7.62x39mm gel test: Tula 154 gr soft point

[Andrew Wiggin]

Video link for phones


Tula 154 gr soft point fired from 16" WASR 10/63 into calibrated 10% gelatin.

BB: 592.2 fps, 3.3"


Impact velocity: 2,177
Penetration: 15.8"
Retained weight: 142.5 gr
Max expansion: 0.754"
Min expansion: 0.603"

[Jeep]

That most definitely will wreck your whole day if you get hit with it. As always, nice video.

[j.d.allen]

How consistently will it do that though? Aren't Russian manufacturers notorioulsy inconsistent? Swapping out components on a whim without telling anybody? That sort of thing?

[Andrew Wiggin]

That's my concern. The test doesn't have a statistically relevant sample size but based on the looks of that projectile, I think it's safe to assume it ought to consistently expand and probably would work at quite a bit lower velocity. The problem is there seems to be no easy way to tell what bullet was used for a given box of ammo.


I recommend that if anyone wishes to use Russian ammunition for defense or testing that they at least fire a round into water jugs to verify the recovered projectile appears the same as it does in one of the gel tests.

Better yet, if you want to use 7.62x39mm for defense, choose Hornady SST.

[DocGKR]

Good advice...

[Andrew Wiggin]

Meant to say "defense or hunting". Derp.