12-Gauge Ammo Test Segmented Slug Showdown: Hexolit 32 vs PDX1
I have conducted prior testing of some 12-gauge slugs, including the Remington Slugger and the Brenneke Black Magic slug. Both were tremendous performers, but since my primary focus is on personal defense/home defense, I thought that the conventional shotgun slug, while devastatingly effective against a human, was perhaps "overkill" and the resulting overpenetration might potentially pose a hazard to bystanders or other residents of the house, etc.
Today, I wanted to try some more exotic shotgun slugs. These slugs are designed to break apart, and perhaps reduce the potential for overpenetration. Also, whereas a conventional shotgun slug creates just one wound channel, and buckshot creates many wound channels, it seemed interesting to test these segmenting slugs because they should create multiple wound channels but potentially do so even at long range.
In this video I test the Winchester PDX Defender 12-gauge 1-ounce segmenting shotgun slug in 2 3/4" shell size. They are rated on the box for 1600 fps; in my test (from an 18" barrel) they delivered 1450 fps.
I also test the DDupleks Hexolit 32, a shotgun slug that has six additional fragments. When it hits, it breaks off those six fragments, and the rest of the slug continues on its initial path. It is sort of like a conventional slug paired with a segmenting slug. It's a very heavy load (approximately 500 grains); accordingly it travels slower (in my test it delivered 1228 fps).
Both were outstanding performers. The PDX1 was quite a bit faster and threw the 20-pound gel block high in the air, but the DDupleks Hexolit 32 did tremendous damage too and delivered an absolutely gigantic slug to a penetration depth of 16.50".
Note: I'm not making any claims for these videos other than that these are the results I achieved, in my own testing, from the stated pistol(s). I have no intention to make a blanket endorsement or indictment of any product, only to review and report what I found in a given instance. Obviously it is incumbent upon each individual to conduct their own research and make up their own mind about which defensive ammunition is best for their own purposes, in their own firearms. Also keep in mind that individual firearms can be persnickety; my gun may feed a particular round consistently whereas yours might not work as well with those rounds, so -- please conduct your own testing before trusting any particular ammo.
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