Ruger ARX Polycase Ammunition

Introduction:

The Polycase ARX bullet was designed and is manufactured in Savannah, Georgia. It is marketed by Ruger as the Ruger ARX.

It is advertised as a high velocity, non-expanding bullet that defeats even the heaviest clothing and penetrates straight into tissue. Through hydrodynamics the flutes on the spinning bullet cause massive tissue damage, as discussed in detail further down.

While the bullet has devastating effect on a soft target, by design it lacks barrier defeating capabilities.

The ARX bullet will not penetrate any type of soft body armor, such as that worn by police officers.

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From The Polycase Website:

“Introduced in January 2014, the ARX® is a new bullet in every sense of the word. From the way it’s manufactured, to its shape to the way it transfers energy to the target. To understand the ARX®, one needs to forget nearly everything they’ve been told about bullets. The non-expanding ARX® is injection molded from a specially blended metal/polymer matrix that is designed to be tough enough to penetrate soft targets and tissue, but when it encounters tougher barriers it is designed to break apart to reduce the risk for collateral damage due to over penetration.

Even the heaviest clothing barriers have no effect on the terminal performance of the ARX® bullet. The ARX® penetrates straight until it encounters soft tissue. Upon entering soft tissue, the specially designed grooves in the nose harness the rotational energy of the bullet during the initial 6” of penetration. As the bullet penetrates it tumbles in a controlled, predictable fashion that delivers very consistent terminal performance that equals or exceeds conventional hollow point designs.

The flutes in the nose of the ARX® bullet harness the gain in kinetic energy accrued due to the increased velocity of fluid through the constricting effect designed into those flutes. Fluid passing through the ARX® flutes travels between one-and-a-half to two-times the velocity of the bullet resulting in impressive cavitation for caliber. A 9mm ARX® bullet traveling at 1,445 fps will result in fluid flowing through the ARX® flutes at nearly 2,900 fps, resulting in 13″-16″ of penetration into bare 10% ballistics ordnance gelatin and a temporary wound channel in soft tissue that is approximately 3″(W) and 9″(L).

Features:

REVOLUTIONARY SELF-DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY: From the research and development laboratory of PolyCase Ammunition®, the Inceptor® ARX® is the next-generation of self-defense ammunition. Through advanced design and materials science the ARX® uses fluid dynamics instead of expansion to achieve superior terminal performance.
ENGINEERED FLUID DYNAMICS: By design, the enhanced surface area and design of the ARX® exploit the bullet’s forward energy and redirect that energy in the form of hydraulic displacement (hydrostatic shock). This hydraulic displacement creates a wound cavity that matches or exceeds that created by expanding bullets.
LATERAL FORCE: The ARX® bullet’s hydraulic displacement effect is achieved by the ARX® technology. The ARX® flutes – grooves on the nose of the bullet – have wide mouths and narrow exit points. When combined with the bullet’s forward velocity into soft tissue, the design of the ARX® flutes causes an increase in pressure of the fluid. As a result, the fluid is laterally ejected from the flutes at a higher velocity than the actual speed of the bullet itself, creating the massive cavitation and wound channels seen in the ARX® gelatin tests.
SPECIALLY ENGINEERED PROFILE: Because it has no hollow-point or sharp edges on the nose of the bullet, the ARX® feeds like a round nose, yet retains stopping power and terminal performance that exceeds most expanding handgun bullets.
PRECISE: Injection molded ARX® projectiles deliver exceptional accuracy.
HIGH VELOCITY: Achieves higher velocity and higher energy than other self-defense rounds, yet develops less recoil for quicker follow-up shots.
ADVANCED MATERIALS: Performs in a wide range of conditions and weapons systems, including suppressed.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN: 380 Auto, 9mm Luger +P, 38 Special, 40 S&W, 45 Auto, 458 SOCOM and 50 Beowulf.
PATENT PENDING DESIGN.”

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Polytech Technical Specs:

ARX ammunition is available in .380 ACP, .38 Special., 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.

.380 ACP: 56 gr ARX®, 1315 fps / 215 ft. lbs.

.38 Special: 77 gr ARX®, 1116 fps / 213 ft. lbs.

9mm: 80 gr ARX®, 1445 fps / 371 ft. lbs.

.40 S&W: 88 gr ARX®, 1420 fps / 394 ft. lbs.

.45 ACP: 118 gr ARX®, 1307 fps / 448 ft. lbs.

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Polytech In The Media:

Polycase has been featured in several magazine articles, including Guns & Ammo, July 2015; Guns & Ammo, March 2016; and Handguns American, April / May 2016.

The ARX round earned Guns & Ammo magazine’s 2015 Ammunition of the Year award (pictured right).

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9mm ARX Testing:

The following attached videos demonstrate the excellent results from 9mm Parabellum ARX testing with 10% bare gelatin, and through denim into 10% gelatin and through two layers of drywall into 10% gelatin.

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.45 ACP ARX Testing:

The following attached videos demonstrate the excellent results from .45 ACP caliber ARX testing with 10% bare gelatin, and through two layers of drywall into 10% gelatin.

Coming soon.

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.380 ACP ARX Testing:

The following attached videos demonstrate the excellent results from .380 ACP caliber ARX testing with 10% bare gelatin, and through denim into 10% gelatin.

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Potential Problems With .380 ACP Caliber ARX When Fired From A Ruger LCP:

As with any ammunition that you will be trusting your life to, you should thoroughly test the ammunition in the weapon that you will be carrying it in. The following link describes how you may have trouble with individual Ruger LCP pistols when firing .380 ACP caliber ARX ammunition. Edges of the bullet’s teeth may chip off when the rounds are stripped from the magazine and fed into the chamber. The bullet’s terminal effectiveness may be compromised by the damaged teeth, and the chips that remain behind in the pistol may affect reliability. Test your pistol with this ammunition before you trust your life to it. Your results may vary.