Anyone tried NovX ARX ammo in the cold?

NH_Shoots · January 04, 2018, 10:01:00 AM

Only chance I had to get to the range lately was in the cold snap last week. The R51 was running pretty well on different factory 115 Grain Round Nose types as well as a few Self Defense rounds (Gold Dot, Remington Ultimate Defense, etc.,).
Then I tried the new NovX ARX rounds. First time, too. Well, tried to try them. Mind you, the temperature was about 19 degrees F and the gun was admittedly cold. I put the magazine in the gun and slingshotted the slide. Nothing. The first round didn't even load. Tried to slingshot again, and nothing. The rounds weren't just nose-diving, they were submerged. Removed a round from the magazine and tried again to see if it's just the spring pressure, and, still nothing. Had to take 2 rounds out before the thing would load and fire. Fired OK.
Took it home and let the gun warm up inside. Loaded the full magazine with NovX ARX in it and cycled through all the rounds no problem (gun pointed outside through a door in a safe direction, full rounds dropping safely onto a mat).
Figured I'd stick the empty gun in the freezer for an hour. Put in a full magazine (magazine stayed at room temperature) of the NovX and same thing. Rounds submerged. Tred again, and this time, I think because I was inside and my hand was warm and the magazine was at room temperature, the gun warmed up and cycled through all the rounds no problem.

Anyone test the temperature limits of this weapon yet? Granted, in the cold the "normal" ammo worked fine.
Thanks,

R51Fan2017 · January 04, 2018, 10:19:22 AM

Quote from: NH_Shoots on January 04, 2018, 10:01:00 AM
Only chance I had to get to the range lately was in the cold snap last week. The R51 was running pretty well on different factory 115 Grain Round Nose types as well as a few Self Defense rounds (Gold Dot, Remington Ultimate Defense, etc.,).
Then I tried the new NovX ARX rounds. First time, too. Well, tried to try them. Mind you, the temperature was about 19 degrees F and the gun was admittedly cold. I put the magazine in the gun and slingshotted the slide. Nothing. The first round didn't even load. Tried to slingshot again, and nothing. The rounds weren't just nose-diving, they were submerged. Removed a round from the magazine and tried again to see if it's just the spring pressure, and, still nothing. Had to take 2 rounds out before the thing would load and fire. Fired OK.
Took it home and let the gun warm up inside. Loaded the full magazine with NovX ARX in it and cycled through all the rounds no problem (gun pointed outside through a door in a safe direction, full rounds dropping safely onto a mat).
Figured I'd stick the empty gun in the freezer for an hour. Put in a full magazine (magazine stayed at room temperature) of the NovX and same thing. Rounds submerged. Tred again, and this time, I think because I was inside and my hand was warm and the magazine was at room temperature, the gun warmed up and cycled through all the rounds no problem.

Anyone test the temperature limits of this weapon yet? Granted, in the cold the "normal" ammo worked fine.
Thanks,

Good review and welcome to the forum! I would have gotten mine out this week in the cold, except I still got remnants of the flu hanging on, so in the interests of not making that worse, I had to miss out on some great winter weather shooting. Now to the issue at hand. Has Remington invented another kind of jam? "Take her down! Submerge the boat!" Errr.......the round. Jeez. Why do they keep doing this to me? I would rule this as a case of excessive spring tension. Or, it could be that the follower is binding on something down there.......like the spring. There have been some suspicions of that lately. Also, of note. Have you bent the lip on the front and top of the magazine out straight? If not you need to do that as that is where a lot of problems will occur. If it is excessive spring tension, it's forcefully pushing up on that round which is in turn hitting that lip that hasn't been bent straight yet, and you can see where this is heading.

NH_Shoots · January 04, 2018, 12:29:56 PM

I have it back in the freezer now. Easy enough to simulate that way (don't need to be in single digits to try this).
I have 5 magazines. #1 and #2 are originals, #3 I purchased same day I picked up the gun in July, and #4 and #5 were shipped to me when I emailed customer service and whined about the nose-diving issue and they sent me the new part number that looks the same as the old one (the lips do measure differently). 1,2, and 3 all have shortened follower legs, and only #3 has had its funky front lip bent in and some metal trimmed away with a file. I am using #1 and #2 only for this test.
I'll pay closer attention to how the NovX rounds stay down in the magazine when cold and maybe try to describe them better. May even put the magazines in the freezer with the gun on one of these tries.
I noticed but didn't mention that when frozen I had difficulty locking the slide back so I could look at the rounds inside. Pushing up on the slide release didn't seem to catch the slide until my hand warmed up the gun.
I really like the NovX ARX design and concept and lightness. Just happened across this issue by accident.
I'll post results.

1911SHOOTER · January 04, 2018, 04:40:27 PM

NH_Shoots,
I doubt that the temperature will have an affect on the mags if the gun
is on your waist. And I for one do not want to carry openly with any weapon.
Surprise is best served cold!
BTW, RUGER ARX works great in my R51.
As mentioned, after a couple of shots, the gun is plenty warm. If you keep the
ammo in your dope bag, it stays fairly warm. Goes bang every time.!
I have hunted in some major cold places, never had a cartridge or shell not go bang.
Blackie

NH_Shoots · January 04, 2018, 07:57:26 PM

Blackie,
I agree, and am totally aware of the limited real world application of this issue. Having to leave the gun in the car when going into a mall (signs will keep the bad guys out I'm sure) comes to mind.
But it made me curious. Might increase knowledge of this fun little gun if I figured it out.
Truth be told, it only happened once using the freezer to see if it would repeat the issue.
Every time since, leaving it longer, keeping the magazines in with it as well, have not yielded the same result.
It's been suggested via PM that perhaps it was due to gummed up lube. That's possible but I'm not much of an over-oiler. It was clean before the range trip, and clean before the test in the freezer.
When it failed, it was only on NovX ARX. Shot lots of different ammo that day OK. Shoots Ruger ARX OK, but I didn't try them during that outing either.
I have nothing bad to say about the gun.
I'll post again on it if I learn anything new. It's supposed to get very cold here next week.
Thanks,

Oldgunnman · January 05, 2018, 02:42:37 PM

Hi from Ohio
Did not use the ARX ammo, but shot in -2 degrees with a cold gun and extra new magazines. Brought several types of ammo. Started with Rem. 124gr GS, no issues with 2 rapid fire mags. Then different brands and bullet weights. 275 rounds today, over 550 total through. Only 1 FTF today with a 115 fmj. (Think I caused that fail) It is a Charlotte made gun. Extra new Rem. mags from 3rd party vender. It shoots in the cold! Thought it was a fair test. My hands were pretty cold when finished. Anybody else shooting outdoors during this Arctic blast were having to see how they shoot?

1911SHOOTER · January 06, 2018, 07:18:36 PM

Oldgunman,
Too cold to get outside! I enjoy shooting too much to torture myself out there.
'Course I am spoiled living in South Texas.
Blackie

Oldgunnman · January 07, 2018, 05:42:43 AM

Blackie,
Yeah, it was really too cold! Not my usual shooting fun time, but the range is close to home. Funny thing though, there wasn't anybody else there ;-) The pistol shoots even when very cold, that's nice!!
Rick

funflyer · January 07, 2018, 11:58:28 AM

I've used Ruger ARX in my 380s and, other than the lower recoil felt, I don't see much benefit. It's hyped to fragment when it hits something hard, like bone, but I was blowing holes clean through thick hardwood pallets with it. One round was stopped by a nail so I dug it out for inspection and was surprised to see it was mostly intact. (see pic). Ball ammo or semi-wad would do the same thing for much less $$$.

As for the NovX. They appear to be the same bullet as the Ruger but with a different flute shape.What I'm not understanding is what's up with the aluminum, stainless, plated hybrid, multi-process, over-engineered, super duper case??? It's not needed. Give me Brass and lead. IMO they're trying to justify an overpriced ammo. I filed it in my overpriced gimmick book.

Chokejug · January 08, 2018, 03:28:43 PM

ff, the "hype" isnt so much that it fragments, (mostly on thick, hard steel, or rock/concrete), alledlgy for safety, but what it does in the case of soft tissue.

I was actually looking for a place to basically make this post, when your's showed up, thankz!

In soft tissue, (gelatin as well, which does not close as much as flesh likey does), the rotational speed of those "useless" little flutes that are spining in the neighborhood of 2000 RPS, yes, that is per second, hydrostactly, blow a bigger hole than any "mushrooming" bullet and do it right from the start.
Not after lossing half or more of it's veloticy, etc.

I was going to post, asking if anyone had been drawing any blood with these ARX bullets.

For the record, I have been using them a bit on varmints, O'possums and Racoons.
Not many as yet, but the last one just this AM.

I used two bullets this AM, racoon, first hit with a Magtech 95 gr flat nose. Havent inspected placement as yet, but didnt seem to do much.

Second shot, ARX, bounced around seconds, laid down, kicked another few seconds and went still.

Supposedly penetrates skin or paper, leaving only a tri shaped hole, the rest is something like 2 or 2 1/2 inch channel blasted out until they stop, 12 or 14 inches deep. Nasty, nasty!

Something the size as racoon/possums are going to run out of blood in seconds, man sized wouldn't take too much longer!

Anybody else with any dxperience?

Chokejug · January 08, 2018, 03:36:24 PM

BTW, as so does Blackie here, I keep my SD gun/s loaded with these Ruger ARX loads.

Just happened to have a 95 gr Magtech up the spout this AM when I went to the chicken house.

1911SHOOTER · January 09, 2018, 05:33:12 PM

Quote from: funflyer on January 07, 2018, 11:58:28 AM
I've used Ruger ARX in my 380s and, other than the lower recoil felt, I don't see much benefit. It's hyped to fragment when it hits something hard, like bone, but I was blowing holes clean through thick hardwood pallets with it. One round was stopped by a nail so I dug it out for inspection and was surprised to see it was mostly intact. (see pic). Ball ammo or semi-wad would do the same thing for much less $$$.

As for the NovX. They appear to be the same bullet as the Ruger but with a different flute shape.What I'm not understanding is what's up with the aluminum, stainless, plated hybrid, multi-process, over-engineered, super duper case??? It's not needed. Give me Brass and lead. IMO they're trying to justify an overpriced ammo. I filed it in my overpriced gimmick book.

FunFlyer,
That is why, back in the '50s they put "Boobs" on the Buick bumpers and Cadillac's bumpers. To attract the customers.
Same for the fancy cases. I shoot Ruger ARX and have no problems with it, and it is no more expensive than other PDA.
This other stuff, fancy cases with all that fancy stuff on it, I am in agreement with you Todd.
Blackie

R51Fan2017 · January 09, 2018, 09:38:22 PM

Agree with you Todd. Who cares? If it goes bang and puts holes in paper (or a badguy) I don't care. Just as long as it goes bang. I don't have to go bang with fancy fufu rounds.

Chokejug · January 10, 2018, 01:42:04 PM

I dont get the "fancy" cases either.
They, as in the military, want lighter to carry ammo that preforms better.

The first step is this "poly/copper" bullet with the molded groves. (There are already companies out there making solid copper bullets with these "boat propeller" grooves machined into them) They do work!

But the lighter composite poly/copper bullets attain MUCH higher speeds AND RPMs, thus being much. more destructive in flesh.

Very nasty in fact!

Talk about a foot or 14 inches long and 2 1/2 or 3 inches in diameter, of totally bloodshot meat!

And right from the start.
No wasted "mushrooming", before the real damage starts.

The next step should be one use, poly cases!
Where this Stainless Steel case need is coming from beats me!

Chokejug · January 10, 2018, 09:51:00 PM

I dont get the "fancy" cases either.
They, as in the military, want lighter to carry ammo that preforms better.

The first step is this "poly/copper" bullet with the molded groves. (There are already companies out there making solid copper bullets with these "boat propeller" grooves machined into them) They do work!

But the lighter composite poly/copper bullets attain MUCH higher speeds AND RPMs, thus being much. more destructive in flesh.

Very nasty in fact!

Talk about a foot or 14 inches long and 2 1/2 or 3 inches in diameter, of totally bloodshot meat!

And right from the start.
No wasted energy on "mushrooming", before the real damage starts.

The next step should be one use, poly cases!
Where this Stainless Steel case need is coming from beats me!

Whoa, just remembered.
The final goal is to be the full poly case. (Less weight for military rounds)
But they dont have that mastered as yet.

That is why the aluminum, and maybe needed the stainless for the rim.