchina]

I finally got my first 9mm (after several .40s, many .357s, a few .380s and a .38 Special). I got a good deal on a P290RS and couldn't let it pass. I thought ammo was going to fall in my lap after I was able to pick up 500 rounds of steel case practice ammo for only $50! Well, premium carry ammo is expensive and harder to find than some of my other carry calibers.

I really wanted a few boxes 124g +p HST or Gold Dots but they are incredibly hard to find in stock online. I've been looking for a few weeks and no luck. After visiting a few stores that were sold out (they had plenty of .40 and .380), I happened upon a Dunham's that was selling Winchester PDX-1 for an outrageous $25 per 20 rounds. I bought their only box to have some carry ammo to try out.

I fired 5 rounds over my chronograph at 10 years and was extremely pleased to see the tiny group (for me) and excellent velocity of 1141 FPS average. I never expected any 9mm 124g round to go this fast out of a 3" barrel.

I will have to try a few more boxes for function before I carry it, but I'm extremely happy with that velocity and accuracy. I think I found my carry load on the first try.

Can I expect this kind of speed from any other 9mm 124g loads?

 

[RustyShackelford]

Winchester...

I just purchased a NIB no thumb safety M&P Shield 9x19mm.
I'm looking into buying a new box of Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P short barrel JHP for it. I considered PowRball and Winchester PDX1 +P 124gr 9mm but choose the Speer Gold Dot short barrel load.
The new Liberty Civil Defense was super hot and looked very potent for personal defense but the 9x19mm rounds had a listed weight of 50gr.
This didn't seem heavy enough to allow reliable cycles/feeding in the compact S&W Shield.
I might try the Liberty Civil Defense carry load in my larger Glock 21 .45acp gen 04. I was using Magsafe SWAT .45acp but want to shoot it up & buy a new design for carry/home security.
Winchester has great LE & personal defense rounds now. I purchased a new box of Ranger T/T Series 230gr JHP +P for armed security details.
For online sales Id look into www.CCWammo.com www.ammunitiondepot.com or Ables Ammo.
Rusty

 

[viking499]

Rusty, my Shield really likes the Hornady 124 XTP. Might be other good ammo out there, but that is all my LGS had in stock when I bought.

 

[19-3Ben]

I fired 5 rounds over my chronograph at 10 years

Well with slow fire, of course you're gonna get good accuracy!

 

[Macchina]

Well with slow fire, of course you're gonna get good accuracy!

Not necessarily... I've seen 5" groups at 10 yards when I should have been getting 1" with a different load.

 

[boricua9mm]

What most people fail to realize is that when they're looking at PDX-1, they're looking at the modern rendition of the old, infamous "Black Talon" round. Of course, the PDX-1 benefits from all the advances in technology: more efficient powders, bonded metal bullets, and easy-open JHP geometry.

It has replaced Speer Gold Dots as my daily CCW load in 9mm. The FBI seems to agree.

YMMV...

 

[19-3Ben]

Not necessarily... I've seen 5" groups at 10 yards when I should have been getting 1" with a different load.

I think perhaps you missed the joke. This was sloooooooow fire. Read again.

 

[RustyShackelford]

Local gun shops, retail....

I rarely purchase carry-duty rounds from retail stores or local gun shops.
Either the calibers have few choices, or the prices are jacked up.
I order most defense/duty ammunition online. Some websites and vendors are better than others.
A few like Buffalo Bore sell ammunition directly, .
From what I know the FBI issues the Winchester PXD1 series for special agents & sworn LE personnel(few people outside Quantico or DC know the FBI has its own police force).

 

[C0untZer0]

Does anyone know the difference between PDX and Ranger "T" Series?

Is there a difference between 147gr PDX-1 S9MMPDB1 and 147gr Ranger "T" Series RA9T ?

 

[boricua9mm]

PDX-1 has a nickel plated case, which I prefer in a CCW application for its added corrosion resistance. The Rangers are brass cased. Looking at ballistic gelatin tests, the PDX seems to open up much more reliably than the Rangers.

I don't know anything about the 147gr PDX-1s; as far as I know they are a new offering, as Winchester used to only list the 124gr+P load. Makes me wonder if suppressed applications created the demand for them to make a 147gr. standard pressure offering. While they're at it, why not make a 115+P and keep everyone happy?

Cost of the brass cased Rangers vs. the nickel plated PDX-1 is a moot point. Premium JHPs in 9mm have long-since hovered at $1/round give or take. Unless you really intend on a several prolonged shooting sessions with them on a yearly basis, then the price differential really isn't a huge concern in the long term.

 

[Snowdog]

To my knowledge, the PDX is bonded whereas the T series is not. However, there is bonded Ranger that is very similar.

 

[C0untZer0]

When I look at the expanded bullets the copper separates on the Ranger "T" creating those "talons"

Here is a typical look of the PDX-1 expanded bullet:

And this is pretty par for the course for RA9T:

 

[TarDevil]

After I narrowed my choices to the PDX-1 and Speer Gold dot, I did water jug tests. Both are great rounds, but the Gold Dot impressed me more, not just with the slightly better mushrooming and frontal area, but the water jug reactions.

Gold Dot on the left...

 

[C0untZer0]

I just opened up a box of my RA9T and they are nickel plated cases.

 

[o Unforgiven o]

Does anyone know the difference between PDX and Ranger "T" Series?

Is there a difference between 147gr PDX-1 S9MMPDB1 and 147gr Ranger "T" Series RA9T ?

The main difference between anything PDX1 and anything in the Ranger T series is bullet construction;PDX1 uses a bonded bullet and T series does not. The often overlooked Ranger Bonded series is identical to the PDX1.

Spec sheet for RA9BA, 9mm Luger +P 124 gr. Ranger Bonded

winchesterle.com/Lists%2FCatalogAmmo%2FAttachments%2F846%2FRA9BA%2Epdf


Yes I'm a little biased

 

[Phaedrus/69]

According to the tracking info I should have four 50 rounds boxes of Underwood 124gr +P+ here tomorrow. It launches a Gold Dot bullet at 1300 fps out of a regular barrel (tested in a G17 IIRC) so probably at least 1150 out of a shorter tube. Underwood stuff runs hot and has a reputation for being very good quality stuff, so we will see. Normally I carry 147gr HST but lately about all I can get is the standard pressure 124gr HST.